5 comments about Patton: Ordeal and Triumph.

1. This thick book has larger typeface than the small paperback I read years ago, however the binding was poor quality and during the first reading the spine cracked open in the middle despite my careful handling of the book. It's an open question whether I got a lemon or this publisher's work is shoddy, but there it is. The book itself is highly readable and Ladislas Farago does a good job in balancing anecdotes with stating historical facts to keep the reader entertained while informed as well.



2. "Patton: Ordeal and Triumph" is a full life biography of one of the most colorful and successful officers ever to wear the uniform of the United States. It claims to be the book on which the movie was based and many of the anecdotes so beloved in the movie are presented in the book, although, occasionally, with slightly different details.
   
   Author Ladislas Farago informs the reader of Patton's ancestry, beginning with his immigrant ancestor who, presumably, left Scotland to avoid debtors, justice, or both. He continues with the Congressman and series of generals, including ones who died in the Revolution and Civil War, in Patton's line. He brings us to the subject who, he tells us, grew up on a ranch in California, where he made the acquaintance of Rudyard Kipling and John S. Mosby.
   
   Patton's own tale is larger than life. His days at VMI and West Point are mentioned, but they are not the focus of the story. The focus is Patton's active duty career. He saw action with Pershing in Mexico and World War I, where he was introduced into the world of armored warfare.
   
   This book enables the reader to understand the crucial role which Patton, in cooperation with Eisenhower and others, played in bringing tanks into the American arsenal. Having taken command of the tank corps in World War I, he tested its potentials. Between the wars he maintained his research into armor, preparing for the day when the U.S. Army would embrace the weapon.
   
   Throughout this work, Patton is shown as a leader whose dash and unconventional behavior is the key to his notoriety and success. In his first tank action, at St. Mihiel, Patton incurred the wrath of his superiors by extending his attack far beyond its expectations in a spectacular, but undisciplined advance. His performance in the 1941 maneuvers in Tennessee would lead to instructions for the famous Louisiana maneuvers later that year to "Not let Patton run wild again." Despite the efforts of the judges to restrain him, he did "run wild", ending each part of the Louisiana maneuvers prematurely.
   
   Patton's high point was, of course, World War II. He entered it as field commander of the first major American force to see action in the war, the Western Task Force in the invasion of French North Africa, Operation Torch. This was an operation of diplomacy, not one of dash and maneuver. Predictably, Patton's performance was less impressive than later efforts would be. It was not until he was advanced to command of II Corps, after the disaster at Kasserine, that Patton's emphasis on training and spirit would begin to yield the results for which he became famous.
   
   Patton's next theatre of operations was the Sicilian invasion. It was here that his rivalry with Field Marshall Montgomery, which would continue to the end of the war, began. Here theme of Montgomery slugging it out with the best that the enemy had to offer while Patton made rapid advance against light opposition was born. It was in Sicily, too, that the slapping incidents, which would plague Patton and the American war effort, occurred.
   
   With the conclusion of the Sicilian campaign, Patton was transferred to England where he distracted the German's with his Phantom Army while others prepared for action. It was not until the month after D-Day that Patton began his legendary command of the Third Army and its dramatic sweep across France into Bavaria and Czechoslovakia. Throughout this Patton would be in constant battle with Eisenhower and Montgomery for supplies, almost as much as he was with the Germans for prisoners and territory.
   
   The last days of Patton are shown as a discouraging wind down of the career of a general who predicted that: "Peace will be hell on me." The inability to obtain a combat command in the Pacific reflected Patton's standing among many of his fellow officers. His failure as Military Governor of Bavaria illustrated the weakness of his political skills.
   
   Farago provides the reader x with an introduction, later efforts into the order of battle, but also into the complex character interactions among the leading personae dramatae. The deteriorating relationships between Patton and Eisenhower, as Patton's indiscretions created repeated distractions for Ike, are contrasted with the improving relations between Patton and Bradley as Bradley, originally disgusted by Patton's bravado, gradually came to appreciate Patton's aggressiveness in contrast to the comparative lethargy of Montgomery.
   
   You see how much I was excited by this book. I read this in preparation for a one night continuing ed class about Patton. It provided me with most of what I needed to know in order to teach the class. I am well satisfied with the way it covered its subject. I am confident that you will be also.



