5 comments about 182 Days in Iraq.

1. I, too, am a 46 Romeo, or Broadcast Journalist in the Army. I am on my second tour in Iraq with the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade. I have read both positive and negative comments on Kiver. Although I do not know him personally, I can relate to his story. Sometimes you do feel like the smartest guy in the room when no one else really knows your job. This isn't to say that you are better or even truly smarter than the next guy, but I can tell where Kiver's feelings are coming from. You are the only one out of thousands on a FOB that can actually do your job. Yes, it can be both stressful and frustrating. I can tell you that being a Journalist in the Army is not as easy as it looks. I work 18 hour days and find myself many nights locked away trying to finish the next big Army project while other soldiers (both combat arms and combat support) are out playing cards or the newest X-Box game. I hear soldiers complain about a 12 hour work day. For Army Journalists, especially broadcast, the day is long - whether inside or outside the wire. I have respect for all soldiers, but "Sam" - please do not tell these people that Army journalists do not actively engage the enemy. That is an outright blanket statement without much research because I, and many of my Army counterparts, have been actively engaged. You can take that to the bank. To Kiver - at least you got your story out there man, no matter what anyone says. Hearts and minds, right? You may or may not be as egotistical as these people say you are, but you are what your environment has made you. For the Army, sometimes you have to be a little strong in the ego to deal with everything going on. I completely understand brother. God Bless.



2. This self-published work is a "diary" of an enlisted Public Affairs soldier written during his six-month Iraqi tour in late 2004 (with additional material describing events subsequent to the author's discharge). It would have benefited from the attention of an experienced editor as the raw prose and gratuitous editorializing detracts from the work.
   
   The author clearly believes in the mission, and is interested in emphasizing the positive aspects of the coalition presence, such as building schools and roads, as well as facilitating elections. Unfortunately, he fails to elaborate on these events and instead focuses on himself, conveying an almost false bravado that left this reader uncomfortable. I have no doubt that the author covered the missions described, but there is a nearly narcissistic perspective that prevades the commentary indicating a direct rather than indirect involvement in the events.
   
   The entries provide glimpses into the author's personality, and occaisionally the reader gets the impression that he is describing a genuine personal experience (sadness, depression, elation). However, one can't help but feel that it is somehow "scripted," and when the author encounters something that is outside his expectations, he attacks -- and he attacks his fellow soldiers.
   
   A particular favorite is SPC Birmingham, whose opinions he invectively dismisses without the courtesy of indicating what they are or the reasoning behind them. If the chronology is accurate, it is apparent that the author judges and pigeon-holes his fellow soldiers within hours of making their acquaintance. The author appears disingenuous in that he often claims not to "point fingers" when he is clearly "pointing fingers!"
   
   Another thing that made this reader suspicious of the journalistic value of this work is the liberal use of inflammatory language. For example, rather than referring to the "enemy" there are repeated references to "savages" and "terrorists." The author leaves no doubt that he is ready, willing, and able to take the fight directly to the "savages." There is a clear message that he wants to mix it up, and kill these terrorists. According to the author, he is in top physical shape, an expert marksman, and knows what has to be done. One can't help but to wonder why he didn't opt for a stint in the infantry. The satisfaction that the author received from pulling the lanyard on a Marine artillery piece and taking care of the terrorists borders on perverse. The Marines that were actually doing the job did not appear quite as "thrilled" as the author, but then the author does not really seem to care what others think. Again, the author journals himself, rather than the situation, to the detriment of the work.
   
   The author's assignment as a broadcast journalist obviously demanded his presence at many events involving officers that would ordinarily not be attended by junior enlisted personnel. Furthermore, one could imagine there being a slightly less degree of formality in interactions with members of the officer corps under these circumstances; but the author gives the impression that he acted as their peers. Perhaps the most shocking was the author's attempt to embarass his CO in front of a junior officer. The CO had apparently offered the author a drink, and rather than being gracious, he "grabbed the arm" of an LT in order to show off that the CO was getting HIM a drink. If this is true, there is no wonder that his bosses, including the sergeant major would get on his case, but the author seems oblivious to the significance of these events; including being passed-over for promotion.
   
