Book Description

In All on Fire, William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) emerges as an American hero, arguably on par with Abraham Lincoln, who forced the nation to confront the explosive issue of slavery.
Mayer maintains that Garrison, a self-made man of scanty formal education who founded and edited the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator, not only served as the catalyst for the abolition of slavery, but inspired two generations of activists in civil rights and the women's movement.
Through Garrison, tragically torn between pacifism and abolitionist advocacy, we also meet a rich pageant of great 19th-century historical figures, including Frederick Douglass, John Quincy Adams,and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Mayer's consequential biography will be read for generations to come.
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Reviews (22)

Spectacular, rich and rewarding read about great U.S. hero
I cannot recommend it highly enough. A rich read about a great American hero for all times. Mayer obviously loves and admires Garrison, but this did not keep him from portraying this hero with his blemishes as well as strengths. The most startling thing about this great read is just how important Garrison was to America's most tumultuous time --- the abolitionist of all abolitionists, a leader who appreciated how deep religious beliefs and moral politics go together, who believed in the power of the written and spoken word, who helped perhaps as much as anyone in our history to move our nation and free it of slavery. Truly a companion biography to go with the best biographies of Lincoln --- no understanding of the Civil War can be complete without knowing about Garrison, and this is definitely the way to know about Garrison. To say it simply: no one can claim to be a Civil War buff without knowing about Garrison, and no one can know about Garrison any better way than by reading this book. Highest kudoes to Mayer!

Meticulously researched and powerfully imagined
All on Fire is a superb book. Written in a style that combines lucidity with passion, an enormous amount of factual information with a historical imagination that brings everything described to vivid life, it covers the years during which what may be the defining issue in American history led to civil war and to a settlement that transformed our lives. By focusing on one man Mayer is able to present a coherent, constantly dramatic narrative that never loses its way. Garrison himself is a unique phenomenon: thorny, admirably and sometimes infuriatingly faithful to a rigorously held set of principles that gave him the power to influence history by sheer force of will and intelligence. By following Garrison's thirty-five hears as editor of his paper The Liberator while reconstructing the history in which that journal participates Mayer brilliantly brings mid-nineteenth century America to life, simultaneously presenting people, places, and events with a novelist's imagination and animating moral and political issues with judicious understanding. The result is a powerful reading experience. Without preaching Mayer implicitly raises important questions about our own polital life: race and gender are enduring problems that one would expect, but the underlying question of the role of uncompromising adherence to personal ideals in public life asks us to think about our own politics. As a beautifully imagined recreation of a crucial period in American life (wonderful passages explaining the mechanics of typesetting and printing, for example, or describing travel by land and sea), as an analytic study of what lies beneath the surface of mere storytelling (the demographics of slaveholding, as a typical example), as a constantly illuminating exploration of political history, and not least as the studiously researched, moving, and sympathetic biography of a fascinating man, All on Fire is a book I can wholeheartedly recommend.

A Superior Biography
This is the last and probably the best book completed by the late Henry Mayer.

Mayer admired Garrison, the most important leader of the abolitionist movement. In this book, he succeeds in renovating the reputation of a great reformer and activist who has often been neglected or written off as a crank.

Garrison and the abolitionists were originally hardly more popular in the North than in the South. They were seen as disrupting the Union and were regarded with suspicion for their pro-black beliefs - public opinion in the North was only marginally less racist than in Dixie. Garrison's courage and consistent refusal to trim his convictions for popular acceptance led to a career with an outsized share of controversy, oppobrium, and in several cases physical danger.

Some reviewers have felt the book is too long, and it is hefty. But the length is necessary for Mayer to give a full portrait, which shows not only the man, but also the era he lived in. In particular, Mayer writes extensively about abolitionism as a movement. Abolitionists, and Garrison himself, struggled with many problems - whether to compromise by supporting politicians whose platforms called for less than full abolition, evolving from a paternalist movement of mostly privileged whites to a movement in which free blacks and escaped slaves could play a meaningful role, and reconciling the pacifist leanings of many to their role in a war against slaveholders - that will be of interest to contemporary political activists. Mayer also shows how, after abolition was accomplished, former abolitionists seeking new causes worked for other advances, including the first stirrings of the women's suffrage movement.

Garrison the Crusader
Rare is the book that well captures the temper and tone of the times as well as distilling the great arguments that have shaped our world. This book does exactly that and far more. This biography delves deeply into a man who has been reviled and scorned in both his era and ours. Admittedly, I too approached the book with the presumption of guilt for Garrison's complicity in setting the course of the nation toward our tragic civil war. My respect for the man, and the cause he championed, has grown immeasureably from reading this elegantly crafted work. Rich in detail and awesome in it's prose this is one of those books that one can truthfully say is hard to put down. Garrison the zealot, and Garrison the firebrand are well known stereotypes but they do little credit to a man who steadfastly and courageously fought for the equality of all races and the end of slavery. Equally appealing is Garrison the Christian who applied the tenants of his faith to the most confounding and perplexing issue that faced the new nation. Defiant in the face of death threats, and eager to confront all comers in debate, Garrison displayed a moral courage rare in the annals of history. This is the story not only of one man's struggle but also of social change and the abolition of a great evil. Much can be learned, and much enjoyment obtained, from this wonderful volume.

Inspiring story of a man committed to battle against sin
Garrison decided that slavery was wrong, and devoted his entire life to publishing The Liberator, a newspaper whose only mission was to end slavery. He did so, week after week, often without money, and occassionally despite violent attacks by pro-slavery forces. He refused compromise. He refused to accept "workable" solutions. Slavery was morally bankrupt, and he fought against it, using the power of words alone.

When he began his crusade, slavery was accepted, and most people thought it was here to stay. Garrsison was a voice crying in the dark. When he closed down The Liberator, slavery was over, and the vast majority of the country thought it was wrong.

Anyone who reads, anyone who fights for social justice, and certainly anyone who writes should read this book. It is hard to imagine anyone whose life reflects the axiom: "the pen is mightier than the sword" better than Garrison. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Advance praise for Heart of the Storm

"Col. Ed Fleming tells a story of true heroism about the constant dangers faced by the pilots and crews who fly the most versatile–and vulnerable–aircraft in the skies today."
–John Glenn, former U.S. senator, astronaut, and bestselling author of John Glenn: A Memoir

"To risk your life to save a stranger is the highest mark of a human being. Ed Fleming is such a man, and this book is a great read."
–Dr. Jerri Nielsen, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Ice Bound

"Filled with suspense and emotion, Heart of the Storm reads like a thriller–but it’s all true. Ed Fleming has led a dramatic and interesting life, and this book portrays it in living color."
–Robert K. Tanenbaum, New York Times bestselling author of Resolved and Absolute Rage ... Read more

Reviews (2)

So Exciting It Reads Like the Best Fiction - but All True
In Heart of the Storm, Col. Fleming shows that he is as adept at writing about his lifetime of thrilling rescues as he was at performing them. What a career, and what a book! A work of fiction couldn't cover more high profile adventures - rescues he pulled off during the Perfect Storm, at the South Pole, in the Gulf War, just to scratch the surface. But it's not fiction. He really did it, risking his life to save perfect strangers more times than I could count. I don't have the patience to read many books, but this one wouldn't let me put it down.

