Reds Books

One Christmas in Old Tascosa. By Casandra Firman as told by Quintille Speck-Firman Garmany. Foreword by Red Steagall and illustrated by Judy Wise. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 2006. xi, 90 pages. 2 photos, 12 illustrations ISBN 089672588X

Tascosa now includes Cal Farley's Boy's Town. Before that it was the wild and wooly West with Indians, buffaloes, gunfights, cowboys, and dancehalls. Between the two, the town virtually went to the ghosts. But here is a sweet story from the interregnum.

Garmany was a seven-year-old in 1931. The Depression Dust Bowl was on, but few would have realized it given how simple life was in Tascosa. Having more than one pencil was a student's wealth.

At the time Tascosa's lone resident was Frenchie McCormick, an elderly woman with a dancing history and an honored wedding vow to remain in Tascosa. Nearby in a one-room school house Christmas was approaching and the children's Pageant was finally ready. And it was nearly, completely, absolutely wrecked. It wasn't the children, the building, the costumes, or even a too-playful dog. It snowed on the day before the evening's performance, so heavily that the audience could not come. Parents knew their children were okay with the teacher in the schoolhouse, but they could not get through the snow. And without an audience to love and smile over the Pageant's young performers, it would be a failure. Then through the blizzard, Frenchie McCormick was spotted coming through the deep snow. The children warmed Mrs. McCormick. She took her place among the chairs out front. And she loved the youngsters' presentation. And the children loved her for being there - just to see them.

Red Steagall, a Texas poet laureate, and Richard O'Brien appends a song "Frenchie McCormick." Merry Christmas!

There is a great "you are there" quality to this story, and the illustrations are wonderful. These events happened not that long ago, but it seems life another world. Reading this book maked me reflect on the "hardships" of my own life, and on the magic of one night in a young girl's life.

This poignant Christmas memoir will appeal to children and adults. The historical element increases the interest and insures that this will be reread every December.

Having known Quinn Garmany my entire life, I can honestly say that this is a truly amazing story. Worth reading and worth sharing!

Even if the illustrations weren't so gloriously detailed and cozy, this book would win you over with its satisfying story. The patchwork cat is drawn so lovingly that she almost shimmers from the page. Her adventure, which is just scary enough, and her rescue, which will make everyone cheer, are appealingly told from a kitty point of view. My two sons and I rank this as one of our very favorite books for younger children. Don't miss Bayley's illustrations in the truly wonderful story by Antonia Barber, The Mousehole Cat.

I really hope it gets put back into print!

I absolutely love this book. I received a copy of my own for my 4th birthday in 1981. I recently found it in my hope chest and read it to my boys. They loved it and had me read it over and over again. The story is about Tabby's journey to bring her beloved patchwork quilt back home after it has been thrown away.
Very few books stick with us for so many years and this was one of them.

Tabby loves her quilt and goes to great lengths to save it. She loves her home, too, and faces danger to return there. And you will love Tabby. The story is riveting, the artwork unforgettable. Tabbys' love will stay in your heart always! Please try to find it. You'll cherish it for life

One of the greatest of the series, this book unusually partners the Ds and the Amazons, with the Swallows not arriving until the day after the last page. As usual Nancy and Peggy are in dire straits, this time thanks to a surprise visit from the dreaded Great Aunt. With their guests, Dick and Dorothea just arrived, they are forced to take extreme measures to keep life on, what they consider, an even keel. Dragged into their web of deception are a myriad of ýNativesý including the doctor, Squashy Hat, Cook and the postman. As usual, there is continual suspense and excitement and once again we are transported to a better world and left the better for it.

It's another fun holiday with the Amazon Pirates, Nancy and Peggy, until their Great Aunt discovers that Mother is away, and they have no one to look after them! Nancy and Peggy know they must hide visitors Dick and Dot, but where? Of course! In an old abandoned hut in the woods! They will be "Picts" while the suffering Amazons will be "martyrs." Will the G. A. find out? Will the doctor give away the secret? Will Dick be able to help Timothy with his experiments? Will the amazons be stuck in frilly frocks for the rest of the summer?

Sail with Dick and Dot on their new boat--the Scarab--in this funniest of Arthur Ransome adventures through the Lake District.

Very few things scare Amazon Pirate First Mate Peggie Blackett -- mostly thunder, but also the Great Aunt.