   "182 Days in Iraq" could be sub-titled "What NOT to do in the Army (a recruit's guide)," in that it documents the demise of a specialist who despite his good intentions for "getting the message out" in Public Affairs, instead took the "Army of One" slogan to the wrong extreme.



3. Having lost a son in this war, I am thirsty for any accounts of the "real" feedback of some one who has been there, and Phil has. I have met the author in person just recently and wanted to hear more of his story. I find it hard to put down, so much that the average American nevers hears of, about this war, is found in the pages of Phil's journal.It is written from the gut, no flowery adjectives, just the real story, so refreshing when it comes to accounts of what has and continues to happen. I wish that the media would tell the stories of the hope, renewal and justification of our troops finishing the job they were sent to do, with pride and honor.



4. This is a great, easy read. In journal form, it makes it easy to follow. I felt like I could image what it would be like to become accustomed to being in Iraq, in a war zone. Written from the point of view of a "regular guy".



5. i worked with this guy for almost 2 years and i have to say he is one of the worst people i ever met.
   he was always sneaking out of work to hit the lake so he could ride his wave runner. his work load was pretty easy compaired to other jobs in the army and he did it poorly. the stories he sent back from Iraq (all two of them) were about his time at the pool getting a tan. there is a pattern here.
   i am glad the army doesnt want him anymore and he is no longer serving this great country.
   there are better books, written by better people who actually did some REAL good in Iraq. read them.

3 comments about May I Quote You, Stonewall Jackson: Observations and Utterances of the South's Great Generals (May I Quote You--?,).

1. If you like StoneWall Jackson, You'll love this book. There are so many famous quotes here. Many the Civil War buffs know, many they may not be aware of. From his most quoted lines to some very obscure ones.

   You can't go wrong with this book




2. So much has been written about Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson that at times it become hard to separate the reality from the myths. This isn't a criticism but rather just a fact - history is interpreted in so many ways and this applies to Stonewall as it can to any other historical figure.

   This little book of quotes, both by Jackson and by those who knew him give us a better understanding of Jackson - the man and the soldier. There are quotes by Lee and McClellan, Garnett and Ewell, but it is the words of Jackson himself, which come across with power and passion. Indeed, at times you can almost feel the piercing blueness of his gaze as he moved into battle.

   This is a good little book, it gives a depth of insight into Jackson without having to read longer biographies. I recommend it to you.




3. I love learning about the Stonewall Jackson. By reading this book you found out that everytime Jackson won a battle he did not take credit for the victory he would give it to God. Stonewall Jackson would do anything for his contury and God. When reading this you found out how religous he is. My favorite quote would be, "Our God was my shield. His protecting care is an additional cause for gratitude." This book really shows the true Stonewall Jackson. I learend a lot about how even his enemys love him. This is a great book for anyone to read that loves the Civil War or Stonewall Jackson.

4 comments about A Doughboy With the Fighting Sixty-Ninth: A Remembrance of World War I.

1. I enjoyed this account of Al Ettinger's travels with the 69th infantry during WWI. It's interesting to find that he held so much detail in his mind so many years after the events, and after many years of not talking about it- finally opens up and recounts everything in such great specificity. I also appreciated that the accounts were checked out by his son in such detail to verify specifics before publishing- after all, no one's memory is perfect. The book is interleaved with historical maps and summaries of allied strategy, giving the reader a yardstick as to where the events fit in history. I really got a good feel for the deep sense of camaraderie that Ettinger developed with the people there in the ranks, and his heroes, especially concerning Father Patrick Duffy, a guy anyone would want to know in whatever place in history that he or she was born in. The only shortcoming of the book (and it is slight) is that it leaves out the outcome of Lt. Quirt (a pseudonym) in the epilogue. Great reading.



2. Private Ettinger, in his brief military career, managed to experience the battle of the Argonne Forest, survive four close shell bursts, a personal strafing by a German pilot, and some spectacular crashes on his dispatch-rider motorcycle, to provide us with one of the most engaging memoirs of the American Expiditionary Forces.
   His very readable and entertaining reminiscences, augmented by some first-rate research by his son, are enhanced by rare photos, interesting appendices, and details of organization of a unit with some of the most colorful characters in American military history, such as "Wild Bill" Donovan, Father Duffy, Joyce Kilmer, and Douglas Macarthur (who personally delivered the author from incarceration).
   Ettinger's story is highly recommended as a vivid window into the world of the doughboy, and a fine unit history as well.