A great thrill ride
The story Of Edward Fleming is a timely reminder of what a true american hero is.His story of a long and dangerous career is a testament to the people who put there lives in harms way not only in times of war put in the day to day operations of peace time service. A very good read for all. ... Read more

Book Description

After Pearl Harbor, he led America’s flight to victory

General Doolittle is a giant of the twentieth century. He did it all.

As a stunt pilot, he thrilled the world with his aerial acrobatics. As a scientist, he pioneered the development of modern aviation technology.

During World War II, he served his country as a fearless and innovative air warrior, organizing and leading the devastating raid against Japan immortalized in the film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

Now, for the first time, here is his life story — modest, revealing, and candid as only Doolittle himself can tell it.
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Reviews (8)

i highly recommend this book
James H. Doolittle (Jimmy) went to school in Los Angeles where he became interested in airplanes and engines. During college he joined the Army and went to flying school. After flying school he received his pilot's license and became a stunt pilot. He than married Josephine Daniels (Joe.) Than in 1941 World War 2 broke out and President Roosevelt wants to attack the home islands of Japan. For some reason Jimmy ends up leading it. They succeeded but have to bail out over China. When he returns he gets chosen by General Eisenhower to lead the invasion of Africa. While he was in Africa the German code "Ultra" was broken, giving America the advantage over Germany. The War in Europe ends and he gets transferred to the Pacific to "end the war." Jimmy never flies a mission and the war ends with the dropping of two atomic bombs. Although the war has ended the fight begins in Washington to create a new but equally powerful service to be known as the Air Force. They also wanted there to be a Department of National Defense; this is harder due to the Navy. After the Air Force and the D.N.D. are established the Korean War breaks out and ends. After this war General Dwight Eisenhower (Ike) becomes the president of America. More happens I'm just not going to tell you the ending...
This book includes a great amount of detail and knowledge of the 2nd World War. It tells you a little to a lot about most of the battles that occurred during the war. It really shows the depth of the war.
The only part I don't think works is how the beginning takes place during the 1940's. The 2nd chapter tells about his childhood.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who's interested in World War 2, airplanes, aircraft technology, the history of Shell, or anyone who needs to read an autobiography.

You Could Do Little To Belittle Doolittle
I COULD NEVER BE SO LUCKY AGAIN, written when Jimmy Doolittle was in his nineties, is a thoroughly refreshing glimpse through a glass lightly at a truly rare bird, a genuine American hero.

Written in the nonrevisionist tenor of PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, Doolittle's life story is told in a straightforward style in which the man fairly leaps off the page at you to grab you in a bear hug. Jimmy Doolittle lived to be nearly one hundred, and his zest for life explains why.

Best known for leading the "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" Raid of 1942, Doolittle did so much more. A true aviation pioneer,barnstormer, inventor, and rugged individualist, he was also the holder of an engineering doctorate, literally dozens of piloting records, and was a happily married man, to boot.

There are no skeletons unearthed, and no deep critiques of the literally thousands of people who passed through Jimmy Doolittle's life, including gold miners and Presidents. This is a memoir in the best sense, not character assassination masquerading as autobiography. Sometimes silence is golden.

On the other hand, Doolittle's self-effacing, humorous brand of Self is reflected in the amusing letters he received from frioends such as Roscoe Turner and General "Georgie" Patton. His was an era of true loyalties and good old fashioned gumption.

Jimmy Doolittle was a man who loved life, and it shows.

Great Book
Gen. Doolittle is an extrordinary man. This book is filled with several of his exploits from the early days of aviation to modern times. In it he recollects several amusing stories from his career as well as heart-warming stories from his family life. I strongly recommend this book to any aviation enthusiest.

Heroes are born, generals are made.
He was one of a kind.

He got in on the ground floor of aviation & rode the elevator all the way up.

He grew into a doctorate in aeronautics; he grew into military administration. He KEPT growing, for nine decades.

He had spunk, integrity, loyalty, vision. The only thing he ever lied about was his height.

Like Nestor, he wanted to share fame with his wife.

Diplomacy was not his strong point, because he was an individualist. His friends were individualists: Patton. His antogonists weren't: Eisenhower. His was a century of individualists. It was a different age, and he was right about it: He never COULD be so lucky again, not nowadays anyway.

[Paperback edition hard to read, as 8-point print disappears into binding; no offset. If you are over forty, read the hardback, if you can.]

A marvelous story from a genuine American hero
Intelligent, courageous, and honest, Jimmy Doolittle is an excellent example of a true American hero. He proved his worth as a test pilot during the early years of aviation, as commander of the 8th Air Force during World War II, and as chairman of NACA, the predecessor of today's NASA. His view that dishonesty is a form of cowardice and his determination to serve his fellow human beings well into his old age is refreshing in an era of selfishness, half-truths, and outright deceit.

Doolittle's autobiography does a wonderful job of portraying his life. And what a life! If only one could achieve less than half of what Jimmy Doolittle had, he or she would already have a very full and worthwhile life. Let the reader be warned, however, the book is written as only a lifelong engineer could write it; succinct, precise, and relatively technical. Yet among the descriptions of aerodynamics experiments and strategic bombing raids over World War II Germany one also finds heartfelt accounts of his family life. Doolittle reveals that the one thing that has sustained him throughout is the support of his beloved wife, Josephine.

While I would primarily recommend the autobiography of Jimmy Doolittle to aviation and World War II history buffs, I would also recommend it to anyone interested in the life of a real hero of American history whose sacrifices will benefit mankind for years to come. Thanks to remarkable individuals such as Jimmy Doolittle, I'm proud to call myself an American. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

The BEST WWII Fighter Pilolt Autobiography
Boyington's autobiography "Baa Baa Black Sheep" is, in my opinion, the best WWII fighter pilot autobiography available -- and I'll tell you why.

Calling this book the 'best' is not something I say haphazardly or without reason. I've read a number of other WWII fighter pilot autobiographies including: Yeager, Forever Flying, Thunderbolt!, First and Last, and View from the Cockpit. Boyington's book is as good as these books on their terms, and offers a good deal more.

First, Boyington projects an openness and humility not found in the other books. But even more importantly, Boyington's character exhibits incredible growth.

The book starts with his joining the American Volunteer Group, knows by the acronym AVG, and even better known as the Flying Tigers. At this point, Boyington is essentially a mercenary. And the appeal of this section is the insight on Chennault, China, and the P40 Warhawks.

The next section of the book is his time with VMF 214 flying F4U Corsairs in "The Slot" near Guadacanal. This section of the book is interesting in it's comparison to the TV show. This is the section of the book that most people know Boyington for, and buy the book for. And if this is you, then you will not be disappointed. For this section has all the air combat, pranks, and drunken revelry that you expect. But it is also interesting that Boyington's character begins to change....in ways that I'll leave for you to interpret.

The next section of the book is his time as a POW in Japan. This section is interesting in it's content. But I was completely amazed at Boyington's growth, maturity, and lack of hatred or generalizations of the Japanse people. It is also the section where he is not drinking, and he attains an almost spiritual maturity that took me by suprise.

The final section deals again with his drinking problems, and recovery. By this time, his drinking antics have any frat-house appeal, and he realizes his drinking for what it is.

Like I said, I've read a number of WWII fighter-pilot autobiographies, and I think this is the best of the genre.

