5 comments about The Flying Greek: An Immigrant Fighter Ace's WWII Odyssey with the RAF, USAAF, and French Resistance.

1. FLYING GREEK is the autobiography of Steve Pisanos, a WWII double ace and career Air Force officer. In many ways, this book reads like a Hollywood adventure movie - young, impressionable 19-year old Greek jumps ship in America, two years later enlists in the RAF to defeat Hitler, subsequently flies Spits with 71 Squadron and P-47s and -51s with the 4th FG, downed over France, joins the Resistance, etc. Yet it's all true, this fascinating story being told in fine fashion by Colonel Pisanos - no ghostwriter employed! - in this 2008 volume from Potomac Books.
   
   The bulk of FLYING GREEK details Pisanos' wartime service in England. Initially he flew with 71 Squadron, one of three 'Eagle Squadrons' manned by Americans. In September 1942 all three were transferred to the USAAF, becoming the 4th FG. By war's end the 4th was credited with the most kills of any 8th AF Fighter Group. Pisanos' share of that total was an even 10 kills although his most memorable moment may have come on May 3, 1943 when he became a U.S. citizen. On March 5, 1944 Pisanos was downed over France and survived an almost unbelievable crash-landing as depicted in the book's cover art. He chose to join Resistance units in attacks on German troops, later linking up with U.S. troops and returning to England. Postwar he held a number of Air Force commands and positions before retiring in December 1973.
   
   FLYING GREEK has much to recommend it. It's a truly inspiring story and well-told by Pisanos. He is a gifted writer, relating events in a straightforward yet compelling style. The section on his WWII service, which takes up about 200 of the book's 315 pages of text, has vivid descriptions of combat that put the reader right in the cockpit.
   
   In one respect though, I feel a golden opportunity was missed. The 4th FG was made up of talented fighter pilots who were also, judging from what I've previously read, a wonderful collection of characters, starting with Blakeslee himself. Pisanos knew all of them - Gentile, Godfrey, 'Deacon' Hively, 'Kid' Hofer, Pierce McKennon, 'Cowboy' Megura, 'Goody' Goodson, etc. It's a shame he didn't share more memories of those people in his book. Perhaps there were publisher-imposed page limitations. In any case, I'd like to suggest to Colonel Pisanos that he write a sequel to FLYING GREEK sharing some of his memories of these hot-rock fighter jocks.
   
   In summary, FLYING GREEK is a marvelous book, a great read and an inspiring account of one man's efforts to achieve his dreams. Highly recommended.



2. Colonel Steve Pisanos is a true hero and an inspiration. His autobiography captures, not only his flying expertise and experiences, but also his driving desire to become an American Citizen. He has a pride in America, and a humbleness about his World War II service. His writing is from the heart, is extremely readable, and is very accurately told. His story is absolutely gripping!
   By the end of the book, you consider him a friend and realize just how honored we are that he is a part of our history.



3. Col. Steve Pasanos is a true American hero. His book is a must read for young people that have doubts about what the word "Patriotism" means. This is an exciting story of a man who survived the best of the German Luftwaffe in the air, the wicked Gestapo on the ground, and perilous adventures at sea. Eight years in the making, Steve Pasanos writes in a style that is wonderfully fascinating. If there is one book you buy this year this is it!
   
   Scott Graham
   Escondido, Ca



4. A great book full of examples of determination and patriotism. He certainly puts alot of people born in the United States to shame when it comes to his patriotism. We are fortunate to have him as a citizen of the U.S. The book is well written and tells of his desire to be an American and a pilot!



5. I have read many, many biographies on World War II aces. This book, by far, is the best I have read. Steve Pisanos' story is such a facinating one. I could not put this book down until I finished it. It has it all. The struggle to get to America, his flight training, a RAF Eagle Squadron volunteer, founding member of the 4th Fighter Group. What a life this great AMERICAN has had! You will not be disappointed if you buy this book.
   
   Leigh Barratt
   San Diego, CA

5 comments about Mekong First Light.