3. This was an enjoyable read as well as an excellent military history. Farago took a complex and mythologized character (Patton) in a complex military and political environment ( WWII) and wrote a history that reads like a novel. It comes close to the can't-put-it-down category. The paperback edition would have been improved by maps such as those found in the other excellent read, "A Soldier's Story" by Omar Bradley. It is more readable than Carlo D'Este's "A Genius for War" but focuses more on the military aspects of Patton's life.
   Farago portrays Patton as a general who was shrewd and instinctive and well studied in the art of war. He was deeply patriotic and a devoted to his Army . Despite his trials under the cautious leadership of Bradley and Eisenhower he never lost respect for either. His opinion of Montgomery was higher than most popular history would have us believe as well. His main problem with Monty was not Monty's ego but Monty's inability to get the job done as happened in Sicily, Falaise and Arnhem. Patton's faults and eccentricities get popular attention but his virtues as a combat leader and tactician far out weighed any of that. Had he been let loose in Europe the war would unquestionably have ended sooner. He could never have filled the shoes of Ike or Bradley but he was among a very small number of Allied generals including Hodges, Middleton, Patch and Simpson who knew that aggression wins wars. My father who served with Patton in North Africa and Sicily never liked the man but he respected the general. Watch the movie that was based on this book, but if you really want to understand a military genius read "Patton - Ordeal and Triumph".



4. I have enjoyed each page of this book. The information is enlightening and the tempo of the book invigorating.
   A must read.



5. A very good book- You really get to know the man-

5 comments about Alone on Guadalcanal: A Coastwatcher's Story (Bluejacket Books).

1. I have read Walter Lord's book "Lonely Vigil" about the Pacific Island Coastwatchers several times and greatly enjoyed it. This, however, is a full book about just one of these Coastwatchers, and goes into quite a bit more detail about the daily routine and happenings during that time. He was most likely the most experienced and senior Coastwatcher, and his interaction with U.S. forces was extremely helpful.



2. As an ex-patriot Australian now living in the U.S., I'm ashamed to admit I knew almost nothing about Guadalcanal, other than its reputation for being a bad place to be during WW2, until reading this outstanding book. My ignorance of the incredible risks Clemens and the Allied Forces took at that time is particularly surprising given that I knew the author as the father of a close friend when I was growing up in the late 1960s. I sat across the dining table from him during many Sunday dinners and heard nothing of his adventures in the Solomon Islands. Perhaps the author's reluctance to bore those around him with war stories, and my youthful lack of curiosity, deprived me of hearing the story first-hand. I'm truly grateful that he has shared this exciting and harrowing story with the world. Having read his account, I'm inspired to read other perspectives of the events that took place at that time. This book has reinforced my appreciation for those Allied soldiers who bravely fought off this persistent invader on our very doorstep while Australian civilians quietly went about their business at home.



3. This is the story of a British civil officer who had just arrived in the Solomons when war broke out. It is his story, what he saw, what he thought, during the time from before the war started until the U.S. army had solid control of Guadalcanal.
   
   Where it is weak is that there is no context for the story. If you don't know about the Solomon's campaign, you will be totally lost. And there is no context for what he sees so again, you don't know how key some of the battles he was in were.
   
   I think this is a good book for people who have a strong knowledge of the Solomin's campaign. And in that case it will give you a unique viewpoint of the war. But don't read it unless you do have that knowledge.



4. A wonderful book and a finely documented living history. Refreshing account based on Mr. Clemens actual diary notations. I have read almost every book on Guadalcanal and this one is definitely different. It reflects lulls between events and actually provides new information. The history and events in his story builds some natural suspense and his work is highly accurate! Not many books are written in a manner that makes you actually feel like you were there. Particularly good is the detailed writing of periperhal events surrounding well know events and battles. This work fills in many blanks will add another dimension to existing knowledge bases of historians and those interested in early pacific war. Also, not just a WWII campaign story but an excellent example of what can be accomplished when the odds are against you!



5. For people interested in the Pacific WWII. This is the only book that provides the complete story of Coastwatchers and how they helped win the war on Guadalcanal. Never before been told and written by a near-mythic Coastwatcher Martin Clemens A compelling true adventure story. Of particular interest to Marines who were there but didn't have the slightest idea of what was going on in the background. For First Marine Division Marines this is a MUST read. I was there with Martin Clemens.

1 comments about Montezuma: Warlord of the Aztecs (Potomac Books' Military Profiles).