The only thing that scares Amazon Pirate Captain Nancy Blackett (well, "Ruth", properly, but Amazon Pirates are ruthless) is the Great Aunt.

Great Aunt Maria Turner, who raised Nancy & Peggie's widowed Mother and their Uncle Jim, is a formidable maiden lady of firm opinion, unbending will and repressive manner. "Having fun" is not on her list of summer tasks that well-brought-up children need to perform during the Summer Holidays. And dressing in comfortable shorts, knit shirts and red stocking caps is hardly suitable for Young Ladies in their early teens.

Not that this is particularly worrisome in the normal frame of things, because she lives Far Away.

But somehow Aunt Maria gets word that Ruth and Margaret are to be alone for a goodly part of the Summer Holidays as Uncle Jim (Captain Flint) takes their mother on a cruise for her health... and decides to visit Beckfoot for most of that period and make sure that Nancy and Peggie don't get into trouble.

Not that this, even so, would be worse than Unpleasant... except that their friends, Dick & Dorothea Callum ("the D's") are to be staying at Beckfoot... and it's a sure bet that the Great Aunt would visit a devastating scold on their Mother if she found out that they were having other guests their own age to stay, to be supervised only by Cook.

And so, quicker than you can say "Are you sure this isn't a Bad Idea?" Dick and Dorothea, city kids with limited experience at camping and fending for themselves, wind up ensconced for the length of the GA's visit in "the Dog's Home" -- a one-room stone forester's hut in the woods up above the lake.

And, since a number of people know that they're supposed to be at Beckfoot, and don't know it's a secret, and because Dick is supposed to be working with Captain Flint's friend on Captain FLint's houseboat on some chemical analysis of samples from a mine they discovered in the previous book and because Murphy's Law applies to everything in life, from there the story becomes more and more complex and full of hair's-breadth escapes and humourous adventures and close calls (the burglary at Beckfoot being particularly fun).

In the end, of course, all is (relatively) well, the GA gone, the D's have their own boat to race with "Swallow" and "Amazon" and the Swallows are due to arrive any day and most of the Summer still stretches ahead.

Like all the rest of the series, humourous adventure fiction for the YA age group. (And perhaps a bit younger; since they were mostly written for British juvenile audiences, and sixty to seventy years ago to boot, the "Swallows & Amazons" books may contain references and language that today's younger readers may have some problems with. OTOH, i first read "Swallows & Amazons" [the first book] at age eight or nine and i had no problem with it.)

Which is not to say that adults can't enjoy them -- many do. Buy them for a son, daughter, nephew or niece and give them a try before you pass them on; Ransome has a huge adult readership worldwide, even today.

This is a typically terrific Arthur Ransome book. Who on earth listed it for babies and toddlers hasn't read any of Arthur Ransome's works let alone this one.

This whole series is great for reading aloud to children 7 or 8 and up.

I am very glad that I found these little books written by Petra Eiko. The author manages to cover serious topics while keeping the fun in reading intact. It is great to see something new and innovative on the crowded book market.

What kind of secret does 'Power' share? It shows the meaning of power and how never to be powerless again.

I highly recommend the whole Seeds of truth" series.

I've read all of the books in this series except for "Wisdom" and I just ordered that one. These books by Petra Eiko are so refreshingly different and fun to read. This is a great collection of information in a conversational approach that makes you think and feel good about yourself and helps you through problems in your life. I can't wait for the next book by Petra Eiko.

Reading this little book took me 45 minutes. The result I got out of it was worth much more. i did not feel powerless anymore. Life is wonderful after you get all the inspiration this book gives you, I got a lot of energy and power back.......Thanks!!!

Boy, am I glad I picked up this little book from Eiko, it made me find my power again, I new it was in me somewhere, but it wasn't roaring loud enough any more. Reading about the comparison of a seacucumber and a Tiger got my interest peeked and reading on, made me realize how easily and how often we give our power away. This is an easy Read and made me aware that my inner jungle needed some attention as well and that I am the only one in control of me. And the best part is it's only 38 pages. I've also read Eiko's other little books, Is, Fear, Heart, Vision and she really has a knack for simplifying what we tend to overcomplicate. Can't wait for the rest of them to come out!

This book is great for Political Theory classes and a must read for anyone majoring in poli sci. The translation is quite good.