1. This story takes a long time to get moving. I learned a lot, but it was a struggle.



2. Anyone who is interested in unravelling the confusion and complexities of the single greatest disaster in American foreign policy should read this indispensable book.
   
   Despite looking like a novel, a novel it is not. What it is, is a 'bird's eye' view, an almost detached retrospective of an individual's rôle in the Vietnam war; a humanising of a conflict so often regarded as the antithesis of that - inhuman. Starting from the viewpoint of an average, unremarkable individual, this autobiography progresses into something much more profound, a story of human growth; development and metamorphosis. From his experiences and courage the author was eventually transformed into a remarkable, and anything but average human being, and this book catalogues that physical, mental and spiritual journey.
   
   In addition to the details of what life was like on the ground, this book's strength is undoubtedly the author's ability to put the pieces of an enormously complex puzzle together, to correlate the seemingly impossible. He succeeds in stringing many seemingly incoherent facets of the Vietnam War together into one huge coherent structure. Threading these memories together Calloway eventually leads the reader to a greater depth of understanding of the war, than had he simply tried to shock us with the grisly details and heart-rendering episodes of that sorry affair. Because Calloway took the more intelligent route, what we have is altogether much more readable, more profound and essentially a much more sincere account. Overall an excellent book.
   
   (+)
   i. A quick read.
   ii. Largely unbiased, well-rounded, insightful, complex and honest.
   iii. Nice pre-amble, good foundation to essentially personalise an impersonal war.
   
   (-)
   i. Requires much better editing and organising. Within the same paragraph the topic often changes.
   ii. Needs work on the continuity. Again, as above sometimes the progression and ideas are very erratic.
   iii. This imprint's paper is shockingly poor, not good for highlighting nor marking noted, very cheap feel.



3. Joe Callaway has managed to write a book that tells the real truth of how it was for him and the rest of us in the Mekong Delta. He is able to capture the truth of the Vietnam War experience, the truth of the political issues surrounding the war and the true compassion that he felt for the soldiers who served with him. When I read "Mekong First Light" I was overwhelmed by the realizm and sincerity contained in Joe's words. His description of the infantryman's life in the Delta is not sugar coated or glamorized. It is sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes peaceful and sometimes catastrophic but always real. I have read many books about the Vietnam War and "Mekong First Light" is on the top shelf among the very best. Ernie Parker, A Co., 2/60th Infantry.



4. As a retired Army officer who served during the Vietnam Era (but not in Vietnam) and in Desert Storm I highly recommend this book. The section of the book explaining how we were led into the morass of the Vietnam war is superb. I have reread the last several chapters many times as CPT Callaway so eloquently explains his personal feelings about war. I especially loved his chapter to his sons. I am haunted by this book and how it portrays the similarity (my thoughts after reading his explanation of how we got into Vietnam) between our entry into Vietnam and our entry into Iraq. I commend CPT Gallaway for an excellent piece of literature.



5. Captain Callaway gives us a citizen soldier's perspective of the horrors of war and the folly of America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Joe Callaway was a kid who no one thought would ever amount to much but enlisting in the Army as a private, he would eventually become an effective combat platoon leader. I appreciate his honesty in sharing with his readers the pain he experienced in losing so many friends and his retrospective thoughts on the war, the army, lost friends, leaders, and returning to a different America. Thank you, Joe for writing a very personal book and for helping us connect with the emotions and difficulties of that time and war.

3 comments about Cochrane: Britannia's Sea Wolf.

1. This book is remarkable historical background for anyone who enjoys the Jack Aubrey, Lord Ramage, Horatio Hornblower sets of historic fiction.
   The biographer details many of the challenges met by those fictional characters, including the pervasive corruption of the British admiralty system, which fictional heroes endure and which Thomas Cochrance fought against his entire life.
   Donald Serrell Thomas highlights a few of the many ship-to-ship actions from 1793-1808. But he spends as much time investigating the politics of the pre-reform parliamentary system where a few powerful purses controlled the representation from numerous "rotten boroughs" -- one of which elected Cochrane.
   The author also outlines the details of a remarkably modern-sounding stock market fraud case, in which Cochrane was found to be a co-conspirator. The author thinks (as most of Britain came to think) that Cochrane was innocent, although another recent study came to an opposite conclusion based on the same evidence.
   If you're a fan of the "Sharpe's Rifles" series, read "Sharpe's Devil" before you read this book. But read both!



