5 comments about Eddie Rickenbacker: An American Hero in the Twentieth Century.

1. Eddie Rickenbacker is a fascinating American whose incredible life is well documented in this epic biography. From his humble upbringing he became a pioneer in auto racing and design, an American war hero and "ace of aces" in World War I, the driving force behind the most profitable airline in the US, and a very influential civilian consultant for the military. Along the way he also displayed an incredible penchant for surviving near-death experiences including car crashes, plane crashes, botched surgeries, and 24 days adrift at sea in a raft in the Pacific Ocean. For all his accomplishments, it is interesting to compare Captain Eddie's place in posterity with Charles Lindbergh, who is remembered far better for a single achievement.
   
   Author David Lewis's 15 years of research resulted in a very comprehensive and definitive biography of his subject. The clear organization and writing style make this book easier to digest than it's length may indicate. As the authoritative biography, there are times when the book gets into too much detail but these do not take much away from the quality of the book.



2. "Eddie Rickenbacker: An American Hero in the Twentieth Century" is a comprehensive autobiographical study. The man and his life are fairly presented, and the book is written in Dr. Lewis' impeccable and very readable narrative style.
   
   Undoubtedly this is and, I am confident, will remain the definitive study of Eddie Rickenbacker, not only for the author's depth of research, but because, as one reviewer wrote, "Dr. Lewis has painted a balanced, complete picture of an extremely complex man."
   
   In my opinion the book is also very timely in another respect. In addition to historians of aviation and technology, it is also of value to political scientists/historians. Very conservative politically, Rickenbacker is seen as the harbinger of the conservative movement - well before Barry Goldwater and the 1964 presidential contest.



3. As a former Eastern Airlines Captain and having read many stories about Eddie Rickenbacker I was anxious to read W. Davie Lewis's book. I was also priviledged to hear Dr. Lewis speak on his book prior to reading it. I found many things in the book that I already knew and somethings that I was unaware of. I thought when I first started reading it would be a book to pick up and read occassionally, but after the first chapter I was hooked and finished all 551 pages in record time. I would recommend Dr. Lewis' book to other Eastern employees who knew Eddie when we worked for him or just form a history point of view.



4. EDDIE RICKENBACKER: AN AMERICAN HERO IN THE 20TH CENTURY outlines the life and many achievements of a pilot who flew in both war and peace, defying death many times to drive cars in the heyday of the first autos, then planes during the first world war. He returned from war a hero and was decorated for his achievements, but failed as an auto maker after the war and returned to the aviation world in 1934, working for Eastern Airlines until World War II's start brought him new missions. His journey from war hero to peacetime conflicts within the new competitive airline industry makes for an avid story not just of Rickenbacker and his world, but of an evolving transportation industry.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch



5. W. David Lewis has written a majestic biography of one of America's great personages of the twentieth century. Eddie Rickenbacker was a race car driver, fighter pilot, businessman and airline industry giant. He was also a survivor and a true fighter- often taking unpopular positions- particularly his controversial comments upon the passing of FDR- essentially saying that FDR got what he deserved. Lewis also finds Rickenbacker in the beginning of the early modern conservative movement during the beginnings of Barry Goldwaters rocket to prominence. Rickenbacker was xenophobic and found the welfare state to be a deeply anathema to the human spirit of self improvement and hard work.
   
   This work is so in-depth no brief Amazon review can give it justice. Whether you're interested in riveting war stories, early automobile racing, politics or the growth of the American airline industry this is a book that I highly recommend. The story of how an poor kid from immigrant family can rise to the pinnacle of American society is truly an interesting story. For author Lewis this book isn't mere hero worship it is an attempt to give Rickenbacker his due as events from the early twentieth century fader further and further out of our historical memory.

No comments about While Father Is Away: The Civil War Letters of William H. Bradbury.

2 comments about Last Letters Home.

1. I read this book on a flight from Houston to Raliegh. The young man sitting next to me was riveted. He read the book over my shoulder. He wondered how I could read a book like this after I told him my son was in the 3rd Infantry Division. My son was in Iraq from March 2003 to August 2003 and returns in January.
   
   I told him books like these are important in keeping us in touch with the reality of what we face over there. All Americans should feel the pain along with the families of the soldiers who have died. This book brings home the painful reality.
   
