Book Description

Originally published in 1955, As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me has seen international success ever since. It has been translated into fifteen languages, sold more than 12 million copies, and is the basis for an award-winning German entry at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Recounting an incredible real-life adventure, it tracks the destiny of German soldier Clemens Forrell who, in the aftermath of WWII, was sentenced to twenty-five years of forced labor in a lead mine in the barren eastern reaches of Siberia. Subjected to the brutality of the camp and the climate, Forrell dreamed continuously of escape—and then daringly effected it. From East Cape across the vast trackless wastes of Siberia, for thousands of miles and three years, with fear as his most intimate companion, Forrell fled treachery and endured some of the most inhospitable conditions on earth. In a long series of taped interviews with esteemed German author Josef M. Bauer, Forrell unfolded his remarkable story of survival. Bauer not only reconstructs Forrell’s arduous journey to the Iranian frontier and freedom; he also poignantly evokes the emotional content of Forrell’s brave quest—emerging as an affecting portrait of a man who strove and triumphed against all odds. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Remarkable Account
This story just demands to be read. It is one of tremendous suffering and the triumph of the human spirit. This is the ultimate World War II escape story.One sees the fate of the defeated German Army in a new light. Sent to die in a lead mine, this German Soldier has a remarkable account to share. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest from this period. You will never forget it.

Movie was amazing
This is one of the greatest epics ever. I was lucky enough to see the movie when it was playing, try and catch it if it's near. I've been in search of the DVD for 3 years now! It's becoming my OWN epic!

Great Story -- Weak Finish
This is a phenomenal story about the escape of a German POW from a Soviet labor camp on the Bering Straight and his journey overland to Iran and freedom. Taking place in 1949-1951, Josef Bauer tells the story of an anonymous German POW from World War II who was sentenced to a 25 year term of hard labor in a lead mine in the very far corner of the Soviet empire. His escape and his encounters with nature and humans make for a wonderful, page-turning thriller.

The weak part of this work is the ending. Eighty per cent of the book sets up the escape and traces the journey across about one-third of Siberia. The last twenty per cent of the book takes the subject across two-thirds of Siberia and into Iran, thus giving a very superficial account of this part of the journey.

Reading between the lines, Bauer appears to have had a difficult time securing the cooperation of the subject of this story and his name is not given. It appears that while the subject may have cooperated with Bauer initially, the cooperation ceased and the story was brought to an abrupt conclusion. If this is true, the accuracy of the story can then be questioned and the anonymity of the central character does nothing to instill confidence in the reader that these events happened in the way that they are portrayed.

Even with these problems, however, the book is worth a read for its entertainment value alone.

Extraordinary story, good writing
Extraordinary true-life story of a German soldier ("Clemens Forell") who makes a three-year, 8,000 mile escape from a Soviet Union labor camp. Worthy of five stars but for two minor complaints:
1) The story is written through Josef Bauer, not the soldier himself. Still, Mr. Bauer does a respectable job.
2) This book is an English translation from the original German text. While the translation flows well, it is difficult to assess what may be lost in the translation. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most memorable books to come out of the Vietnam War. General Risner's plane was shot down in 1965 on a bombing mission over North Vietnam. Interned in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton", Risner was subjected to brutal tortures and privations. The tactics that he used to survive were not those of a superman, but rather those of a man who knew his own limits and had the courage to face up to them.

What emerges is a story of faith in God and country, of heroism and humanity. This is a vital document for anyone seeking to come to grips with the actuality and legacy of this painful conflict. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Moving and inspirational. Renew your confidence in America!
This book is an enigma. Risner's style is not polished. He doesn't overwhelm with vocabulary or imagery. Rather, his friendly, relaxed, matter-of-fact manner invites you into Hanoi Hilton, into his cell, where you join him for 7 1/2 years of isolation, misery, agony, and pain. With simple, frank text, the author introduces the reader to the life of the POW with startling clarity. You will not soon forget the images found in this writing. It is clear why the Chief of Staff of the Air Force has included this book on the recommended reading list for USAF professionals. General Risner is a true American hero. His example of courage, intelligence, devotion, and honesty should be followed by us all. To read this book is to glimpse, if only for a few hours, the horror of Vietnamese prison life. General Risner reminds us about having faith in God, confidence in ourselves, and pride in our country.

An Unforgettable Memoir!!!
I couldn't put this excellent book down. From the first page I was hooked! The author is humble, courageous, and maintained his dignity through some gruesome torture and confinement in a North Vietnamese prison. Exciting and inspiring was his faith in God also which kept his spirit uplifted during his imprisonment. A must read for anyone interested in Vietnam and the harrowing aspects of that awful war.

war of survival, ideas, pride
This is probably one of the most important books I've ever read. General Risner employs no verbal tricks in his account of his life as a POW in the Vietnam War; he simply states fact for fact. The visual images of torture are so gripping that despite the 114 pages of this book, it took me days before I turned the last page. And, when I had finally finished, my thoughts and actions were truly changed; I saw whole new levels to the war of ideas, of partisan politics. One passage that struck me in this book, and that I read over and over again, was how one of the factors of surivival for Risner was his belief that the American people were behind him. Ultimately, this book has given me courage that I didn't know I had inside me. This is a painful, extraordinary book.

A testament of hope........
To describe courage and bravery, strength and resilience, pride and professionalism, it only takes two words....Robinson Risner. In an ordeal that began in 1965 and lasted for a monumental seven and a half years, he was incarcerated in the Hanoi Hilton and Zoo prison compounds in North Vietnam after he was shot down.

Subjected to unspeakable tortures and barbaric conditions, Robinson Risner literally descended into a pit of hell from which he was eventually delivered out of by his relentless perseverance and his faith in God.

After reading The Passing of the Night, it reinforced my pride in America, our military, and the extraordinary stature of our convictions and beliefs in the most desperate of times.

Robison Risner's book is heartfelt, down to earth, and very moving in its portrayal and leaves a resounding message for everyone. No matter how difficult things may be in life, never lose faith in yourself and always know God will never give you more than you can handle.

This book comes highly recommended to anyone and everyone.

Moving and Inspirational
This book is so moving I don't feel I can do it justice in a short review. I have never been so affected by one person's story, it makes me catch my breath just thinking about it. I too have had the pleasure of meeting Gen Risner. He is a very kind and easy-going person. His account of his 7 ½ years as a POW in Hanoi Hilton is very inspirational. He tells his story so vividly that it made me cry several times. I agree it not only should be re-released, but mandatory reading for all high school/college students. I am a member of the Air Force and I tell everyone I know they need to get this book! It will change your outlook on life! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Awesome military story!
This book is a very easy and fast read. There are no complicated military jargon, so anyone (not just military veterans) can read this. Mr. Jung's story is absolutely amazing and I am surprised at how much he endured and then lived to tell about it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading autobiographies and/or military stories. ... Read more

Book Description

The French Revolution is one of the most exciting periods in history, but even the most devoted history buff has a hard time keeping up with the personalities who helped create the modern world. Now a comprehensive biographical dictionary profiles more than 500 of the most important figures in the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812, and other conflicts of the period. Besides covering hundreds of the most prominent military leaders, entries feature political leaders, scientists, and engineers who developed new weapons and other relevant inventions, and even composers of the most popular marching songs.320 pages, 250 b/w illus., 7 1/2 x 9 3/4.
... Read more

Reviews (2)

A handy reference of the "Whos" in Napoleon's time.
A handy reference, of the "whos" of the French Revolution and Napoleonic eras, I find myself reaching for again and again.A must companion for Haythornthwaite's Napoleonic Encyclopedia, or for yourlibrary in general.

