3 comments about Once a Legend: Red Mike Edson of the Marine Raiders.

1. As a Marine Corps veteran, it surprises me how unfamiliar many contemporary Marines are with the extremely noteworthy and noble Mr. Edson. The author, Mr.Hoffman, also a Marine veteran, tells us the story of Mr. Edson's truly eventful life.
   
   To think that in his early career, in the last days of World War I, Red Mike was seriously considering resigning! Yet, despite long periods of stagnation and limited opportunities for advancement, he stayed the course. During his life, Edson, a very humble and kindly man, never realized what a profoundly positive effect his contribution to the Marine Corps would have. This champion of the Marines was highly influential in planting the seeds of many of the U.S.M.C.s major institutions in the modern age. In fact, the thoroughly established status as a separate branch is significantly due to Red Mike's efforts.
   
   -He contributed to the establishment of M.C.I., the Marine Corps Institute. This was his first major post WWI assignment.
   -Being a highly proficient rifleman, he was a frequent member of the Marine Corps' competitive shooting teams. Although advanced marksmanship has always been a Marine Corps characteristic, Edson's influence in that field made it the institution it is today.
   -He served as Vice-President of the National Rifle Association (an organization EVERY Marine should be a member of!).
   -He was an aviator in the inter-war years, a rare qualification amongst his peers.
   -His experience hunting Sandinista rebels in Nicaragua during the "Banana wars" era of the 1920s and 1930s gave him the knowledge to thoroughly revise the U.S.M.C. Small Wars manual. This is a guide to guerilla war and counter-insurgency still highly valid today.
   -He was a founder of the Raiders during World War II. In fact, he was its greatest war-leader.
   -He recieved the Congressional Medal of Honor for his valorous defense of the allied airfield on Guadalcanal, an action that very likely saved the entire allied effort in its most direly critical moment.
   -He bravely and righteously stood up for the U.S.M.C., in the face of an aggressive and malicious campaign by Harry Truman and various army generals ...to disband, and abolish the Marines, ...or assimilate it into the army. Thankfully, common sense prevailed, and the Marines march on!



2. If you are really interested in the Marine Corps or WW2 History, this is something worth buying. Instead of just making 'Red Mike' Edson a saintly hero of great virtue and courage, the author describes Edson the man with warts and all.

   My only complaint about the book (it wasn't that big because the rest of the book is excellent) was that book didn't go into as much detail about Bloody Ridge (the pinnacle of Edson's combat leadership and which won him the CMH) which is surprising considering how much detail was spent describing the fight against the Sandinistas between WW1 and WW2.




3. "Red Mike" Edson was one fearless warrior. His frontline exploits on Tarawa, Saipan, and Guadalcanal (where he won the Medal of Honor and probably saved the campaign) are the stuff of legends, but he was also, improbably, a first-class staff officer.
   This unusual talent for organization brought him two stars and a role in the highest echelons of the Corps, but it also took him into the fierce politics of the Pentagon and may have indirectly caused his death.
   The history of this fine Marine is well told in this outstanding biography; with photos, bibliography, and index. Highly readable; essential for Marine Corps readers and of great interest to general military history readers and WWII buffs.

   (The numerical rating above is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

4 comments about Dr. America: The Lives of Thomas A. Dooley, 1927-1961 (Culture, Politics, and the Cold War).

1. I remember the laudatory Reader's Digest articles, the coincidental Kingston Trio song, and mention of Dr. Dooley by my high school English teacher. And, of course, I remember the disaster of Vietnam in the years following Dooley's death. "Who was this guy Tom Dooley?", I wondered. I know he didn't cause Vietnam, but he was emblematic of the drift that got us there. We had "victory disease" hubris from World War II, and Dr. Dooley was part of it. His vigorous self-promotion and the homosexuality revelations were surprising to me. It was the 1950's, of course, and his homosexuality was certainly kept under wraps when he was being hyped all over the place. I don't feel qualified to say this is a well written or poorly written book, but I at least know more about the influential Dr. Tom Dooley and, as follows, more about America.