Niccolo Machiavelli, (1469-1527), writes the greatest treatise on keeping a republic vibrant by comparing Rome to republican Venice. Machiavelli has gained an unwarranted notorious reputation for his "evil" treatise on political thinking and acting through his authorship of "The Prince". "The Prince" received more notoriety than his politically erudite work "Discourses on the First Ten Books of Livy" in which Machiavelli espouses his belief that the Roman Republic was the best and most virtuous form of government to emulate. His breadth and understanding of Roman history is remarkable. Machiavelli's love of his country Florence, and the proud political work as a minor government administrator and ambassador Machiavelli performed during its years as a republic show through in this work. It was on his many ambassadorial trips to the French, Papal, and Italian courts that he learned to observe political leaders and their governmental institutions which formed the basis of his political theories in his many writings. My favorite quote from Machiavelli is; "It's better to act and repent then not to act and regret".

Modern philosophers starting with Machiavelli reject the classical view of politics as undemocratic and elitist. Only wealthy men of leisure would have time to develop the virtues and character necessary to rule. Machiavelli believed that man by nature was selfish and driven by ambition. Machiavelli is not interested in character formation and moral appeal but in building the right kind of institutions to govern society. Laws and justice would protect men from power hungry rulers. Modern philosophy is an out growth of the revolution that takes place in the natural sciences during the Enlightenment. The purpose of science is the conquest of nature man is in control of human life. Philosophers from Machiavelli on become sectarian. "Everything good is due to man's labor rather than to nature's gift."

As a retired Army officer and student of political philosophy, I found this to be an indispensable book to continue one's journey into political philosophy and history of Europe.

"The authentic interpreter of Machiavelli," wrote Lord Acton, "is the whole of later history." Thus, Bill Clinton to his peril, ignored Machiavelli's advice: "Men have less scruple in offending one who makes himself loved than one who makes himself feared." Nearly 500 years ago, Machiavelli set out to teach the lessons of power. And his teachings remain as valid in our day as in his own. Want to size up a ruler's competence? Then "look at the men he has about him." Want help in making hard decisions? Consult your advisors, deliberate privately, and then stick to your decision. It was Machiavelli who first described the fundamental law of public relations: "Everybody sees what you apear to be, few feel what you are." Even those who want nothing to do with executive authority will profit greatly by learning the truth about how such power is actually gained and used. Above all, Machiavelli urges those who must deal with the real world to remain clear-eyed about its dangers: It is necessary for a prince, he warns, to "learn how not to be good," and to sometimes use this knowledge in effective defense against ruthless enemies. This is admittedly strong stuff for many idealistic readers. But those who reject Machiavelli's advice do so either in ignorance of the ways power is actually used, or in a well-intentioned but doomed attempt to create a Utopia populated not by men but angels.

In the course of my political science training, I studied at great length the modern idea of realpolitik. In that study I came to realise that it was somewhat incomplete, without the companionship of 'The Prince', by Niccolo Machiavelli, a Florentine governmental official in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. 'The Prince' is an oft quoted, oft mis-quoted work, used as the philosophical underpinning for much of what is considered both pragmatic and wrong in politics today. To describe someone as being Machiavellian is to attribute to the person ruthless ambition, craftiness and merciless political tactics. Being believed to be Machiavellian is generally politically incorrect. Being Machiavellian, alas, can often be politically expedient.

Machiavelli based his work in 'The Prince' upon his basic understanding of human nature. He held that people are motivated by fear and envy, by novelty, by desire for wealth, power and security, and by a hatred of restriction. In the Italy in which he was writing, democracy was an un-implemented Greek philosophical idea, not a political structure with a history of success; thus, one person's power usually involved the limitation of another person's power in an autocratic way.

Machiavelli did not see this as a permanent or natural state of being -- in fact, he felt that, during his age, human nature had been corrupted and reduced from a loftier nobility achieved during the golden ages of Greece and Rome. He decided that it was the corrupting influence of Christianity that had reduced human nature, by its exaltation of meekness, humility, and otherworldliness.

Machiavelli has a great admiration for the possible and potential, but finds himself inexorably drawn to the practical, dealing with situations as they are, thus becoming an early champion of realpolitik carried forward into this century by the likes of Kissinger, Thatcher, Nixon, and countless others. One of the innovations of Machiavelli's thought was the recognition that the prince, the leader of the city/state/empire/etc., was nonetheless a human being, and subject to all the human limitations and desires with which all contend.

