2 comments about Discovering the Rommel Murder: The Life and Death of the Desert Fox.

1. the book is almost of the same caliber Rommel was. Do not waste your time, get it now .Entertaining, exciting, it flows so fast. Buy this book now and have an wonderful time!



2. Charles Marshall has done an excellent job in preparing a literary work that is, in my studied opinion, a complete overview of Rommel...as a man and military genius. Marshall's detailed account of Rommel's life is reinforced by information received during interviews with Rommel's widow as well as the letters Rommel sent her during the African campaigns. Further, Marshall, as a former Army Intelligence Officer during WWII, relies heavily on his own detailed diary enteries of interviews with German/Nazi officals in captivity prior to the end of the war. Marshall's work details Rommel's life from pre WWI through his untimely death, forced by Adolf Hitler, before the end of WWII. If there is only one true account of Rommel's life, "Discovering the Rommel Murder" is it.

1 comments about FLYING THE HUMP TO CHINA.

1. The author trained as a pilot in the US Airforce in WW2, qualified to fly transports and was assigned to fly "The Hump," the airlift route from India to China that kept Chiang Kai-Shek's Kuomintang forces together with US aircraft based in China supplied and equipped. It's a fascinating and very personal account, written in 2004 when the author was in his eighties. The book includes over 150 b&w photo's, most of them taken by the author during the war. They make a fascinating inclusion in the book and again, give a very personal view of the war. They're generally not the sort of photo's that make it into your standard history books and for that alone, the price of the book is almost justified.
   
   The author gives a very personal account, the first half of the book focuses on the author's story and pays no real attention to the course of the war, the fronts, strategy etc, except in so far as it has an impact on the author. A good chunk of the second half provides an overview and a little bit of a history of the airlift, enough to give you a broad outline, but it's not a detailed study. The final couple of chapters is the authors autobiograhy up to the date of writing the book (2004 or thereabouts).
   
   Overall, I found it very interesting as a personal account. There were many such books written immediately after WW2, most of them long out of print now. It's good to see an account such as this published and available, it provides an interesting personal view of what it all looked like to the guys doing the grunt work during the war. Kudo's to the author for taking the time to write this account and have it published, giving all of us a little more insight into what the WW2 veterans went through.
   
   The book itself - well, the grammer is pretty person all (lol), seems there wasn;t a professional editor on this one - but it has a real authenticity and a raw edge to it that you don't get in the standard military histories. If you're a WW2 flying buff or interested in The Hump, this book is worth your while. If it's a chronicle of The Hump that you're looking for, don't bother. The author writes a bit about the history of the hump but it's not a historical study or anything close - there's other books that handle that aspect much better. A great read for all that and worth picking up if this is a subject that interests you - here's few enough of these personal accounts that this one is a valuable piece of history.

No comments about Never Will We Forget: Oral Histories of World War II.

5 comments about The Saga of Tom Horn: The Story of a Cattlemen's War.

1. I was a resident of Boulder Colorado for 40 years. Tom Horn is buried in the old Columbia cemetery there. I have seen the pink granite stone with the simple inscription In Loving Memory Of Tom Horn. Everything I have read about the man never disclosed why Tom was buried in Boulder until I read Dean Krakel's book, The Saga of Tom Horn, A Vindication written by Himself. Tom was born in Missouri, not Texas. He left home after his Dad gave him a severe beating for skipping school and chores to go scouting for varmints. Tom had a natural talent to speak other languages. On his way to the Southwest he learned Spanish and later Apache after he was assigned to live with the Apache at San Carlos and Cibecue to keep an eye and an open ear on the Indians. After the Indian wars he became a Pinkerton detective, a miner, and a cattleman's detective. It was in this last capacity that got him into trouble. Tom had a brother, Charles, who operated a freighting business in Boulder. After Tom was hanged his body was sent to Boulder where Charles received him and was buried in the family's cemetery. This was his only connection to Boulder.
   I have read microfilmed letters that were sent to Tom by nieces while he waited in jail.The Boulder library has these microfilms,
   In 1993, Sept.16th and 17th a new trial was ordered for Horn in the Laramie, Wyoming courthouse. Charles O'Neal was the oldest living descendant of Tom Horn at that time and was gratified that the modern day retrial won Horn a posthumous acquittal.
   However the descendant of Willie Nickel, a niece named Viola Nickell Bixler, then 70 years old stated that she didn't think it was wise or reasonable to change history so many years after the fact. This information was taken from an article written by Kevin McCullen and published in Rocky Mountain News.
   Another article about Tom Horn and written by William Hafford and published in the May 1996 issue of Arizona Highways is also interesting reading along with a few great photos.