2. As the blurb on the back cover says: forget Horatio Hornblower, forget Jack Aubrey. Even the license given to them as fictional characters can't surpass the facts of Lord Cochrane's extraordinary life. A supremely creative tactician and breathtaking improviser at sea (it was no less a person than Napoleon who nicknamed him the 'Sea Wolf') his story ashore is worthy of a book in itself.

   This book has it all: blood, guts and glory pitted against both the enemy abroad and the corrupt establishment at home. Once read, there's no forgetting this man and his story.




3. This book was first published in 1978 but has now been re-released to the benefit of all who enjoy a fast-paced historical account. After reading this book I am amazed that it has taken nearly twenty years to be re-released. What a great story Mr. Thomas tells of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, later the 10th Earl of Dundonald. From his birth through to his death covering all his exploits in numerous sea battles and actions, so many in fact that you find it hard to believe that he survived.

   The book covers Cochrane's battles during the Napoleonic Wars during which, on many occasions, he sent his ship in action against overwhelming odds. It was during this period that he was recognized, as one of Britain's most daring and successful captains. It was also during this period that he made many enemies, although he pressed hard in every action and took many risks, he always considered the well being of the men under his command. This later led to his single-handed campaign against corruption in the Admiralty.

   Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 Cochrane commenced an extraordinary career as a mercenary admiral. He subsequently commanded the navies of Chile and Brazil and launched campaigns against their protagonists, Spain and Portugal. After finishing his 'little wars' in South America he took command of elements of the Greek navy in their war against the Turks. In all these campaigns Cochrane again showed that he was one of the best naval commanders of his time.

   The narrative flowed along smoothly and although I have no great knowledge of maritime history I had no problems in following this story. In over 350 pages of text along with a number of black & white plates and a few maps Mr. Thomas tells a wonderful and exciting story. This is the type of book, which I am sure any person who has a love for history or who enjoys the novels of C. S. Forester and Patrick O'Brien will just love. A must for any serious student of naval tactics or Napoleonic warfare.

2 comments about Co. Aytch : The Classic Memoir of the Civil War By a Confederate Soldier.

1. the best diary of a civil war veteran i have ever read!!