2. I agree 100% with Mr. Steven Epstein's review (February 7, 2000), about Dr America: The Lives of Thomas A Dooley 1927-1961 by James Fisher



3. The tale of Dr. Dooley is indeed worth telling but, sadly, this book misses the boat. The author is mired in arcane (and not terribly interesting) tales of intrigue among Catholic factions and almost lost me many times. And although this book is a biography, the author seems strangely ambivalent towards the good jungle doctor. You never get close to Dooley. Few evocative anecdotes. You get no feel for Laos. Reading it is liking eating dry toast.

   Why does The Talented Mr. Ripley come to mind? I hope that someone will take another stab at writing about this remarkable man.




4. Certainly a provocative and interesting story, however, little context is given to set the time regarding Asia, and the Cold War. Organization is deplorable, reflecting both huge gaps and many redundancies. Three notable nonsentences make me wonder why these guys publish without an editor.

3 comments about Salt and Steel: Reflections of a Submariner.

1. I've been a fan of Captain Beach ever since I read "Run Silent, Run Deep" in grade school and have had the pleasure of meeting and talking with him a few times. Thus I've often wondered about several aspects of his life and career, such as why a Naval Aide to President Eisenhower never became an Admiral and the circumstances of his young daughter's death, although such personal items are admittedly none of my business. Salt and Steel goes a long way toward filling in the blanks in my knowledge about this man, whom I've known and admired for years. To his credit, as I expected, he does not gloat about his successes nor complain about his failures. I found every chapter fascinating and hard to put down, even very late in the evening. My only wish about this book is that he had included more information and anecdotes about the ships he served in and the people he served with, especially President Eisenhower, Trigger II and the faulty torpedoes of WWII. With the responsible parties being long-retired and in many cases deceased, I feel that the problems and the principles involved should be aired, in the hope that they might not be repeated. Even so, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with even a casual interest in any of the subjects mentioned, including the politics of the Washington, DC bureaucracy. To Captain Beach, "Well Done, Sir!"



2. I started reading this book in the evening, and finished it at dawn. What an interesting book! Beach is an excellent storyteller, who clearly loves the US Navy, and the story of his life is intertwined with it. His father also had a storied career, and the tales of Beach growing up, succeeding at Annapolis, submarining against the Japanese in WW II, serving as Eisenhower's naval aide after the war, and then circumnavigating the world underwater is so gripping a story and so well told that I was sorry when I came to the last page. I loved this book!



3. This "memoir" is billed as a sequel to Beach's "The United States Navy: 200 Years" (1986). As such, "Salt and Steel" is a blend of stories from his 27 years in the U.S. Navy, and his views on theories of naval warfare and the application of grand strategy to national defense policy. The book offers some wonderful stories of his father and mother, and their lives together in the U.S. Navy before the 1920s. The story of the first dinner party given by the new wife of the new base commander is just delightful. The reader who is looking for more of the intense submarine stories which brought Beach fame in his novels "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1955), "Dust on the Sea" (1972), and "Cold is the Sea" (1978) will be somewhat disappointed as he does not spent much time telling any new stories from his submarine career. The tale he tells of the fellow officer who blocked Beach's own advancement to the rank of admiral is chilling in that it does not speak well for the Navy that allows such petty jealousy to have so much impact on a man's career. In sum, Beach is a good story teller, and when telling of his own career he does a masterful job. One can only hope that soon we'll have a full biography of both Edward L. Beach, Jr., and his naval officer/novelist father, in whose footsteps the younger Beach has so faithfully followed.

2 comments about Gray Cavalier: The Life and Wars of General William H. F. "Rooney" Lee.