   (The "score" rating is an unfortunately ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)




3. "It is enthralling and difficult to put down before completion." --Military Images

   "A vivid portrait if a colorful outfit, DOUGHBOY places its emphasis on the human factor ... an invaluable and entertaining firsthand portrait of leadership, loyalty and morale -- the soul of any U.S. Army regiment." --Military History Magazine

   "This well organized book becomes one of those rare war memoirs that has been back-checked for facts, that has such meticulous evidence of accuracy, it transcends the normal colorful remembrance to become a true work of history." --Gannett News Service

   "Don't let 'A Doughboy With the Fighting 69th' escape you. It is destined to be a classic." --Irish Edition, Phila.

   "An eye- witness account of World War I doughboy experience from a less than model soldier...a lively, personal account of both courage and realistic Army life." --The Bookwatch

   "Although I have read many autobiographical accounts of famous generals and their bloody campaigns, few have touched me with the same effect as this story of one of America's true doughboy heros." --Ronnie Shimron, Curator, Jewish War Veterans




4. "It is enthralling and difficult to put down before completion. Afterward it is to be savored." --Military Images/ "A vivid portrait of a colorful outfit...an invaluable and entertaining firsthand portrait of leadership, loyalty and morale ... --Military History/ "This well organized book becomes one of those rare war memoirs that has been back-checked for facts, that has such meticulous evidence of accuracy, it transcends the normal colorful remembrance to become a true work of history." --Gannett News Service (John Hanchette)/ "Don't let [Doughboy] escape you. It is destined to be a classic." --Irish Edition (Philadelphia)/ "... a lively, personal account of both courage and and realistic Army life." --The Bookwatch

4 comments about Custer: Cavalier in Buckskin.

1. One of my all-time Custer reference books. This one is referenced and quoted in almost all other books on Custer. So, it must be good. Recommended for anyone researching Custer.



2. With its oversize, ample illustrations, this book serves as the pictorial version (or "movie") version of Utley's classic CAVALIER IN BUCKSKIN that came out in the late 1980s as part of a western biographical series produced by the University of Oklahoma Press. As such, its coverage of the Civil War Custer is somewhat limited but readers can find a more than ample exploration of the Civil War Custer in Jeffrey Wert's fine 1996 Custer biography. As for this edition of Cavalier, a slight revision occurs in the battle section and reflects the influence of Larry Skelenar on Mr. Utley's thinking.
   
   For me personally, it was especially gratifying to have purchased my copy at the Little Bighorn battlefield on June 25, 2001 on the 125th anniversary of the battle. Mr. Utley was there himself, selling and signing this fine coffee table book, with Last Stand Hill as the perfect backdrop. What a great day! What a great book!



3. The master of the western biography has written (and added to the original version) a balanced reporting of the events that happened that day in June. The oversize pages allow for splendid photographic illustrations. All the versions as to what actually took place are presented thoughtfully and a case presented for the most logical conclusion. I had read his later book(s) including "The Lance and the Shield" about Sitting Bull, before discovering this one. It was also very interesting to find out what happened later to some of the people involved.



4. The earlier paperback edition of Cavalier was the first book I read about Custer. At the time I was expecting Utley to take a strong stand as to whether Custer was a brilliant Indian-fighting hero, or an egomaniacal upstart. So I found the objective style and even-handed treatment a little disappointing. However, several years and books later, I have come to see this as the best book on Custer and LBH ever written, mainly because of his refusal to approach the subject with the pre-conceived notions others have.

   Utley neither lauds Custer, nor does he cast blame. He makes it clear that Custer may have been somewhat over-rated in his Indian fighting abilities. Though he allows that he had gained a lot of knowledge of Plains warfare and might have become equal to the likes of Miles or Crook, had he lived. He points out that Custer did ignore the scouts who told him of the great number of warriors present in the camp on LBH. However, he also notes that Custer was not unlike other military leaders of the time in under estimating the fighting abilities of Indians, and therefore did not think that numbers really mattered. While he feels that Reno and Benteen did not support Custer as they could have, he also feels that not enough credit is given to the idea that the Indians merely outfought them all.