Rough-hewn chronicle of a tough marine
Pappy Boyington would not have gotten great marks for literary style or technique, but a reader delving into BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP probably wouldn't care very much. I certainly didn't. The insight into the man's life is often priceless--especially his takes on aerial combat, his experiences in the South Pacific (both before and after being shot down), and the Japanese people once the war was over. The lucid and colorful accounts of his days in the AVG as well as VMF 214 make all the superfluous sidetrips, self-deprecating ruminations, and endless proselytizing (even though he tells you time and again he's not doing that) worth the bumpy ride. There's a genuineness and immediacy about his story that would indicate that, while he may have necessarily had a heavy-handed editor, the words are basically his own. Boyington drives home the excitement and horror of his wartime experiences with great intensity, making this book a real thriller. Despite Boyington's endless flaws and rough edges (which he never ceases to remind you of), he comes across as a character to admire and to identify with--even if you often want to smack him a good one. Definitely recommended.

Don't expect the Robert Conrad TV series here
Readers who read this expecting to find redneck caricature Sergeant Micklin who calls the fliers "college boys" and fires antiaircraft guns with a cigar clenched in his teeth will come up empty. As will the folks who hope for air skirmishes between Pappy and his "friendly enemy", the genial English-fluent "Tommy" Hirachi. But General Moore was a real person--you'll find him here as the tough-but-fair "old man" he was in the series. As was Colonel Lard, who was so unable to judge Boyington by his effectiveness instead of spit and polish that Moore frequently had to intercede between the two. But the Solomon Slot period depicted in the series was but a part of a much wider autobiography written here by Boyington himself. Boyington is brutally candid about his own alcoholism in this book, plus he gives a lot more credit to Naval fliers saving his butt on at least one occaision than the "branch-o-centric" version of him as played by Conrad ever would have. I was amused to find mention of Japanese night bomber "Washing Machine Charlie" and his nuisance raids which kept the base awake largely through the out-of-synch twin engines which gave him his name--my memories of the series supplied me with the sound--an oscillation that sounded just like my mother's Easy Spin Dry pre-automatic washer.

In Pappy's own words.
If you're a fan of "Black Sheep Squadron", a WWII: Pacific Theatre buff, or just like interesting stories, read this book. Lt. Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, a multiple Marine Ace and Congressional Medal of Honor Winner, wrote this book about his experiences just prior to, during and just after WWII. His adventures and misadventures make a good read. Some of what he describes may have been embelished, but I defy anyone to tell me which parts are true and which parts aren't. His descriptions of aerial combat, being shotdown and captured, as well as his time as a POW are riveting.

a womens point of view..
I'm not a big military/plane history book reader but I found Pappy's book interesting enough to make it through within a few days of buying it.
I enjoyed hearing his view on things that were happening and of not reading so much the technical aspects of the war/planes.
There were times when I felt it needed something. Like a kick in the rear to get it going but decided that this was written by Pappy not Tom Clancy. This was his life, it was not "entertainment" to him.
He put himself down alot about his drinking which, to me seemed like he was trying to make amends with the reader about his problem. I ignored this and concentrated on the story. It had me wanting to hear more and I was never bored with it.
This book shows that heros can be great and still be human.
It showed that people we call enemies are human also.
I mostly liked that it's not blood and guts so I'd recommend it to anyone. ... Read more

Book Description

As a newly commissioned Captain of a veteran Army regiment, MacDonald's first combat was war at its most hellish-the Battle of the Bulge. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

C'mon Yall...Its a Classic!
Before I even start with my opinion...if you don't have this book and you have even the smallest WW2 library than stop right here and pick it up. It is the WW2 Infantry memoir Classic written by a guy who was destined to become the Official Historian of the Army. Macdonald doesn't say anything about his career after the war in this book, nor does he spend half the book talking about his training. He dives right into the War and spends every drop of ink trying to describe what the experience was like. His account of the outpost over the Siegfried and his companies' part in the Bulge are terrifying and ferocious. His position at the head of a company afforded him with the luxury of realizing the big picture while still having contact with the front lines. In fact he had such close contact that he was awarded the Purple Heart for a bullet in the leg during a patrol in the Bulge. There are many interesting stories and a lot of action, my personal favorite part of war memoirs. Get familiar with the part of the 2nd Division though for there are no maps:(... But despite that it is an excellent book...and a requirement for every WW2 library!

A Classic War Memoir
Captain Charles B. MacDonald first commanded I Company, 3-23rd IN, 2nd ID from October 1944 to January 1945 and later G Company, 2-23rd IN from March to May 1945. This memoir was written a few years after the war when recollections were still sharp and resulted in a very detailed account of what it was like to take command of a line infantry company and lead it into battle. This book is a must-read for all army officers who seek to command at company-level and it is also informative for military historians as well.

In comparison to the more recent Band of Brothers, ostensibly a company-level account of E Company, 506th PIR's actions during the same period, Charles MacDonald's book is clearly superior. In fact, Company Commander is everything Band of Brothers is not: accurate, objective and informative. Unlike BOB, MacDonald does not claim that the companies he commanded were anything special or that he demonstrated heroic leadership (he did win the silver star in the Battle of the Bulge). Instead, the author is very honest, admitting his apprehension and anxiety about commanding infantry on the front line. Although there is some tension with battalion and regimental headquarters, mostly about ill-considered orders and creature comforts, there is not the character assassination that is so prevalent in BOB; Macdonald was career army and he wasn't going to make points by ridiculing superiors.

MacDonald arrived as a replacement and took command of I Company just as the unit was conducting a relief-in-place of another US unit in some captured positions in the Siegfried Line in the Ardennes. While civilian readers may find the first 100 pages devoted to this "quiet time" to be dull, military readers will not. MacDonald does a superb job describing the nuts-and-bolts of a relief-in-place in a difficult position that is under enemy observation and then the daily grind to improve the position. Readers who believe that US units in the Ardennes in the fall of 1944 had it easy should reconsider. MacDonald's unit was under constant mortar and sniper fire, poor weather caused much sickness among the troops and supplies were limited. On 17 December 1944, MacDonald's battalion was hastily shifted to blunt the massive German Ardennes offensive but the 12th SS Panzer Division overran his company. Fortunately, losses in MacDonald's company were relatively light and when the unit was reformed it helped to stop the northern German pincer on the Elsenborn Ridge. In January 1945, the author was wounded while participating in the counterattack to retake St. Vith and spent two months recovering.

Returning to the 23rd Infantry in March 1945, MacDonald was given G Company and he led this unit in the final dash across Germany to Leipzig. MacDonald ended the war in Czechoslovakia. The final three weeks of the war seem a bit blurry here, compared to the earlier slow pace in the defense, and this is the only aspect of the author's narrative which is a bit choppy. There is a tremendous amount of combat wisdom in this account, although the author admits mistakes. During the first day of the Bulge, MacDonald's unit - which had very little ammunition, limited fire support and no information on the friendly or enemy situation - was ordered to launch a hasty attack to relieve a trapped US unit. MacDonald's account of his briefing to his lieutenants in the dark with a wet map is striking: "I wondered if I could have drawn any worse conditions under which to issue my first attack order." The attack was cancelled, but then MacDonald's company was ordered to hold off the advance guard of the 12th SS Panzer with only 3 bazooka rounds and no mines. The result was inevitable.