   I, too, was compelled to write our story for this very reason. Our son came home and for that we are forever grateful. Yet I want people to know the complexity of emotion that raged through my family while he was there. My book can be found on Amazon and is called "Letters Home - From 9/11 to Operation Iraqi Freedom A Military Mom Shares Her Family's Story of Patriotism, Courage and Love."
   
   Thank you to the families who so painfully have shared their lives with us.



2. When I was a student of political science, I had a professor who read to us letters home from the war front. He had a collection of pieces from lots of different countries, but messages were remarkably the same - human beings caught up in situations and conflict far beyond their making and often beyond our comprehension, not writing for king and country, but writing of home, writing to home.
   
   This collection follows many fine examples of this genre, from fourteen families; these letters are made all the more meaningful and poignant by the fact that their authors didn't return home alive. The concerns are very basic, but take on a palpable feel to them for the reader today -- care for home, family, plans for the future, honest emotion including fear. This collection spans the range of people from the most recent conflict -- it shows that many of the aspects of war are depressingly the same, no matter what historical era one is in.
   
   The courage of the families to put forward this kind of emotional part of their lives is matched only by the courage of the men and women who themselves lost their lives. The book, companion to a documentary produced by HBO, strives to be non-political; far from being an indictment of the current administration, it focuses instead upon the people involved at the 'ground level' of the conflict. Many of the families are in fact supporters of President Bush, firm in their convictions that the sacrifice of their loved ones was done in the name of democracy and the country.
   
   There is a forward by Senator John McCain, himself a veteran with experiences to tell, but even his family did not suffer the fate of receiving a last letter home from him.
   
   On this Veteran's Day, originally Armistice Day, after the war-to-end-all-wars (that in fact did not), it is proper to remember also those involved in the current struggles, which includes families back home, whose connection is largely through letters, and whose prayers are always that there will be another letter soon, that no letter becomes the last letter home.
   
   Read a part of our current affairs that will become a part of history in these letters, from the perspective of those actually doing the work in Iraq.

No comments about No Reason for Dying: A Reluctant Combat Pilot's Inconvenient Truth.

5 comments about Thunderbolt: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Time.

1. Very exciting to see the new paperbook edition of this superbly researched and compassionately written military history profile of General Creighton Abrams, for whom the Abrams tank is named. A real soldier's soldier, Sorley captures the essence of Abrams' outstanding leadership, and celebrates his unswerving commitment to his troops, particularly in the face of increasingly difficult circumstances in the Viet Nam war. Abrams' role in the conflict is explored further in Sorley's Pulitzer Prize nominated book 'A BETTER WAR'. A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam To glean an insight into one of the early influences on Abrams' leadership style, and the shaping of the ethics of command, see Sorley's latest title 'HONOR BRIGHT', a history of the West Point Honor Code. Admittedly biased, I am eagerly awaiting my copy! Honor Bright: History and Origins of the West Point Honor Code and System (CPS2 - USMA)



2. GEN Abrams was responsible for the quality of the Army today and since he was the Chief of Staff. His wisdom and insight into soldiering, leadership, and combat ability is what won the Gulf War. Dr. Sorley is right on the money. It is obvious that Dr. Sorley really admires GEN Abrams and he has done his homework. It's a shame that GEN Abrams died so early, he tranformed the United States Army into the force it is today, or was at the time of the Gulf War.
   I met GEN Abrams in 1973 in Germany as a young Corporal and he spoke with me for a few minutes, but he struck me as unpretentious and humorous. I met Captains and Majors who had a bigger ego that him.



3. GEN Abrams was responsible for the quality of the Army today and since he was the Chief of Staff. His wisdom and insight into soldiering, leadership, and combat ability is what won the Gulf War. Dr. Sorley is right on the money. It is obvious that Dr. Sorley really admires GEN Abrams and he has done his homework. It's a shame that GEN Abrams died so early, he tranformed the United States Army into the force it is today, or was at the time of the Gulf War.
   ...



4. Creighton Abrams may have been the greatest American soldier of the second half of the 20th century. He served as a tank commander under General George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge, in occupied Germany and wartime Korea, as commander of United States military forces in Vietnam, and as Army Chief of Staff. It was a remarkable career! Lewis Sorley's admiring biography of General Abrams narrates the principal events in appropriate detail. In the prologue, Sorley asserts that Abrams was "the quintessential soldier," explaining that Abrams "demonstrated strategic and tactical skill and audacity," extraordinary physical bravery and intellectual courage, the capacity to lead and inspire men, [and] talent in dealing with complex and ambiguous managerial challenges." The measure of the value of this book lies in whether Sorley effectively makes that case. I believe that he largely does, as the result of which this is a very good, if not great, professional biography.