   Of course, this was all included in the earlier editions. So the obvious question is, do you need to read the revised edition. This depends on what you're looking for.

   With a few small exceptions the text remains the same. Utley has made a few changes based on later research, especially work by Larry Sklenar, but his overall theories have not changed. Also, for those interested in further reading, he has augmented his list of sources.

   The main difference in the editions is physical. This is definitely "over-sized," fitted better to a coffee table than a bookshelf. And it is filled with illustrations, many of which seem to have been chosen more to improve the lay-out than for their applicability to the text. Take for example the photo of a Buffalo Soldier with the caption, "Custer disapproved of black soldiers...." (p.45) Or the photo of modern-day cadets at West Point captioned, "Cadet Custer had 726 demerits...."(p.22) And, of course, there are more portraits of Custer and renditions of LBH than one would ever dream existed.

   My suggestion would be that, if you're a collector of Custeriana, or simply the type who likes to impress your guests with your choice of books, you might want to purchase this and place it somewhere prominent in your home. Otherwise you'd do just as well to stick with the paperback version.

5 comments about Sergeant Nibley, Ph.D.: Memories of an Unlikely Screaming Eagle.

1. Hugh Nibley is a famous LDS scholar known for his great erudition and his defense of the Mormon Church. He was fluent in at least 10 languages including many ancient languages, and used these skills to develop much of the foundation for modern LDS apologetics. He was a very colorful, interesting person and was also known for his criticisms of LDS culture. This book covers a period of his life of which little is known. He didn't publicly discuss his war years much, but in the last few years of his life, his son was able to glean some information from him and published this book.
   
   The book starts when Nibley was an LDS missionary in Germany in 1927, and describes an incident when he crossed paths with Hitler. It then goes into Nibley's college years where he earned a PhD from UC Berkeley, and then a job teaching. When the war started, he enlisted as a private in the army at the age of 32. He went through various assignments and ended up in intelligence due to his language skills and became a sergeant. What follows is a fascinating story of his experiences in the army that included a landing at Utah Beach on D-Day, participation in the Battle of the Bulge, and the final occupation of Germany. He was involved with many of the key events and characters of the war.
   
   The format of the book was interesting. It consisted of summaries by the author, quotes by Nibley, copies of letters from family and friends, many sidebars explaining certain events, and helpful footnotes. It's unique for a history of this type, but seemed to work well. I highly recommend this book for people wanting to learn more about Hugh Nibley; but the stories are great for anyone interested in WWII, especially the 101st airborne division to which he was attached.



2. Hugh Nibley was gifted and had a great curiosity. His WWII experiences would enlighten him as to the 'conspiring men' who seek riches from the troubles of others. He describes the sillyness of the War that was fought in places where the Romans fought and Napoleon fought. He describes terrible waste and destruction that war brings. A great adventure in which he was preserved, while others around him were lost. He describes the choices made my those in command to further their own carreeers while engaged in war. And the efforts to keep the war going.



3. This book was given to a friend as a gift. His wife is reading it to him since he is in poor health. They both are enthusiastic about its contents and style. Thank you.



4. This book contains the wartime memoirs of Hugh Nibley, former professor
   of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, as he participated in
   combat operations throughout Europe during WWII. Professor Nibley
   passed away in February 2005. The book was compiled by his son Alex
   Nibley from interviews and letters collected over the years. What
   makes this book so interesting is that although Hugh Nibley already had
   his Ph.D before the war started, and had been a member of ROTC, he
   elected to enlist in the Army as a buck private, rather than become an
   officer. The juxtaposition of his highly educated and intellectual
   perspective against the drudgery and horror of a common foot soldier
   makes for a fascinating read.
   
   Brother Nibley wasn't in the Army very long before his education and
   extensive language proficiencies were discovered. The Army promptly
   pulled him out of his job as a weather forecaster and sent
   him up to work in military intelligence. Once given access to
   classified intelligence data, the full power of his intellect became
   unleashed, to the potential benefit of the Allies. Unfortunately,
   things didn't always work out that way. Although he accurately
   predicted when and where many German surprise attacks would occur, and
   even the date when the war would end, he couldn't get many of the top
   military brass to believe him simply because he was just a lowly
   enlisted man. The book documents Brother Nibley's frustrations as he
   watched helplessly as numerous Allied troops were killed needlessly
   from attacks that could have been avoided.
   
