5 comments about The Last Lieutenant: A Foxhole View of the Epic Battle for Iwo Jima.

1. The Last Lieutenant is an epic tribute to a brave man thrust into the hell of Iwo Jima. This book becomes a riveting read as you move from training to battle, to the savagery that is war at its most merciless.
   
   True to its press, this is indeed a "foxhole view" of one of the greatest battles in American history--with a personal twist that will leave you moved to tears.
   
   The research was there, and the writing kept me glued to this book until the end. At times, I felt the need to bury myself in that volcanic ash. This is the sort of book that should be standard reading for junior officers, at the service academies--and by our politicians, who place our best in harm's way.
   
   let me tell you that I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Shively on a trip to Bataan and Corregidor and I must say that his passionate interest in the Pacific War is evident--and led to a terrific depiction of hell on earth: Iwo Jima.



2. Actually I enjoyed this book. It's a pretty short read, but not short on content. It doesn't contain as much vivid and gory details as most books on Iwo Jima, but what it does do is to introduce you to a warrior, man, and Uncle. The fact that this is not a first hand account of the battle actually enhances it. The collaboration between the author and his uncle makes a very nice read. I would reccommend this one.



3. I have to agree with all the foregoing reviews -- this book accurately portrays the Marine's bitter battle against determined defenders for that island. I've read nearly a dozen documentary sources of this battle, and learned some personal accounts from my dad, a platoon sargent in the 3rd Marine division. Ironically, he fought next to the airfields and areas where this 2Lt also fought. I'd say the author, though not a veteran of this campaign, got it right. And it's a fast and compelling read. If you know of Iwo, this is another and more personal accounting. Well Done, Mr. Shively, Five stars.



4. As with FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, I found THE LAST LIEUTENANT to be completely riveting. I'm a big fan of military books, and this is as good as it gets.
   
   I'm so glad we have people writing books like THE LAST LIEUTENANT while the heroes who fought historic battles like those on Iwo Jima are still with us.



5. This is an amazing story of one man's experience during the battle for Iwo Jima. Jim Craig was a young lieutenant in charge of a platoon of Marines, commanding and protecting his men throughout one of the bloodiest battles in history. Unlike in FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, this book doesn't waste time on the story of the famous flag-raising episode. That happened a few days into the battle. Jim Craig continued his fight until the end of the month-long campaign, and never had time to notice a small event like a flag-raising. This is the true story of Iwo Jima in all its ugly brutality--this book spares no punches. You'll never look at war the same way again.

5 comments about Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union.

1. Like his companion book, Life of Johnny Reb, this book looks at how soldiers were recruited and kept by the Army. The Union had the advantage of an army already in being but its expansion to meet its wartime needs changed the very nature of the Federal Army. This is a fine book and one that any real Civil War buff should have.



2. Just as informative about the life of the Common Soldierwho served in the Northern ranks as his book The Life of Johnny Reb is of the soldier who apposed him thoughcleary better developed by the author's experience.
   
   Very informative. Very well written.
   
   A must have for anyone interested in the Civil War.



3. Bell Irvin Wiley (1906-1980) enjoyed a distinguished career as a professor at the University of Mississippi and Emory University and as the author or editor of over 20 books on the Civil War. His "The Life of Billy Yank: the Common Soldier of the Union" (1952) is, together with its companion volume "The Life of Johnny Reb, the Common Soldier of the Confederacy (1943), Wiley's best-known work. It presents an outstanding history of the day-to-day life of the soldier in the Union Army.
   
   As Wiley stated in the preface to the book, his focus was "social rather than military". The book offers little of the military history of the various Civil War campaigns and little of the political aspects of the War. Rather, Wiley discusses soldering in the Union Army in all its detail and drudgery. It is an indispensable source for those wishing to understand the Civil War. The book would be of interest as well to reenactors wishing to get inside and recapture life in a Civil War Army.
   
   The book is well-researched and documented. It draws upon the letters and diaries of innumerable Union soldiers, both published and unpublished and on other first-hand accounts. Much of the discussion is anecdotal, but Wiley makes good use of census and statistical data as well. The book is clearly written with an obvious empathy for the life of the Civil War soldier. The book leads the reader beyond its specific subject and encourages reflection of the Civil War, its terrible human cost, and its continuing importance to our country.
   