   Although Sorley's approach to biography is conventional, he demonstrates on several occasions that Abrams's views could be very unconventional. Early in his chapter about West Point in the mid-1930s, for instance. Sorley asserts: "From the beginning Abrams was alienated by some aspects of the cadet experience." According to Sorley, Abrams was highly self-motivated and self-disciplined, and he resisted the petty tyranny of cadet life. After Abrams graduated and was commissioned, Sorley writes that he "was tolerant of his soldiers' having fun." (Sorley quotes one Abrams subordinate that the general, if Abrams had a weakness, "he sometimes was too easy on some people.") After World War II, while Abrams was serving in the Plans Section for Army Ground Forces in Washington, D.C., he was assigned to prepare a study on the future of the horse cavalry and quickly concluded that there was none. In 1965, shortly after President Johnson ordered American forces in Vietnam out of their advisory role and into combat, Abrams was briefing a civilian official about the sociological impact of the draft and stated that "the only Americans who have the honor to die for their country in Vietnam are the dumb, the poor, and the black." According to Sorley, "[o]ut in the field Abrams disliked briefings, especially of the canned and rehearsed variety," and "[o]ne of [Abrams's] favorite ways [to find out for himself the truth of what was going on] was through small groups of young officers he would have in for dinner." And when Abrams left Vietnam, Sorley writes that "he went as he had come - no bands, no ceremonies, no flags, no fuss." Similarly, when he arrived back in Washington, according to Sorley, he got rid of the Chief of Staff's ""big black Cadillac limousine...using instead a small Chevelle from Pentagon motor pool that was painted robin's egg blue. No amenities, not even a star plate."

   Sorley occasionally offers significant insight. For instance, Sorley writes that Johnson's decision not to call up the reserves at the beginning of the expansion of the war in Vietnam was "perhaps the most fateful decision of the entire conflict." (Abrams explained the impact of this decision: "We decide[d] to use the Army in Vietnam, minus the National Guard and the Army Reserve.") In addition, according to Sorley: "A pervasive atmosphere of mistrust and antagonism characterized civil-military relationships in the Pentagon of the 1960s." Sorley describes the battle of Tet in 1968 as a "true watershed," which is not penetrating analysis, but he proceeds to explain: "Before Tet, America was seeking a military victory in Vietnam, but after it she was seeking to get out." About Abrams's appointment to the position of Army Chief of Staff, Sorley writes: "Creighton Abrams returned from Vietnam to head an Army that was widely viewed, both by the nation and from within its own ranks, as dispirited and desperately in need of reform. His appointment was the first step in getting on with the job of rebuilding."

   In other places, Sorley's approach to his subject approaches hagiography. For instance, although Abrams' performance during the relief of Bastogne was heroic, Sorley's assertion that this made Abrams "the most famous small unit leader of the war" is debatable. And Sorley's assertion that "Abrams command in Vietnam was...arguably the most difficult any top American soldier in the field has ever had to face" seems extreme. But Sorley may well be correct in writing: "In terms of prior experience Abrams was probably the best-qualified man ever to assume the duties of Army Chief of Staff."

   This biography concludes with Abrams's death. I would have much preferred for Sorley to devote a few pages to placing Abrams's accomplishments in the context of American military history from World War II through the middle of the Cold War. But Abrams had an extraordinary career, and this is a very good narrative of it.




5. Sir Robert Thompson, a British counter-intelligence expert, called Abrams "the best U.S. General since Grant." Reading Sorley's terrific account of Abram's life, it's hard to argue the point.

   Abrams was an armored warfare genius. His gruff, no-nonsense exterior masked a big heart and an abiding, deeply rooted love for his men and his country. His selfless devotion to duty is a model for us all.

   For a more in-depth analysis of Abrams'considerable (though largely overlooked) post-Tet, post-Westmoreland successes in Vietnam, read Sorely's "A Better War."

4 comments about Shooting the War: The Memoir and Photographs of a U-Boat Officer in World War II.