1. The author uses only English-language sources, ignoring the many important primary documents that have not been translated from Spanish (and Nahuatl) into English. More seriously, he ignores most of the scholarly literature on Motecuhzoma, Cortes and the conquest of the Aztecs. This lead to a big mistake that undermines much of his discussion of Motecuhzoma: Recent scholarship shows that the notion that Motecuhzoma and other Aztecs believed Cortes to be the returning god Quetzalcoatl was a post-conquest fabrication. This changes our understanding of the Aztec emperor and his interaction with Cortes.
   
   The recent scholarship is summarized in: Townsend, Camilla (2003) Burying the White Gods: New Perspectives on the Conquest of Mexico. American Historical Review 108:659-687. For the full argument see: Gillespie, Susan D. (1989) The Aztec Kings: The Construction of Rulership in Mexica History. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.

5 comments about The Spy Went Dancing.

1. This is one of three books written by Aline Griffith Romanos about her adventures as a undercover spy during WW II in Spain. It is excellent! I first read the book 25 years ago, have read them all more than once, recommended all three books to many, and have heard only high praise for the series. They are fun, well written, and real page turners!



2. I have purchased 4 books by Aline Romanos. I absolutely love them. The fact that there is truth behind the story and that she really was an upper-class lady as well as a spy excites me. I find myself wishing I lived an adventurous life. She has a talent when it comes to recreating her life and exploits. I could not put it down!



3. I can only echo the words of the previous reviewers! Countess Aline's books (...Wore Red, ...Went Dancing - so far!) are compelling, and I was truly absorbed from beginning to end! When I finished the first, I couldn't wait to start the second - and now I'm impatient to get the third - "...Wore Silk" - from my sister! I had to keep reminding myself that she would NOT be killed, as she was alive to write these books! And her ability to manage the pertepual romantic current with no "smut" is impressive! Her description of "masculine hands," the brush of lips on her ear, or the mention of leg-to-leg contact during the tango says it all! But beyond that, she teaches so much about Spanish customs and culture, from the attraction of bull fighting to how on earth they manage the high combs and mantillas, to daily routine, meal times, siesta - she never stops. How can this remarkable strong female hero be of the same generation as my mother?



4. Fascinating. My daughter is reading "The Spy Who Wore Red" and finds it fascinating as well.



5. My mom first gave me this book to read back when I was in high school. I recently picked it up again at the library to take with me on vacation - and was once again drawn into this amazing - and real life - mystery. In fact, I enjoyed the book so much I almost didn't want to leave my hotel room until I finished it (which didn't make my brothers too happy)! Aline weaves mystery and international intrigue with a jet-setting lifestyle as she hob-nobs with the likes of Liz Taylor and Audrey Hepburn while trying to solve a mystery that's haunted her for 20 years! I'm just starting her next book, "The Spy Wore Silk" and reccommend that anyone who loves a good mystery (and don't we all?) should check out Aline's books. They're absolutely addictive, and, in this case, that's a good thing.

No comments about In the Eye of the Storm: The Life of General Norman Schwarzkopf.

1 comments about Wolves of World War II: An East Prussian Soldier's Memoir of Combat and Captivity on the Eastern Front.

1. The Wolves of World War II: An East Prussian Soldier's Memoir of Combat and Captivity on the Eastern Front is the true-life story of author and East Prussian farmer Hans Thiel, who was conscripted into military service on September 1944, close to the end of World War II. Thiel felt a troubled resignation toward the Nazi Party, yet feared that the end of the war would result in utter destruction for his nation. Taken prisoner by Soviet forces, Thiel endured for three years as a postware prisoner, held first by the Red Army then transferred to camps under Polish control. The Wolves of World War II covers agrarian life during the war, Thiel's combat experience, and the harshness and atrocities inflicted upon postwar prisoners in retaliation for German military war crimes. A handful of black-and-white photographs and maps illustrate this stark, unflinchingly honest account.

5 comments about Warlords: An Extraordinary Re-creation of World War II through the Eyes and Minds of Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin.

1. This is an excellent treatment of the interaction and the motivations of the four leaders of the WWII in Europe. The time-sequenced approach works well to show the drama of the time. Roosevelt comes off particularly bad in my opinion because of his Chamberlanish approach to Stalin.



2. This is a solid book with an extensive investigation behind it. The personalities of the "warlords" are nicely portrayed and one does get the felling of being in the middle of the discussions and the negotiations of the leaders. I recommend this book if you are interested in knowing what each of the leaders were after, what their objectives were, and how the planned their actions in order to achieve them.