Excellent shelf companion to 'Napoleonic Source Book'
Haythornthwaite's 'Naploleonic Source Book' contains a small biographicalsection which I had always wished to see expanded. This is it! I have beenable to find entries for even the most obscure bit-part players. The authorhas even given spaces for significant historians and artists of the period(not necessarily living during that period either!) I think this is animaginative and necessary inclusion. Readers interested in the War of 1812will not, I think, be disappointed, as there is a generous spread ofentries for participants from both sides of that conflict. ... Read more

Book Description

John Boyd was the greatest fighter pilot in American history. From the proving ground of the Korean War, he went on to win renown as the instructor who defeated-in less than forty seconds-every pilot who took him on. But what made Boyd a man for the ages was what happened after he left the cockpit. Boyd made a career of challenging the intractable Pentagon bureaucracy, making enemies and a few devoted disciples who would become known as "The Acolytes." Boyd transformed the way military aircraft-in particular the F-15 and F-16-were designed with his revolutionary "Energy-Maneuverability Theory," fighting the Air Force's entrenched ideas every step of the way. He then dedicated lonely years to a radical theory of conflict that at the time was mostly ignored, but now is acclaimed as the most influential thinking about conflict since Sun Tzu.

A man of daring, ferocious passion, and remarkable stubbornness, John Boyd was that most American of heroes-a rebel who cared not for his reputation or fortune, but for his country. And in BOYD, Robert Coram finally tells his incredible story. Until now, John Boyd has been the great secret hero of the American military. No longer. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Bloodless Military History, Hilarious Intellectual History
This is a book of oxymorons: the biography of America's greatest fighter pilot with no battles described; an important intellectual history which is actually fun to read. The apparent contradictions result from the subject. John Boyd was one of those brilliant American originals with no Ivy League degrees and a very eccentric mind, who changes the way the world works. Such people are America's real secret weapon. Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Steve Jobs are examples of such people.

It says something positive about the United States military that they tolerate drop-outs, losers and other jetsam and give such people enough freedom that they can develop to their full potential. This is not something that either business or academia or the media do any more, but the military does it more than ever. Ralph Peters is one example that springs to mind.

John Boyd is another. As a young captain, he changed the way air forces throughout the world fly their planes. As a major, he changed the way they build their planes. As a colonel, he changed the way the United States buys its planes. In retirement, he changed the way the West fights its wars.

Yet Boyd could easily have been written off as a kook. He wouldn't converse, so much as hector (and Lord help you if you sitting across the lunch table from him). He once set a general's tie on fire by poking him in the chest with a lit cigar while trying to make a point. Oblivious to what he had done, he was genuinely puzzled when the general broke off to put the fire out. "Jesus, John, you set the general's tie on fire," a friend said. "Did I?" said Boyd, "Gee, I bet THAT never happened to him before."

It's stories like that, combined with clear, if quite simplified, descriptions of Boyd's ideas, which make this book a classic. For a more sophisticated explanation of Boyd's work, read Grant Hammond's The Mind of War, but in any event, don't miss this extraordinary book.

The Conflict Between Theory and Reality
Robert Corum has done a masterly job in writing and telling a true to life story of what the United States culturally says it admires in people-intelligence, hard work and truth! The story of John Boyd should be read by as many people as possible, beginning with those aspiring to be leaders in both the military and civilian sectors. Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed The Art of War will begin a national renaissance in truth telling and seeking responsibility to stem the tide against our great nation becoming a 4th Century Rome.

In reality, as Corum points out in page after page, the culture does not hold those like Boyd as the epitome of honor and selfless service. Instead, he retired a colonel (despite an incredible contribution to Air Force Fighter aviation and the theories of the art of war) and his family in poverty. But Boyd's greatest achievement of riches came not in the form of tangibles known greedily as money and property, but in the intangibles he achieved, a devoted following-the "Acolytes"-from talented men who are the true defenders of the Constitution; and who in the pursuit of truth, attempt to force the military establishment to provide our servicemen the leaders, doctrine and equipment they need to do their mission. Boyd set the heroic example for others to emulate as they desire to call themselves professionals against the tide of dishonesty; against those who are the worse when they say they speak of truth, yet practice something mendacious in promoting themselves.

In light of the great popularity that the defense establishment now holds in the eyes of a novice and ignorant public, this book is a warning, maybe belatedly late one at that, given the timing of the war with Iraq. Corum's story of Boyd subtly warns that the current defense establishment, tied to the behemoth Industrial-military-congressional complex, is a corrupt institution. It is not corrupt in terms of South American politicians or the Chicago crime family's hold on politicians-the taking of money behind the scenes-but in that it subtly says one thing, yet practices something very different. While its leadership manuals, colorful posters and fancy power point presentations tout words of character, moral courage, autonomy and trust, in reality the military culture punishes those who live by what is written and desired. And in the end, as Corum highlights, it is about money-more money for more advanced weapons systems. The real wars that the Services want talented people for are fought inside the Beltway, not on the battlefield.

Corum presents Boyd's struggles-both with himself and the culture he sought to perfect-in page after page of this wonderful book. Boyd's competitive drive achieved much, as we are now seeing as people write of the exploits of the "Mad Colonel." Boyd was an officer, who despite his luminosity in flying, his winning of top science and engineering awards for his "Energy-Maneuverability Theory," was passed over for general because he did not possess the right social skills-or as Corum put it, "He [Boyd] had not yet acquired subtlety and bureaucratic skills"-but more critical, refused to play the game when it contrasted with what was right. This is a horrible precedent for an organization, particularly a military one, to set for its younger generations of leaders-tell the truth at your own peril-that must constantly give accurate reports in the face of a type of warfare that demands accurate situational reports.

Robert Corum has done our nation a great service in telling the story of not only Colonel John Boyd, but those around him who devoted their lives in doing what is right. Hopefully this book will infect many others who as Boyd did when he said, "...one day you will take a fork in the road, and you're going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go that way you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go that way and you can do something -something for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself." Most importantly Boyd would close, "If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and you may not get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won't have to compromise yourself." "To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you have to make a decision. To be or to do? Which way will you go?"

As Corum points out, unfortunately, too many have picked the former, and unfortunately for our country, has gave us a military that spends more than the next 21 opponents, "the 21 Power standard," and when it does fight, only wins indecisively.

Donald E. Vandergriff is the editor of Spirit, Blood and Treasure: The American Cost of Battle in the 21st Century, and the author of Path to Victory: America's Army and the Revolution in Human Affairs.