2. I have read more western history than many and while the book is good as far as it goes, it overlooks most of who and what Tom Horn was. He hailed from Texas of German stock and had a very Wild West life - mining, Indian Scout, spoke the Apache language, worked with the legendary Al Sieber and was in on at least one capture of Geronimo. The Apache Chief in whose camp he learned their language called him Talking Boy, his Apache Name (used to describe one's character or most salient trait), and the one that proved his undoing. I believe Tom Horn was a great frontiersman and, like so many, used by the government, discarded without so much as a by-your-leave to either discard all the government had set his life to, or else be brought down. I believe many a Viet Nam Veteran will know whereof I speak on this. What is missing from this book is Horn's early experience, which is nowhere documented properly in print. He, Mickey Free, Al Sieber and a handful of other white and Apache scouts won the Apache Wars. And they were all dropped like hot rocks so soon as the war was over, with lesser men garnering glory and acclaim for what others in fact did. Tom Horn's story, here, shows what happens when a man out-lives his time, when a soldier used to truly vicious conditions plies his trade for his own purpose, and in service of the way of life he thought he was defending. I rate this at 3 stars only because I wanted to more know about Tom Horn from this book, and less about the penny-ante locals. The book's evidence shows pretty clearly, to my mind, that Tom Horn was railroaded to top it all off.



3. This is a 'must read', for anyone interested in the 'Old West' and 'cattle country'. Mr. Krakel, dis-spells rumor and conjecture about Tom Horn. Through newspaper articles and interviews with the people who were 'around' at the time, Mr. Krakel, unfolds a story of mystery surrounding the killing of a 14-yr. old boy. With actual court transcripts, he relates the trial of a Wyoming 'Stock Detective'and his eventual hanging. This is about as close to the truth as we may ever get on the subject of Tom Horn. This review is in regard to the 'un-expurgated' edition.



4. The Saga of Tom Horn is a very good book on the trial of Tom Horn.It recreates the trial that found Tom guilty,and hanged him for the death of a 14 year old boy. A crime a lot of people including me belives he did not do. The book is very detailed on the trial, and about Tom Horn himself. A must read for all western history buffs.



5. Tom Horn devotees will be enthralled with this book as it uses historical evidence and trial documentation to tell the truth. It is the most comprehensive book on the Wyoming years of Tom Horn.

2 comments about Admiral Arleigh Burke.

1. Frankly speaking I have given it a very quick screen. This is one of the books I bought for my summer holiday(which has not started yet:). Looks like something very promissing and I just cant wait to start reading it.



2. During World War II a lot of good men rose to the top from relatively low levels when the war started. Arleigh Burke started the war as a commander on shore duty at the Washington Navy Yard, also known as the Naval Gun Factory. His superior officer refused to let him go.
   
   Eventually he got orders to go to the South Pacific, it had been twenty years since he had graduated from the Naval Academy. From there his career skyrocketed. Twenty years younger than Nimitz/Halsey he was the most famous Naval officer in active service after the war. He eventually became Chief of Naval Operations under Eisenhower. He was the CNO for an unprecedented six years.
   
   The author of this book served in the Navy during World War II, and afterwards was a civilian faculty member of the Naval Academy. His biographies of Nimitz and Halsey won numerous awards and was selected by Burke and some of his friends as biographer. Admiral Burke, by then unable to read because of failing eyesight, listened to the book as it was read by his wife and assisted in the correction of errors.
   
   This book is well written and brings interesting insight not only to the story of World War II, but of the political happenings afterward when Truman wanted to unify the services in an attempt to do away with the inter-service rivalry.

5 comments about Behind the Blue-Star Banner: A Memoir from the Home Front.

1. Awesome book, great for new military spouses. Michelle candidly shares the ups and downs of her experiences as a Army wife and mother and shares many helpful pieces of advice for families dealing with deployments and separation. I laughed, I cried and I marveled at how I've felt so similar to Michelle as I've braved 2 deployments - its nice to hear another perspective!!



2. I absolutely love this book. This book touches your heart and the experiences families go through during the long deployment. In fact, she described the same feelings & thoughts while I went through my own 15 month deployment from my husband. I highly recommend this book!



3. I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle very briefly right after my husband and I got stationed at Ft. Wainwright, which was right before she and her husband left for their next duty station. It was such a brief introduction, but I was instantly drawn to her upbeat, smiling demeanor. Almost two years later, I was on a plane from Seattle to Fairbanks, and who walked past my seat, but Michelle Cuthrell! She was heading to Fairbanks to do a book signing at Barnes and Noble, and unfortunately I didn't find out that's why she was back in town until two days later. I was, however, at Barnes and Noble the day her book officially came out, a few weeks later. I've read a ton of books on being an army wife, dealing with being an army wife, dealing with the army life, etc... but I have to say this one really touched me deep in my heart, and taught me many valuable lessons - it taught me how to be me, how to be grace under pressure, to not take my life, my marriage, my husband for granted, and to smile and thank God everyday for what I have been blessed with, Army or not. It also taught me that surviving deployment IS possible, and so are deployment extensions. Us Army wives need more positive upbeat reading like this, and I look forward to reading any and everything else Michelle writes!