This account offers some tactical points about US ground operations in 1944-5 of interest to historians. First, US units often seemed to move to contact the enemy with minimal regard for reconnaissance and US commanders seemed to prefer hasty over deliberate assaults. Many US losses seemed directly attributable to this tendency to launch hasty, poorly coordinated attacks with inadequate forces. Second, US units often did not make good use of terrain. In the defense, MacDonald's company often had to occupy non-key terrain that lacked cover and concealment. Occupying such exposed positions merely to maintain contact with the enemy resulted in unnecessary casualties. US units would have been better off to occupy key terrain further back from the line of contact and leave only small covering units in direct contact. Interestingly, MacDonald's unit did not use LP/OPs at night. Finally, the decimation of US infantry units in the Second World War as portrayed by modern author's such as Stephen Ambrose is demonstrably false. Although MacDonald's company suffered many wounded and sick during the fall of 1944, he did not have one soldier killed in action in his first two months on the front line. Even in the Battle of the Bulge, the number of infantrymen actually killed in combat was relatively small. Soldiers were far more likely to be wounded or evacuated for pneumonia than to be killed outright, and those men usually returned in weeks or months. American infantry units were never "bled white" by combat losses as some accounts imply by exaggerating the body count. Overall, Company Commander is a class of its own as a memoir, since a capable historian who actually experienced the events described wrote it.

Pretty good, but lacking something...
Mr. MacDonald's book is a good and quick, easy read. It tells the tale fairly well, but for some reason just didn't engage me as much as many other first person accounts of WWII. It is an honest feeling account with out bravado, but for some reason it doesn't convey emotional sensation very well.
Mr. MacDonald was certainly a qualified commander, especially based on the accounts of his relatively few casualties compared to those inflicted by his men. He led from near the front and was wounded by gunfire on one occasion.
This book is certainly worth the effort to read, but it isn't the best of its type.

Something is Rotten in Denmark
This book sells itself as an insight into the command structure during the ETO of WW2.
After reading this novel I had to seriously question the author's integrity, he leaves out huge gaps in action, one minute he's at the Normandy shores the next he's camped in a field having breakfast with his troops. Without anything seeming to happen inbetween Also he consistently refers to the army company's as "company I" or "company C" rather than "Item Company" or "Easy Company" as so many other veterans refer to the units they were apart of. Tho I know nothing about Charles McDonalds personal contribution to the ETO or war history, this coupled with the fact that he seems to have such intricate detail of just about every name of every person he ever came across as well as what he had for breakfast and what the weather was like would almost have you wondering if he was army news reporter, running around with a notepad jotting down everything that might be of interest to possible readers. All of this suggests to me that his front line time was very limited if in fact he saw any action at all. I also found it odd that he makes several references to the other soldiers in his recount as "characters" as tho he was trying to pass of a novel of fiction as a memoir . If your looking for a real WW2 recount it doesn't get any better than "Foot Soldier": by Roscoe C. Blunt

Straightforward, honest account of leadership
Col MacDonald's memoir as a rifle company commander on the line in the ETO is a straightforward, honest account of leadership in combat. His clear and extremely detailed accounts of the day to day life of an infantryman and the bluntness of his comments (his description of the execution of EPWs is no more detailed or explained than his recounting of his first breakfast while at the front) are the elements that make this book valuable and worthwhile reading to those who have both a professional and historical interest in combat leadership. Additionally, the author's development as a leader to include his lack of initial self confidence and fears make this book human, relatable and trustworthy.
If you are searching for a tactical primer for company grade officers than I suggest Erwin Rommel's Attacks and if you are looking for a more well written piece with a broader scope and commentary than of course I suggest any of Stephen Ambrose's works (particularly Pegasus Bridge or Citizen Soldiers). However, Col MacDonald's book is a vivid account, obviously written with a fresh memory and meticulous notes. Company Commander will not disappoint those who are interested in a memoir whose primary purpose is to relate to readers the conditions and nature of life as a rifle company commander. ... Read more

Book Description

Nothing can prepare you for Anthony Loyd's portrait of war. It is the story of the unspeakable terror and the visceral, ecstatic thrill of combat, and the lives and dreams laid to waste by the bloodiest conflict that Europe has witnessed since the Second World War.

Born into a distinguished military family, Loyd was raised on the stories of his ancestors' exploits and grew up fascinated with war. Unsatisfied by a brief career in the British Army, he set out for the killing fields in Bosnia. It was there-in the midst of the roar of battle and the life-and-death struggle among the Serbs, Croatians, and Bosnian Muslims-that he would discover humanity at its worst and best. Profoundly shocking, poetic, and ultimately redemptive, this is an uncompromising look at the brutality of war and its terrifyingly seductive power. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

A face from the other side of the mirror
"I did not know the details but I decided to go there...I felt young and lucky."

Few war correspondents of any age have been as devoid of a sense of calling as Anthony Loyd. In 1992 he went to Sarajevo with a diploma in photography as his "cover" and an adolescent's fascination with war as his real motivation. If he went there to find himself, he succeeded. He lost himself as well.

A cameraman friend of mine remembers Anthony Loyd in Bosnia as friendly, modest and generous. These qualities might have driven an entirely worthy account of the Yugoslav wars. But it is Loyd's other side, his darkness, that makes this such an extraordinary and essential account. Prostitute the values of home, he writes, and "your wisdom multiplies". He hangs with crims and victims, romantics and murderers. In time his ignorance and cynicism metamorphisises to awareness, to rage, to disillusionment, and ultimately to his own dark clarity.

This is a helluva book about war, and of the high price of the knowledge of it.. It looks unflinchingly at atrocity, at notions of courage and idealism, at the instinct to attend wars that are none of your business, and the other instinct of powerful nations to avoid wars that should be their business.

It gives a belly-up view not only of the Bosnian conflict in all its varied guises, but of Chechnya as well. Loyd, inevitably, becomes a casualty himself. The sane man's response to such things is to act in an insane way. Heroin does it nicely.

Give this man a mug of sljivovica and a pillow for his head. The prices he has paid are his, but he has written a roiling, shrapnel-blasted cracker of a book that renders most everything else in the genre pale: a terrifying, compelling, inverse morality tale. It is indecent that awfulness on such a scale should read so well.

How do you get your hands around this one?
This beautifully written memoir brings home some very unpleasant truths: war can be fun and addicting (along with horrific and repulsive); the casual abandonment of social constraint can be fun and liberating; and after too much fun it is difficult to downshift into "normal" society (so self-medicate). It is an extraordinarily passionate and personal book, and evokes equally intense reactions in its readers as the reviews attest.

It is not too hard to jump from Anthony Loyd's discomfited Englishman looking for his place in the world to the thousands of muhajideen wandering through the Balkans and Central Asia looking for theirs. Post 9/11 we may be dealing with thousands of these war addicts for years to come.

The chapter on Chechnya, in which Loyd temporarily leaves the Balkans for the even higher dosage action in Grosny (in which the Russians reportedly hit the city with 30,000 shells in a single day) is the worth the price of the book alone. It puts the far more modest US bombing campaign in Afghanistan into a certain perspective.

In the end, this book is so intense that it is difficult to write about it at all. Read it and see for yourself.