Interesting read on little-known influencer of art of war
I first heard of Boyd the fighter pilot when I operated out of Boyd Hall at Nellis AFB and saw the blurb about him in the entryway. When the book came out, I was eager to find out more, especially since I have flown F-16s for many years, and was interested in more of its background, since the book promised revealing Boyd's influence in the development of the modern fighter.

I did find the book interesting, but I think not in the way the author intended. As a fighter pilot, Boyd seems to have been exceptional, but that aspect was only worth a few chapters (which is about how much it took). I thought the author spent entirely too much time on Boyd's childhood, trying to lay the groundwork for explaining his eccentric behavior. As a person, I found Boyd anything but admirable. He was a lousy officer, a lousy husband, and a lousy father (based on the facts laid out in the book). And by the author's own accounts, Boyd was somewhat less than fully truthful in some of his recounts of past exploits. One thing I got from the book was that if Boyd had been able to improve his interpersonal relationship skills even a little, he could have had a much greater, positive affect on all the things he is known to have influenced and probably many he is not known for. But I strongly agree with what Boyd said about "doing something" or "being someone" (careerists) in the Air Force (trust me, after 18 years I understand - I chose to do and consequently got burned).

This brings me to the three things I thought made the book a worthwhile read. I loved the nitty gritty that surrounded Boyd as the fighter pilot. I thought it interesting to compare the then and now, to read about some of the first jet fighters from a fighter pilot's perspective. But what I found even more interesting was the story surrounding Boyd's lengthy time at the pentagon and the influences and swirling controversy Boyd affected on the developments of the fighters of my era, the F-111, F15, A-10 and F-16. The third was Boyd's direct influence on the change in much of the doctrinal thinking across the services in his later years.

So, as a vehicle to bring the reader through these interesting eras, Boyd was worthy of a book. I only wish the author hadn't spent so much effort trying to make Boyd out as a super-human who just wasn't understood, instead of what he was, an eccentric fighter pilot with some great ideas and the convictions to see them through.

zlotnikde@myvine.com
Well Done--Coram!

America is desperately seeking patriots in all fields of endeavor; education, social services, military, industry and especially government.

You revealed a group of patriots who knowingly put thier country before their own self-interests--and you also clearly showed what happens to a patriot!

Again! WELL DONE!

If one or more of these reasons fit you buy this book
I both enjoyed and learned a lot from this book. It is right for you if your interests fit one or more of the following:
1. It is a fast moving description of a most unusual man. He was not entirely admirable by any means but he had a genius and an integrity that you have to admire.
2. In my younger years I did a lot of flying and had a part in designing aircraft. I found boyd's ideas on aircraft of great interest.
3. I believe that like it or not we must all share in decisions about, not if, but what kind of military forces we must have. This book is only a start but if you are interested there are a number of good follow up books cited about Boyd and his sources of information and ideas on military strategy.
4. It is a useful study of the great difficulty in managing a huge Federal establishment and particularly something as specialized and far reaching as the military.
5. If you like a good story and one or several of these topics interest you buy this book. You will get your money's worth. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

THE EYES HAVE IT ! !
I have read and "studied" several of Mr.Kunstler's books and enjoyed them all.I particularly enjoy the artists comments as to why he does some of the things the way he does.This book is different in that his art is not accompanied by his explanations but by another writer's text.This text is very good and really brings out the personalities of these great characters.As one who believes that it is important to understand the personalities of the people involved if one is to understand why things happened the way they did;this is very well done.
As to the title of my review;I find eyes fascinating.The first thing I look at in Mr.Kunstler's paintings is the eyes.Let me point out Confederate Sunset on pg.56 both Lee's and Jackson's eyes are very beady and staring resulting in them looking like figures in a wax museum;giving the painting a posed and unnatural feeling.Other examples are of Jackson on pages 38and 40.Note the difference in Jackson's eyes on page44.Another thing I like to study is how some paintings look very stiff,posed almost like a diorama in a museum,eg.The Return of Stuart on pg.126.Compare this to The Last Council on pg.102 which is so realistic. Am I alone in seeing this aspect of Mr.Kunstler's work?

Excellent combination of art and history!
Outstanding compilation of information, and the best images of primiere Civil War artist Mort Kunstler. A "must have" for all serious students of the American Civil War. ... Read more

Book Description

Part One Of Two Parts

MacArthur was not only a lean, chiseled military genius and master of strategy; he also suffered unexplained lapses. For example, he knew of the Pearl Harbor attack but neglected to deploy his Philippine air force, a failure which resulted in its total destruction. And the success of his Inchon invasion was all but undone by the Chinese hordes that later swarmed across the Yalu--a response easily predicted, disastrously ignored.

"AMERICAN CAESAR is gracefully written, impeccably researched and scrupulous in every way...a thrilling and profoundly ponderable piece of work." (Newsweek) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Hero worshipful and dated, but still interesting
Manchester began this examination of the flamboyant MacArthur with the intent to write a critical biography. Yet he became so enamored with his subject that the book turned into an extremely pro-MacArthur book, nearly devoid of criticism. Yet his gifts as a writer/researcher are so pronounced that the reader overlooks this problem. Manchester is in the same league with the brilliant David McCullough, and both historians are able to hold a reader's interest through 800 pages.

Manchester's infatuation with MacArthur is evident is his unwillingness to criticize Mac for any military decision. Why is no blame attached to MacArthur leaving his planes on the Manila airstrip in December, 1941? What about his gross insubordination towards his Commander in Chief, Harry Truman, throughout the Korean War? Though Manchester examines these issues in depth, he fails to throw much blame on MacArthur, who remains resplendent, fascinating and brilliant throughout.

A particular strength of the book is the examinations of the private relationships in MacArthur's life. Manchester explains in depth Mac's two marriages, the suffocating love he displayed towards son Arthur, and his competitive relationship with Ike, "the best clerk I ever had."

This is the standard MacArthur biography and by a wide margin the most readable. Opt for this over the more recent MacArthur biography by Geoffrey Perret, which is almost comically awful. This book is highly recommended.

The life of a great man.
In 1941 the United States of America started fighting the expansionism of the Japanese Empire during World War II. We needed a man who could win the war, save as many soldiers as possible and make the American people proudof their choice. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made a smart choice.He chose General Douglas McArthur, the man would win World War II, makeJapan the economic powress it has become, and charmed the American peoplewith his great voice after Korea. This is the life of a man, who manypeople think, he should have been God, this is the life of General DouglasMcArthur.

THE FINEST REVIEW OF MAC ARTHUR
Manchester has produced a book that covers the entire life of the controversial five star general, from his infancy to his death, in the finest of detail and in a lively literary style. - If you want to knowabout MacArthur, this is the book for you. The author very carefullypresents facts about the general and lets you the reader make up your mindon where the truth lies. Manchester does not appear to "takesides" in this book; he does not take the general and make him a god,nor does he denigrate what the general has done. He presents the many sidesof this mysterious general and lets you, the reader, put it all togetherwhich is not difficult, since Manchester provides you the tools to do it:plenty of rich detail, plenty of quotes, excerpts of memos and messages,much detail on his private family life. Again, Manchester does not tell thereader what to think. For example, with the fall of the Philippnes, itseems that the general has made up his mind to stay and, along with hisfamily, expects in a matter-of-fact way to commit suicide rather than betaken prisoner by the Japanese. You wonder about his wife and child, butManchester doesn't tell you what they want to do: he lets them speak. - Anexcellent biography and significant historical account. Probably the bestever on MacArthur whether you like the general or not.