4. I do not have a spouse in the military, but took interest in the book from a recommendation from a friend. Michelle wrote with elegance and wit...I felt like I was her best friend stealing a peek at her diary. Her words challenged me. When I find myself in a hard situation, I remember her words clearly..."joy is a choice..." Michelle has helped me to see the positive in situations and to realize that although a current situation may not be easy, I still have the option of choosing joy in the midst of sorrow. I recommend this book to anyone who has a loved one serving or to anyone who is in the midst of a personal battle...A very thought provoking, rewarding book. Great job & thank you!



5. After reading this book from cover to cover I had the happy experience to hear Michelle speak. She is very uplifting and it comes out clearly in her book. I too made it through the deployment and extension of the 172nd Stryker Brigade by finding joy and relying on God. This was a wonderful read and I am recommending it to all the spouses in my FRG.

5 comments about Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth.

1. Ignore the one stars, this is a wonderfully weird and rambling book, part history part personal memoir and travelogue; part social commentary and part political commentary. The portraits of the astronauts are amazingly well painted and Smith allows them speak and explain themselves without too much editorial interference. If you're looking for backroom tales, technical details and the history's behind the multitude of unsung figures who worked within the American space programme then you'll find them here, to quote Mr Smith 'in spades.' If you are from a generation that feels an aching sorrow of being born at the end of what was quite obviously a mini renascence but were too young to appreciate it, then you'll find some comforting words in here. As I've said before, ignore the one stars, this is a unique and wonderfully weird monster of a book.



2. The NASA version of the Apollo moon landings is one thing (see the 5 DVD compilation: NASA The Story of America's Courageous Space Explorers!). 'Moondust: In Search of the Men Who Fell to Earth' is another. The cover says a lot. It shows Gene Cernan, Buzz Aldrin, John Young, Neil Armstrong, Charlie Duke, James Irwin, Alan Bean, and Jack Schmitt as heros worthy of being on collectible bubble gum cards. The author Andrew Smith was the perfect age when Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon. He was a kid. The moonwalkers are his heros. I was born later and equivalent heros for me are Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Yoda. The amazing thing about Andrew Smith's story is that he's able to actually meet those space-men and to come face to face with the realities of their lives after having walked on the moon. How much was an astronaught's salary? If I were standing on the face of the moon looking up at Earth, what effect would that have on my sense of God? What does a landscape devoid of atmosphere really look like? How does it feel to be alone inside the vehicle in orbit around the moon waiting for your colleagues to return from the moon surface? Especially when you're on the back side of the moon and you have no radio contact with Earth and you're more alone than any other human being in the history of our existence? What do you do with yourself after you return to Earth, after you retire from NASA, after your fame begins to fade away? Maybe you go into liquor sales, start your own religion or maybe you take up a career as a painter obsessively painting scenes from your lunar memories. Andrew Smith is a down to Earth writer who infuses wit, humor, and astute observation into this amazing book that I couldn't put down. Moondust ranks high among my favorite true account books which would also include Al Santoli's 'Everything We Had' and Joannis van Loon's 'The Life & Times of Rembrandt van Rijn'.



3. This book was very disappointing for all the reasons already stated, factually inaccurate, rambling, author being self absorbed, etc. The title is misleading and should have been "Andrew Smith: My thoughts on the Apollo Program (With an a few astronaut interviews thrown in)".
   
   I give it two stars because some of the interviews were interesting.
   
   Thankfully I borrowed this book from the library and didn't pay for it. I suggest if you're really interested in reading this book that you do the same...



4. This book turned out to be more about the author than about the astronauts. It was disappointing. The book was also hard to finish. It was uninteresting in most parts. Not recommended if you are looking for insight on the astronauts.



5. This particular book does a great job of getting into the insights of the astronauts when they were front page news. Apollo was truly the pinnacle of NASA and Andrew Smith does a great job of creating the aura that still surrounds the 9 men still living, that walked on another world.
   
   I could've done without some of his personal musings, as he paints a picture that you would rather he keep to himself. I have my own personal perspectives and if you didn't grow up in U.K. or CA, you'll probably agree that Andrew should've kept some of his memories out of the pages.
   
   Even with the author's anecdotes, the book is 5 stars and worthy reading for any space history buff.

2 comments about Pompey the Great: A Political Biography (Blackwell Ancient Lives).

1. Seager's Pompey is an excellent book that is a necessity for anyone wanting to fully understand the political career of Pompey Magnus. Over the years, countless books have been written on Caesar and the fall of the Republic, and I find it interesting that very few (at least very few in English) book have been written on the life of Pompey.
   Seager's book does a fantastic job of explaining how Pompey was able to rise to power through the use of the army and his military victories. An interesting point that Seager makes about Pompey's rise is that since Pompey skipped many of the offices that most Romans needed to obtain before becoming consul he did not have the political acumen of others in his position. This explanation does much for enlightening the reader as to why Pompey made some decisions (which in hindsight) which damaged his reputation within the Republic.
   Another interesting point that Seager makes in his book is that he believes that Cicero may have exaggerated the threat of Catiline to galvanize the Republic against the return of Pompey. After all Sulla's return from the east was still fresh in many Romans' minds (the proscriptions had effected most of the patrician families in one way or another) and since Pompey had been a lieutenant of Sulla there was speculation that he too would make a grab at supreme power over the Republic.
   Seager has produced a thorough biography of Pompey's life in this book and it should be read by those interested in the complexities of Pompey and the late Roman Republic. However, be aware that Pompey's military exploits are glossed over in this book and Seager's primary focus is on Pompey's political career.