Chilling, though often disorganized
This book is not only a startling picture of the Balkan wars of the 1990s, but also a brilliant psychological description of the warrior himself. As he explains, the author, Anthony Loyd, is a former British soldier who, after the 1991 Gulf War quits the army and decides to be a photo journalist. As we are told, Mr. Loyd, descending from a long line of soldiers, cannot keep himself from battle, so he decides to go to the Balkans to try his camera and see some death. What we see here is the nature of the paramilitary fighters and ex-Titoist warriors that are perpetuating the very war Mr. Loyd is seeking: they just can't stop for they know nothing else. Mr. Loyd, who becomes a writer after he discovers that taking pictures of other people's misfortune is just too much for him to handle, describes each bloody moment that he sees with grotesque detail. He captures not only the brutality, but also the views of the civilians, who really suffer throughout the conflict. Mr. Loyd shows us people who are angry at all sides, not just Serb or Croat, and so fallen into misery that they can't really afford to be afraid anymore. Mr. Loyd intermingles his Bosnia coverage with unnumberd sections (written in italic) that detail the heroin addiction he acquires upon his return to London. This again is a brilliant psychological addition, as Mr. Loyd tells us that he could not bear witnessing the pain of others, but had to feel pain himself-thus the H. While Mr. Loyd maintains the delicate balance between these two narratives, the book falls apart when he adds a third setting--his coverage of the war in Chechnya in 1995. Though Mr. Loyd covers Checnya for only a brief period before jumping right back to Bosnia, the disruption has been made. Though the brutality and potrayal of the people is just as sharp, Mr. Loyd skirts the psychological element of the fighters, the civilians and himself. It only makes sense that this section would fall flat. Chechnya, unlike the Balkan wars, is not a civil conflict, but an instance of a large nation (Russia) trying to quash the independence of a smaller one. Thus the theme of inner conflict, seen both in Mr. Loyd's description of the Balkan war and his own depression and drug abuse, is disrupted. Still, the whole book is worth reading, especially the first half. If its uplifting reading you're looking for, forego this book. But take it up immediately if what you're after is an understanding of one of the bloodiest and complex wars of the 20th century and proof that, as Mr. Loyd tells us, in war, it is sometimes the dead who are lucky.

Great Book
Anthony Lloyd does an exceptional job putting into words the events he witnessed during the war in Bosnia and the events of his life.

This is somewhat of a diamond in the rough book. It surprised me with its poetic memoir qualities as well as succeeding in painting a picture of the realities of the war.

Lloyd shows that he cannot only take pictures but he can also create pictures with his words. He was at the center of much of action in this war and created relationships with people and leaders on all sides. His story offers many insights about the details of this war, including the tragedies.

It is also a personal tale of his life, his struggles with addiction and struggles in his family and with friends.

This book really does not fit into a particular category except the 5 star category.

Multicultural Madness
This is tale of war on the ground, as seen by those intimately involved in it. Not for Loyd the usual reportage from a remote news conference given by the "good guys" whose interest is primarily to promote the proper spin to events, fooling the world into believing in the goodness of his side. He goes in harms way, crossing the borders between the good/bad guys and the other good/bad guys, revealing in all its detail the horrors of war. It is a personal adventure, told from a first person point of view, and it is an eloquent, moving piece of journalism at its best. One is reminded of another hero of the profession, Robert Fisk, who tells a similar tale of the war in Lebanon in "Pity the Nation."

Both of these books are about what happens when a multicultural nation falls apart into its ethnic pieces, which get unscrambled in a horrific multisided civil war. They show how ordinary people of different ethnicities and religions can live peacefully side by side for many years, with all the predictable compromises and legalities, intermarriages and friendships, then turn in a matter of months into communities at war, destroying everything that had been built up over the preceding decades. Everything inevitably follows a repeating process that is very poorly understood from an objective or scientific point of view.

Explanations of the phenomenon abound, usually centered around a bankrupt and distorted variation of good guys vs. bad guys, which unfortunately goes nowhere in arriving at a true understanding of the phenomenon. These explanations and rationalizations are actually a part of the phenomenon, and can hardly be accepted in any meaningful way.

What is needed is an underlying theory which can be used in a scientific way to form hypotheses and models, studied by statistical methods, and enable useful predictions and perhaps even preventative measures to be taken. Is it possible to predict the "tipping point" where the transition to communal war occurs? Is it possible to intervene in ways that don't make the problem worse? These questions can only be asked in a meaningful way when men such as Loyd and Fisk have provided the crucial data and observations that others can utilize for a scientific approach to succeed.

In the meantime, these tragedies will continue to occur, the political charlatans will continue their spinning, historians will follow the leaders, and the outsiders point their fingers in the trials of the defeated. The real message, though, for Americans and Europeans alike, intent on promoting multicultural dreams through unconstrained immigration of other ethnicities, is to examine the possible outcomes, one of which is a nightmare. ... Read more

Book Description

Stephen Ambrose is the acknowledged dean of the historians of World War II in Europe. In three highly acclaimed, bestselling volumes, he has told the story of the bravery, steadfastness, and ingenuity of the ordinary young men, the citizen soldiers, who fought the enemy to a standstill -- the band of brothers who endured together.

The very young men who flew the B-24s over Germany in World War II against terrible odds were yet another exceptional band of brothers, and, in The Wild Blue, Ambrose recounts their extraordinary brand of heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship with the same vivid detail and affection. With his remarkable gift for bringing alive the action and tension of combat, Ambrose carries us along in the crowded, uncomfortable, and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to the death through thick black smoke and deadly flak to reach their targets and destroy the German war machine. ... Read more

Reviews (146)

Thumbs Up with a small "but"
Loved it because it brought me that much closer to understanding what my late father went through: he piloted (and survived) a B-24 (Fairy Belle II)in the 577th BS, 392nd BG out of Wendling, England (June - November '44). The book is rich with details on the selection process, training, preparation, and actual battles. Intense and educational. But in many ways, this is an anthology of the war experiences of George S. McGovern, straying from that theme only with anecdotal references to other squadron members and GSM's friends, so the focus is a bit narrow in that regard. GSM flew in the 15th AF out of Italy and the book is almost entirely focused on the 15th AF and very little mention is made of the more ubiquitous 8th. But that's a rather small complaint. Overall, this is an easy read, without flowery prose or metaphor. In some parts, it reads like Ambrose simply decided to do a narrative version of the abbreviated flight logs. That content though, is sufficiently stimulating to give an intimate overview of what a horrific and difficult job it was to fly these sometimes desperate missions over Germany. Thanks, Dad. Thanks, guys.

Not Ambrose-worthy
I just finished "Wild Blue," and I must say it was a severe disappointment. When I heard that Mr. Ambrose was writing a book about World War II in the air, I was very excited. But, after reading "Ghost Soldiers," the story of the Bataan Death March, this book felt like it was run through a shredder and put back together in random order. I salute the bravery of McGovern, his crew, and the rest of the airment who helped win WWII, but somehow this narrative came out flat and lifeless. I, too, have read "Band of Brothers" and "Citizen Soldiers," and enjoyed them tremendously. This book just doesn't compare. Focusing on McGovern's tour of duty left out some of the most desperate fighting when the bomber crews faced not only the killer flak but attack from crack Luftwaffe pilots as well. If the reader would like to read a definitive book about WWII bomber crews, try "Wings Of Morning" or "The Mighty Eighth." "Wild Blue" feels like it was put together by researchers and rushed to publication with little or no editing. Maybe that was the case.

Nothing spectacular, but interesting
I'm not the biggest fan of Stephen Ambrose. He was only a mediocre writer, in my opinion, and though his historian skills were reasonably well-developed, he had a sort of go-with-the-trends attitude towards things that didn't work very well, in my opinion. He was also occasionally caught basically skimming writing from other writers, a big no-no, especially when the skimmer hits the best-seller lists and those they copied from aren't that popular.