Because the average prince (like the average person) is likely to be focussed upon his own interests, a prince's private interests are generally in opposition to those of his subjects. Fortunate is the kingdom ruled by a virtuous prince, virtue here not defined by Christian or religious tenets, but rather the civic virtue of being able to pursue his own interests without conflicting those of his subjects.

Virtue is that which increases power; vice is that which decreases power. These follow Machiavelli's assumptions about human nature. Machiavelli rejected the Platonic idea of a division between what a prince does and what a prince ought to do. The two principle instruments of the prince are force and propaganda, and the prince, in order to increase power (virtue) ought to employ force completely and ruthlessly, and propaganda wisely, backed up by force. Of course, for Machiavelli, the chief propaganda vehicle is that of religion.

Machiavelli has been credited with giving ruthless strategies (the example of a new political ruler killing the deposed ruler and the ruler's family to prevent usurpation and plotting is well known) -- it is hard to enact many in current politics in a literal way, but many of his strategies can still be seen in electioneering at every level, in national and international relations, and even in corporate and family internal 'politics'. In fact, I have found fewer more Machiavellian types than in church politics!

Of course, these people would be considered 'virtuous' in Machiavellian terms -- doing what is necessary to increase power and authority.

Perhaps if Machiavelli had lived a bit later, and been informed by the general rise of science as a rational underpinning to the world, he might have been able to accept less of a degree of randomness in the universe. Perhaps he would have modified his views. Perhaps not -- after all, the realpolitikers of this age are aware of the scientific framework of the universe, and still pursue their courses.

Even though the book is written for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 you can still find in the book something that might help you in your quest for knowledge about Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Overall it is a good book.

I can recommend this book for those, who have just installed Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 (aka RHEL 3) and
are wondering what to do next with it; but have no significant Linux/Unix experience to fall back on.
For the more seasoned RHEL 3 SysAdmin, you'll probably want to thumb through it before deciding to buy it.
This book is notch or two above a starter book on RHEL 3. There are not that many books like this out
there, so for this reason alone it may be worth the purchase.

I read this book back in January 2005. Writing a review about it was easy. Why? Because the authors
repeatedly state throughout their book, what it is they are trying to cover in RHEL 3 and what they
are NOT going to cover. They do a very good job of sticking to their objectives.

The authors cover many of the services and applications which are commonly configured on RHEL 3. They
admit it is not a comprehensive coverage, nor is meant to be. {SysAdmins will have varied opinions on
what should and shouldn't be included in this book. SysAdmins having opinions is a given. :) }
The authors selections are as good as any. They are also trying to deal with keeping the book down to a
readable size, i.e., less than 700 pages. Many of the chapters and topics in this book, are already
separate books unto themselves.

Each chapter is a survey of one or more solutions/services/applications. The authors forewarn you,
these are not all the possible combinations of the same. The authors pick one example and work
through an implementation of it. The examples are a good mix of Command Line (CLI) and Graphic User
Interface (GUI). Most of the time further references, usually URLs are included in each chapter.

I personally liked chapters 4 - 6 on Storage Management, HA (Clustering) and Red Hat's WAF (Web
Application Framework). Storage Mgmt and HA/Clustering are of particular interest to me and the
Red Hat WAF stuff was new for me.

The authors covered NFS and automounting (autofs), but omitted NIS. {Remember SysAdmins' have
opinions.} Manually doing NFS mounts is fine, if you have just a few systems. Once you get over a
couple of dozen systems requiring NFS mounts, then automounting is the next logical step. Its also
equally common to do automounting in conjunction with NIS. Yes, I know NIS is going to be replaced
by LDAP and NIS+ is dead. But using NIS and NFS automounting together is still quite common and
will continue to be for some time. (Security-wise; NIS & NFS are only done inside the firewall.)
The authors also covered file sharing via Samba. But LDAP just got a skimpy couple of pages.
Authors' choice, I guess?

My other curious observations was their coverage of LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and Python, Perl, PHP...).
They covered LAMP pieces in the book and in the last chapter without actually using the word "LAMP".
One of the authors is involved with LAMP through his company. So why not use the word? To quote
John Madden, "What was that all about?". I just thought it a strange omission, considering...