2. The story of the rise and fall of Pompey is the story of the fall of the Roman Republic and its eventual rebirth as an Imperial empire. Both coincide with each other with ones gains coming at the expense of the other. However, Pompey did not initiate the events that began the Republics downward spiral. Rather he helped hasten them to their inevitable conclusion. And so begins Robin Seager's historical biography on Pompey.
   
   Seager begins first at the events that set in motion the decline of the Republic and the rise of Pompey (and others sharing the same limitless ambitions) by discussing the popular reforms attempted by the Gracchi brothers to return land to the landless. Over the years, war service and an influx of slaves through military conquests had led to many Romans losing their farm lands and losing the ability to work in the agricultural sector. On top of this, once Romans lost their land, they no longer qualified for military service and thus the state lost a soldier. The reforms attempted to correct this reality by providing recently conquered land to the landless. The Senate, greatly opposing this as it would affect them financially, ensured that the reforms failed. This event marked the growing conflict between the Senate and the Tribunes (who directly represented the peoples interest, theoretically) over control of the Republic. An event that sparked bitter rivalries between equites (a sort of merchant class who were wealthy but until recently stayed out of politics) who demanded recognition and respect from the Senate and the aristocrats who believed it was their innate right to govern through exclusion.
   
   Seager continues to set the stage for Pompey's entrance by discussing his father (Pompeius Strabo) and Sulla, both of whom had strong influences on Pompey. They reinforced the value of loyal troops and the value of maintaining multiple connections in the Senate, something Pompey would never forget (although he wasn't very skilful in the latter leading to problems later on). Over time, as Pompey built a reputation for himself, he won numerous accolades from the Senate on his victories in Spain, his successful war against the Mediterranean pirates and his accomplishments in the East against Mithradates. He also shrewdly took credit for the defeat of Spartacus even though he arrived too late for the final battle. With these victories he expected to be no less then worshipped by the people and the Senate. However, the reality proved different. Being humiliated and shunned, as the Senate wanted to ensure Pompey understood his rightful place in the Republic's hierarchy (he was from a relatively young wealthy family and thus did not have the long-established family history other Senators had); Pompey allied himself with another brash rising star, Caesar. All these events, as Seager discussed, amplified the decay of the Republic's core foundations. Rather then upholding the Republics values (regardless of how suspect and imaginative they were), these men began placing their importance and prestige first. With this change in focus, it would only be a matter of time when the Republic would be torn apart into rival factions vying for its crown. Seager brilliantly brings all these events to light. He covers every step of the deterioration through the life of Pompey who had an integral part in ushering in this new era. From his first salute to Sulla as imperator to his final stand in Greece, Seager, in a comprehensive narrative, outlines Pompey's many decisions, the reasoning behind them and their eventual consequences to himself and the Republic.
   
   Although I strongly recommend this book (6 stars if it existed), a prospective reader needs to keep a few things in mind before purchasing this book. The books, at-many-times, excessive details does have its failings mainly being that the book can at times drag on. Add in Seager's obsession with including every Consul's name (many which are similar to others via familial relationships) and you can easily have one chaotic and confusing mess. I should know as I threw down this book in frustration on my first attempt at a read-through. This book needs to be read careful paying attention to the fine detail Seager adds in as most of it ties into later parts of his book. Doing this rewards the reader with an essential and absorbing look at the later Republics political life with all its rewards and treachery. As well, Seager's primary focus is on Pompey's political achievements and failures with a nod towards his campaigns, hence the books subtitle: A Political Biography. As you can probably tell at this point, this is a scholarly work with its main focus being on providing and critiquing information and sources rather then providing a quick and exciting narrative (see Tom Holland's excellent book, Rubicon: the Last Years of the Roman Republic for that).
   
   If one wants a simple narrative of Pompey's actual military campaigns, this book is not the source. If one however wants a better understanding of all the characters directly involved in the downfall of the Republic including its main protagonists, Pompey, then I strongly recommend this book. Thank you Mr. Seager for providing us with an exceptional work. If you do end up liking this book, I would strongly recommend Seager's other work, Tiberius, as well.

5 comments about "Happiness Is Not My Companion": The Life of General G. K. Warren.