   The book includes a number of spiritual elements as well. It documents
   how LDS Church Apostle Melvin J. Ballard set Brother Nibley apart for a
   proselyting mission to Germany in the late 1920s, and commanded him to
   tell the people to repent or they would be destroyed by fire from
   heaven. It was to Brother Nibley's great sorrow that he observed many
   of the German cities to which he had earlier cried repentance destroyed
   by Allied fire-bombing during WWII.
   
   If you like books on WWII, and anything Nibley, I highly recommend
   this one for your collection.



5. This book is written from a very interesting perspective. Hugh Nibley was 32 years old and had a Ph.D. when he enlisted in the army. He went into intelligence, and presumed that he would get assigned some nice safe assignment writing reports or something like that.
   
   But those of who have been in the Army know that the Army Gods don't work that way. He was assigned to work with the 101st Airborne, and was scheduled to go into Normandy on D-Day by glider. (Unlike the paratroopers, the glider infantry was not composed of volunteers and did not receive the extra pay.) At the last minute a General bumped him off the glider so that he went in with the 4th division over Utah Beach. (The General, sitting in Nibley's assigned seat was killed, and all the men in the glider were captured.)
   
   Being both older and better educated Sgt. Nibley was able to see and understand a lot more about what was happening than reports from the commanders or the normal soldiers. For instance, the stories about the 101st are legend (Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc.) but Sgt. Nibley points out that many of the volunteers were some fairly tough soldiers that had been given the choice of volunteering or going to prison.
   
   There's a lot of comments of a similar nature throughout the book. Sgt. Nibley was a keen observer. This book belongs on any World War II library.

5 comments about The Second-Luckiest Pilot: Adventures in Military Aviation.

1. If you enjoy adventure and appreciate those early pilots who made a huge sacrifice for aviation and our country, you will love this book. Each short story is full of adventure and is told in a way that you can re-live what these pilots endured and their love of flying as aviation pioneers. The author and his buddies were truly lucky to survive (though not all did). This book is appropriate for all ages, especially teens & up. Look for the author's second book, Stand Clear - I am anxiously awaiting its release.



2. This is a book that you won't be able to put down & will want to share it with others. The author's first hand experience as a Naval Aviator is portrayed at the top gun level!



3. Since this book includes the experience of the author and two other F8 pilots that I knew personally when I worked with them, while I was still on active duty in the Marine Corps, I just couldn't put it down. As a GCI controller I have always been fascinated, through my assocation with aviation so I have a genuine respect for their training, dedication,love,passion for flying along with their willingness to do a demanding job and of course that definitely includes the author as The author did a top notch, top gun job.



4. I had the pleasure of meeting Don Tooker at a recent Silver Wings luncheon in San Diego, where he was the guest speaker. After hearing some of his incredible stories I had to buy the book. It's a great read and you'll be near tears in one chapter and laughing out loud the next. If you like aviation thrillers you won't be able to put it down.



5. This is a great book, written in an easily understood style, but correct in every technical detail. Some of the stories will make you laugh uncontrollably, some will reduce you to tears. Best aviation book read this year. Hap Arnold, LTC, CA ANG, Retired, F-4 pilot

4 comments about From Japan With Love: 1946-1948.

1. Starting with Mary (Kiddie) Ruggieri's departure from Camp Stoneman in Pittsburg, California she takes the reader on a journey across the ocean to Japan shortly after World War II and back home again. She wrote about her onboard quarters and activities on her ocean voyage as well as the family she left behind.
   
   As a member of the 8000th WAC Detachment that arrived in Japan in October 1946, Mary saw a whole new world open to her eyes. Having a penchant for photography she certainly used her hobby to intertwine her storyline in this book. She wrote of her first sight of the Japanese people and the land that would be her home for the following months. She provided descriptions of the women's quarters compared to where the men were living and to where other WACs were living within the country itself.
   
   From a non-travelers point of view this was a very interesting book. It included more than 485 photos and facts that accompanied each segment of the author's journals, letters and memories. Mary brought her photos to life with her entries. She wrote about the soldier she met and fell in love with along with the things they did for fun. But I was still amazed at how much sight-seeing time she seemed to have while in Japan. I was also surprised to read about and see photos of Nagasaki since Mary was there just a couple of years after the USA had dropped an atomic bomb on it.
   