2. This fast, short read is a Civil War memoir written by a private in the First Tennessee Regiment of the Confederate army, the "Maury Grays", about twenty years after the war. Channel surfers and Ken Burns fans may recognize "Co. Aytch" as a favorite source of quotes for War historians, and for good cause. The book is not a history of the war - Watkins is at pains to make this point - but rather a view of what one private saw. And by his telling of it, he saw a lot. He was at or around half the Civil War battles you ever heard of - Manassas, Shiloh, Chatanooga, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta - and a bunch of others of which you probably never heard. By the end of the war he was one of seven men still living from his original company of one hundred twenty. Watkins's classic front-porch, army veteran style was likely developed over the course of many retellings, during which - just perhaps - one or two of the episodes were a tiny bit stretched. Taken prisoner three times - followed by three escapes - grazed or hit by bullets innumerable times, once having his hat removed by a cannonball, Watkins is occasionally hard to believe. A special strength of Watkins's style, however, is his abilty to switch from, for example, a lurid and breath-taking description of men in battle at the "Dead Angle" of the Hundred Days Battle northwest of Atlanta to scathing sarcasm in his assessment of General Hood's performance in that campaign. Humor abounds in this book, some of it uproarious - as in the description of a preacher who was courageous in his sermonizing but not in battle. Much of Watkins's humor, however, is gently sardonic: "Well, reader, let me whisper in your ear. I was in the row, and the following pages tell what part I took in the little unpleasant misconception of there being such a thing as north and south." "Co. Aytch" has many qualities reminiscent of "The Red Badge of Courage". The two works - the former an extroverted memoir and the latter introspective fiction - convey strongly the private's nearly constant condition of not knowing the big picture of an army's movements - a knowledge reserved for generals and for historians. The two works also offer scenes of battle which bring the reader into the action through judicious choice of descriptive detail. Watkins writes: "We were charging through an old citizen's yard, when a big yellow cur dog ran out and commenced snapping at the soldiers' legs - they kicking at him to keep him off. The next morning he was lying near the same place, but he was a dead dog." Elsewhere Watkins writes: "The sun was poised above us, a great red ball sinking slowly in the west, yet the scene of battle and carnage continued", which recalls a famous, and stronger, concluding sentence from a battle scene in "The Red Badge of Courage": "The red sun was pasted onto the sky like a wafer." It is difficult to know, finally, what to make of Sam R. Watkins. His judgements of his contemporaries are trapped in contradiction by the values of his region and era. His acceptance of the south's aristocractic ethos causes him to retreat repeatedly from his own trenchant, plainspoken criticisms of this or that general's performance; and yet the criticisms, once stated, do remain. Likewise, Watkin's patriotic and religious convictions mix with his stright-talking nature to produce contradictory opinions. All any incompetant soldier need do to be rehabilitated in Sam Watkins's eyes is to get killed in battle for his country. This triggers an immediate suspension of criticism and lengthy sentences of praise, with flowery references to reunions to come in the blessed hereafter. Watkins's most troubling conflict, however, is between his graphic depictions of the senseless brutality of the war - which of themselves amount to an argument for pacificism - and of his refusal to finally reject war either generally or in this instance. He of all human beings has seen enough to take the shine off chivalry - but he will not give it up. Sam Watkins stays true to the cheers of the ladies and of the preachers who sent him and his friends off to war in 1861. Watkins's social background triumphs over his own moral sense; and so, in the end, we get not a moral document but a wonderfully colorful description. "The tale is told. The world moves on, the sun shines as brightly as before, the flowers bloom as beautifully, the birds sing their carols as sweetly, the trees nod and bow their leafy tops as if slumbering in the breeze, the gentle winds fan our brow and kiss our cheek as they pass by, the pale moon sheds her silvery sheen, the blue dome of the sky sparkles with the trembling stars that twinkle and shine and make night beautiful, and the scene melts and gradually disappears forever."

3 comments about My Confession: Recollections of a Rogue.

1. Sam Chamberlain is a rogue, all right, but not necessarily for the reasons that this book indicates. Chamberlain's accounts of daring-do sometimes read like the pulp fiction of his era. Some of what he relates bears the accuracy of an eye-witness to history and with good reason. He had, in fact, ridden throughout much of Northern Mexico during the United States' war with the country from 1846 to 1848 and was on hand to see the Battle of Buena Vista in 1847. But he's guilty of something not uncommon among writers of his era -- making first-hand accounts of events where he clearly was not involved. The best example of this is his description of American deserters (San Patricios) hanged during the last battles for Mexico City. His description does not match others exactly, because at the time of the hangings, Chamberlain was still hundreds of miles away, likely near Saltillo, Mexico. For a reality check, read the editors' footnotes; they do a pretty good job of separating Chamberlain's facts from his flights of fancy.



2. For those interested the Mexican War, this is a "must read" book and has been used by historians as a primary source for years, but his crude paintings are also a treat for the scholar, because Camberlain captures many scenes which have escaped photographers and those who made lithographs, including the massacre of Mexican civilians by Arkansas troops in a cave in Northern Mexico.

   Sam Camberlain was a 16 year old private from Boston who served in the elite 1st US Dragoons in Mexico and gives vivid descriptions with crude but animated paintings of Saltillo, Monterrey, and Northern Mexico. Although he was not at the savage fighting during the capture of Monterrey, he claims to have been there so the reader is left to wonder about his other claims and the accuracy of his paintings of the combat in which he lied about being involved. Perhaps he had contact with those who were actually there?