1. Having had little information on the life of my great, great, great grandfather this book was facinating. I had no idea he had participated critically in so much of the civil war. Not only Warren's genius of analysis of conditions in battle, but his engineering skills were also very notable, indeed his accomplishment in cartography and engineering of the Rock Island bridge some could say eclipsed anything he did during the war between the states. The book is a facinating inside look at relationships between men of high rank and served to show that patriotism was not the sole factor in their decisions and exploits. Great leaders, sadly, usually have great egos and Warren was no exception. I also thought the final analysis of why Warren, though brillant, failed to achieve the greatness he was surely capable of achieving, to be profoundly accurate, in light of previous chapters of each battle. His broad understanding of the big picture came into direct conflict with men of lesser intellect, but higher rank, who had the "tunnel" vision to stay the course and simply overwhelm the enemy with shear numbers. I applaud this work of David Jordan and for taking so much time to research and write about a man the world did it's best to defame and hide in obscurity.



2. In "Happiness is Not My Companion," David M. Jordan performs his usual solid job in assembling a biography. Jordan is, as always, excellent when it comes to digging in primary sources and he does breathe a good deal of life into the rather obscure G. K. Warren. Best known for his role at Little Round Top, Warren led the 5th Corps of the Army of the Potomac during most of the Overland campaign before his removal at Five Forks. He also held a number of important staff assignments under Joe Hooker and George Meade. Jordan is able to offer an excellent account of Warren's Civil War career as well as his quest for vindication from being removed from command. Jordan also offers an excellent look at Warren's morose and often overly critical personality. There remain some problems in the book. Warren's role as an explorer is covered too quickly. The same can be said of his role as an engineer in the West after the war. Still, Jordan is excellent on Warren and the war. Anyone interested in the Union effort in the east would profit from this book about a leading and very unique general.



3. For Civil War readers, Gouverneur Kemble Warren is not an unfamiliar name. He is most associated for his slow response in the Wilderness campaign where he was dismissed without, as we read, justifiable cause. This action was driven more by spite and the ego issues of Phil Sheridan, who failed to understand the issues causing Warren's delay at Five Forks. And then there was U.S. Grant's rigid blind faith in Sheridan that led him to summarily dismiss Warren, also without knowing all the facts. Jordan does a good job of showing the many facets of a general who was not only competent but ethical in his conduct of the war. While admittedly cautious and slow at times, he was still able to win battles and not needlessly compromise his men's lives. As a psychotherapist, it was personally interesting to see the psychology of this complex man, from his highs to his rages and deep depression. He was without question, intelligent and with great courage. He did have issues that could compromise his "generalship" at times but then shine at others. Yet, his leadership of men was done with character and ethical responsibility and discipline. I highly recommend this book as not only a means to understanding an excellent civil war general but also as a way to see how circumstances create decisions, both good and bad. To see how incompetent leaders can manage to survive and highly competent ones fall, all in a flash. The book, from the early days of Warren, through his Civil War battles, court of inquiry trial and, ultimately, his lonely and sad death, is well written, easy to read and, like a complex movie, shows us pieces of the war and its many unseen still frames that are so easily missed. The reader will come away with a greater understanding of G.K. Warren as well as the civil war. David L Mazzola



4. Solid bio on General Warren, like George Picket, known for Gettysburg and Five Forks, the latter in his casea great controversy. Warren was the opposite of the Confederacy's impetuous A. P. Hill, Warren was brave but detailed and thorough in his planning. Often thinking of his men's welfare, he frequently clashed with not only Meade but by war's end Grant and Sheridan. The author provides a healthy history of Warren's family and his time at West Point and his gallant service mapping the Black Hills among the Sioux before the war. The reader may be a little impatient to get to the Civil War and the controversy but you get there relatively quickly. Warren serves on McClellan's staff and stays as a staff officer as a topographic engineer through his famed role at Little Round Top. Warren then becomes a corps commander, although he seems ill suited personality wise for the task. His dispatches to Meade naively offer too much advice and seemimg less action than his superiors expect, which he never seems to fully appreciate. Jordan utilizes many primary resources such as reports and letters by Warren, his bombastic artillery Officer, close military friends, commanders and many other witnesses to give you a first hand perception of the man. Warren's was notable in refusing to attack Lee's fortifications at Mine Run, a little written about campaign that establishes Warren as a man considerate of his men yet suffering in the eyes of his his commander. Here the author could have offered more maps as the Mine Run campaign starts questions about Warrens propensity to inform and perhaps lecture. During the overland campaign, Warren alternately hesitates and attacks and the author describes the reasons for each, particularly the Confederate fortifications. Rhea, in his great series of books on the 1864 campaigns, probably describes best Grant and Meade's frustration with Warren but Jordan does well here in this 320 page book. Although aquiting himself well during the Petersburg siege, with some question at the Crater, Warren's 5th corps continues to actively pivot late in 1864 alternately with Hancock's 2nd to the western outside edges of Petersburg. A question worth asking here is why, if Grant and Meade already question Warren's timely ability to attack, did they not keep his corps east of Petersburg in a static position? This is not answered by Jordan but should have been explored. By late March 1865, he is ordered to maneuver around Lee's far right to support Sheridan that culminates in the battles of Dinwiddie Court House (a setback for Sheridan) and then Five Forks. This unusual collaboration between two Generals that mutually dislike each other is immediately antagonized by too many confusing orders from both Sheridan and Meade to Warren compunded by Grants independent control of Sheridan. Jordan points out well that Warren is succesful in his dificult manuevers in the face of the enemy yet Warren fails to report timely to Sheridan. Jordan covers the battle of Five Forks well, ironically Warren's best and most succesful attack, and the controversy of Sheridan sacking Warren after the battle was won. Jordan's reserach also notes Warren's colorful charge across the final breastworks with his troops happens just before his sack notice reaches him as opposed to what some historians describe as happening only after he learned he was sacked. Ed Bearss book "Five Forks" in the VA. series probably describes the battle best with an excellent map but Jordan does a fine job describing the battle. The latter parts of the book follow Warren's post war career and his unusual dedication as an military engineer refusing to leave the army for much needed income as a private engineer as he waits his day in court. Warren comes across as a festidious egineer more suited for that kind of work but his extended military career and his desire for a trial seem to aggravate his sensitive health. The trial, 16 long years later, is well covered as well as the political difficulties as Sherman, Sheridan and Grant act as roadblocks. Jordan paints Warren appropriately as a man of talent but lacking in perception that the war changed and that Grant and Sheridan were trying to bring the war to an end in a hurry, which contributed to the abrupt and disasterous decision by Sheridan ironically after the day at Five Forks was won. At Five Forks Warren was relieved not for his actions that were unknown to Sheridan at the time but for the reputation that preceded and sterotyped him in Sheridan's eyes. One of the last ranking officers who served with McClellan, it is unfortunate that Warren did not leave when Hancock did or at least recognize that Grant and Meade required less opinions but timely reports of action as did Sheridan. A sad end with a final victory, reversed court finding, coming too late as the book's title aptly professes, happiness was not be his his post war companion.