1. This is a well-written biography of a reliable and capable cavalry officer. Rooney Lee was often over-shadowed by the flashier officers of the Army of Northern Virginia cavalry, including his cousin Fitzhugh Lee. However, as becomes evident from the facts of Rooney's career, he was probably a more consistent performer than Fitzhugh and was probably comparable in skill and courage under fire to Wade Hampton. His personal life is one of stoic handling of numerous tragedies. The book is pleasantly written and makes use of contemporary sources and letters, although few of those written by Rooney actually survive. Rooney Lee did not take advantage of his father's position and made his mark on the Confederacy by his ability and personality.



2. This is an excellent biography, carefully researched and documented, of a man of great character. This interesting book thoroughly explores the life of the favorite son of the South's most famous general, admired by all-- both North and South. Must reading by those interested in Southern History and American Cavalry.

2 comments about The Babylon Blog.

1. The Babylon Blog is a wonderful and enlightening account of a Marine Corps Reserve Officer's experiences in Iraq. Hilarious, yet filled with spiritual passion, this former Texas Tech steeplechaser shares the account of his Iraq deployment in a charming and homespun manner. Humbly crediting the frontline "grunts", it's reminiscent of Hawkeye Pierce in a M*A*S*H episode. I read it straight through and wanted it to keep going.



2. This book gives the reader a different, very human and ground level perspective on the War in Iraq. Glen Morris is at times funny and light yet a bit philosophical here and there. I really enjoyed this book.

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 Warriors: Portraits from the Battlefield.

1. The author describes his heroes as human beings, not extraordinary people except for the warrior qualities - sometimes one feels sorry for them, although one got to admire them because of their fighting spirit. Certainly, in this world we need people with different qualities.
   
   Some interesting descriptions of campaigns in this book, too.



2. Mr Hastings was not quite up to the mark of his WWII histories, perhaps because his heart simply wasn't in it. I got the feeling that he was writing at the urging of his publisher to get something in print , although many of his protagonists were indeed interesting, but largely sidebars to the great historical sweeps which he can so aptly cover. I find his conclusion that heroes are largely people whom you might not like somewhat of a stretch, although he indeed did butress his postion with examples, if not even-handedness.



3. With his customary eloquence, Max Hastings prevents the unvarnished tales of war "heroes" from many countries over the past two centuries. A genius for creating a lively scene, he lends verve and striking detail to his narratives and does not spare us the warts of these sometimes deeply unpleasant and troubled individuals. An exciting and informative read.



4. I found myself alternately enthusing over this book and despairing of it. Perhaps the author's most telling observation is that in popular culture, Americans and Europeans are increasingly unable to distinguish between heroism and mere celebrity. In fact, some dictionaries actually define "hero" as someone who is well known. Hastings' heroes are all genuinely heroic, though (as he demonstrates) for varying reasons.
   
   However....his chapter titled "The Killer" (about Edward Rickenbacker) contains so many egregious errors that there's no point cataloging them here. For unfathomable reasons, Hastings accepts a WW I psychologist's report that ace pilots were either "impulsives, paranoids, or psychopaths." Hastings further concludes, "It is fair to say few aces were sympathetic human beings."
   
   I've known perhaps 200 aces from half a dozen countries, and my conclusions vary drastically from Hastings'. Clearly he has no acquaintance of the breed, which contains more than its share of egomaniacs, but that's a long-long way from psychopathic, unsatisfactory humans.
   
   Hastings does well when he sticks to what he knows. Unfortunately, this book demonstrates that he knows nothing about aerial combat.



5. (A historical mystery biography)
   
   Ever wonder how heroes are made? Max Hastings' new book Warriors offers you fifteen individual concise biographies of war heroes from the Napoleonic wars through the Yom Kippur War.
   
   The fourteen men and one women included in this book are the personalities from which Hollywood has drawn hundreds of leading characters over the last seventy years. One man, Audie Murphy, did in fact play himself in the biographical portrayal of his experiences in the Second World War.
   