   Wiley begins with a discussion of the recruitment process into the Union Army following the attack on Fort Sumter. The book gives a good picture of the complex relationship between state militia units, the regular army, the volunteers and the draftees -- the various units that uneasily combined to form the Union army. Bell discusses -- in a subject that continues to fascinate historians -- the motivations of the soldiers who served in the conflict. In particular, he discusses the Emancipation Proclamation and considers the extent to which Emancipation was or became a goal for a large number of Union troops. Wiley sees the many sides of this question, and the issue remains one that is vigorously discussed.
   
   The book describes well the rigors of training and camp life, the diseases and unhealthy living conditions which plagued the army, the boredom and enforced routines, the bad food, temptations to vice, and experience of combat. There is excellent material in the book on the organization of the Union Army. Much of the material in Wiley's study is either presupposed or otherwise not covered in other well-known studies of the military of political history of the War. The book considers the morale and fighting spirit of the men and how it varied with the fortunes of war and with the support of people at home. Again, anticipating more recent studies, Wiley discusses the ambiguous, complicated relationships that developed during the War between the Union troops and their enemies in gray. This relationship, and the instances of fraternization during the midst of a total conflict, presaged the way for reconciliation, at long last, at the conclusion of the conflict. There is a brief discussion in the book of women soldiers who enlisted in the Union army and sometimes managed to avoid detection. This subject too has received much recent attention and it is interesting to see Wiley deal with it in his early account. The book ends with reflections on the way in which the Civil War helped forged the United States into a nation.
   
   This is a study that wears its age well. It will bring the reader face-to-face with the life of the Union soldier during our nation's greatest combat.



4. Bell Irvin Wiley seems to have been the first historian/writer to realize that the Civil War was not just about Lee, Pickett, Grant or Stuart or any of the other guys with stars on their shoulders. The real truth about what happened on those battlefields had to do with the guys in the tattered uniforms and the rotted shoes, trying to fight with defective rifles.
   As in his companion book, "The Life of Johnny Reb", "The Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union" is an unflinching look at the constant struggles of a Union soldier. This is a very sobering account, and some of the letters the soldiers wrote home are nothing short of heartbreaking. This is a truly admirable account of men who were more than common soldiers. I believe they were really common heroes.



5. The late Bell Wiley had an advantage that many researchers of the Civil War did not have: FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS FROM THE VETERANS THEMSELVES. Starting his research in the 1940's, Wiley was able to interview the aging veterans of the War. You can imagine what was going through these warriors minds as they recalled their past. Wiley also spent countless hours combing through letters, diaries, official documents and other papers to get his facts. Billy Yank tells the story of the Union soldiers as few have been able to capture. It covers more than just what the soldier wore, ate, used, etc. From his reasons for fighting, opinions of Lincoln, emancipation (pro AND con) officers, the Southern people, the topics are well covered. Reenactors of the conflict would benefit from this book. This is a gold mine of information for the "first person" impression. Even Southerners will gain insight into their former foes.

4 comments about MASH: An Army Surgeon in Korea.

1. It's clear that the author is a doctor and not a writer. The book cries out for editing; writing errors and organizational issues permeate the book. That said, after I got about halfway through these things stopped bothering me. The story made up for it. The reality of the MASH is much more interesting than what's portrayed on the screen. It gave me a new respect for military medicine. If you can make it through the starting chapters it's a great read.



2. Dr. Appell's book "M. A. S. H.: An Army Surgeon in Korea" is an excellent tribute to the men and women of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals by a veteran surgeon of the 8076TH M . A. S. H. unit. My only complaint is that the book was not a little longer. For any fan of the movie or t. v. series this book is a must-read. Dr. Appell (who was a consultant for the series), tells us what life was really like in a M. A. S. H. unit. The series took some liberties with actual events, but its overall portrayal was fairly accurate-though the series lasted 10 years compared to the three years of the Korean War itself, and the average length of stay for surgeons in a M. A. S. H. was about 8 months. Dr. Appell has written a very interesting book.



3. This book is not about the T.V. show M*A*S*H. But the tv show did get many of its episodes from this book. From arterial transplants to make shift clamps these Doctors opened many new doors to the medical world. Chapter 6 "In the O.R." is pretty gruesome. Details of intestinal wounds abdominal wounds and pretty much everything a war could destroy on a body.

   But its not all blood and guts. D.R. Apel talks of the korean's who helped around the camp. The use of the white rocks in the compund. Plus his first day at the MASH was spent on his feet for 72 hrs. operating. Amazing.