3. It is a book that is very interesting to read and I would give a higher rate if it was not for something big missing. They concentrated the story on Europe, they forgot Japan and Asia. That was a World War, and not an European War.
   
   I guess the way Japan functioned during the war is not so well known so there is something important missing, who was the Japanese leader that influenced the major decisions, how he thought? What was happening inside Japan during this period of time? What kind of leadership they had? What was the role of the emperor? of General Tojo or Admiral Yamamoto? Any of them was the major war brain?
   
   In continental Asia, there was a major drama happening in China at the time, two importante leaders in world history,Mr. Chiang and Mr. Mao would unite forces to fight a foreign enemy... what roles they played, what was the interaction with the USA at the time, how this influences the USA attitudes toward China until today?
   
   If we look at the Allied powers there was two real superpowers, USA and USSR, Britain had not the resources to fight the war, but Churchill was put in the book because of his personality, without the USA he would have played a very different role in WWII. The italian leader, Mussolini was also someone to be analyzed, he was in a position similar to Churchill, with fewer resources and a weeker player, but it would complete the picture.
   
   I would add a few other questions regarding Mr. Roosevelt and his style of management...How advanced he was in concepts of Management? what concepts he applied? how good he was in identifying talented people to do the required tasks? how he motivated the whole free world to work together in the future? the depth of his vision for the future and what mission he established for the Allied powers and his mistakes... The Roosevelt administration used how many concepts of modern management theory?
   
   All my questioning above is due to the fact that I liked very much to read this book. It may not be very precise in its research, but makes you feel closer to the minds and the thinking that the major players did... I would add a companion book to this one:Why the Allies Won by Richard Overy.



4. I often judge a book by where it takes me next. This book started me down a path to 'The Dark Valley (Brendon), 'Stalingrad' (Beevor), 'Rites of Spring' (Eksteins) and 'Nazi Games' (Large). So, maybe it wasn't great scholarship as a reviewer said. It was an enjoyable read.



5. This is supossed to be "through the eyes and minds of Htler", among others.
   Yet the authors do not even mention HITLER'S WAR , by David Irving , or THE STRUGGLE FOR EUROPE, by Chester Wilmot in their Bibliography, which are considered by John Keegan to be the two books in English that "stand out from the vast literature of the Second World War".
   Don't waiste your time.
   Read the above two books instead of waisting your time with this one,
   as I regretfully did.
   The fact that you can now get them on Marketplace for $1.74 less than a year after publication speakes volumes about what actual readers think.
   Very very few of us care to retain this shoddy scholarship in our libraries.

5 comments about This Man's Army: A Soldier's Story from the Frontlines of the War on Terrorism.

1. If your expecting a "bangem shootem up" high intensity combat epic this book is not for you. Captain Andrew Exum(USA)instead
   gives a very human account of his road to Afganistan, in the wake of 9/11. He is suddenly transformed from a poetic Ivy Leaguer to a combat infantryman, in the famed 10th Mountain Division(Sen. Bob Dole's old unit). Using ROTC as a financial supplement like many average folk, Exum is faced with the unexpected and answers his countries call to duty as members of his family did generations past. He strives to be the best by surviving the Army's elite Ranger school. His exploits there are almost as grueling as his combat duty in Afganistan. The physical endurance due to the altitude of that mountainous country that he and the men he leads as they perform their duty is told in detail. The mission of demolition of Afgan caves is a tedious task as one doesn't know what lurks in and around them. Exum seems to be a very logical young soldier and even incorporates literary quotes from his college days. Talk about a clash of cultures! I am not sure if he is ever privey to high military intelligence of the war on terrorism as his unit seems to cover special forces operatives, a dirty kind of business none the less. Exum's book could have been titled "The Days In The Life Of A 21st Century American Soldier". He details a lot of the frustration of "the hurry up and wait" military mindset. Pranks and pure bordem set in as well as army life in general. All throughtout Exum has great affection and a sense of responsiblity to his men. He is not bigger than the whole picture and I find him humble in his writing even though he excelled in all of the Army's demands. Now get the book! I don't want to give anything else away :)



2. A competently written if somewhat unexciting memoir of one man's brief deployment overseas. What should have been a decent magazine article is stretched uncomfortably into a 236 page paean to the greatness that is the author. In between the endlessly self aggrandizing descriptions of his physical prowess (aided by a fitness regime of constant chest beating), his innate leadership skills and naturally commanding respect from every soldier or superior he meets, the author manages to turn several months deployed in Afghanistan into a lengthy recitation of "Me, me, me and I".
   