   Throughout this book Mary takes the reader to places most of us have only read about or never heard of before this. She introduces the reader to the sights, sounds and smells of Japan following the war. When her time was finally up Mary returned to the USA aboard another ship. Again she wrote of the activities aboard the ship. She was a very happy woman once she stepped foot on US soil in May 1948.
   
   This book is well worth reading.



2. Offering a fascinating, informative, personal, and unique perspective of live in post-war Japan through excerpts from the letters, journals and photographs of Mary A. Ruggieri, an American college girl stationed in Japan from 1946 to 1948 as a member of Women's Army Corps as part of the American military post-war occupation , "From Japan With Love" takes the reader from an army hut encampment to some of Japan's most memorable shrines and august temples. Ruggieri writes eloquently of the Japanese people and culture, her falling in love with Japan, as well as meeting the American soldier who would become her husband. Remarkable for her articulate eyewitness account which is peppered throughout with her black-and-white photography, "From Japan With Love" is as engaging as it is informed, making it very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the post-war Japan reformation, mid-twentieth century Japanese culture, and the transition of Japan from a defeated nation to its nescient emergence as a western style democracy..



3. Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebeccas Reads (3/08)
   
   "From Japan With Love" is a wonderful memoir illustrating what life was like in Post-War Japan through the eyes of Mary Ruggieri, a member of the Women's Army Corps (WAC). The story of the era is told through a composition of journal entries, personal letters to friends and family, and photographs. Throughout the book there are also boxes explaining some of the historical figures, places and events of the time period.
   
   Tech sergeant Ruggieri's journey began in October of 1946 when she boarded the Army Transport Admiral Sims headed for Yokohama, Japan. The luxury of the trip with "maid service and swell meals" was a far cry from what was to await her and her shipmates when they arrived in the distant land. When they pulled into the harbor they saw the destruction and devastation that the country had suffered at the hands of war in the form of sunken ships and the impoverished manner in which the native people were dressed. Their living quarters for their occupation in Japan were Quonset huts which were void of any luxuries. Each woman had `8'9' of space into which to place a cot, a foot locker, and a wall locker." While the accommodations were less than welcoming, the American GIs that were stationed there made up for it by treating the women like royalty with barrages of parties and assistance. One of these GI's the author became especially fond of and started dating.
   
   Ruggieri's time spent in Japan was definitely not all work. On the weekends she had the opportunity to take some incredible trips and see some amazing sights. While the travel to and from these destinations was not always the most pleasant journey, the experiences that she had more than made up for any hardships along the way. The book contains over 400 photographs which definitely enhance the story that she tells. There are pictures of the Quonset huts, Japanese people, the hotels they stayed at on their trips, Mount Fuji, and plenty of the author herself and other members of the WAC. Even though Ruggieri is very skilled at writing descriptive passages, the multitudes of pictures really provide you with a complete picture of everything that happened.
   
   To have saved all of these letters, journals and pictures from over sixty-years ago and to be able to compile them to create a book as complete as "From Japan With Love" is incredible. The memoir is well-written, thought-provoking, and insightful. Her writing is so descriptive that you truly feel like you are there with her and her humor and straightforwardness will definitely keep you entertained. "From Japan With Love" is an excellent book and I highly recommend it!



4. This is a warm, rich, charming, evocative, and often humorous memoir of life and love in post-war Japan, with many rare photos of the era (certainly including the photo of the bridge from Takeishima Island, page 118), which makes this tapestry of reminiscence such a uniquely delightful and easy read.
   
   The "Rules Of The Road" posted in the Central Tokyo Police Station, in 1947, are hilarious.
   
   The letters written by the author are sometimes poignant ("Never do I forget how wondrously fortunate I am to have you. . ."), sometimes funny ("My interview consisted of a major asking me how much clerical work I had done, and my telling him that I did very little and didn't like it, so of course I got a clerical job..."), but always fun and insightful.
   
   It is a wonderful book.

2 comments about Letters from the Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan.