Red Hat has just recently released RHEL 4. So how long will this book on RHEL 3 be relevant?
Probably at least through this year (2005) and longer and/or until someone writes the RHEL 4 version.
Note, there are still folks out there running RHEL 2.1.

My background is, I've been in IT for over 20 yrs as a IT Mgr, SysAdm, System Architect and System
Engineer. I worked with various flavors of Unix since 1985 and with Red Hat since version 3.0.3
back in 1996. My current Linux flavor of choice is Fedora Core 2 (soon to be 3).

Linux used to be so simple. You went to your favorite book or computeer store and sitting on the shelf was a shrink wrapped red box that contained all you needed. You followed the directions and in a short time you had Linux running on your system. Of course back then we didn't worry much about security. HA (High Availability) was an acronym that hadn't been invented yet. MySQL was a ... Well never mind! The world simply isn't like that any more.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is the stable, supported heavy duty version of Linux intended for stable, mission critical applications. This book clearly describes what you get with RHEL and how to utilize these components to build an enterprise level server. It presumes that you have some knowledge of Linux and probably you should have some working experience with some kind of Linux distribution. Given that, if you are a systems administrator and want to learn about RHEL, or you're now assigned a security responsibility, high availability, server farms or the like, this is for you.

A book written in this fashion has been needed for a long time. I found it to be a very easy read and filled with the day to day task that new and seasoned Red Hat administrators come in to contact with every day.

I have spent many hours reading other Red Hat books but never found one particular book to encompass all that I needed. This book does that and more. The newbies will find it easy to understand, as the veterans will find it a usefull resource for those times when an answer is needed right away.

If you are new or a veteran to RH EL 3 GET THIS BOOK, it will save tons of time, and provide the answers you are looking for.

Wrox has picked a winnner w/ Mohammed J. Kabir, I have been a fan of his writing style for a long time, although some may disagree, he writes in a very clear concise manner, which will help the newbs out there to grasp a concept and method.

Bernie Johnson
Sr. Linux Admin

This isn't a send-up of the guru industry in Hawaii but more. This is the kind of writing I have a very hard time finding these days in the book stores. Line for Line, Wintner keeps the pages turning. These characters are people I've known, and though I only spent a short time in "Paradise", this novel took me right back to it. I look forward to the next Wintner installment, Homoncolus.

This is the first time I've had the pleasure of reading one of Robert Wintner's novels. As a resident of Hawaii, I can attest that the content in Wintner's book is true to life. Though the characters Wintner uses to tell his story are a bit outragious and unbelievable, the combination of these colorful, zany characters and Wintner's message make The Prophet Pasqual a refreshing read without the usual bull. The Prophet Pasqual has since made the rounds among my friends and we're eager for more. Will you carry more of Wintner's novels in the future? We'll be looking...

Wintner creates another Hawaii as his charachters lead you on a mesmerizing tour of the underside of life in the islands-a world populated by druggies and straights, boozers and teetotalers, winners and losers, predators and prey, in action set against a Hawaii I'll bet you never saw before. A stunning performance. After I read this book I got his "Ice King". READ Robert Wintner. HE WRITES GOOD STUFF! Bravo!

I'm pleased to say that the reaction in Publisher's Weekly was written by the same reviewer who equally disparaged my first novel, WHIRLAWAY, in '94. Kirkus declined that book on the grounds of content. WHIRLAWAY still garners a strong following among the charter boat crews in Hawaii and is now on the RECOMMENDED READING LIST OF THE MAUI COUNTY LIBRARY. Both Whirlaway and The Prophet Pasqual should be rated PG 23 and should not be given to Shiite Christians for review. It's a bad match and won't work out well for anyone. Values are personal, and this is the USA.

Perhaps this very compelling read should be entitled:'A dark red' or something similar. Why: because the novel takes the reader on an enjoyably 'dark' journey in time and space. It is a very varied journey, but my favourite part of the voyage takes place in eighteenth century - revolutionary France, where I really felt like a 'fly on the wall' in history. I won't elaborate: enjoy finding out for yourself!

An intriguing journey through time and space in which mystery is surpassed only by sexual tension.