   Sam Chamberlain was in the Mexican War and painted some interesting small glimpses of life & death. Reading his book is almost like listening to a veteran who seems to have been everywhere and done everything (especially with women). Sam Chamberlain relates deaths of soldiers to Mexican guerrillas and duty in the occupation but more often than not, Sam Chamberlain proclaims preposterous pick-ups with a host of women. The reader almost senses the author is bragging to fellow high schoolers in a locker room or to anyone who will listen in a bar, hence the title of the book is fitting "My Confessions: Recollections of a Rogue". This book would probably be disregarded as pure fantasy if it were not or the fact that sometimes he does detail military and daily life senarios which are proved by others.

   Truth or Tall Tale? Read this book and you be the judge.




3. Read 'My Confession' for a first hand account of the War with Mexico, as well as an eyewitness report on the notorious Glanton party. This is one of the most controverisal stories in American and Mexican history, and the discovery of these papers in the 1950s brought out an event that was otherwise best 'swept under the rug' of history. Cormac McCarthy pointed a spotlight on this whole affair when he wrote Blood Meridian, and fans of McCarthy may want to read this to confirm that he wasn't making everything up in Blood Meridian:The Evening Redness in the West. The basic storyline of The Kid, Glanton and the Judge's scalp hunt as set forth in 'Blood Meridian' is related here by the man who lived thru it all, General Samuel Chamberlin. I for one was disturbed to find the Judge among the cast of real characters, I couldn't imagine that such a horrible figure actually existed. Read the book to find out what really happened to Glanton, the kid, as well as 'the judge'. And keep your powder very dry.

2 comments about Thieves of Baghdad: One Marine's Passion to Recover the World's Greatest Stolen Treasures.

1. Excellent book! An interesting read for anyone who wants to understand other facets of what our troops encounter while deployed. JD



2. Matthew Bogdanos' story of the lost antiquities of the Bahgdad Museum is a fascinating and informative account of his experiences with an interagency counterterrorism unit following 9/11. However, its not just about Bahgdad, as he tells us about the challenges he faces growing up in downtown New York, his roots in Greek and Middle Eastern classics, etc. In fact, despite the extraordinary depth of his knowledge of classic literature, arts, and history, there is a certain air of self-promotion throughout the book that the reader just can't overlook. Nonetheless, I found Bogdanos' writing to be sophisticated and interesting and I felt that I finished his book with a better understanding of U.S. efforts to help the Iraqi people help themselves (despite the efforts of their fellow Iraqi's to sell their own heritage to the highest bidders). The beautiful photos add great depth to Bogdanos' account and spark the reader's interest in the history and art of the region. Enjoy this highly unusual account of one man's war time experiences.

5 comments about Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Marine Dogs of WWII.

1. This is a wonderful book about dogs. I never knew much about war dogs. I bought this book after reading Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs. There is a great, funny, heartwarming story in that book about a German Shepherd who was fighting on the Iraqi side. Then an Army sergeant got him and he started fighting for the Americans. It's hilarious, at first he was biting AMericans, then he started protecting them with his life until the Iraqis were trying to kill him. After a lot of work, he was finally brought back to the US and now lives as a pet. That's a great story, similar to some of these stories. I recommend both books.



2. Really a great book for anyone interested in working dogs, particularly, Dobermans amd German Shepherds, and understanding how they served in the military. They were clearly among the unsung heroes of WWII. Hopefully, today's military will recognize the vital role that dogs play in saving and protecting human lives and grant them a well-deserved retirement in good homes stateside after their tour of duty is over.



3. This book is well written. I didn't know Marines could write. (That's a joke, jarhead.) If you are a dog person, you will like this book. I would give it five stars, but I'm saving that for 'Life and Fate'.



4. I read this book for a class assignment. It was great! It's perfect for someone who loves dogs and the history of it even kept my interest. And it's not TOO sad like some animal books can be. It's also got some comic relief in it too. Quick read, interesting, informative.