   I would have ggave the book a five star rating but there was a section on a paper the D.R. wrote on arteral repair which IMO took away from the book. It might have worked better at the end of the book.

   Nice pictures of procedures and Korea. This book is a must for people who like the TV show and would really like to see what went on in a real MASH outfit during the real Korean war.




4. All i can say is at the end of this book you will be speachless, this a a timless classic that inspired a spawing fox tv series that is still shown today. I Don't want to give any of the book away so i wont tell you alot, but this book is a very highly recomennded book for those who loved the series and loved the movie (also found on amazon.com). "One of my favorites ever! "

5 comments about I Can Still Hear Their Cries, Even In My Sleep: A Journey Into PTSD.

1. Being the wife of a combat Marine I really learned alot from Doc's book. I read the book all the way through and this is a book that is alive. Our heroes sacrifice so much for us and if it wasn't for them we would not have our freedom. Doc, thank you for helping me understand more about PTSD and what y'all went through. I don't give this book a 5 star rating , I give it a 10 star rating.



2. We have been told the Vietnam veterans' story many times before. We've seen it in the movies, in books, on TV, and on the corners of our streets. Yet, in an intimate way, in E. Everett McFall's book, `I Can Still Hear Their Cries, Even in My Sleep,' the inner struggle of the Vietnam Vet comes home yet again. This time the reflections come from within. Having read `Born on the Fourth of July,' and seen 'Platoon,' I feel that McFall properly takes us to a new dimension, focusing on the inner torment that won't shut off.
   
   Consisting of reflections, resources, and nearly thirty poems, he focuses on the pride, bitterness, and fragility of his service as a US Marine Hospital Corpsman in The Vietnam War from 1966-67. Whether in prose or in poetry, he won't ever let us forget their sacrifices. Noting that some have forgotten the Vets of the War, the Vets of the War have taken it home with them and can't ever forget. In detail, sometimes graphic at others subdued, he shares images of the grim reality in battle that haunt him--and probably will haunt him until death.
   
   The title is a bare-bones description of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD). In his introduction McFall concisely states that "It's an instant video play-back in my mind, with cranial surround sound." That playback is given a stark treatment in poems such as "Death Angel" and "Flashback". Whether drawing from elements of traditional poetry or relying on rap-like structure, the subject matter changes with the rhythm. In "Patrol on Ambush" and "The Ooorah Warrior" the repetition reflects the routine of a marine waiting for the next development in "combat hell." At other times the rhythm is more irregular to reflect the chaos and death that surround him. To round out his repertoire, "Heavenly Star" and "Brotherhood" add much needed hope to the experience.
   
   But the main focus is on the indelible memories of trauma and death. "Tic Tic Tic" and "Undying Memories" are each aptly titled for their flashback resonance in waking moments that rush into consciousness. Flanking McFall's work are sample poems by fellow veteran Pfc. Jay E. Keck and anonymous poems (which is entirely appropriate given the unknown soldier element of every war). The guide ends with a short, poignant reflection and a resource guide for the veteran suffering from PTSD, including a handy guideline for filling out forms for VA claims.
   
   Whether approached as a cathartic guide for fellow veterans or a route to vicarious appreciation from uninitiated civilians, 'I Can Still Hear Their Cries,...' is an essential portal to understanding the trauma of selfless veterans of a tragic War. Clearly by McFall's writings, the repercussions are still being fought today. If you were at the front lines of the War or at the front of the picket lines--or even too young to remember--Ernest McFall's little book will have a big impact on how you feel about those who served their country at such a fragile time in our history.



3. I was to young to actually know the impact that this war had on our men and women. This book by Mr McFall gets right to his heart and his feelings. It is so powerful! I believe that this book should be used in many ways to help communicate the effects that war has on an individual. God bless our men and women who have served our great country!
   Thank you Mr McFall and may God continue to bless you and your family!



4. A combat medic lives war at its worst, and remembers every terrified scream of it.
   
   There are the memories of those who were treated and made it home; of those whose wounds were beyond treatment despite heroic efforts.
   
   Those memories are as fresh today as the emotions were at the time of treatment; memories of soldiers and civilians gushing blood; memories of soldiers and civilians having body parts torn and cascading into all the wrong places.
   
   For E. Everett McFall, there are the memories of jumbled body parts and attempts to put them together to form the remains of what were once men - individual men with loved ones, hopes, talents, and dreams that dripped into the red soil or into the floor of the jungle.
   