5. Before I review this one, let me admit that I've never been into book length biographies, even when they concern Civil War era figures, so this is a bit of a new experience. Keep this is mind when reading these early attempts at reviewing biographies. I picked up this bio of Gouverneur Kemble Warren for two reasons. First, Indiana University Press was having an unbelievable sale, and I managed to find this one as a brand new hardback for only $6. Second, I'd been looking to get into the biography arena by looking at men who commanded at division level or higher during the siege of Petersburg.
   
   "Happiness Is Not My Companion" takes a look at the checkered career of Gouverneur Kemble Warren, a man who was stripped of his command at the moment of his greatest triumph at Five Forks. Author David Jordan covers Warren's life in some detail, though I thought that a closer and more definitive work can probably be penned at some point in the future. With that said, I enjoyed this biography, especially the section dealing with the Petersburg Campaign. Jordan keeps the reader interested while moving the story along. The author argues that Warren was wronged by Sheridan at Five Forks, but he does candidly admit many of Warren's flaws, though I suspect he may not have gone far enough in revealing these.
   
   
   Gouverneur Warren was an extremely intelligent man, but his main faults, according to author David Jordan, were his difficulty in following orders given to him while at the same time giving frequent unwanted "suggestions" to his superior officers. Jordan downplays somewhat Warren's nature to frequently act with great condescension, which is to me his greatest flaw. Warren was born on January 8, 1830 in upstate New York in the little town of Cold Spring, just a short distance from West Point. That Warren ended up at the Military Academy is hardly surprising given his birthplace and his prominent family. He graduated second in his class, and was awarded a spot in the coveted Corps of Engineers. In this role, Warren spent the better part of the 1850's on expeditions to the west, where he encountered friendly and hostile Native Americans, including the Sioux, and participated in his first military actions. Warren had accepted a position to teach mathematics at West Point by the time war broke out, but he soon became Lt. Colonel and then Colonel of the famous 5th New York, Duryea's Zouaves. He led the men of this regiment as a brigade commander in the Seven Days and at Second Bull Run, and was afterward promoted to Chief Topographical Engineer and then Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac. It was in this position at Gettysburg that Warren perhaps gave his greatest contribution to his country. Warren, while out scouting on the Union far left, noticed the importance of the Round Tops and the fact that Confederate infantry were approaching. He immediately found the nearest Union troops, the brigade of Colonel Strong Vincent, and sent them scurrying for the crest of Little Round Top. They barely beat the Confederates to the crest and managed to secure this vital area for the Union. Warren was promoted to Major General after the battle, and he was temporarily placed in command of the II Corps while Winfield Hancock recovered from his severe Gettysburg wound. In the Mine Run Campaign of November 1863, Warren called off an attack that he deemed suicidal on his own responsibility. Meade was at first furious that Warren had disobeyed, but he agreed with Warren's decision after taking a look at the Confederate entrenchments. This first instance of Warren questioning his orders as a corps commander was only the beginning. Meade and Grant would grow exasperated with Warren on more than one occasion during the Overland and Petersburg Campaigns. It was during this time frame, while commander of the V Corps of the Army of the Potomac, that Warren had his greatest problems as a commander. Meade and Grant were on the verge of relieving him several times for his continued questioning of orders, or in some cases, his outright disobedience of these orders. Jordan quotes the diary of Charles Wainwright, the V Corps Artillery Chief, quite often during this time period. Apparently Wainwright did not much like Warren and was constantly critical of his commander. All of this was leading up to Warren's greatest triumph...and his greatest disappointment. Warren was placed under Phil Sheridan during the attack on Five Forks. Grant, apparently having grown tired of Warren's tendency to question his orders, gave Sheridan the right to sack the v Corps commander at any point and replace him with any of the V Corps division commanders. Although Warren moved his men up in a satisfactory manner, and although the V Corps was able to flank and drive off the Confederates guarding Five Forks, Sheridan relieved Warren and sent him back to Grant. Jordan discusses Warren's unceasing efforts after the war in his quest to see a court of inquiry convened. It wasn't until the early 1880's that Warren was able to make this possible. He had known that while Grant or member of his circle were in power that his request would never be granted, so he had waited until Rutherford B. Hayes was President to press home his request. In my mind, Jordan demonstrates pretty conclusively that Warren was not at fault in any way at Five Forks, though Warren's peers who oversaw the court were rather ambivalent in their findings, perhaps to appease Sheridan, who now commanded the entire United States Army. Warren died before the findings of the court were made public. He deserved better, from Sheridan on April 1, 1865, to Grant in the intervening years concerning the granting of a court of inquiry, to the men who finally made judgments on his behavior.
   