The Wild Blue is apparently Ambrose's attempt to write something about someone who's politically akin to him. Though he was Eisenhower's official biographer, and also wrote a 3-volume bio of Nixon, Ambrose personally was a Democrat, and in this book he balances things by giving us a war-time bio of George McGovern, of all people. It turns out that mild-mannered George, back in the day, flew a B-24 Liberator in the last months of the war, and was something of a hero.

The book, then, is a history of the B-24s in the war in Europe, and of the 15th Air Force, in Italy, and its participation in the war. While the book at times concentrates on McGovern, it also spends considerable time talking about other pilots and crewmen on other B-24s in the war in the Med. It's not quite a bio, but more than just an oral history. You get the idea that Ambrose would have liked to make the whole book about McGovern, but that there just wasn't enough material, so he sort of stretched what he had and added to it to get it to the length it is now.

Ambrose isn't my favorite author, as I said, and this isn't his best book, but it wasn't bad.

informational, but slow read
This was an extremely informational and educational book. It follows a B-24 crew from their joining the US Army Air Corps. I did get a bit bored here and there, but if you like aviation history, this is a must read.

disappointing
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I just didn't live up to my expectations. Ambrose noted in the introduction that the book began as a biography of George McGovern and later turned into a story of "the men and boys who flew the B-24s over Germany." I got the impression he never did decide which book he was writing. That said, the book still has its good points. For one, it presented a side of McGovern that is not widely known. The reason I read this book was that I wanted to learn more about the air war in WWII, and I did learn a few things, though not as much as I had hoped. In following McGovern's war career, Ambrose takes you through the pilot training program and gives a good picture describes the difficulty of flying the B24 and what life was like on board the plane during a mission. Unfortunately, it was all interspersed with biographical information about the other members of the flight crew, ground crew, etc. that did more to confuse things than it added to the story. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Fascinating Diary
This book is a fascinating voyage through one of the great 19th Century Southern political minds; perhaps second only to John C. Calhoun. Alexander H. Stephens was a strange little man, never weighing more than 100 pounds, and standing only 5' 7" tall; but "Little Aleck" had the heart of a lion. He was possessed of a small head with protruding ears and piercing black eyes. Trained as a lawyer, with a frail almost boyish figure, he never married and was totally devoted to his half-brother, Linton, who served in the Georgia Legislature, on the Georgia Supreme Court and as a Confederate officer, and whose family Alexander Stephens adopted as his own.
This diary covers Stephens experiences as a prisoner after the War Between the States had ended. The War basically ended in April, 1865, but Stephens who had served as the Vice President of the Confederacy, had already gone home to Crawfordville, Georgia, his home town. On May 11, 1865, Tim, one of his servants, came running into the parlor saying: "Master! Yankees have come! a whole heap are in town, galloping all about with guns." Thus Stephens, who unlike other Confederate cabinet officials had never attempted to flee to the sanctuary of another country, came to be a prisoner. He was transported to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor and thus begins this diary.
Throughout the diary, Stephens was indignant that he was even a prisoner, for in his mind (he was probably right) he had done nothing wrong. He had always acted according to the principles of the United States Constitution to which he was totally devoted. He had served 16 years in Congress and had retired in 1859, and when the War started in 1861 he was called upon to serve the Confederacy. As he repeatedly points out the States created the Federal Government, not the other way around. The Federal Government's rights were limited. He had served as a Whig in Congress in the beginning of his career and served with Lincoln who also served as a Whig in the 30th Congress in 1847, when Lincoln served his only term in Congress before becoming president in 1861. Stephens felt he knew Lincoln well and this may be one of the reasons he was elected vice president of the Confederacy, in addition to the fact that he cautioned against secession and for this reason it was felt perhaps he may have had gained some influence with Lincoln.
In any case, the diary covers everything about his life at Fort Warren, where after an initial period of discomfort and apprehension (there was the possibility he may be hanged), he was treated rather kindly by his captors. Stephens read and discusses such books as the Bible, Prescott's Conquest of Mexico, Swedenborg's Doctrine Concerning the Lord, Cicero on Duties, Cicero on Oratory, Aristotle on Economics, Aristotle on Politics, and so forth demonstrating that he was a true intellectual. He discusses the food he ate, his living conditions, and people he met and dealt with such as his guards, other prisoners, and even the little girl who was the daughter of one of his wardens who would bring him flowers and thrust her little hand through the bars to put them in a little flower pot in his cell. Stephens only spent four months and nineteen days in prison. His treatment was much less harsh than that of Jefferson Davis who served two years at Fort Monroe. In the end, like Jefferson Davis and others, he was released and not prosecuted for any offenses. It has been said this was because in truth they had committed no offenses and acted against the Federal Government in much the same way the leaders of the 13 Colonies had acted against the Crown when the 13 Colonies sought their independence from England and thus could not have been convicted of anything.
All in all, a wonderful diary; I have not enjoyed reading a diary as much since I read James Boswell's London Journal 40 years ago.

Fort Warren's last prisoner
This is a reprint of the original diary kept by Stephens while at the fort. It is the only book still in print that was written at Fort Warren. If you had a Confederate relative imprisoned at Fort Warren, this gives a terrific insight to the daily routine at the famous bastille. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Following Ho Chi Minh:The Memoirs of a North Vietnamese Co
This has been an amazing read for me.My fellow helicopter pilot buddy (from our tour in Vietnam) sent it over from Vermont.We were both New England college grads when we flew
D-model Hueys out of Vinh Long, in the Mekong Delta during 1966-67.Since that time, we have devoured many books commenting on our mutual Army experience, especially when the Vietnamese side of things often illustrates our time well. Fred Stetson continues to remain close to Vietnamese immigrants in the Burlington, VT area, and knows I have represented our experience well in my book, OUTLAWS IN VIETNAM.We both delight in finding out information from and about the Hanoi leadership, and were absolutely surprised to find their intrigue with the Chinese communists that is so fervently exposed in Bui Tin's masterful work.He was always in the significant place at the right time, and reveals behind-the-scenes politics with the North Vietnamese from 1945 on.What a journalist, and I am glad he has connected with leaders like Senator John McCain, to flesh out the reality of the VC and NVA we were fighting against. Apparently our suspicions that the Chinese were very involved in this war were very correct, indeed!I had thought the two nation-states too opposed to each other (culturally) to have ever played such a strong hand.Makes you wonder what we could have done militarilyotherwise; maybe ole chicken LBJ might have been right to worry about escalating events after all....

Worth Reading If Youre a Serious STudent of the War
As a former Marine Sniper who served two tours in Nam and who is still trying to understand what I went through this is an okay read. Not as good as some and a bit over blown at times but worth understanding the other side. It does make you want to better understand the other side of our current crisis in terrorism and see what makes them tick. Our leaders in Nam were a little lazy and self serving when it came to history. That is the leaders in Washington. Makes you wonder what might have been?

An insider's revelations.
As a North Vietnamese colonel and high ranking Party member, the author accepted the surrender of Saigon on April 1975. He continued to work for Hanoi until 1990, when disillusioned with the communists he moved to Paris and hoped to see a free and democratic Vietnam.

In his memoir, he talked about communism being elevated to the rank of a "blind faith", the purges within the Party, the errors, greed, and corruption of communist leaders, the "arrogance of the Party" and so on.

This book is recommended to those who are interested in the inner world of the Vietnamese communist Party and the causes of its failure. It is not the ideal world painted by the communists, not the people's rule but the rule of five or six men who imposed their dictatorship on the people.