Brilliantly written and inspirational.It is living history
The book is alive and very interesting.It is like reading a newspaper and not a rendition of the facts about a dead man's life.It is inspiring to read how the general overcame every obstacle to achieve his goals.I have read the book more than once. ... Read more

Book Description

Anthony Swofford's Jarhead is the first Gulf War memoir by a frontline infantry marine, and it is a searing, unforgettable narrative.

When the marines -- or "jarheads," as they call themselves -- were sent in 1990 to Saudi Arabia to fight the Iraqis, Swofford was there, with a hundred-pound pack on his shoulders and a sniper's rifle in his hands. It was one misery upon another. He lived in sand for six months, his girlfriend back home betrayed him for a scrawny hotel clerk, he was punished by boredom and fear, he considered suicide, he pulled a gun on one of his fellow marines, and he was shot at by both Iraqis and Americans. At the end of the war, Swofford hiked for miles through a landscape of incinerated Iraqi soldiers and later was nearly killed in a booby-trapped Iraqi bunker.

Swofford weaves this experience of war with vivid accounts of boot camp (which included physical abuse by his drill instructor), reflections on the mythos of the marines, and remembrances of battles with lovers and family. As engagement with the Iraqis draws closer, he is forced to consider what it is to be an American, a soldier, a son of a soldier, and a man.

Unlike the real-time print and television coverage of the Gulf War, which was highly scripted by the Pentagon, Swofford's account subverts the conventional wisdom that U.S. military interventions are now merely surgical insertions of superior forces that result in few American casualties. Jarhead insists we remember the Americans who are in fact wounded or killed, the fields of smoking enemy corpses left behind, and the continuing difficulty that American soldiers have reentering civilian life.

A harrowing yet inspiring portrait of a tormented consciousness struggling for inner peace, Jarhead will elbow for room on that short shelf of American war classics that includes Philip Caputo's A Rumor of War and Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, and be admired not only for the raw beauty of its prose but also for the depth of its pained heart. ... Read more

Reviews (248)

Brutal, profane, and brilliant
In "Jarhead" Anthony Swofford has created a memoir that ranks with "Dispatches" and "My War Gone By, I Miss it So". His brutal honesty, when combined with his superb writing, produces a portrait of war that is both appalling and moving. Swofford's book isn't one of tactics, weapons and politics; rather, it is one of brotherhood, terror, hope and despair.

While the book isn't written in chronological order, it details (albeit unevenly) Swofford's life from childhood through his enlistment in the Marines and the years following the Gulf War. As one might expect, the bulk of the narrative covers his time in the Marines, although there are a few particularly poignant moments that took place before and after his service.

As a narrative of Marine life, "Jarhead" is fascinating. Swofford provides the best look atf life in the Marines I have ever encountered (and that includes Sledge's superb "With the Old Breed"). From his indoctrination through his deployments in the Pacific and Desert Storm, the reader is given a string of snapshots of life as a Marine that are by turns funny, appalling, terrifying and touching, but always fascinating.

That said, "Jarhead" is much more; it is Swofford's chronicle of his journey into manhood, and how the horrors of war shaped the man he would become. Swofford reveals himself as a realist when he states in the final pages, "Some wars are unavoidable and need well be fought." However, he reveals the battlefield view of war when he continues, "but this doesn't erase warfare's waste." Swofford is no pacifist, but he has seen what war can do to a man, what war did to himself. Above all, I suspect that "Jarhead" was a cathartic effort for Swofford, an attempt to overcome his demons by revealing them to the light of day. At the same time, though, he has created a cautionary tale for those who make the decision to go to war; essentially, he is revealing the true price of war so that we might better determine if the use of force is worth the cost.

Ultimately, "Jarhead" is a fascinating look at one man's journey into manhood through war. It is not an easy read, and is profoundly sad at some points, but it is a brilliantly written and immensely important book. One would hope that all of the soldiers the U.S. produces are so thoughtful, so well equipped to fulfill their mission even as they are revolted by its effects. Likewise, one would hope that our leaders would read this book, and think long and hard before they send more brave, intelligent boys to face the abominations Swofford so compellingly recounts.

Great writing, very timely with the current Irag situation
Weaving together universal themes that affect the average American male in his late teens and early twenties with the very unique (and virtually undocumented) experiences of a front-line sniper during the first gulf war. This book is artful in it's treading of the thin line between insincere flag-waving and flat out anti-Americanism. Swofford is at times astonishingly honest about what really goes on in the head and heart of a very young man trained and programmed to [destroy] for the USMC. He is not in the Saudi Arabian desert because he feels passionate about defending the autonomy of Kuwait, he's in the Corps because the recruiter told him about all of the ... conquests available to the nubile seventeen year old who sat in the office, impressionable and naive. Swofford brings to this book an honesty and integrity that is basically unseen or unheard-of in other Marine Corps literature, and on top of this brings with him an utterly readable and enjoyable work of literature. If you are interested in what life in Desert Storm was REALLY like, this should be just the book for you.

Great Gulf War Book
I am very interested in War, and Special Forces, at the age of 15. Belive it or not, I am interested in Politics, and a very strong Republican. I have dreams of going to National Counter Terrorism University, in D.C., and then joining Delta Force for 5 years, and then the Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI.

Enough of me, this was a great read. It is a great descritpion of the war, and it was just what I was expecting. If you like this, I would also REALLY reccomend, Marine Sniper.

A bit too profane for me...
Because Swofford's book got favorable reviews and because I served with the Marines during the latter part of the Korean Conflict, I thought I'd enjoy this book. It has it moments, mostly later in the book, when the author begins so show a bit more humanity. I must have run with a different group of Marines or maybe it's a generational thing, but none were as raunchy or vulgar as those Swofford describes. Sure, we got drunk plenty of times and our language sometimes was 'not for publication' (in those days, anyway), but nothing so much as his buddies in this book. For someone who only spent a few weeks in actual combat, Swofford comes across as very bitter and angry. I admit I might have felt that way if I were in the current mess involving an unjustified invasion of Iraq, but Desert Storm was reasonably justified. I was disappointed by Jarhead but would like to know what other Marines think about this book.