5. Without any doubt, the best history of war dogs I have read. Always Faithful (Semper Fidelis) is the author's personal history of his experience as a Marine Corps war dog platoon commander in WWII. William (Bill) Putney, "Put" to his colleagues was a board certified veterinarian assigned to the newly formed war dog platoon. Putney details the history from the training of both dogs and handlers to the crucible of combat in the liberation of Guam in 1944. There was no existing Marine Corps K9 operations doctrine. Therefore Putney had to develop both doctrine and build confidence in operational commanders on K9 capabilities. He provides detailed and vivid descriptions of the famed "Devil Dogs" in combat against the Japanese. Always Faithful provides first person accounts of the sacrfices made by both handler and dog in the liberation of Guam. There are occasional tidbits of humor, specifically the reaction of a Doberman when given K-Rations by its handler. Bill Butney received a Bronze Star with Combat "V" and a Purple Heart. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Captain and began a successful veterinary practice in San Diego. He was the moving force in the restoration of the War Dog Memorial on Guam dedicated to the many dogs killed in action. Before his death in 2003, Bill worked tirelessly to support passage of the Presidential Executive order which insured that veteran war dogs would be returned to the United States.

5 comments about 1915: The Death of Innocence.

1. Lyn MacDonald's book captures the true and complete horror of warfare in this book. Rich in detail and telling accounts by the men that fought in the savage and bloody battles in 1915. A must read for someone trying to understand the daily misery and destruction of a generation of brave men. By far, my favorite book in the series, but not to discount the others, each of which is a classic and should be read in sequence to grasp the fullness of the story of The Great War.



2. The other reviewers have spoken to Lyn MacDonalds style and areas of expertise. My experience with this book is that compells me to read it again and again. I pick it up and start reading it in mid chapter, and it's always interesting despite the number of times I have read it. Every page has completely engrossing narrative, so it hooks me any time I pick it up. The account of miners tunnelling underneath enemy lines is particularly memorable.

   I'm definitely going to pick up everything else she has written.




3. Some people may criticise this book for not including the French. But to do that, it would have to come in several volumes. World War One is just too vast to include everyone from both sides in one volume. What is covered very well is the experiences of those at the "sharp end". Generals and maps are very well for those who want to follow the overall view, but that does not cover the misery of the rifleman and company officers who did not have the luxury of comfortable billets and lack of danger enjoyed by the higher ranks. Drawing a line on a piece of paper is a far cry from having to man that line. Ordering an attack is easy for those who don't have to do the attacking and have no idea of the conditions of the soldier who has to advance through mud and barbed wire. I am reminded of a staff officer who, on seeing the actual front line after the battle of the Somme said "My God, did we send men to fight in that!"



4. Lyn MacDonald's book on 1915 mirrors her patented participant-oriented storytelling evidenced in "Somme" and "They Called it Passchendaele..." However, while the aforementioned titles mostly succeed because of the British-heavy focus of the battles, "1915: The Death of Innocence" cannot begin to tell the whole story of 1915. As a result, it does not even try.

   Obviously, MacDonald, as a British woman and patriot, is only concerned with the British perspective of 1915. The trouble with that is that the French Army held 85% of the Western Front in 1915; the British number of 15% was reached only at the end of the year. And yet, for hundreds of pages, small engagements (especially in relation to the tremendous French campaigns further south on the front) are given mind-numbing detail while the main pillar of the Allied alliance, at least until the Spring of 1917, is all but ignored.

   Some readers find the first-person perspective of MacDonald's books grating, but I like the fact that these veterans' voices are put in print, in their own words, before they died. This makes "1915" a good source for primary sources. However, if you're interested in the REST of 1915 on the Western Front, and by REST I mean events on the OTHER 400 mile front held by the French, you will be sorely disappointed.




5. Lyn MacDonald's writings on WWI are possibly the best available. She is not judgemental, rather she reports using first hand accounts from participants. The reports are always stirring and moving. Her detailed accounts together with a picture of the overall scene of the battles show the decades of research that were required to produce her books.

1 comments about We Band of Brothers: The Sullivans & World War II.