   There are no fancy words here. His words are direct, his pain drips off the pages and into the heart of the reader.
   
   McFall writes from the heart. He writes from a soul splintered and haunted by 365 days that have been lived over and over and over again for the last 40 years.
   
   We measure war in terms of dollar costs; in counts of the dead; in counts of the wounded.
   But we have yet to learn to measure war in terms of lives ruined by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We have yet to learn to measure the losses of those who love those who come home with PTSD.
   
   We have yet to learn the true face of war. E. Ernest McFall provides the reader with a vivid and heart tearing word portrait of the hideous face of war; of the plague of PTSD; of the rending of soul by survivor's guilt and questions of why am I still here when so very many others are not.
   
   Pfc Jay E. Keck contributes his poetry to I Can Still Hear Their Cries. May I ask you to direct your attention to the last lines of his Sand Soldiers and pay heed to his admonition, as there are all kinds, as he points out in another poem, all kinds of Bogeymen contributing to PTSD - even those who should have, and in truth did, know better.
   
   
   I Can Still Hear Their Cries is a story of the long, long road home. It is a tale that will speak to other Veterans who suffer PTSD. It is a tale needed by those who love those with PTSD to help them understand.
   
   McFall tells you, loud and clear, that drugs and alcohol only bury the pain deeper, rather than excavating it and getting help to go through it to healing.
   
   McFall notes that he is still in the process of finding his way home. It is a long road.
   
   But I Can Still Hear Their Cries may open your eyes to the possibility that there is, in fact, a road home for you too - should you choose to come up from the dark to the Light.
   
   Take the first step - there are many, many around to help you - just reach out - someone is there waiting to walk point for you.



5. Mr. McFall uses a combination of stories and poems to pull the reader into the pain and turmoil of living with PTSD. This book is a MUST READ for veterans and their families and friends who struggle to understand the scars left from battle.

2 comments about Lt. Charles Gatewood & His Apache Wars Memoir.

1. 
   
   Louis Kraft writes sensational books, my first knowledge of him came from GATEWOOD AND GERONIMO (New Mexico Press, 2000), which was also a History Book Club selection. And for being an "independant historian" he has turned out several very good books of history, this being a notable one.
   
   Unless one has read on the Apache wars in Arizona Territory, 1878-1886, the name Charles B. Gatewood may have very little meaning. But finally due this book and the efforts of Mr. Kraft, Lt. Gatewood is at last receiving some well deserved historical attention.
   
   Within a couple years of being posted to Arizona, Lt. Gatewood was in charge of the Apache Scouts and pretty much the key man concerning operational relations with the Apaches. Now, from Mr. Kraft and the University of Nebraska we can read Lt. Gatewood's 'recorded experiences', but only up to a point, for Lt. Gatewood died before he could complete them. What we receive here though is a valuable primary source printed for the first time.
   
   Have interest in the Indian Fighting Army in late Arizona Territory Apache Wars? Then you cannot pass this book up.
   
   Recommended.
   
   Semper Fi.



2. Louis Kraft does exactly what you're supposed to do with a memoir--he illuminates Gatewood's own words and Gatewood's life. Gatewood's description of meetings with the Apache, of life trying to manage the reservation, is absolutely priceless but Kraft puts the lieutenant into the broader context of his time and circumstance. Gatewood is a man worth knowing, and Kraft does an excellent job of introducing him to us. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
   Deb Goodrich,
   Publisher
   Kansas Journal of Military History

No comments about Inkpaduta: Dakota Leader.

2 comments about Faith in the Fog of War: Let us Die to Make Men Free.

1. After finishing Cpt. Plekenpol's first book, I immediately picked up the second, and was instantly captured again by his stories of war and God. This sequel has more intense stories of his time in Iraq, which makes it a real page turner. The applications from the stories will meet you where you are, and encourage you to keep fighting through whatever life is throwng at you! I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to get a firsthand account of what Iraq is REALLY like, or who needs some inspiration in their day to day life.



2. Once again Capt. Chistopher Plekenpol reaches down deep to stir your heart with more stories from war with Christ at the center. Writing with the ability to bring you face to face with the battles in your own life, Chris challenges you to look closely at your faith. Through the stories of life in war and the opportunity for personal reflection, you can't help but be changed.

5 comments about John Paul Jones: Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy.