AS REAL AS IT GETS!
This book allowed me to relive a part of my life that I had put in the back of my head for years. I was in the library one day when I picked up this book and saw the face of Anthony Swofford who I recoginzed from the 2/7 STA Platoon. I was a Marine Rifleman just 18 years old and assigned to headquarters platoon as a member of the C.O.C. Security. I watched STA Platoon go on many missions and was with STA when we took enemy fire on numerous occasions. Anthony does an exceptional job of recounting the events that the Marines of 2/7 endured. I am proud to have read the book and proud to have served with Anthony Swofford. This book is as real as it gets! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the tradition of Garry Wills's modern classic Lincoln at Gettysburg, RonaldC. White Jr. offers a close reading of the speech Abraham Lincoln gave in 1865at his second inauguration and declares it the man's finest and most importanteffort. It contains one of Lincoln's best-known lines ("With malice toward none;with charity for all"), which White admires as "a timeless promise ofreconciliation." At the same time, White reminds readers that rather thanyanking such brilliant rhetorical nuggets from their context, "We need tounderstand Lincoln's strategy for the complete speech." He provides this in somedetail, describing the political environment in which Lincoln found himself,having recently won a presidential election that he nearly lost and also seeingthe Confederacy begin to collapse for good. It was not a long speech, containingonly 701 words of mostly one syllable each and requiring merely six or sevenminutes to deliver, compared to about 35 minutes for the inaugural address hehad given four years earlier. White calls these words Lincoln's "last will andtestament to America." John Wilkes Booth, who attended the inaugural ceremony,would murder him the next month. Lincoln buffs in particular will appreciatethis book, as will fans of Jay Winik's April 1865. --JohnMiller ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A Gem
Ronald White calls Lincoln's Second Inaugural his "last will and testament to America," and he provides powerful support for that judgment in this book. The speech itself was only 703 words long. White's text probably runs to more than 50,000 words, yet his discussion never flags. He provides rich commentary, revealing biographical insights, and engrossing historical background for a speech that was initially received with little enthusiasm, yet is remembered today as one of the greatest orations of American history.

The address was steeped in biblical references, revealing not only Lincoln's substantial biblical scholarship but also his profound religiosity. White correctly states that the separation of church and state in the United States has never meant the separation of religion and politics, and he makes it abundantly clear that, in Lincoln's mind, the fate of the United States could never be separated from God's plan for the world. Often confused with fatalism, Lincoln's religious view was centered on the Presbyterian tradition of the providence of God, the faith that "His kingdom ruleth over all." Lincoln's religion was not self-righteous; he did not wear it on his sleeve; and he explicitly rejected the view, popular among war leaders, that God was on his side and against his enemies. In his mind, the Almighty was the major actor in the Civil War, and the contesting parties were his agents.

White writes clearly, logically, and often movingly. He brought tears to my eyes when he described Frederick Douglass's visit to the White House reception given at the close of the second inaugural day. A book that can touch the heart while it informs the mind and uplifts the spirit is rare. This one does that. It is a gem.

A small book that yeilds great insights
This is a short book about a short speech; but both are saturated by meaning and insight. Ronald White's analysis of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (which Lincoln gave weeks before the end of the Civil War), portrays Lincoln as a thinker and artist, wrapped in a politician. White deconstructs each word and phrase in the speech/sermon, firmly setting them within the historical context that includes Lincoln's speaking style, Frederick Douglass, Bible-smuggling, Aristotle's rhetoric, the reading public, theological debates within Christendom, the little table in front of Lincoln while he spoke, long-forgotten sermons delivered in the Washington church where Lincoln and his family worshiped, the overtaxed printing presses which rushed out copies of Uncle Tom's Cabin, skeptical foreign newspapers, and so many other aspects of this lost and sad world. American deaths in the Civil War almost equaled American deaths in all subsequent wars, and yet, in this speech, Lincoln avoided blame for the war and gloating over the North's impending victory, and instead invoked a merciful God that punished the whole of the country for "America's (not the South's) slavery." White captures a Lincoln who was a man of his times but was somehow able to rise above them. He has written a masterful book here, blessedly short. We need more short books like this. History, like speeches, can be a lot more palatable in small bites than in the large tomes that crowd contemporary bookshelves.

A look inside Lincoln's thinking.
I never thought a book about a speech would be so very interesting. White does a great job dissecting this short speech and Lincoln's thinking behind it. At the time, the speech was not thought of well, but after his assassination, the words became the last testament of this great president. With malice toward none and charity to all, these words came to embody Abraham Lincoln.
I was especially interested in the spiritual aspects in both the speech and Lincoln. White makes Lincoln come across as a spiritual person, who believed in fate. The book examines his experience in three Protesant denominations. As we look at Lincoln's spiritual growth, we find this reflected in his speeches, especially his Second Inaugural. The last speech contained many references to God.
This is a great book about Lincoln. For those who want to understand Lincoln more, White's book examines a crucial episode in the final stages of this president's life.

Not Worth the Time or Effort
Found this book to be onerously biased and self serving. Ronald Whites depiction of Lincoln lacks any credibility, considering the fact that Lincoln the man was such a complicated human being, politician, and president. Not worth the time or effort!

Lincoln Speaks Today
I picked up Ronald White's impressive book to learn not only about Lincoln's March 4, 1865, Second Inaugural Address, but also about persuasive speech. And learn I did. Thus, I think others who speak or write about things important will be instructed by Lincoln and White's analysis of his effective rhetoric. For them, that alone will be worth the price of the book.

But there is much more in these pages. I'm neither a Lincoln scholar nor an historian, and I'm not sure what I was expecting, but when I read histories I first check for the wide range of material the authors draw upon. I then look for the care they take not to read into their texts and sources what they want readers to hear, but to read out of them what they actually say and to tell us what they have found between the lines. I appreciated White's integrity and discipline in this regard.

I also found myself fascinated by both the president's penetrating insights into human nature and White's deft ability to spell them out. I was impressed, too, with the author's lucid descriptions of the historical setting, emotional context and profound theological influences that shaped Lincoln and his address. They helped me to identify with the president as he struggled to heal and unify the nation and to see why he approached his daunting task the way he did. Moreover, both White's competence as an historian and his training in theology helped me to understand better not only this critical American moment, but also to grasp what Lincoln's message says to us today.

When finished reading, I went to our back bedroom to be alone. I read the speech to myself several times. Then I stood at the window and looked down on the plants in our garden, envisioning them as Lincoln's inaugural audience. Then, imagining I were the president at his podium, giving his greatest speech to the war-weary people before him, I read his words aloud, trying to capture his cadence, milking his use of alliteration, and pausing to stress what I now believed he wanted to emphasize. I don't cry at the drop of a hat, but as I read the last paragraph -- "With malice toward none; with charity for all ... a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations." -- my brain brought me back to our present world. Tears filled my eyes, and I could hardly finish. ... Read more

Book Description

Adored by many, loathed by some, General George S. Patton, Jr., was one of the most brilliant military strategists in history. War As I Knew It is the personal and candid account of his celebrated, relentless crusade across western Europe during World War II. First published in 1947, this absorbing narrative draws on Patton's vivid memories of battle and his detailed diaries, from the moment the Third Army exploded onto the Brittany Peninsula to the final Allied casualty report. The result is not only a grueling, human account of daily combat and heroic feats - including a riveting look at the Battle of the Bulge - but a valuable chronicle of the strategies and fiery personality of a legendary warrior. Patton's letters from earlier military campaigns in North Africa and Sicily, complemented by a powerful retrospective of his guiding philosophies, further reveal a man of uncompromising will and uncommon character, which made "Georgie" a household name in mid-century America. With a new introduction. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Patton's Account of the War without Patton's Personalitity
Gen. George Patton may have been the most successful battlefield commander of World War II. And he had a reputation for honesty and fiercely-expressed opinions. So I was disappointed by this relatively slim volume of reminiscences about his experiences in Africa, Sicily, Italy, and western Europe during that conflict. The introduction written by Douglas Southall Freeman, the great biographer of Robert E. Lee, tells us that Patton "kept a full diary from July, 1942, until Dec. 5, 1945," four days before his fatal accident," and Southall asserts that the diary entries are "always candid, frequently critical, and occasionally caustic." I regret to report that I did not find that to be the case. The notoriously fiery Patton temper is rarely on display here, which prompts me to suspect that the diary entries were heavily sanitized for publication. (Patton's widow was the original editor this book, which raises my level of suspicion.) It is possible, however, that Patton, himself, exercised extreme discretion in deciding what to commit to writing. In either case, the result generally makes for dull reading.