   As I stated in the introduction, this is a good but not great book. Jordan goes into considerable detail, but I couldn't help feeling that even more could have been done. He also seems to go a little easy on Warren in some cases, especially when it concerns Warren's difficulty in dealing with subordinates and superiors who he felt were not as intelligent as he was. One trait I dislike more than most in my fellow human beings is condescension. Warren was filled to overflowing with condescension for quite a few people, and I would have liked to see the author get into this in more detail. Other than that, I thought he tried to be impartial, as a good biographer always should. The maps that accompanied the text were solid, and really a bit of an unexpected bonus as far as a biography goes. Anyone interested in biographies of Civil War generals will not be disappointed in this one. Those interested in G. K. Warren or in the later campaigns of the Army of the Potomac will also want to give this one a look.

5 comments about Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy.

1. Obviously factual and straightforward. No personal bias is interjected by the author - he just tells it like it is. The transition between combat scenarios, background and the courts martial procedings are logical and seamless. Great read! AND a bit scary when you realize the obvious political prejudice by the government. After reading this book you will better understand the challenges and threats that our military men and women are facing in the war against terrorism.



2. Warlord is a look at the moral ambiguities of contemporary warfare and their political resonance on the home front. Its protagonist is not a fashionable anti-hero, but a real American hero, the kind of guy who witnesses the WTC attack and immediately decides to re-enlist, shaving his hair into a Marine buzz cut even before going home. And yet when he does return home from serving his country at war, he finds himself under threat of capital punishment. The stakes here are not just personal: Pantano needs to win his grand jury case on behalf of every soldier in combat who might hesitate to defend himself in the field - and be brought back in a body bag - rather than be tried as a murderer at home.
   
   In addition to the intrinsic drama of the Black Hawk Down-style firefights into which Pantano leads his men, there is the drama of the courtroom, where the details of the incident - the "murder" of which he was accused - grippingly unfold. His reputation and character are almost impossible for the prosecutors to besmirch, but the trial outcome remains in doubt because he may be hung out to dry as a political scapegoat.
   
   Pantano graphically conveys the madness of combat that civilians and politicians cannot comprehend (and yet which many unfairly judge), but there are nice touches of humanity in the madness as well. The family dynamic is another compelling element. Pantano has a wife and young children at home, and it's partly because of his love for them that he goes to war - to defend his country and family in the enemy's backyard rather than wait until the war comes to his own. When he does return, it's his family's turn to defend him, in the courtroom and in the war zone of the American media. The drama is ratcheted up when Pantano discovers that a Pakistani website has marked him and his family as a target for extremists everywhere.
   
   Warlord has a hero you can root for and care about; drama in the battlefield, the courtroom, and at home; and a triumphant (if a qualified one) ending. It's a tale of the gap between the soldiers' reality and the media and politicians at home undermining their efforts - a tale that couldn't be more relevant, instructive, and gripping in light of our war in Iraq.



3. Men like this are very rare. He followed his heart and got stabbed in the back from a fellow Marine. Thank God the system worked and noble countrymen came to his aid. I believe this story illustrates the civil war raging in our country even as we wage war in another. A great story and an eye opener. I thank Ilario and all men like him for what they have done and are doing to protect my country, my family and myself. God bless you all!