   Hastings has compiled a list that not all historians may agree with, mostly in the fact that some notable unique personalities have been left out. Those that come to mind would be Charles "Chinese" Gordon of Khartoum fame, Confederate Cavalryman Nathan Bedford Forest and Sergeant Alvin C. York, but then with these men it would be just another historical biography.
   
   In Warriors I was pleasantly surprised to meet characters I knew little about, and to have few resources to expand my knowledge. With few exceptions, Warriors tends to cover English and American heroes. The explanation for this is these people provided insight into their lives by leaving memoirs that provided insight into the events and personal experiences of each person.
   
   I loved how the chapter is titled by the nickname each person acquired during their experiences. It creates a bit of mystery when you open the table of contents, and I will be honest, it enticed me to read the entire book. I was unaware that the subjects were "also know by" these names.
   
   The stories are encapsulated versions of what could have been long drawn out and exceedingly dull biographies (which those of us that love the genre have come to expect). Each chapter provides well-detailed background on that person, where they were born, when they were enlisted and what they did to achieve the status many sought and some thought undeserved.
   
   Hastings hits the highlights in such a way as to prompt continuous page turning. The chapters seem to be relatively the same length--perfect for a person to catch a good short read and be quite satisfied.
   
   Armchair Interviews Says: The perfect book for the warrior, the Armchair warrior, that is.

1 comments about Gustavus Vasa Fox of the Union Navy: A Biography.

1. Written by Ari Hoogenboom (professor of history emeritus, Brooklyn College, City University of New York), Gustavus Vasa Fox of the Union Navy: A Biography is a meticulously researched and presented biography of the man commonly held most responsible for the U.S. Navy's exceptional success in the Civil War. Chapters chronicle Fox's naval service from his debut as a midshipman in 1838, to his participation in the Coast Survey, his captainship of a steamer that traveled from New York to Havana to New Orleans, to his crucial role in the effective blockade of the southern coast during the Civil War. Hoogenboom was personally neither for nor against slavery, but rather dedicated to preserving the Union. As he witnessed the invaluable contribution of black sailors, he became an advocate of freedom and voting rights for African-Americans. He was as skilled in working with politicians and administrators as he was in naval matters, and shared a close working relationship with Abraham Lincoln. A handful of black-and-white diagrams illustrate this detailed and thoughtful study of an exceptional leader and true patriot.

5 comments about First In, Last Out: Stories by The Wild Weasels.

1. Lots of personal Wild Weasel combat action stories about finding and killing the dreaded SAMs--Surface to Air Missile systems introduced and operated by the Soviet and North Vietnamese Armies in 1965 though 1975. The Wild Weasels produced a defensive system that defeated the SAMs by direct confrontation to protect the US Air Force and Navy Air forces attacking the most highly defended targets, ever. Hostile Anti Aircraft Artillery (AAA) and Fighters (MIGs) were losing the air battle over North Vietnam to American attackers. The Soviets saw an opportunity to test and exploit their latest SAMs from the "Cold War" while gaining valuable combat experience. When American Air forces lost four aircraft in a week in 1965, President Johnson started an "Anti-SAM" top priority, top-secret effort that led to the development, testing, training and employment of a dedicated team of "SAM Killers", The Wild Weasels. These stories are personal, mostly unedited, first person narratives and reflections by the Leaders, Pilots, Electronic Warfare Officers (Bears), Engineers and Maintainers and their families who made the defeat of SAMs possible and enhanced survival of the Strike Force leading to the Wild Weasel motto "First in, Last Out".