1. John Paul Jones was a historical figure, but I really did know much about him until reading this very well written story. I gave this book to a number of friends this year as a holiday gift. Jones made two voyages around England during the Revolutionary War sailing ships procured for him from France. There have been modern ships in the Navy named Ranger and Bon Homme Richard, but I did not know until reading this that those were the names of Jones ships during those famous voyages. After reading this you will know the answer to a great quiz show question which is who is the patron, that the ship, Bon Home Richard was named after. I look forward to reading the story that Evan Thomas just released describing American naval heroes of WWII.



2. I have to admit I bought this book because it was in the closeout bin and I got a deal on it. I next have to admit that it sat in a pile of books to read for at least three months before I got around to reading it. But on starting it, I was highly impressed. It's well paced, factual, well researched without being dry and scholarly.
   
   First, I had no idea that his battles were fought off the English and Scottish coasts and that he was considered to be a pirate by the English- I always thought he fought battles off the American coast.
   
   Second, I had no idea that he was so closely tied with Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and the closing stages of the French monarchy- nor that he served under Catherine the Great in helping her to gain a passage through the Black Sea.
   
   Third, the personality of the man, greatly flawed in its insatiable desire for glory and honor, was balanced by an ability to fight-- and to WIN.
   
   America wasn't a third-rate, fourth-rate or even a fifth-rate naval power during her Revolutionary War. America was essentially a "no rate." But Jones gave America victories when most others (with a few notable exception) did not. And he forced the British to bring home more of Her navy to protect home waters.
   
   For those who have read any of the Horatio Hornblower or "Lucky Jack Aubrey" works of fiction, I recommend that they also read this book.
   
   War is mostly waged by ordinary men- with fears, hopes, desires and needs like all of us. However, in every major conflict there a very few, like John Paul Jr., son of an English landscape gardener, who do more than their duty would dicate. For John Paul "Jones" it was his desire to be covered with glory and honor as well as his desire to build a winning AMERICAN Navy that caused him to push himselves and others far beyond the normal limits.
   
   To "Jones", the thoughts of marriage, children, even his health were secondary to these.
   
   I salute Evan Thomas for an excellent work about the father of the American Navy.



3. If you want to understand how the modern navy was born in America this is one of two books you will need. Understanding the mentality that drove our early navy to their few successes is a harrowing story that is told best here. This focuses on our lake fleets as well as our ocean fleets and does so in a very concise manner. The prose is very good and the information is well referenced. Anyone looking for information on the history of American navy will be well served with this book.



4. Don't judge this book by it's cover! (The cover is beautiful...)
   
   I'll begin with the good things in the book. It has a decent overview of Jones' life and accomplishments. A first-time reader about Jones will find the catalog of his daring exploits both interesting and exciting. Evan Thomas's narration of the sea battles and manoeuvers are as thrillingly told as any of O'Brian's or Forester's epics. However, besides the battles, this book doesn't do much but echo the author's malicious conclusions about Jones.
   
   Thomas seems to think that he is writing a Doctoral or Master's thesis and that we, as readers, continually forget what the main point of the book is. Don't be decieved, the author is not a fan of Jones. In striving to be "historically fair", we are faced with a book mainly about Jones's glaring shortcomings. Thomas has made it his goal to make sure we know that every single thing Jones did (from his letters to his heroics) was motivated by his "demon pride" (p. 310). It seems every paragraph begins or ends (sometimes both) with a scathing statement about Jones' lust for glory. Instead of stating the facts in an interesting narrative, we are faced with a continual repitition of Thomas' main thesis: Jones was not a hero, but a vain, glory-seeking upstart who wasn't even a good seaman. Often we get a sense that the thesis is wearing thin and completely falling apart. In order to buttress that, Thomas redundantly restates it lest we forget and start forming our own conclusions. Heaven forbid great men did great things for great reasons!
   
   I have read scores of historical biographies and none have been as vitriolic towards their subject as Thomas is to Jones. Granted, Thomas does an effectual job belittling everyone, but I thought the part of the title "Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy" meant he liked Jones. It must have been added by someone else, for it doesn't reflect the author's views.
   
   As I said previously, the book isn't without merit. It's battles are told very well, and the overview of Jones' accomplishments (and failures) are great. However, I would recommend reading another account of Jones that didn't seek to villify him and call it "historical fairness" (or whatever the term for giving more pages to his faults rather than his accomplishments is). If you want your conclusions dictated to you, read this book. If you prefer to draw them yourself, look elsewhere.