1. As one of eight children growing up in Michigan, I wasmesmerized in 1962 when I first saw "The FightingSullivans," by that time already an 18-year old black & whitemovie. Like my Dad (a WWII veteran wounded in Europe while with the103rd Inf Div) and my two older brothers, I entered into the militaryservice during the Vietnam War, married a WAF (the daughter of a NavyWWII vet aboard the USS Sigourney and USS Duluth), and have nowwatched four of our own eight children enter the Army and Air Force.As a Catholic, I strongly identify with the large family of theSullivans, their religion, and their commitment to military service.While I enjoyed the 20th Century Fox movie, I especially appreciatedthe even-handed and fair treatment that Commander Satterfield usedwhile writing this book. It's the only one I know of whichcomprehensively covers the family. It is well-researched from both amilitary documents viewpoint and that based upon newspaper articlesand family and friend interviews. He presents the family as they were--- not saints, just ordinary Americans growing up in the midwest withcommon family problems. Both the author and the Mayor of Waterloo, IA(a nephew of Katherine Mary Rooff Sullivan) were receptive to emailinquiries I sent. I heartily recommend this book to all butespecially to those whose interests center on family militaryservice...

5 comments about Tamerlane: Sword of Islam, Conqueror of the World.

1. Just finished Marozzi's book. I can see why some people grew annoyed...its not arranged like a typical history title. But I liked it for that reason. Marozzi's writing is solid too, and the book breezed by. When I finished I was actually a little sad!
   
   Marozzi definitely seemed to be in awe of Tamerlane, and his enthusiasm in turn made me excited for each new chapter. While most of Tamerlane's historic career was quite bloody and brutal, I couldn't help but be enthralled by it. I also couldn't help but be fascinated by Tamerlane's cultural combination of Muslim and Mongol traditions...really interesting reading.
   
   If you like your history on the straight and narrow with little or no author commentary, then you won't like this book. But if you're willing to go off the beaten path a little and read some personal travel musings sprinkled in with the main story, you will enjoy Marozzi's efforts here.



2. 
   If you're looking for a detailed, clear narrative of Tamerlane's life and achievements, Justin Marozzi's book is not it. Failing to develop Tamerlane as an individual from his youth onward, and failing to explain exactly how he came to be so successful, Marozzi diverts perhaps half the book to recounting his own travels in Tamerlane's homeland. As descriptive and rare the author's experiences may be, a journalistic description of former metropolises in modern-day Central Asia does not provide a better understanding of the Lord of the Fortunate Conjunction. Throughout the book, Marozzi views Tamerlane more through the distant lens of someone in awe of his achievements, rather than the skeptical and down-to-earth approach necessary for biographers to truly evaluate who their particular subject really was.
   This is the flow of the book: a few very narrowed down pieces of Tamerlane's life, each separated by an equally large amount of journalism. The reader can neither fully assess the achievements of Tamerlane's career, nor gain a certain familiarity with his personality.
   The purpose of biography is to find out what kind of person the subject of the book was, and evaluate his/her achievements. In the case of Tamerlane, the reader is never really given an explanation for how someone conquered territory so successfully and rapidly, or how a man could rise from the status of desperado to all-powerful emperor. The main argument presented is that Tamerlane, while committing atrocities, also had many cultural achievements, most notably the building of several Islamic monuments now mostly in ruins or completely nonexistent. There is no assessment of Tamerlane's psyche, what led him to believe in his destiny, just how he outwitted his opponents, and what his legacy was. Why are western scholars, even military theorists, so unfamiliar with someone whose military career was as successful and immaculate as Alexander's? How did Tamerlane as a politician manage to rise so far and fast? What psychological condition could Tamerlane have had that may have motivated his ambition, and more significantly, the genocides he so ruthlessly committed? What aspect of his personality made him an electrifying leader, and gave him the energy to vigorously campaign even up to his death as an old man? These are essential questions about Tamerlane that should be answered, or at least examined, so that readers can analyze Tamerlane with the same level of understanding as western heroes such as Alexander and Napoleon.
   Instead, Justin Marozzi gives a hollow carcass of a biography, decorated with fanciful quotations and literary comparisons, but completely lacking in the real substance essential to a book that seeks to give the public an understanding of one of the greatest conquerors in history. In studying Tamerlane, we shouldn't look for the decrepit and virtually forgotten ruins and former cities of Central Asia. That does not highlight our understanding of him as a man. We need to know what he did, how he did it, why he did it, and what affect it had. We need to know these things as much as possible so that we may truly form an accurate perception of him as a statesman, soldier, and human being.