   You know something is wrong when a page each is wasted respectively to his complaints on being debriefed after his (solitary) shooting, a Chaplin's attempt to console him, a reporter describing him as 24 (as opposed to 23) and even more pages are devoted to gloating over his cheating during later maneuvers in the National Training Center. His short stint in the military and shallow knowledge is exemplified by repeatedly referring to "nap-of-the-earth" flying as "map-of-the-earth".
   
   Similar yet much better reads are "My War" and "Jarhead".



3. Andrew Exum enlisted in the Army thinking that military service would be a good way to pay for his education at the University of Pennsylvania as well as serve his country in peacetime. He thought that he would likely serve in peacekeeping duties in Europe or perhaps Africa, but not actually see combat. There was value, in his mind, of Army service even in the peacetime. He had enlisted in the Army ROTC as a student and became an officer in 2000. September 11 changed the nature of what his service would be.
   
   "This Man's Army" is Captain Exum's story of his time as a soldier. He details his reasons for enlisting, what sort of upbringing he had, and what his experience was in training and on the battlefield. Exum offers a fresh perspective of the life of an Army officer. While books like Anthony Swofford's "Jarhead" and Joel Turnipseed's "Baghdad Express" offer accounts of the modern day disillusioned soldier (both about Gulf War I), Captain Exum is a motivated leader of men who takes pride in his work, his platoon, and his Army. He does not blindly accept political rhetoric, and unlike many military men Exum is far from being a staunch Republican. He struggles to fit what he must do as a soldier with his beliefs as a Christian, but accepts that there are times that fighting for the greater good can supercede personal belief.
   
   Readers looking for a book filled with combat and blazing guns should look someplace else (perhaps Evan Wright's excellent "Generation Kill"). "This Man's Army" is the experience of Captain Andrew Exum, and while the nature of his service did include quite a bit of risk, stress, being shot at, and completing valuable missions in Afghanistan; there are not many gun battles or what would traditionally be thought of as "battlefield combat". Yet, "This Man's Army" is compulsively readable and was a book I did not want to put down. Exum's descriptions of his training, going through Ranger school, and his style (and experiences) of leadership is fascinating. While I am glad that Exum is out of harm's way now, I wish he was still able to serve in the Army because our military and our country needs more men of his character and apparent ability. He is the sort of man I want protecting our country.
   
   Captain Exum also gives an excellent description of how a soldier comes home and tries to adapt to a life where he does not have a rifle in his hand. How he has to adapt to paying for things again, fight the feeling that he is "entitled" to things because of his service, and just become a civilian again.
   
   Something else that I found very interesting was that if he wasn't injured (outside of combat), Exum would have been part of the mission which rescued Private Jessica Lynch. Having to watch that on television was a very difficult thing for Captain Exum, not the least of which because he was still in uniform.
   
   Overall I found "This Man's Army" to be an excellent account of Andrew Exum's time in the military and what one possible experience of a modern day soldier is. It isn't exactly what one might consider a traditional war memoir, but this is also a different kind of war. I would recommend this book without hesitation, just with the understanding that there is a very small amount of actual combat or field action.
   
   -Joe Sherry



4. I thought this book written by Andrew Exum a Ranger in the US army is a great book for people with all interests. It tells of the life of a soldier in the war against terrorism and the experiences that one lives through or may not live thorugh. No matter what your liking you will enjoy this book and the great simplistic reality of the book as you read it. This book is one of a few of its kind and should with out a doubt be read. I give this book two-thumbs up and would read it agian without a fuss at all.



5. I have read my fair share of combat books over the years so I think I have a good base from which to judge this book on. Of all the books I have read in this category this book by far and away has the least amount of combat. There was a total of about two and a half pages of combat, which amounted to this soldier and a number of others shooting one terrorist taken by surprise. The rest of the 220 plus pages is filler and fluff. This was a significant disappointment for me due to the few books out that cover the military activities in Afghanistan. I was excited to find this book, but the more I read the less pleased I became.
   
   What the reader does get is a brief biography about this particular soldier, a review of basic training, and life at a military base in Kuwait. The author did not even get into Afghanistan until just over half way into the book. And then basically all we get to read about is the author walking around and blowing up old weapons. There is very little excitement in the book. The one thing I do give the author credit for is he a good author. Even though the subject matter was no more exciting then the average white collar office job, he wrote in an engaging and interesting fashion. It made reading about his rather mundane military existence a little bit better.
   