4. Pantano's experiences reveal the horrible injustices being visited on our soldiers as a result of the "political correctness" movement in the U.S. That type of thinking demands that a U.S. at war MUST have war criminals and will seek any convenient target. While a very few of our own troops undoubtedly engage in illegal behavior during a war, Pantano's story points out the need of the "politically correct" crowd - and even those members of the military who lose their objectivity because of those influences - to find horrible crimes being committed (and those crimes need to be instigated by an officer) whether or not there is any basis in truth.
   
   I purchased this book as soon as it came out and could not put it down. While I felt the "flashbacks" were far too frequent, the book was still a great read.
   
   This should be required reading for all those folks who say they oppose the war but support our troops, as it exposes the results of such thinking.



5. It's simply infuriating to tune into the media on any given day to find out what's going on in Iraq. The problem is twofold. One, bias rears its ugly head. The mainstream media are, with few exceptions, largely left-leaning in their coverage of the war. They aren't interested in promoting American values or touting our triumphs, so any stories they do on the war will always focus on the negative. That's why you'll read reams about the ridiculous Abu Ghraib prison "scandal" or other supposed "wrongdoings" and little about the good deeds our boys and girls perform on a daily basis. Two, and even worse in some ways, is the emphasis media place on having stories that grab the audience's attention. It's boring to show schools, roads, and institutions being built. That stuff is for suckers. Our journalists are far more interested in showing cars and buildings blowing up, blood flowing in the streets, and bullets flying. If it bleeds, it leads baby! That's why CNN shows American troops taking bullets in the head from insurgent snipers. That's why the news from Iraq centers on the latest car bombings. Anything to drive those ratings through the roof, right?
   
   At the same time, the images we see from Iraq do offer a partial representation of what our soldiers face on a daily basis. They are in grave combat situations where life and limb are at constant risk. It's a war zone, obviously, a place where the enemy can hide amongst the civilian population quite easily. The jihadists in Iraq use the innocents as cover to build and deploy their notorious improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that have killed hundreds of American soldiers. They use houses to hide guns, ammunition, explosives, and other arms used to wage daily war against the hated "infidel" invaders. They also prey on the innocent Iraqi civilians, maiming and killing them for helping us or for not joining in the fight against the crusaders. The foes we face in Iraq are murderous thugs without a shred of human decency. They're roaches that scuttle under the nearest rock when we shine the light of justice on them. We don't need to "understand" them, or try to befriend them, or listen to their complaints. We need to exterminate them before they kill us and our loved ones. And they would. Without a moment's hesitation, they would kill your parents, your wife or husband, your kids--and they wouldn't lose a moment of sleep over it, either.
   
   That's why a book like Ilario Pantano's "Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" is such an important read. Pantano, a Marine officer who reenlisted after 9/11 to go fight America's enemies in Iraq, tells us exactly what we face in that hostile land. His is a depressing tale, a story about death, fear, destruction, and the inability of America to face its enemies without tying both hands behind its back. The author tells us about friends he's lost to the enemy, desperate firefights in the streets of Iraq where the next bullet could very well have your name on it, and how our troops can't properly fight a real war because of politically correct Rules of Engagement. When you learn that our soldiers have to fill out paperwork like a beat cop when they stop someone to search their car, or have to carry around handcuffs in case they need to arrest someone (and these things happen in Pantano's Iraq), you just know we aren't going to win the war. Even worse, Pantano faced capital murder charges for a traffic stop gone bad that resulted in the deaths of a couple of Iraqis. That's right: capital murder charges. In a war zone.
   
   "Warlord" is a great book. Not because of the insightful picture it paints of the Iraqi adventure, although that's a large part of it. Not because Pantano tells us wonderful stories about the brave men and women pouring their blood into the desert sands in order to avenge our country for 9/11 and protect you and I on a daily basis, although that's another part of the book that deserves praise. The best part of the book is how it deftly blends biography with war narrative. Ilario Pantano and I, as far as I can tell, are roughly the same age, yet his life goes so far beyond anything I've accomplished. Born in New York to Italian immigrant parents, Pantano went to a private school, stared down thugs in the streets of New York, joined the Marines and fought in the first Gulf War, went to college, married and divorced and married again, had kids, worked for Goldman Sachs, worked in the entertainment industry, and helped start up a new media company with the birth of the Internet age. Then he reenlisted to fight in Iraq again, this time going through additional training to become a Marine Corps officer! Then it was off to Iraq to fight the jihadists and to try and stay alive. Then back to the United States to fight for his life in a courtroom. Wow! This guy is a real hero.
   
   The only drawback to "Warlord" is the absence of a description from Pantano about the actual event that led to his trial. We learn about the situation through a recitation of the trial record, but Pantano never really talks about what happened in the context of his war experiences. Some readers of a left-wing persuasion would probably take this as some sort of admission of guilt, which is likely total nonsense. A far more adequate interpretation, based on his character traits outlined in the rest of the book, is that the incident is too painful for him to talk about. Yet he still should have addressed it directly. No matter, though, as the book is a real page-turner and a must read for those trying to craft a bigger picture of the Iraq War.