1. I've read more than a few sumariner's memoirs from both the white hats and the black hats and found this one to be fresh and unique. Herr Giese spent his naval career on the sealane less traveled which probably led to his survival and undoubtedly to his singular experiences as reported in "Shooting the War". His near-internment in neutral United States, his escape back to Germany via Blockade Runner out of Japan to his eventual internment in Malaya, richly told in prose and amply illustrated with his contemporary photography (hence the book's title) make for a memorable addition to your submarining bookshelf. I recommend this book to all readers interested in WWII naval warfare, Allied, Axis or otherwise, buy a copy today!



2. Otto Giese had an unusual war. He was a merchant marine officer with a German cruise company when the shooting started in 1939, and the cruise ship he was on was in the Caribbean. His ship attempted to return to Germany, but was intercepted by the Royal Navy and scuttled by its crew. They wound up being interned by the U.S. Navy (entering the U.S. through Ellis Island!) and found their way to San Francisco and then Japan with the idea of being repatriated to Germany through the U.S.S.R. Instead, though, Giese wound up as a watch officer on board a blockade runner which successfully made the run from Japan to occupied France via Cape Horn, rendevousing with a German commerce raider in mid-Pacific along the way.

   Once he was back in Germany, he sought out service in the Navy, in spite of opposition from his employer. He wound up serving as an enlisted man on U-405 through four patrols operating out of Norway against Murmansk convoys. Then he was transferred to officer training, and soon assigned to U-181, which travelled from France to the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope. Once there, they eventually landed at Penang in Malaysia, intending to restock with supplies needed in Germany and return there later. When they tried to sail back home, the sub's drive bearings failed and they had to return to Indonesia, where they waited out the end of the war. He then spent some time interned by the Japanese in Malaysia, more time as a POW both there and in Britain, before finally returning to Germany. He eventually settled in Florida and became a U.S. citizen.

   This book comprises what is described as a "war diary" kept by Giese. This stretches credulity a bit, and I think it would be better to describe it as a memoir. The author recounts the events briefly, and some of the chapters are so short it only takes a few moments to read them. Sinking of Allied ships is handled in a sentence, perhaps two. There isn't that much information on life on a U-boat during WW2.

   Why then the high rating? Turns out Giese was a shutterbug (camera enthusiast) and kept a Leica camera with him at all times. He managed to develop photos of his experiences and keep them safe all these years, and the book is sprinkled with more than a hundred of them. Frankly, the pictures are much better than the book is, and I enjoyed them a great deal. The book was still good, don't get me wrong, but without the photos would have drawn three stars, not four.




3. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the u-boat war. The author has a very interesting story that starts with his service on an ocean liner at the outbreak of the war. From there he goes to surface raiders and then to u-boats,eventually ending with his internment in the far east when his sub is taken over by japan when germany surrenders. There are books with more text devoted to u-boat battles than this one however the book stands out for the authors unusual oddessy which he does an excellent job in writing about. The author also provides a superb collection of photos taken by himself that provides a great accompaniment to the narrative.



4. This book is not strictly about u-boats. It is a masterfully written chronical of a young merchant marine officer's transition from peacetime sailing aboard a luxury liner to the German navy. Only part of the book is about his time aboard a u-boat. Many of his adventures take place in the exotic lands of Malaya, China, and Japan. I have an extensive library of submarine books and sea stories, and I consider this one of the best in my collection. I heartily recommend this to anyone with a sense of adventure.

5 comments about Operation Solo: The FBI's Man in the Kremlin.

1. This is a compelling story of high stakes espionage in the Cold War. The amazing thing is that it is not fiction--it is history. The understanding that the author has about espionage and the intelligence community is right on. If you love history and are interested in the spy game--this is the book for you.



2. Barron's prose is articulate and well-phrased without wandering into pedantic posturing. We rarely know his opinion of all the goings-on, and what events he describes! We are quickly lost in this real world of espionage and deception, thoughtfully recreated by an author who knows his business and tells it well. An exciting read.



3. The only thing more incredible than the story of Morris and Jack Childs, brothers who, from the early 1950s through the late 1970s, were FBI assets within the American Communist Party, and who were personal friends of Soviet leaders, is that Hollywood has yet to commit this to celluloid. Here were four brave Americans--to include their intrepid wives, Eva and Roz--who for decades risked their lives to report to the FBI (and from the Bureau to the President) on the thoughts and intentions of Soviet leaders. So trusted by their friends in the Soviet leadership, they served as secret Soviet emissaries to China and Cuba, reporting back to the Soviets the attitudes and positions of Mao and Castro. Thus successive U.S. presidents enjoyed unique intelligence on the thinking of not only the Soviets, but of the Chinese and the Cubans as well. The story told in OPERATION SOLO is spellbinding, frought with tension, occasionally leavened by the earthy humor of its principal players. This is, in short, a terrific story about great Americans--hardworking FBI agents who shied away from the spotlight, and their courageous assets--that demands to be read or, someday, seen on screen.
   