This is a celebration of one man's extraordinary life - a life that spans oceans and centuries. In part, Red is a literary thriller in the European tradition, focusing on mysterious art collectors and the curious machinations of Dr Mabuse (who may or may not be the Devil). But, as it moves cinematically from the English Civil War to the Mexican Revolution and from Venice to New York, there is much more to this story.

A very unusual Faustian epic told in 3 non-linear parts with 3 twists/twisted endings, written eloquently yet playfully in cinematic episodes, that celebrates beauty, cities, history, architecture, 20th Century art film and literature, people, wine and food... and much more besides.

Boy oh boy, this book will get you going. Before you know it you will have drawn your battle lines, and as surely as the Vietnam War divided this country in the 60's and 70's, readers of this book will divide themselves again. Generally, I hate and fear books like this, because I don't have the time or patience for soap boxes. I just want to read the story without the crapola, the present without the shiny wrapping paper. To be straight up, I don't like pushy people, REALLY, REALLY don't like them and Mr. Toppmiller will push every available button you have. I received this book on recommendation by author Mike Archer, a man I truly admire- which is a good thing too, because otherwise I would have done with this book what I have done with others- that I thought were similar- give it the boot. Now after having read it of course, I am glad I did not make that mistake.

What I found when I read this book was a complexity that I could not have foreseen. I have read many with bigger words and more mumbo jumbo designed to make me think the author is an authority. But I do not think I have ever read one with as much in my face pure gut and heart thinly veiled in political opinion. The author gets in your face and pretty much stays there the entire time, but when you think of it, that is not unlike the history of the Vietnam War itself. I would also like to add that unlike many authors of books written about the Vietnam War, this man is not writing form information he gleaned from national archives, DOD documents, second hand information and opinion not based in fact. He lived it. He survived it and whether he believes it or not, he triumphed inspite of it.

It would be easy to be caught up in his rants about the state of the world today and feel you need to be left or right, conservative or something else. Don't be misled, not only has this man earned his right to say the things he has, not only has he seen the greatest evils and greatest kindnesses that man can offer another, there is something more here. There is a lot more here, so please look. This book is the testimonial of the human spirit written by a Navy Corpsman who survived the battle for Khe Sanh, the only way he could. Guts. He calls it a lot of other things and I respect his opinion, but I will respectfully also
disagree with his own self effacing descriptions. You cannot survive Hell and not have guts, fortitude, deep down survival instincts and a reason to live. You cannot
come through such evil and devastation and waste unscathed. You come out angry, broken, beaten and regretful. You leave that pile of rubble knowing it is the
most expensive and worthless piece of real estate on which you have ever tread. You come home sad, defensive, easily aggravated and distant to the world. You come home
different. You want, need, ache for what cannot be articulated. You come home someone else. You are not understood, even by yourself and if you are destined to
help others to heal and perhaps heal yourself you write a book. What I think the author fails to realize the depth of his healing of others as he continues, by his actions, to bandage the wounds of his comrades, which is the greatest triumph of all.

Robert J. Topmiller paints a brutally honest picture of the mayhem and carnage of war in "Red Clay on My Boots: Encounters with Khe Sanh 1968 to 2005". In January 1968, Corpsman "Doc" Topmiller arrived at the Khe Sanh Combat Base a few days prior to the North Vietnamese Army attack that initiated the infamous siege. "Doc" found himself living his solemn pledge to care for the injured, but never imagined the physical devastation he would encounter. Doc's description of the initial attack and subsequent days of the siege are honestly and vividly graphic.

Doc provides a personally revealing look at the aftermath of war, on both sides of the skirmish line. Topmiller's anger clashes with his sincere compassion as he struggles to understand the decisions made by the leaders of both countries, the United States and North Vietnam, and the damage inflicted, then and now, upon the combatants of the past, the lives of the present, and what the future holds for the Vietnamese people under communist rule. Red Clay on My Boots is a provocative read that will evoke emotion and bring the reader into a closer relationship with the realities of war.