3. The Good:
   
   Tamerlane changed the face of the world, and yet remains virtually unknown in the west. He conquered almost the entire word, crippled empires, decimated the Golden Horde, stalled the Ottoman expansion, and turned glorious cities into desolate fields.
   
   This book could have been little more than a catalogue of cities and dates, but instead we get the global view: what Temur changed, and what he did not. His empire was gone within a century. His memory was virtually erased. His recent revival is limited to Uzbekistan.
   
   More importantly, we get the facts needed, good and bad, to assess Temur for ourselves. However Marozzi weighs the carnage against the cultural developments, the reader is fully equipped to make his or her own determination. In the end, I found Temur a wholly unsympathetic character based on the same data that led Marozzi to the opposite conclusion.
   
   The Bad:
   
   The critics of the book are correct in their complaints: the chronology skips around, the book includes a lengthy discussion of a historically inaccurate play, some of the prose is a little too florid.
   
   If you can look past that, you'll enjoy the book. Chronology isn't much of a problem, because most of the jumps are between Temur's time and much later accounts, including the present day. I liked reading about modern Uzbekistan, as it fleshed out the precise nature of Temur's legacy. The other big timeline issue, beginning the book with the battle against Sultan Bayezid, is a stylistic attention-getter, and eminently excusable.
   
   I rank the discussion of Marlowe's play with the author's discussion of modern Uzbekistan: he's telling us about Temur's legacy, which (like any historical figure) involves inaccurate information. That said, the chapter on Marlowe would have benefitted significatly from more aggressive editing. Reading what C.S. Lewis said about what Marlowe said about Tamerlane is a bit much.
   
   While Marozzi knows his subject well, and a glance at his list of acknowledgments suggests he has studied the materials carefully, the book is practically worthless for citations. When he attributes his quotations at all, it is with a general reference to the source, without page number. For example, he has an indented quote on pages 277-78 which, from the context, I assume is a quote from Clavijo, but even if that is correct, I don't know where in his 268 pages (in the English translation) to find it. And where Marozzi doesn't quote, I can only assume his source is somewhere in one of the dozens of books listed at the end.
   
   If you are more interested in an interesting history/travelogue about a pivotal figure in an exotic location, you'll find it in this book. If you're looking for well-sourced, narrowly focues academic work, look elsewhere.



4. It feels like the author had a ton of information but did not know how to organize it. There were times when the footnotes seemed to be more relevant than what was above them. Also it felt like he did not know what he wanted the book to be. Chapters seemed to wander from the story line of Tamerlane to the author's travels to architecture without any direction. If he simply broke up the chapters, grouped relevant information together and incorporate the footnotes (instead of having some of them span two pages) that would have made this book a more coherent read. The editors really failed on this one.
   
   The author obviously knows an incredible amount of information on the subject and the book is very interesting none-the-less.



5. Marozzi has done a lot of work and there is a lot of great stuff in here. At times he seems to get carried away and feel that he was writing a Hollywood script, it makes the book a cross between a novel and a work of history. But don't get me wrong, he seems to know his subject well. The title is misleading as was the man himself. Tamur used Islam as and when it served his purpose and so implying that he was enforcing Islam is wrong. Tamur killed Sunni's and Shi'as just as happily as he killed people of other faith. Marozzi's treatment of Tamur Lung (the right way of saying the name) reminds me of Mel Gibson's cheap tricks with Christ, throw in a lot of gore and people will buy it to be shocked. Both seem to ignore the context of time. Then every now and then Marozzi throws in a few pages of utmost brilliance like when he boldly states: "Europe of that time was backwater" I doubt how many historians missed that part. He is a great story teller and reads like James Mitchner, just not as gripping. His talks about his travels seem a bit weak and not very interesting. But having said that, I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in military history, Tartars, wars in Islamic world and I am sure I will read this book again someday. His map in the beginning is great, but then he chooses to throw some black and white pictures instead of more maps.