   A couple of points about John Barron's book. It is well written overall and reads quickly. It is not without faults, however. (1) The story is sometimes interrupted to introduce fairly extensive citations of reports written or passed along by the Childs. Without greater historical context, though, these passages are somewhat sterile and dry. Someday, one hopes, a more detailed study will add historical material external to SOLO that would, along with insightful analysis, demonstrate the true value of the SOLO reporting (as another reviewer here has suggested). (2) The section that deals with Martin Luther King is disappointing. For one thing, Barron is historically inaccurate or incomplete when the author states that "No one could have been more sympathetic to King than the Kennedy brothers." See Robert Dallek's excellent book on JFK for a better treatment of the Kennedys' complex relationship with King. Barron also downplays King's true significance as a great civil rights leader in order to discuss Communist ties to his inner circle of advisors. Furthermore, in an egregious departure from journalistic objectivity, Barron appears to excuse FBI's excessive campaign against King, including the infamous hotel wiretaps, on the pretext that King's private behavior was "inconsistent with [that] of a Christian minister and moral exemplar."
   
   These misgivings aside, this is a truly amazing tale. Read the book and then amaze your friends in recounting the story. Are you listening, Hollywood?



4. This is an incredible story of a courageous couple of brothers and their wives who, while initially being drawn into Communism, were able to see the ugly truth behind it, and use their backgrounds to become the greatest spies in history. The book is written very well and as such it is hard to put down. Aside from a great story of intrigue, the book also offers a unique perspective on what really went on in the Kremlin as well as (parts of) the FBI.



5. I am the son of the FBI agent Richard Hansen. I can attest to the secrecy of this operation by explaining how I learned about it. In 1997 I was looking through the new arrivals at my local library. I started leafing through this book and did a double take when I saw my dad's name. I checked out the book, rushed home, called my dad. Sure enough, he admitted that he was the agent in the book. It is an amazing testament to his fidelity that he did not speak of this operation(even after he retired), until this book came out.

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! "

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

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



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

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




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

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

5 comments about All American: Football, Faith, and Fighting for Freedom.

1. Captain Robert P. McGovern had to work extraordinarily hard to survive roughly four seasons in the NFL. He was no more than a marginal player and had to constantly worry about being cut. It is safe to say, that McGovern was the last one picked and the first one released. He truly became the best that he could possibly be. His strong work ethic served him well as a both a prosecutor and U.S. Army officer.
   
   The leftist establishment slanders our soldiers as usually some sort of social reject or even psychotic. Capt. McGovern is living proof that this is utterly false. His story is well worth reading. You may wish to provide a copy to the younger people in your family. It should motivate them to also aspire to greatness. Those like myself who never served in the military have a particular obligation to thank McGovern for his self-sacrifice and dedication on behalf of our country. May God bless him.



2. This simpleton of a jerk-off & his ilk are EXACTLY what is wrong with my country. I cannot f+cking wait to leave this country & never return. Enjoy your fascism.



3. Several reviews I have read have come down hard on the author for his stand on the war in Iraq. But this is his autobiography, the story of his life, and his opinion of the war is just one part of it. It is a well-written account of his childhood, his family, his education and his aspirations, and continues into his adulthood to the present time. He lets us know how he was trained by his parents to be unselfish and give back to the community some form of service, and this was undoubtedly the motivation for joining the Army Reserve, and eventually finding himself on active duty in Iraq.
   
   A good part of his story comes before that. He was competing with his older brothers in athletics, trying to be as good as they had been in high school football, and then in college football. He received an athletic scholarship from Holy Cross, an enormous accomplishment in his eyes, and he was grateful for the opportunity. And then came pro football, four years of it on three different teams. He was pretty good at it, but not outstanding. He simply was not big enough (hefty, bulky) to be a great linebacker. He was thankful for this chance to make the big league, but took the advice of one of his coaches to give it up. From there he decided to study law and with his law degree took a job as an Assistant DA in New York City. Then came 9/11, to which he was an eyewitness. In his role as a US Army Reserve officer he volunteered to help. Immediately following, he applied for active duty, leaving his job as assistant DA, and became a prosecutor for the Judge Advocate General Corps, and then deployed to Afghanistan and later to Iraq. His experiences there were extraordinary because he was involved in the trial of Hasan Akbar, the US Army Sergeant who killed two Army officers and wounded a number of others when he threw hand grenades into the tents of the soldiers.
   