5. I am unaware of any hero from the American Revolution who was not flawed in some way, and John Paul Jones is no exception. But as always, the truth of their lives is much more compelling than the mythology of their lives: the actions and quotations invented about them by storytellers, which seemed to be necessary in order to cement their greatness in history (and probably to sell pamphlets and books), have only served to freeze them into short, individual moments of otherwise longer careers and lives.
   
   There is a certain tragic sadness about the life of John Paul Jones, and Evan Thomas captures that sadness in this excellent biography. Jones was a man who, without a doubt, possessed a brilliance of naval tactics--tactics that provided the American cause with tangible cachet at its darkest hour--but a man who could never quite claim membership in the rarified company of Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin. Jones is the blue-water twin of George Washington: ambitious, dedicated, domineering, persevering, far-seeing, and challenged at every turn by lesser men, but the ducks of fate would never quite line up in his favor to boost his confidence beyond the flaws of his personality.
   
   Evan Thomas' telling of Jones' story makes no apologies, spares no remonstrance. Thomas describes Jones through manic highs and lows, with revelations that can cause the reader to wince at Jones' more pitiful moments. But then a battle comes and Jones stands boldly, for honor not for gold, and sets aside his demons for a greater cause. Jones recognized his flaws and wrestled with them throughout his life. If anything, this struggle makes Jones greater--fully human and fighting to rise above his faults.
   
   Aficionados of 18th century naval literature will appreciate Thomas' descriptions of the battles. Neophytes will appreciate Thomas' use of modern language and the glossary of 18th century naval terms in the back of the book.

5 comments about Vipers in the Storm: Diary of a Gulf War Fighter Pilot.

1. i bought this book as a gift for my husband who is an f18 pilot himself, we r from kuwait so a gulf war book is a must have for us.. my husband owns a bigggg library with all sort of war and military books.. but this one was sooo special he couldnt put it down in fact i was a little jealous of the book! he loved it soo much u wont believe it.. in fact i gave it a quick scan myself and i enjoyed the story too. when i asked my husband what he thought of the book because im writing for amazon, he just said that its the best book he ever read and its a very good account of what happened during the war to liberate our country!



2. Boy, I loved this book. As someone who's NOT a pilot and NOT in the military, this book provided a TON of insight into the day-to-day life of a combat pilot.
   
   One way to see what it's like to be a fighter pilot is to buy a combat flight sim for your PC. Sometimes I wonder how real these are. However, when reading Rosey's account, I can say, they're pretty real!
   
   So many times I've forgone all tasks other than countering a missile threat. So many times I've almost flown into the ground at night. Rosey did these, too, and I can't imagine how it feels to really see a SAM guiding on you, coming out of the clouds.
   
   In addition to a lot of things flight sim fans have gone through, Rosey adds a lot of real life perspective. I laughed when he described how F-16 pilots bring 'piddle packs' on long flights and he described how he went about not making a mess with them. I laughed again when he described bringing a granola bar with him on flights, for the ride home after a bombing run. I've often gotten up while playing a flight sim and gone to the fridge for a snack.
   
   For flight sim fans, this book should be REQUIRED READING. It gives a great perspective on how missions are planned and carried out. I was surprised by a lot of the real-life aspects of combat flight and was equally surprised by some of the aspects that read the same way an 'after-action' report from a flight sim mission reads. I'm still blown away by a couple of the mission accounts when Rosey went 'downtown'.



3. This is a brilliant book.
   For anyone interested in military aviation or modern warfare I can only recommend reading Keith Rosenkrantz's excellent account of his part in the first Gulf War.
   This book is well written, easy to read, detailed and personal in a way many of these books fail to be.
   As a pilot myself (commercial) and having always dreamed of flying such aviation exotica as the F-16, this book is the key for us mere mortals to step into the world of the modern fighter pilot. It gives you a taste of the discipline, courage and commitment required.
   For all this and much more you should definitely check out Vipers in the Storm.
   
   When you're finished reading it drop Rosey a line, like I did to thank him for sharing his experiences. His email address is at the back of the book and he was gracious enough to reply to my message too. An officer and a gentleman not to mention hero.



4. Rosenkranz is no Hemingway, but he does a good job of telling the entire story of his experience in Desert Storm. One of the things this book has that others about similar experiences lack is the emphasis on the human aspects of war (the moral issues that come from killing people, the toll that being away from one's family takes.) I immensely enjoyed the fact that this book shows that you don't have to be gung-ho all the time to be a good military man, and it in fact has given me more respect for those that serve our country because of the way it relates that one's primary drive to go to war should stem from a strong sense of duty rather than a sense of thrill.