1. Rear Admiral Stuart Franklin Platt presents Letters From The Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan, a compendium of first-person testimonies of servicepeople that gives an up-close and personal perspective of what is really happening in Iraq and Afghanistan day to day. In a modern era where email and online blogging is fast supplanting the serviceman's handwritten letter, Letters From The Front Lines preserves a piece of history and tradition even as it reveals the harsh conditions under which men and women risk their lives for the sake of their country. Highly recommended.



2. Letters from the Front Lines is a compilation of war letters, e-mails, and blogs from soldiers, sailors, marines, and even one civilian mom. Although there are other letter-type books, this one is valuable because each chapter is comprised of one person's letters, e-mails, or blogs from one person's perspective of the war and the events that play out in a combat zone. The book is neither pro nor anti-war; it's simply what it is.
   
   In fairness, I should say that my e-mails make up Chapter 3. I won't review my own chapter and as far as I know, none of the contributors will receive any financial returns from the book. Yes, I do hold a bias; however, I wanted to share my thoughts on the impact of the other contributors and the book as a whole.
   
   Letters from the Front Lines is a valuable read for anybody trying to understand war from the perspective of those who fight it. Letters come from low-ranking enlisted and high-ranking brass alike. E-mails and blogs start early in the "war on terror" and span well past the first Iraq election. Some letters cover detailed political thoughts while others talk about the food and dust storms. Many letters carry a hint of missing life back home, but all understand the importance of service and duty. Not every author is for the war and not everybody is against it. These un-edited letters share the raw emotion found in war, even if they don't share the war itself.
   
   Many different perspectives are shared. Brian Baldrate writes about the same time I was there. He had little hesitation sharing things that may have scared his family back home. I, on the other hand, found it far easier to write about non-war items to let my family know I was safe but not frighten them at the same time. Officers write about the larger perspectives of war while the enlisted, those in the trenches, often talk about duty.
   
   I loved most of this book because as a veteran myself, I could relate to the emotion shared in Letters from the Front Lines. People still ask me about war. My recommendation is that they read this book.
   
   Contributors include SGT Chris McCarthy USMC (Chapter 1: The View From Here), CPT Brian Baldrate US Army (Chapter 2: Law and Order), SSG Bryan Catherman US Army (Chapter 3: The Other Side of the Sandbox), SGT Chris Missick US Army (Chapter 4: A Line in the Sand), CPT John Upperman Texas National Guard (Chapter 5: Who's Your Baghdaddy?), SGT David S. Bateman USMC (Chapter 6 Devil Dog), LTC Dan Hokanson National Security Fellow at Harvard University (Chapter 7: Citizen Soldiers), Karey Keel-Stidham Marine Mother (Chapter 8: Devil Dogma), MAJ Eric Rydbom US Army (Chapter 9: Letters to America), Vice Admiral J.D. McCarthy and CPT Kurt Kunkel USN (Chapter 10: The View From Here), Rear Admiral Robert Conway Jr. USN (Chapter 11: Transformation- Part One), Brigadier General Mike Regner USMC (Chapter 12: Transformation- Part Two), and Major General Kevin Kuklok USMC (Chapter 13: Eight Months in the Palace).

5 comments about A Quiet Voice: One man's journey from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder through addiction, prison and homelessness to a dignified life and a successful career. Based on a True Story.

1. This book is the most profound book I have read, it isn't a book about the Vietnam War, Drugs, or even recovery. It is a book about believing and hope. It is a book about being something and doing what is right in life. Helping others and hope. This book will forever change your views on humanity and veterans and what they go through.
   MUST READ!!



2. This is a fabulous book! I couldn't put it down. Eugene Hairston's life could be a Hollywood movie; it's amazing that one person can live through that much in one lifetime. It's a total inspiration that life can turn around when everything seems totally lost.
   
   Maria



3. This is a moving story of a life almost lost and the benefits of finding it again. Incredibly inspirational - you will laugh and cry and find faith again that people are good at heart"T



4. This is an outstanding story of one man's struggle with life and it's issues. To read this book, and know that someone could come through all of it, and turn it around to live a life filled with joy, fulfillment and dignity is inspirational and amazing. After reading this book, I have given it to friends, and family. Highly recommend this outstanding read!



5. This book isn't only for those that have PTSD or suffer with addiction. It is for anyone whose world is limited by what they tell themselves. In this book I witnessed hope, then faith and because of that, incredible success. What an amazing story!

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