   Overall I found the book to be a bit run of the mill. There was almost no action nor a good overview of any part of the Afghanistan operation. The limited amounts of excitement were somewhat muted given the lack of near death danger that one might be looking for with a book such as this. The author saved himself with the high quality of his writing. Even though the book does not cover much exciting, the author made it entertaining and easy to read. I hope there are better books out there on the Afghanistan campaign, certainly this is not one that will be remembered very long.

5 comments about Medic!: The Story of a Conscientious Objector in the Vietnam War.

1. When I first started reading this book I couldn't put it down and was disappointed that it wasn't very long. Since I finished it, I have reread parts of it because I like them so much. "Medic" is written like a novel (as was mentioned in previous reviews), which makes the book extremely easy to read, since it's more than a list of what the author did. The fact that the book seems like a novel is not a fault. It allows you to get into the book and I don't think that the historical value of the narrative was diminished by it. I got into all of the characters in the book, all of whom were portrayed in good detail. The characters and their plights gave good insight into how war affects those involved emotionally. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a good book or who is interested in Vietnam War literature.



2. Ben Sherman was a conscientious objector who nonetheless served in Vietnam as a medic. As a combat medic myself, much of what he retells here is spot on. However, parts of the book seemed a bit contrived, hence the 3 stars.
   
   Sherman's courage is beyond reproach - to go into a combat zone unarmed (even as a medic) takes real stones. The fear, apprehension and constant wondering if he was "good enough" to do right by his soldiers was eerily familiar. His anguish and self-blame at those he could not save speaks volumes about his character. The descriptions of Vietnam and of his experiences in (and out) of combat are vivid. However more than once I couldn't help but think that he was retelling sea-stories or dramatizing - particularly in the epilogue where he retells meeting the family of a fallen comrade. While this may have happened, it seems inplausable and feels as if it were written for emotional impact.
   
   Volumes have been written about Vietnam, many of them memoirs from those who served on the ground. While _Medic!_ offers a new perspective (from that of a CO - conscientious objector), it is not among the better of the lot.



3. Reviewer Mazza (11.15.04) mentions that the book "reads more like a novel than a memoir." Exactly, and that's the problem---which is it? As reviewer Bunch (1.24.06) notes, there are several events that don't ring true. For example, in 1985 the author and a friend visited a deserted Wall at 10 o'clock at night. As he knelt and wept in front of the name of a soldier whose life he had been unable to save in `69, who should appear but that same man's mother and brother (to whom he apparently said nothing). There are many books written by Vietnam vets. Read this one if you aren't troubled by repeated dramatic coincidences.



4. I found the book to be a pretty sharp criticism of the U.S. Army and how it treated its own soldiers. The fact that Sherman was in more danger from his fellow G.I.s than the Viet Cong is very troubling but we hear these stories all the time.



5. I had trouble putting this book down after I started reading it. The thing that stands out is the lurid detail that the author goes into. This is not your average, sanitized first-hand account of the Vietnam War.If you're looking for a book that captures the gist of being a medic, conscientious objector, and soldier in Vietnam, this is the book. Its entertaining, the characters are likeable, and the storyline contains very few slow spots.
   
   However, I am giving this book only 3 stars for a reason. There are a couple of coincidences in the book that I believe the author created with his artistic license. Number one is Ben meeting up with Buckshot on the battlefield after both had been left for dead. Number two is visiting the Vietnam Memorial and running into a person copying the name of the person whom Ben let die. Theres a few other unplausible situations that I'm starting to doubt the authenticity of.

2 comments about Two Souls Indivisible.

1. I found this to be a fascinating and inspirational account of how two men, and their compatriots used their determination and creative skills to help one another survive the ordeal of prisoners of war in North Vietnam for over 7 years. There is much to be learned from how these men responded to very adverse conditions.



2. This is a poignant story about two pilots downed during the Vietnam war and ending up in the same POW camps. I read it because it was tauted as a book of over coming racism and prejudice. The idea of American racism was supposedly being used as a tool to demean the white pilot into submission by the Vietcong. Human nature never ceases to amaze me but it is hard to comprehend that two Americans in the dire straits of a POW camp would let something like the color of their skin hinder companionship, communication et. al., things in low supply at a POW camp apparently. The story is heartwarming and informative of a POW's plight. The actual racism issue is of no significance to me when it is put in perspective of what else was going on in the camps.