A seemingly highly credible report by the ultimate insider.
The rarest of gifts -- a credible account from a Vietnamese communist cadre! Bui Tin has done a great service to all of his countrymen, regardless political faction or religion. His assessments of legendary Vietnamese cadres, including Ho Chi Minh, Le Duan and Le Duc Anh are stunningly frank. Those interested in Vietnam or Cambodia should place this title on the top of their reading lists. There is simply no other work of its kind, although we can always hope that another courageous figure will follow in the author's footsteps.

An indepth look at Vietnamese Government after 1975
Bui Tin has written a remarkable story about the Vietnamese government and the social chaos that went on which no one outside of Viet Nam ever knew about it after 1975. Thanks to him we now know that life was easier duringthe time of war than peace time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Private First Class Jessica Lynch's capture and rescue during the 2003 war in Iraq captured the attention and captivated the emotions of millions of Americans. Accounts of the actual events surrounding Lynch were wildly varied as some took her to be a symbol of American righteousness while others made her out to be a pawn of the US military. But the Lynch that emerges in Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Rick Bragg's portrayal is an ordinary young woman caught up in an extraordinary series of events. Bragg, who had the cooperation of Lynch and her family in writing I Am a Soldier, Too intersperses her war story with a detailed portrait of the diminutive kid from Palestine, West Virginia who enlisted to see the world. What's truly remarkable about Lynch is how relatively unremarkable she is. She had a normal working class childhood, did fine in high school, performed capably in basic training, made some good friends, met a guy, and, like thousands of her contemporaries, was sent off to a war zone in the Middle East. But the story takes a sharp turn when her vehicle loses the convoy it was following near Nasiriyah, her four fellow soldiers are killed in the subsequent fighting, and Lynch is badly wounded and taken prisoner. Blacking out for three hours, she awakes in an Iraqi hospital where the tensions of war coupled with a lack of resources and a language and culture barrier make for a harrowing stay even as numerous medical personnel defy their own military to protect her and save her life. Finally, American troops captured Nasiriyah, kicked down the hospital doors (even as hospital workers tried to give them a master key) and airlifted Lynch out. Bragg also tells the story of the blue collar West Virginia town of Palestine and the Lynch family who the world watches, first as Jessica goes missing, then when she is rescued, and finally when she returns amid much fanfare. Bragg keeps the story telling pretty simple, avoiding an analysis of how the story was spun or the politics behind the war itself. In the end, Jessica Lynch is not, by her own insistence, a hero. Rather, she is a soldier with a remarkable story of survival to tell. Thankfully, she has now had the opportunity to tell it herself. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (79)

She Is A Soldier - So Just Say Thank You
I Am A Soldier Too is the story of ex-P.O.W. Jessica Lynch. It is told in a hardcover book written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Rick Bragg. Bragg is also the author of two best-selling books, Ava's Man and All Over but the Shoutin'. The title of the book was chosen because those were the words she had spoken to the soldiers rescuing her.
American soldier, Jessica Lynch, was captured and taken as a prisoner of war in Iraq. After being beaten, broken in pieces, raped, and living for days with the fear of what tortures might come next, she was rescued. Townspeople built her a house, the military gave her a purple heart, her countrymen called her a Hero, and the media made her an Icon. The soldier asked for none of that. She had only asked to be saved. The American people needed to feel hope during a time of War, in which they were beginning to feel lost. They used her to fulfill that hope. As she lay in a hospital bed seriously injured, myths began to form. When it came to light that the media or military may have exaggerated certain events, it was Jessica Lynch they began to criticize for it. After partially recuperating, she took it upon herself to bring out the truth, only to be criticized again for not speaking out sooner. The story of Jessica Lynch is being told, for the most part, to set the record straight on the events of her capture and rescue. More directly, it is being told to lift the impression that this ex-P.O.W. should be blamed for inaccurate reports of those events. After reading this book, any intelligent person without a heart of stone should come to the realization that this soldier did absolutely nothing wrong. She deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. That is the very least we can do for the soldiers of our country.
In the book, Bragg gives a very detailed description of the life back home, which Jessica Lynch left to become a soldier. He provides the same detailed description of her family, as well as her hometown and people who live there. The events of her life as a soldier and time as a P.O.W. are told, as she remembers them. Jessica claims that she is NOT a Hero. She credits her fellow soldiers who lost their lives beside her, as well as the brave soldiers who rescued her, as being the true Heroes.
I'm sure Bragg enjoyed writing about Jessica's hometown of Palestine, West Virginia. However, he spent too much time on his descriptions of it. The details were dragging on, causing me to lose interest. The author also seemed to jump around a bit toward the beginning; and there were some run-on sentences that were difficult to follow. Once the book got back to the story it was meant to tell, I could not put it down. It was very captivating and I was moved to tears more than once.
In chapter seven, Bragg portrayed Capt. Troy Kent King as incompetent, careless, and ultimately responsible for Jessica's ordeal. In the same chapter, it was also implied that Marines knowingly led the soldiers of the 507th to their deaths by allowing the convoy to continue on route toward Nasiriyah. This seems one-sided and I didn't find any evidence in the book that supports the implications. The book does, however, clear up confusions regarding P.O.W. Jessica Lynch. To this soldier's detriment, her M-16 jammed. With no fault to her, it was rendered useless by the sand. Everyone around her was dying and she had no means of defending herself. I can only imagine the fear she must have felt, as that moment swallowed her up. I don't want to imagine what she must have gone through during the three hours after her capture. Following her rescue, the soldier was blamed for not immediately rectifying misconceptions of others. Her efforts to put forth accurate information caused her to be accused of claiming fame. This soldier can't seem to win for losing.
In my opinion, this book gives an honest account of Jessica Lynch's life as a soldier. It provides a good understanding that the aftermath of conflict and debate toward this soldier, following her rescue, is not justified. Should she be considered a Hero? There are those of us who go above and beyond what is expected in the course of our duty. Those who make a decision to put their own lives on the line in an effort to save the life of someone else. They do it regardless of the peril they may face in the process. Such persons stand out among the rest of us. And should be recognized with an outstanding form of respect and reward. Did Jessica Lynch act as such? No. Should she be considered any more a Hero for the injuries she sustained or the unknown torture she endured? No. Any soldier in the entire Armed Forces could have been made to suffer the same horrible circumstances. It is a risk for all soldiers. However, what is being forgotten is that she did, in fact, put her life on the line for us. She agreed to go in our place, so that we may remain safely in our homes with the warmth of our families around us. She is our Hero; they all are. Let's not let them forget that.
This book will also be useful to the young people of our country. It will provide them with an awakening of what may lie ahead in deciding to join the military. The risks should not be taken lightly. Being in the Armed Forces should never be viewed as merely an escape or stepping-stone to something else. It should be a way of life preferred.
Thank you Jessica. I wish you a speedy recovery.

It's good to know what REALLY happened
I'm amazed and appalled at the criticisms of some of the other reviewers here: it is one thing to express an opinion of a book (although many of them don't seem to even mention the book itself)- it is something else entirely to attack the character of a person who has faced a terrible ordeal, and its very public aftermath, with honesty and courage. Shame on those who say that Jessica should not be telling her story! she has every right to, and unlike all of those who told it first, she is telling nothing but the simple truth, and with obvious compassion and admiration for her fellow soldiers. This is a gripping story and Rick Bragg treats it with the dignity it deserves. This book is a well-written and inspiring account of what this young woman and her family went through, and I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it.