Some of what Patton has to say is intriguing. Patton frequently compares the casualties of the Third U.S. Army, which he commanded in France, and those of the enemy, and German casualties are consistently much higher. Patton's nickname was Old Blood and Guts," but there is, in fact, reason to believe that he was more economical with his men's lives than the conventional wisdom occasionally suggests. Patton's competition with the British commander Field Marshal Montgomery is frequently on display. In August 1944, Patton reports that Montgomery wanted all American forces to stop their advance across France so Montgomery's could make a "dagger thrust with the Twenty-First Army Group at the heart of Germany." Patton's colleague Gen. Omar Bradley was skeptical, stating that it would be "more like a 'butter-knife thrust." In November 1944, Patton was visited in the field by Averell Harriman, the United States' Ambassador to the Soviet Union, who told Patton Josef Stalin had said: "The Red Army could not have conceived and certainly could not have executed the advance made by the Third Army across France." A lengthy footnote reports that, in December 1944, Patton ordered his chaplain to prepare a "prayer for good weather" because the general was "tired of these soldiers having to fight mud and floods as well as Germans." When the chaplain attempted to demur by saying, "Sir, it's going to take a pretty thick rug for that kind of praying," Patton replied: "I don't care if it takes the flying carpet, I want the praying done." According to Patton, when he saw Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, the Allies Supreme Commander, shortly after the Battle of the Bulge, Eisenhower never mentioned the efforts of the Third Army, and Patton clearly was hurt. (In March 1945, Patton clearly was pleased when Eisenhower attended a Third Army briefing and was "most complimentary.") And Patton shows no remorse for the notorious incident when he slapped a soldier in a hospital who clearly was suffering from a psychiatric disorder.

But the chapter on the Battle of the Bulge is more typical. It contains some useful detail about one of Patton's most successful operations, but it is almost complete devoid of color and personality. For instance, one passage states: "On [Dec. 31, 1944], the Germans made seventeen counter-attacks against us, all of which were repulsed." Is that all Patton had to say? A couple of pages later, he adds: "At midnight on the night of December 31, all guns in the Third Army fired rapid fire for twenty minutes on the Germans as a New Year's greeting. When the firing ceased, our forward observers stated that they could hear the Germans screaming in the woods." Now that's interesting!

Patton's account of his campaigns during World War II is an important document. I only regret that more of Patton's personality did not come through here. One other interesting historical note: The footnotes, which are very helpful, were prepared by Col. Paul D. Harkins, who served as Patton's Deputy Chief of Staff. After his promotion to general, Harkins commanded the United States's forces in Vietnam in the early 1960s. Harkins clearly was a better staff officer than a commander.

Never Take Counsel of Your Fears
General George S. Patton, Jr.'s diaries and letters were assembled into this book in 1947, two years after his death. His widow Beatrice Ayer Patton served as a capable editor. This edition has some new material and was reprinted in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of V-E day.

Unfortunately with Patton's premature and unusual death in December 1945, (calm yourselves, conspiracy theorists) the post-war world lost its opportunity for the war's greatest memoir and its most unpredictable political leader. War As I Knew It is the next best thing, a full account of the leadership and strategic thinking of our greatest warrior.

Readers will travel with Patton from his arrival in North Africa in 1943, through the campaigns in Sicily, Western France, Belgium, the Bulge, and ending in May 1945 in Austria. Lesser known events are related such as the initial fighting with the French in Africa. In many cases, Patton revisits towns and territory that he had first seen as a young officer in the First World War.

Surprisingly, the book is also full of humorous stories such as unusual encounters with African tribal leaders, British generals, and French politicians. Cameo appearances include Marlene Dietrich, General T. Roosevelt (son of the President, who participated in the Normandy Invasion), and historical figures like William the Conquerer who influenced Patton's tactics.

Patton greatly plays down the events that led to his downfall, only briefly mentioning the slapping incidents, although he does make a very forceful argument that malingerers are a great threat to morale and need to be punished with extreme measures. The press conferences in London and Boston that led to his dismissal from the Third Army are basically outside the scope of this book, as they occurred after V-E Day and receive only a footnote.

On another level the book is chocked full of real insights into leadership that are probably more relevant today than in the 1940's. Patton is a clear proponent of focused planning, communication, speedy execution and offensive action.

Here are some examples:

It is vital to good morale that decorations get out promptly and on an equitable basis.
Staff officers of inharmonious disposition, irrespective of their ability, must be removed.
Time (speed) is more valuable than co-ordination.
In war,the only sure defense is offense, and the efficiency of offense depends on the warlike souls of those conducting it. Successful generals make plans to fit circumstance, but do not try to create cirmcumstances to fit plans.
Whenever a man gets a medal, he usually attempts to outdo himself and gets killed, whereas in order to produce a virial race, such men should be kept alive.
I believe in fighting until lack of supplies forces you to stop, and then dig in.

General Patton's Diaries
The book is composed of excerpts from the diaries of General Patton. It isn't the complete diaries but is fun and interesting. It's good to read something, in his own words, of how the general actually thought. It seems that General Patton had intended to write a book called "War as I Knew It". He didn't live long enough after the war to get it done. He does expound some about his philosophies and why he put on his war face to give the impression of being hard boiled, when in many ways he was very sentimental. He did not want to get soldiers killed needlessly. He made the "tough guy" act in order to inspire his men and psych them up for the job they had to do. His rough, hard, & extremely thorough training made his troops among the best-trained and combat ready troops in the army. The hard training was to condition and train the men to know what to expect and how to react so they would not get killed for lack of condition or not knowing what to do. General Patton's biggest problem, not controlling what he said in public, is not treated very much in this book. His war principals are outlined at the end of the book. It's a rather short read and quite entertaining.

Interresting
This book was difficult for me to follow. It seemed to be written more like a diary or personal notes and maybe he didn't have time to fill in the blanks. To tell you how confused I was, one moment I thought I was in North Africa and the next he's talking about Italy. I said, "when did I get to Italy?" On the other hand, you do get a feel for who Patton was and he does give some good advice for tactics and he had some very interresting views of how digging fox holes dropped [spirits]. I didn't notice any mention of him slapping the soldier that he took so much heat over.