After looking forward to receiving my copy of the book, I was not disappointed. I read the first 100 pages at once. The descriptive details Doc gives and the feelings that he shares with the reader are overwhelming. I found myself clenching my teeth. It is hard to believe that so many 18-19 year olds were subject to this type of intense stress over such long periods of time. I felt alot of saddness and anger as I read through the first section thinking about the war and how many lives it ruined on both sides. And many of us are still asking why.
Doc's experiences as a corpsman, brought back memories from the late 70's and early 80's for me. I worked at the local VA Hospital with Viet Nam vets especially those on the psychiatry ward who were suffering with PTSD. In my experience,none were more affected than the medics. They seemed to have their own particular brand of trauma: survivor guilt, their inability to save everyone who needed saving, and just the everyday life as a medic.
The second section of the book provides more of a hopeful feeling. Doc
seems to come grips with his demons, maybe not completely, but at least gives the reader a feeling that "coming to terms" is a possibility. His efforts at peace and reconciliation with the people who were his enemies reminded me of Nelson Mandela's generous olive branch to his enemy captors. His commitment to "the children" is a turning point for him and made me recall the Albert Schweitzer idea that: "only those of you who have learned how to serve will be truly happy." Doc finds a purpose with the children in the Catholic orphanage and in the School of the Beloved.
All is all, this story of one man's journey to find his own brand of peace, is a worthy read. I hope that with each subsequent visit to Viet Nam, Doc can find more answers to his questions and above all the acceptance and inner calm he seems to be searching for.

Few people are more intimately acquainted with the horrors of war than Navy corpsmen serving with U.S. Marine units in combat. Upon that terrible and grisly stage, corpsmen carry out their duties, and become heroes to Marines, by risking their lives to help others; bandaging wounds, easing pain, comforting the dying and lamenting (sometimes forever) the loss of those they could not save.

In 1968, at age 19, Bob Topmiller found himself in just such a situation, amidst of the longest and bloodiest battle of the Vietnam War -- at a place called Khe Sanh. Surrounded by as many as 30,000 of North Vietnam's best troops supported by artillery, tanks, anti-aircraft guns and rocket units, 6,000 Americans successfully held the majority of their positions despite fierce ground attacks and endless artillery bombardment. Young Bob Topmiller was among a handful of corpsmen that, at great peril to their own lives, forayed out each day under intense enemy fire to assist some of the nearly 3,000 Marines who would eventually be killed or wounded during the three-month long battle.

In Red Clay on My Boots: Encounters with Khe Sanh 1968-2005, now Professor Bob Topmiller combines chilling personal recollections, with his expertise as a distinguished scholar of Vietnamese history, to create a unique and powerful account of the Vietnam War -- and the disturbing human toll it continues to exact. Topmiller's courage during that fierce and bloody battle would later serve him well in his tireless quest for reconciliation; eventually leading him from the brink of despair to rediscover a level of compassion he thought lost forever amid the carnage and ubiquitous red clay of Khe Sanh.

Topmiller's search took him back to Vietnam a dozen times, visiting a multitude of cities, villages, and former battle sites. His knowledge of the language and culture permitted him access to facets of the society often missed by more causal travelers, but which provides the reader with astonishing glimpses of the war and its aftermath.

Everywhere he traveled, Bob Topmiller witnessed the shocking legacy of Agent Orange on Vietnamese society; particularly evident in the appalling numbers of children deformed at birth by an environment still poisoned from the war. His search for inner peace ended in 2002 at a non-descript doorway on a street in Hue - a special school for these severely handicapped boys and girls. Since that day, Bob has been supporting them- back again, easing the pain of war.

Terrifying, heartbreaking, enlightening and, above all, honest; Red Clay on My Boots is a story hard to forget.

This book caused me to feel the whole gammot of emotions--from excitement to disappointment to fear. It drew me in and captured my attention with its unexpected twists and turns. Unlike other books, taboo topics are essential to character development. This is an insightful look into the delicate balance of maintaining multiple relationships throughout the course of life. I couldn't ask for anything more from a book.

Without question, the very best book I ever read. You can not but it down nor can you stop thinking about it. This is a POWERFUL book. You will be moved and your foundation shaken but your life will be richer. This is a must read.

I am a voracious reader and in my late 20's. I have just finished Red Earth White Earth for the second time. The richness and poignancy with which the characters are developed is perfectly juxtaposed with that of Weaver's descriptions of the harsh but deeply beautiful Minnesota farmland. A magnificent story of what is natural in and around all of us.

For many reasons, this is the best book I've ever read. Not only does the story take me through a gamut of emotions, but I love Will Weaver's writing and descriptions. He describes everyday things in ways that sound unique and lyrical. I have read this book several times and enjoy it more each time. Don't miss out on this one!