2 1/2 hrs reading,and you will understand Jessi's story*
Author Rick Brag did an awesome job of telling the true story behind Private First Class Jessica Lynch's ordeal. She is a simple country gal who grew up in a close knit American town, but like so many small towns in West Virginia, this means there are not too many options facing it's high school graduates.
Precious few jobs exist and that is why small country hollers in the middle of nowhere, USA recruit the highest per capita ratio of young people willing to become soldiers.
The military is the only exciting future for many teens.
Jessi was one such person - tough as nails and pretty as a tiny doll. She proved herself to be an American hero in an Iraqi battlefield.
Many people don't know this, but Jessica Lynch was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Prisoner of War Medal.
She deserves each and every distinguished metal, and she has the internal & external scars to prove her mettle.
Some rude people are skeptical of her sacrifices, but as they sit on thier ever-expanding duffs critising everybody, Jessi is struggling to rehabilitate her legs and bladder and bowels.
Her wounds are far from being healed even today.
What horrors her dreams are made of nightly from being a prisoner of war I can only shiver and wonder about.
She gave all that she could for this war and served the US Army to her utmost abilities.
It is difficult to know that there are persons who wish to defame Jessica Lynch - people like that belong in hell.
YES, she is a super-star, a woman warrior and famous person who recieved many special gifts as well as discretionary bonuses, but Jessica herself is adamant that she would give "Four hundred billion dollars" for none of it to have ever occured, if she could somehow board a time machine and take back the combat death of her best roomy friend, Private First Class Lori Piestwa.
Jessica would do anything to talk her friend, PFC Lori Piestewa, out of going into Iraq, because her friend had papers discussing a shoulder injury which would have enabled her to stay in the safe zone.
Private Piestwa was a Hopi Indian and was the first Hopi to die in the line of fire in the history of this nation.
She leaves behind two young children, under the tender age of 5. I plowed through this book, reading about Jessica's life, but when I hit page 167 --- tears exploded in my eyes --- on this page is the picture of the father of Lori Piestewa, as a poem written for his daughter was being read at the Women in Military Service Memorial at Arlington National Cemetary.
Oh ... the anguish, the hoplessness, the sorrowful look on the old man's face...it crushed my hearts into bits and pieces and his grief came rushing into my own heart.
Jessica tells her story and does not leave out those heros who were tragically left behind; those who can never go home again.
The only consolation is that the body of young Private First Class Lori Piestewa was found and taken back to her family.
Her remains are now buried close to her kin, not buried in an unmarked place in the sandy dunes of Iraq.
This story moved me more than any of the other books that I have reviewed here. It's a story that rings of truth, of youth and consequences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I sincerely wish that Jessica Lynch marries her sweetheart, Sgt. Rueben Contreras, and that they can have a happy life together.
I sincerely wish the people of Palestine, West Virginia, God's blessings and good grace; they truly love Jessica Lynch.
In spite of terrible tragedies, such as death, it is important to remember that life goes on...it simply has to go on.
After reading this book, (it only took 2 1/2 hours to read it from cover to cover.) I prayed for the soldiers in Iraq -- and those who will not make it home outside of the body bag. I pray for them and their families and for this great nation of ours who puts a high value on freedom and democracy for all humankind.
This story will move you like none other.
It makes me feel so proud to be an American, and to have those ideals of family, God and democracy deep in my heart.
God Bless the USA!

Honest
Lynch was brave to simply admit her fear. Courage, after all, is moving in the face of fear. (And she did go into a war zone). Male soldiers often experience the same feelings she did, however, they (in some cases) play along with the government's spin - it makes them seem more heroic. All the soldiers are heroes - scared or defiant - it's a human issue.

As for the race criticism (yawn, we should be so past that), to my knowledge no one has prohibited Shoshana from writing her own book.

FAITH ,HOPE, AND LOVE
ONE WORD... WOW. THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING. IT WAS SO AWESOME THE WAY THAT THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF JESSICA LYNCH HAD SO MUCH FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE FOR HER. THEY HOPED THAT SHE WOULD GET HOME SAFELY.PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JESSICA LYNCH GOT SO MUCH PRAYER FOR HER SAFETY BACK HOME. IT WAS LIKE IF YOU DIDN'T CALL HER PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JESSICA LYNCH YOU WOULD THE NEXT TIME YOU SAY HER NAME THAT'S HOW MUCH RESPECT YOU HAD TO HAVE FOR HER.WHEN I SAW THE PICTURES IN THE BOOK AND SAW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE THERE FOR HER HOMECOMING PARADE I GOT DOWN ON MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY (ALMOST BAWLING). AS I AM CLOSING I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PFC JESSICA LYNCH WENT FROM BEAUTY QUEEN TO A HERO AND I THINK THAT YOU COULDN'T GIVE A BETTER PERSON A PURPLE HEART FOR BRAVENESS THAN PFC JESSICA LYNCH. ... Read more

Book Description

Gentleman and Soldier is the first biography in more than 50 years of Wade Hampton III, a Confederate general whose remarkable life provides a unique sweeping insight into the entire history of the Civil War in the South. Hampton was a leading citizen of South Carolina before the War, the highest-ranking cavalry leader during the War, fought in a remarkable number of battles from Antietam to Gettysburg to Bentonville, and was South Carolina’s Governor and U.S. Senator after the War.

At the time of his death in 1902, Hampton was hailed as a bridge between the Old South and the New. His life was also one of dramatic contradictions. He was the quintessential slave owner, but he questioned the ethical underpinnings of the “Peculiar Institution” and argued against reopening the African slave trade. He was a prewar spokesperson for national unity, but he became an avid secessionist. He condemned violence and abhorred dueling, but he personally killed more opponents in battle than any other general, Union or Confederate. He kept South Carolina from the effects of Reconstruction, but he then extended more political benefits to African-Americans than any other Democratic governor in the postwar South.

Gentleman and Soldier is the fascinating story of one of the Civil War's most remarkable and interesting generals.

Reviews (1)

Hampton finally gets the respect he is due.
Edward G. Longacre has written many books dealing with subjects relating to the Civil War and has added greatly to the accumulated knowledge of that era. In this biography of General Wade Hampton, the author has again contributed to general Civil War knowledge but he has also accomplished much more. With this, the first full biography of Hampton since 1949, Longacre has rescued the name of this great soldier from anonymity and introduced him to a new generation of Civil War readers.

Longacre points out, early and often that Hampton's reputation has suffered the fate of many other highly successful Confederate leaders who weren't from Virginia. This bias against non-Virginians has been a major topic in some of Longacre's other books and the author may well be on a crusade to rectify this situation. It is a crusade that is long overdue in both academic and popular history.

Most of this book is concerned with Hampton's war career so his antebellum and post-war life is kind of skimmed over. Still, the subject's forward looking and enlightened views regarding race are relatively well covered, as is his political career. Still, his war service is the center of the book and it is handled very well. The reader will follow Hampton as he rises in rank and proves himself to be one of the best fighters in the Confederate Army. Longacre describes the General's tactics and campaigns thoroughly but without resorting to the tedious details many other authors use. Also covered is the discrimination suffered by Hampton and his non-Virginia command at the hands of J.E.B. Stuart and Robert E. Lee. The author takes great pains to point out Hampton's disgust with this discrimina