5. Rosenkranz provides plenty of details about exactly what a combat pilot does in a very busy F-16 cockpit, and he also details some of the interesting personal history that led him into this career. Unfortunately, he can't resist frequently venturing off into naive political and historical analyses of the wider questions of the war and the threat Iraq posed to the world, reprinting many speech excerpts from President H.W. Bush as justification for what he and his fellow service men and women were doing, extending them, in the end, to justify the current war in Iraq without ever considering the problems incurred by pursuing policy with force in the Middle East. At times the book reads like an instrument of the Republican National Committee campaign to reelect George W. Bush, or at the very least an apologist for the mistakes of both Bush administrations in the Middle East.

4 comments about A Woman Soldier's Own Story.

1. Xie Bingying was many things. Unfortunately, her autobiography does not convey this well, reading like a nationalist propaganda piece. She also did not write much about the political context of the times in which she lived, although I suspect that was deliberate. Her story is still fascinating, however, because of how she navigated the shifting social intersections of China in the turmoil of the early twentieth century. To understand what women went through during this period, this is a valuable resource. I wouldn't recommend it for casual reading though.



2. I have just read this book for a Chinese Women's history class, and I have found that it is nothing more than a hagiography that oversimplifies many complicated facets of Chinese culture. These days, it seems to be the vogue in literature to publish books by Asian women portraying them as hobbling, footbound victims of patriarchy and oppression. While it is true that Asian culture is definitely patriarchal and something that needs to be reformed, this book is another hackneyed account of a young woman trying to escape "feudal" social structures.
   I have no love for this book or any book like it because its message has been written and rewritten in various books by authors such as Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston. The translators say in the introduction that Xie is the symbol of transition from "old" to "new" China. By not clearly defining what these interpretations are, they leave it to their audience to define what "old" and "new" are based on individual interpretaion. Moreover, Xie Bingying's black-and-white, old-and-new, feudal-and progressive viewpoint oversimplifies many complexities that face women in confronting modern gender ideals. If you have read Amy Tan or any other hackneyed works, I recommend skipping this book because it is another example of the oversimplification of cultural identity today.



3. Few people in the West realize how extraordinary this book is and how much it has influenced generations of young Chinese. I used to own the original (Chinese) version of this book while growing up as a boy in South America in the 60s. I used to read it for guidance and strength in the darkest days of my youth. I must have read and reread it a dozen times before I had to reluctantly part ways with it. This is a true modern classic that is often ignored by contemporary historians of Chinese literature, who prefer the shallowness of the likes of Sanmo. The War Diaries, which were praised by none other than Lin Yutang, are also worth reading; the translators should make them the subject of their next project.
   Fine as the edition is, I wish the cover had been different. I have never seen a likeness of Xie xiansheng before and almost overlook the book because I was misled by the photograph of the woman in uniform to think it was a book about the Cultural Revolution. But I am glad the editors have included the photographs contained in the insert. I have always matched the feistiness of the woman soldier with a rather robust physique: I am surprised how fragile and delicate Xie xiansheng actually was.
   This book is correctly listed as an autobiography but it reads like a fine novel, with memorable scenes and episodes. Without opening this translation and reading a single line, I can name a half dozen right off the top of my head: the foot-binding, the escapes, the dying brother, the impoverished former army girlfriend, the love triangle, etc. This book is to the Chinese literature what the Ann Frank diaries are to the European; it definitely should not be missed.



4. It is a great book! this book portrayed how women were mistreated in the early 20th century in China. In that old days, girls were not allowed to be educated. They only learned how to spin cotton and embroider,, how to be an obedient daughter, and later a dutiful daughter-in-law. The reading materials for them were highly restricted to certain books such as Teach Your Daughter Traditional Rules. The worst thing was that girls had bound feet! However, there were still a few "lucky one" be able to escape from these old customs. Of course, it wasn't easy. This autobiography described an extraordinary woman, Xie Bingying who struggled to free herself from the traaditional Chinese society--received education, freed from an arranged marriage, became a soldier in the National Revolutionary Army, etc. Her experience was extraordinary!! I like this book because it is not only a truth story, it also pertains very rich information about the old Chinese customs.