I'm not going to give up on his writing and will some day try to read another book by him. So with that in mind I would recommend trying something else. Either another book of his or as I have done but not read yet, a book by Omar Bradley, "A Soldiers Story."

The ultimate war biography
Patton's "War as I knew it" captures war and the experiences of it in raw and true form. Dedicated to his craft, Gen. Patton, thru his comentaries and diary entries, walks the reader thru day by day (in some cases minute by minute) accounts of a senior officer. From the "Babtized by fire" landings in 1942 North Africa, to personal reflections and "not so politically correct" comments and observations made after the war.

Right or wrong, Gen. Patton spoke his mind...eloquently, profanely and retrospectively. He is quick to criticize yet equally quick to praise. This book is a welcome addition to any military historian's library. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An important book by an eloquent man.
Jeff McGowan has added an important voice to the national debate over Don't Ask, Don't Tell."Major Conflict" is both affecting and effective -- an earnest, insightful account of the ethical and emotional compromises that our military demands of gay and lesbian soldiers on a daily basis.It is also a personal memoir of one man's coming of age, first as a citizen and soldier, then as a lover and spouse.The story is well told and, at times, beautiful.I have done extensive scholarly work on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, interviewing scores of gay and lesbian soldiers in the process.McGowan's book ranks among the most powerful of the stories that I have encountered.

We all have a responsibility to understand the impact that our government's irrational and discriminatory policy has upon the gay and lesbian citizens who serve in the defense of our country.Jeff McGowan's book brings us a step closer to that understanding.I recommend it highly.

Joanne's Chi
What a poignant story! To experience the personal journey and struggle of Major McGowan, provided an insight into the life of a gay soldier. It is hard to imagine the inner turmoil he experienced. For a man to make the sacrifice of defending his country, what difference does it make to be gay or straight? This is a well told story about the life of one very brave, strong and genuinely honest human being.
A must read for all Americans.

Very interesting account
This book is an honest account of coming to terms with being who you are. It is inspirational reading for anyone who has ever struggled with their identity. It is especially interesting because of its timeliness, because of the war we are currently engaged in. McGowan traveled a long road and followed the light at the end of the tunnel, eventually becoming, with his partner, the first same sex couple to be married in New Paltz. The issues surrounding being gay and being in the military are salient for anyone who is concerned about what is happening in our world, whether or not they are gay. I would congratulate McGowen and anyone like him who kept their struggle honest and didn't give up until they were satisfied with their life. By writing his story, he offers hope to others.

Major Conflict
"Major Conflict " is highly readable...moving and inspiring.
It is a book for all audiences.
McGowan draws you into this well written honest read.
I admire his courage, integrity, and his self awakening humanity.

It's astonshing how our government can discriminate against gay
people who are willing to serve and die for this country.
I recommend anyone who is interested in a changed government to
please pick up the book.

reframing
Jeff McGowen reframes the entire issue of "Don't ask, don't tell".We talk about sacrifice and yet ask some to sacrifice more than others.No one should have to lose themselves and feel the kind of isolation Jeff had to endure while serving this country's military.Jeff McGowen's book is both a serious discussion of a policy doomed to failure, an insider's view of the war machine and a closely intimate account of one man's battle to be honest, open and truthful in an army where he would quickly become the enemy despite excellent soldiering.Great book!Everyone should read it, gay straight, old and young. ... Read more

Book Description

The battles of World War II were won not only by the soldiers on the front lines, and not only by the generals and admirals, but also by the shadow warriors whose work is captured for the first time in Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs. Thanks to the interviews and narrative skills of Patrick O'Donnell and to recent declassifications, an entire chapter of history can now be revealed. A hidden war -- a war of espionage, intrigue, and sabotage -- played out across the occupied territories of Europe, deep inside enemy lines. Supply lines were disrupted; crucial intelligence was obtained and relayed back to the Allies; resistance movements were organized. Sometimes, impromptu combat erupted; more often, the killing was silent and targeted. The full story of the Office of Strategic Services -- OSS, precursor to the CIA -- is a dramatic final chapter on one of history's most important conflicts.

In a world made unrecognizable by the restrictions placed on the CIA today, OSS played fast and loose. Legendary chief "Wild Bill" Donovan created a formidable organization in short order, recruiting not only the best and brightest, but also the most fearless. His agents, both men and women, relied on guile, sex appeal, brains, and sheer guts to operate behind the lines, often in disguise, always in secret.

Patrick O'Donnell, called "the next Studs Terkel" by bestselling author Hampton Sides, has made it his life's mission to capture untold stories of World War II before the last of its veterans passes away. He has succeeded in extracting stories from the toughest of men, the most elite of soldiers, and, now, the most secretive of all: the men and women of OSS. From former CIA director William Colby, who parachuted into Norway to sever rail lines, to Virginia Hall, who disguised herself as a milkmaid, joined the French Resistance, and became one of Germany's most wanted figures, the stories of OSS are worthy of great fiction. Yet the stories in this book are all true, carefully verified by O'Donnell's painstaking research.

The agents of OSS did not earn public acclaim. There were no highly publicized medal ceremonies. But the full story of OSS reveals crucial work in espionage and sabotage, work that paved the way for the Allied invasions and disrupted the Axis defenses. Operatives, Spies, and Saboteurs proves that the hidden war was among the most dramatic and important elements of World War II. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A GRAND SLAM IN STORYTELLING
I bought the book and couldn't put it down after reading it straight through over the weekend. So much of O'Donnell's book contains new information on OSS and WWII. O'Donnell does a masterful job capturing OSS's most important missions and the incredible exploits of these men and women agents most of them untold until now. The narrative style of this book combined with oral history, allows it to read like some of Ambrose's classics like D-Day or Citizen Soldiers. O'Donnell has changed his style compared to his other books yet he still allows the voices of these incredible spies and Special Forces troops to speak

I was really stunned with what OSS did during the war: everything from creating the first SEALS; to blowing up bridges in Greece; to operation CROSS a team of 100 ex-German POWs trained to kill or kidnap Hitler. Some of the best chapters revolve around Greece and the Balkans which have hardly been touched by most historians. Also entertaining was the chapter revolving around spy gadgets created in OSS labs. OSS made everything from umbrella guns to cigarettes that were .22 caliber pistols to something called the "Truth Drug." The missions into Germany itself made my hair stand up in the back of head, especially, the stories from Jewish-American veterans that went back facing almost certain death if they were captured.

Intense History
World War II is such a historical epic, so monumental and sweeping in its scale, that much can be lost in the massive threads that make up the truly great human war. At the same time, the scholarship concerning the war and its effects are so voluminous that little has not been touched on. That's why I was so pleasantly surprised when I finished author Patrick O'Donnell's excellent new history of the Office of Strategic Services, America's WWII era intelligence agency. I have read hundreds of thousands of pages on the war, but I would say 90 percent of the material and stories presented in this book were unknown to me. O'Donnell himself sounds surprised, as he tracked down dozens of aging ex-agents who were willing to give him their long held secrets in amazing detail. O'Donnell has a talent with grafting these new stories with superb document research, giving a gripping and complete account of the OSS in the European theater.