   This is a well-written account of the life of a man who became a soldier in the US Army. Why would anyone find it strange that he has strong opinions in favor of the war in Iraq ? It is his contention that we are there as part of the war on terrorism. The patriotic feeling that he had on 9/11 was something that almost all of us shared at that time. For him it continued; for many of us it disappeared.
   
   Should we still be in Iraq? That is a matter for debate, which has been ongoing for some time now. Captain McGovern feels that we are making a difference, and that is why we are still there.
   
   This book is certainly worth reading, if only to gain some insight from a different perspective.



4. The life story of Captain Robert McGovern, is almost "Forrest Gump" like. Rob is one of nine Irish Catholic children, born to Howard and Terry McGovern in New Jersey. Though born in New Jersey, if I were to describe his morals, character, and upbringing, I would describe it in the highest of terms, that most Americans would consider as "mid-western". One of the many, emotionally uplifting themes in this book, is the absolute, enduring, love, and respect, that Rob, constantly proclaims for his parents. He was raised from the beginning, to have high goals, and his older brothers got football scholarships to Holy Cross, as Rob also did later on, but with less fanfare. Just as importantly, he and his siblings were raised to "service" the community. To give something back, and Rob continued this process in college at Holy Cross and while in the National Football League, with outreach programs. When Rob graduated college, no one gave him a chance of making it in the NFL. But he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, as an undersized, underdog, linebacker, and special team's player. He lasted a few years with numerous teams, making the most of his non-star ability. The way he accomplished this, is with dogged, determination and dedication. To quote Rob: "Being the best at what you do has to be more important to you than partying or chasing girls or hanging out with your buddies. It has to be worth sacrificing the comforts and pleasures of an undirected life and replacing them with long hours of sweat and tears. In football, it also helps to be one tough character." At the end of Rob's short NFL career, he attended law school, and upon graduation, became an assistant D.A. in Manhattan. In keeping with his personal goal, of giving service to his community/country, he also joined the Army Reserves.
   
   Then, on the forever-fateful day, of September 11, 2001, Rob was on the way to work in Manhattan, when he saw the smoke, and the planes, at the World Trade Center. He couldn't get to work, so he went home and put on the TV, and heard an announcement, that military men were needed at "ground-zero" to help look for bodies. Even though he was in the reserves, he donned his uniform, and went to "ground-zero", and helped recover the remains of victims for days. Rob, happened to be there, when President Bush arrived, and shook the Commander In Chief's hand, and was so moved, he decided he wanted to go on active duty and help America fight back. Because Rob was 38 years old, they wouldn't let him go on active duty. He persisted in every way possible, and was finally accepted as a Judge Advocate General. (JAG) He proceeded to go to Afghanistan and Iraq and assisted in "Rules Of Engagement" (ROE) enforcement. From there, he went in to criminal prosecution. He wound up on the successful prosecution team, that convicted Sergeant Hasan Akbar, probably the worst, United States Military criminal, in the last 30-40 years. To refresh your memory, Akbar, was the traitor, who the night before, we were going to launch Operation Iraqi Freedom, attacked his comrades, with grenades and small-arms fire. He wounded more than a dozen troops. Two were dead.
   
   There is much more, to the life story, of a man who loves his country, loves his family, loves God, and has dedicated his life to enforcing freedom throughout the world, but let me conclude my review, by having Rob tell you why he named his book "All American". "You might wonder about the use of "All-American" in the title. First of all, let me say off the bat that I'm not talking about myself here. What is an "All-American" anyway? I've met some real "All-Americans- quiet, unassuming, heroic people who inspire students, protect us from crime, and defend our values. They are "All-American" in every sense of the phrase. I chose this title in part to pay tribute to these "All-American", I've been lucky enough to meet and work with through the years. I also chose it to pay special tribute to the men and women of our armed forces, especially those in the 82nd Airborne Division. That famous unit happens to be called the All-American Division."



5. An extraordinary account of one good man standing tall for the best of American values.