2. Seemed strange that some of the other famious WW were not included.



3. RETIRED AIR FORCE, VETERANS OF THE VIET NAM CONFLICT. GOTTA' LOVE IT.



4. "I will never forget the date of the third kill. It was on my Mothers birthday 4 March." - This is a compiled collection of war and development stories and variations in writing abilities are to be expected. Repetitions of topics are off course to be expected also. And although none of the story writer is great (but some are decent), you soon get tired of some of them reeling off half the Captains and Majors they've met at one stage or another. - Including where they had been previously. And an absolute low point is reached when one of the authors uses the opportunity to get his mothers birth date in print for the entire world. - Perhaps interesting and entertaining for the magazine in the club, but... I guess some having given the book four stars are personally involved, in one way or another?
   (A minor thing that may not offend anyone but still is weird, is the size: Has never been afraid of a thick book. But this is a mini-telephone book, both in thickness and area. Inconvenient to read, but perhaps it says more about the editing?)



5. The stories were very vivid and put you in the situations. However,there was alot of repetition that this type of writting (individial stories) is prone to. Editing could have prevented those. Also there many mistakes, misspelled words and typos. This all took away from the validity of the stories.
   USAF Pilot, RVN 1966-67

5 comments about The Age of Napoleon (Modern Library Chronicles).

1. This is a good book about Napoleon the man. Alistair Horne is a supreme writer. He covers the good in Napoleon, but balances it with his shortcommings. He illustrates the influence Napoleon had back then and the impact he has on our lives today. This is an excellent book about the complex life of one of history outstanding figures.



2. Horne's pithy little book is certainly not a good introduction to Napoleon the man, general, or emperor, nor a comprehensive history text on France. It is, however, a valuable collection of his most lasting and significant policies, ambitions, whims, excesses, successes, and failures.
   
   Horne writes with the facile hand of an expert in his element, yet this book will certainly prove most valuable to the casual rather than novice or advanced scholar of Napoleonic France. It covers his rise to fame, deceptively humble power-grab, impressive reformist tendencies and initiatives, his staid morality contrasting personal hypocrisy, as well as Napoleon's creation of a new and (at least in theory) merit-based aristocracy, as well as the advent of modern French culture. Colorful episodes featuring his beloved Josephine as well as other flames and vixens are recounted.
   
   This will be a nice addition to a Francophile shelf, but only a sketchy entry text for the curious.



3. For those seeking a biography of the man or his military accomplishments, this book does not fit the bill. Horne focuses on the political, economic, artistic, and scientific accomplishments of Napoleon and the Napoleonic Regime. So this book focuses on an area not covered by most authors. Since Napoleon is a topic that many authors have attempted, Horne focuses on an area not usually written about. Napoleon changed a lot in France, and Horne outlines both his accomplishments (Code of Napoleon for law, and scientific research) and his failures (theater, opera, and literature).
   This is not an easy read, despite its brevity. It is a read that will enlighten a Napoleonic historian. However, the subjects and concepts are more difficult to understand than the
   military victories.



4. Engaging and informative, Horne manages to present his vast knowledge of Napoleon and his age in an almost conversational tone that-while full of rich historical detail-manages to be scholarly, riveting and often quite humorous. For example, in addition to learn about the numerous ways Napoleon's two decade rule transformed Europe, we learn that his wife and Empress Josephine's wardrobe contained 666 winter dresses, 230 summer ones and only two pair of knickers. If one wishes for a direct introduction to Napoleon and his influence, The Age of Napoleon is an excellent place to start.



5. This newest addition to the Modern Library Chronicles series is not a history of Napoleon but a snapshot into this time in France, although by his very nature the man defines the times. For a short biography of Napoleon, take a look at Paul Johnson's slim volume and for a fuller context of Parisian history read Alistair Horne's The Seven Ages of Paris. This book, the Age of Napoleon, is Alistair Horne's examination of one of those particular ages and the man at the centre of it. The book is arranged by topics as opposed to a chronological history so basic familiarty with European history will be an advantage. The author also repeats himself, at times, as the story moves back and forth. But this book will give the reader an idea of these tumultous times and either lead them to further reading about Napoleon the man or work as a refresher to a previously read biography.