Probably the most startiling tale in this book is how unprepared the United States was for a covert war. The idea of an OSS type group was almost foreign to all American leaders, especially the military. It was only through the enlightened stubborness of the OSS' first director, decorated WWI director Willian "Wild Bill" Donovan, that the US government recognized the need for an international spy agency. It was amazing how rapidly the OSS was able to construct itself, even though it recieved substantial support from its big brothers across the pond, Britain's MI-6. O'Donnell is clear and concise as he describes the makeup and training behind the genesis of the OSS. As the US entered the war against Hitler, the OSS was rapidly moving to counter the threat posed to the world's most powerful democracy. The stories of the OSS in North Africa were amazing to me, this book serves as both an education piece and as a testament to the men and women who were willing to take unimaginable risks in order to hurt the Axis. In Africa, Italy, and the Balkans, OSS teams, made up of both American and foreign agents were instrumental in many Allied successes, such as the guerilla wars in Yugoslavia that caused Germany so many problems. O'Donnell is always ready to remind the reader that the bravery of the OSS was not confined to their American agents, the foreign operatives and armies of the OSS were often fanatically dedicated to the defeat of their homelands fascist oppressors.

As the war against Nazi Germany developed, so did OSS methods and challenges. No longer was OSS faced with the far reaches of the Nazi empire, they were now sending assets directly into the heart of the Reich. At the same time, OSS was charged with very difficult objectives, such as preparing the way for Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of France. These missions made for some great reading, as OSS agents fought with French resistance fighters in order to complicate Nazi military reaction. This included hair raising missions including the destruction of communication hubs, railroads, and convoys. Most famously, the OSS helped Free French forces battle the 2nd SS "Das Reich" Panzer division as it traveled north to the invasion beachheads, delaying it for a full month. Less glamourously, OSS agents and spies worked in places such as Switzerland and Sweden, picking up on Nazi secrets and signals. Psychological units worked tirelessly to erode Nazi morale with a bag full of nefarious tricks. At the end, the OSS was active, amazingly, within Germany itself, where it fought a covert war against the massive Nazi apparatus and its violently fearsome security organs, such as the SS-SD and the Gestapo. As the stakes became higher, so did the risks, and many a OSS operative or member met horrific fate at the hands of Himmler's sadists.

Narrative hstories are always a bit tough to write effectively, as you have to avoid the temptation to just throw all of the interviews together with little real insight. O'Donnell avoids this tripwire, by providing extremely effective scholarly research with the amazingly detailed interviews and testimonials by men and women who have gone relatively unrecognized. Their effect has been felt all over the world, as the covert wars of the 1940's have provided blueprints for the covert wars of today. Some have derided the OSS impact on the overall war, but O'Donnell is careful to point out the OSS' critical role in several turning points of the conflict. It is a very rewarding learning experience while at the same providing for Fleming like action. Amazing book.

First Hand Testimony Is Always The Best
This book is not "War and Peace", nor is it a comprehensive book on spies, but rather it is a collection of stories using first hand testimony of the participants in the OSS in WWII. In that context the book is different from most of what must now be a 1000 books on WWII. The strength of this book is the excellent writing and the series of interesting characters and their stories, all involving ordinary men that do heroic things. Thankfully their stories have been recorded by the author since many of these men are now many in the 80's and their first hand recollections will soon be lost. In any case the book is better that one might expect.

I first heard about this book on WABC where John Bachelor has interviewed a series of the living subjects or "spies" on air on his late daily show at 10:00 PM. The guys are ordinary but the stories are often riveting. They put themselves in tremendous danger with their patriotic actions. In many ways this book is like the recent Tim Russert book - a sleeper. The book seems okay from what you have heard from others and from interviews on the radio, but the book is actually a much better read. In many ways the both books (Russert and this book) are on subjects that when properly presented become compelling page turning reads. This is a great value and a good book.

Four Stars

Jack in Toronto

Interesting, if a bit superficial
Patrick O'Donnell has now written three of these books. Each is a collection of oral histories from World War 2, the first following elite units in Europe, the second covering the same ground in the Pacific. This third volume is a collection of oral histories covering the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS, in Europe.

The format is simple. The author collects the histories into a coherent narrative, provides some context, and pads the narrative with some text. The result is a recounting of various campaigns or actions from the ground level, right at the tip of the bayonet.

The difficulty, such as it is, comes from the context. There's nowhere near enough of it. The author (as noted elsewhere) speaks in this book as if the OSS did all or most of the infiltration into France and Germany during WW2, only briefly mentioning the French and British infiltrations that were more prevalent. The author focuses on the American forces, as he did in the previous two books, but here it's a bit more egregious. For one thing, the intelligence world is somewhat murky and indistinct, and its effect on the larger campaigns in the war is, to say the least, controversial. Given that we're not sure how much effect these actions had on the campaigns, the author's presentation is problematic. He tends to take whatever a spy says about the effect of an intelligence coup at face value, and expects the reader to do likewise. This is a bit much, at times.

Other than that, the book does feel a bit incomplete. One reviewer made an unfavorable comparison with M.R.D. Foot's SOE in France (which by the way should never have been allowed to go out of print); this comparison is unfair, as Foot's book was written in the Sixties, and the author had unprecedented access to classified documents and was allowed to interview a great number of people who were then alive. Though it was a great success, Foot's book cause such a controversy that critics succeeded in blocking publications of any further books by Foot or anyone else. O'Donnell's book is nowhere near as comprehensive, and couldn't be, given the differences in the way they were written.

This is a good book, if you understand it's limitations and gee-whiz-look-what-we-did attitude. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Too little, too late
I was deeply disappointed by this book. Whilst it was useful overview of the OSS during WWII it was superficial and simplistic. As an American I can appreciate that we have to the biggest and best at everything. The truth of the matter in the matter of supporting the European resistance movements with was neither - an honor that most go the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). The point is that this work is nothing like as comprehensive as M.R. Foot's "SOE in France" that I just read prior to this rather sorry work.

The biggest criticism of the author is his totally unquestioning attitude to the work of the OSS and its' policies. For example; O'Donnell presents facts and then fails to interpret them in any meaningful manner, for example the betrayal of the agreement with the British over the operations is Yugoslavia. He fails to explain the politics of the Free French and the problems this present to the resistance. Finally, his biggest omission is to completely ignores the operations of the OSS against Japan. ... Read more

Book Description

There was commotion everywhere. People were getting dressed or looking for things. The atmosphere was unreal, unbelievable. I know they all felt the same as I. A rope was tightening around everyone’s neck—the end has come. It is like seeing the angel of death manifest in the form of a policeman. No one among us spoke. Except for the rustle of everyone getting ready to go, it was quiet. We were living a nightmare. It could not be real, but it was and yet I refused to believe it. Somehow, at least in me, there was a spark of hope.

Reviews (3)

Amazing Story About Courage, Toughness And Survival
Once you begin to read Allen's personal story you will not be able to put it down.It is very well written.It truly is a