Asia Books

I bought the book for the friend to give as a gift. I thought she had given it for Valentine's Day, but here's what she said when I asked her for a review: I didn't give it to him - I decided to wait til his b-day in Nov but yes, the book is excellent - exactly what he wants - the pictures are beyond excellent and extremely detailed - it's an excellent book!

I ordered this book so I could read about the terracotta warriors prior to visiting the exhibit currently at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, CA. The other reviews are really what sold me on the book - especially the review by B. Evans.

I ordered the book July 31 (Sunday) and paid for shipping so I could receive it prior to my museum visit August 7. I expected it to arrive the 6th but it arrived on the 4th! I was very pleased with the fast service. I was astounded when I saw the book. It surpassed the reviews by far. It's gorgeous! There's so much background information and the writing style is excellent and the photos are superb.

If you have an opportunity to see an exhibit, please go! But first - buy this book! I'm so glad I'd read the background information (I skimmed a lot - there's a lot of information!) and looked at the very detailed photos prior to my visit. It made it so much more enjoyable (there's an audio guide and great written plaques at the museum but I liked knowing all that information beforehand). I also appreciate the photos even more now because the museum has low lighting and that makes a difference when you're over 50! Seeing the warriors in person is a great experience - but having this book is even better because the details are sharper and you get a vast amount of information. The exhibit had the 2 chariots with horses and so many of the warriors and animals that are featured in the book that you have your own museum tour right there in the book.

I almost bought a book that featured a large fold-out of the warriors lined up in the pit. I saw that book in the museum and looked at the fold-out (and another fold-out was placed on the wall). The photography was inferior to the photography in this book. I looked at all the books the museum had and was thrilled with this book. It's really the best. So thank you to the first 3 reviewers! You sold me and I'm grateful! One thing no one mentioned was the quality of the paper in this book. That struck me immediately. It has very high quality, glossy paper which makes it easy to read and makes the photographs stand out. With tax and shipping, it came to $41.79 and is worth so much more than that.

The striking feature of this book is its inclusion of unusually large photos of close-ups of some individual soldiers. Two individual chariots, in addition, receive in-depth illustration of various aspects. If you really want to have a taste of what it feels when seeing as different each of the soldiers' faces, you will never be disappointed with this book in hand.

Several historical incidents that happened in this period also attract elaboration from this book. How the Emperor burnt thousands of scholars and books in order to take control of people's mind, is something that is explained through a model of the scene by the authors.

At the end of the book, the authors also explain how they, with the help of the Chinese officials, took the photos, with equipment weighing over 1000 pounds.

In the middle of the book the authors also attempt to delineate the long tradition of the Chinese philosophical thought as expressed in different schools, that preceded the rule of the Emperor over the unified China, which lasted only for 15 years!
While the discussion of the philosophical thoughts might not be deep enough, I guess the readers who are interested in this book would not count this as any issue. For overall each of the faces of the soldiers that feature in the photos already tell thousands of different stories, given the reader's own imagination.

I would recommend this book as a highly collectible gem!

I bought THE ETERNAL ARMY to learn more about its discovery, the reason for its creation, and above all, for its many incredibly stunning/revealing photographs. So closely are the soldiers shown, for example, that one can clearly see the different facial expressions of each. But I was even more amazed by how detailed and different the backs of their heads are, especially the ones with braided hair. And that each soldier's armor is made up of a myriad plates absolutely astonished me.

In addition to the famous soldiers and bronze chariots (also shown in incredible detail), the camera treats the reader to close-ups of the chariot driver, archers, functuaries and the scantily clad figures now thought to perhaps be gymnasts or wrestlers "ready to engage in an exercise of martial arts." Shown too are many artifacts, such as bronze birds, that were found along with the army. But perhaps most mind-boggling of all are the photographs of finds yet to be reassembled, for they attest to how monumental the task has been to excavate and restore but a fraction of the emperor's army.

Had the above, including the fascinating information about the army, been all that was in this book, I still would have gladly spent every dollar I did to purchase two copies. But much to my amazement, there was even more: approximately 90 pages of background about ancient China and the Qin empire--pages laced with stunning photographs of related artifacts and watercolors, pages so interesting that I learned much about a period that I'd had absolutely no interest in. And as an added bonus, the entire book is written in prose not the least bit pedantic. For these reasons, there are neither superlatives nor stars enough to convey how highly I recommend this book. --B. Evans, 12/11/07

Incidentally, photographs from this tome were used to make the four jigsaw puzzles of the terracotta army in a slim, $6.99 remainder book with the same title that currently is available at Border's.

I thought that this was a great book for kids in 6th grade because we learn about Canadians and WW2. I felt sorry for Sara Warren because she is trapped inside feeling like she has to choose between Mr.Ito and her family because of the War. This is a wonderful book for our time going through the war against Iraq. The front cover is all ready a great description of the book.

In my state we have something called Readind Competition.It's where you have to read a book and answer qustions about it. I raed this book for it and loved it.It's sad and exiting so please buy it it's worth the money!

This story "The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito", was about the hardships a girl named Sara Warren and her friends and family faced while World War II was going on. Sara Warren lived with her parents in England, but because Germans were bombing England, her parents sent her to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to live with her relatives. She stayed with her Aunt Jean, Uncle Duncan, cousins Mary & Jamie, and their friends. Many horrible and unexpected things happened.

This was a really interesting novel. To me this novel explained life and all the horrible things that happen. Mr. Ito was a very special man to Sara.

To me this novel means a lot. It means that even when things are at their worst, there is still hope. And that little hope may be strength and courage to move on.

The significance of this novel within the theme of Heroic Adventures was expressed a couple of ways. Sara stood up for herself and the way she cared for things and helped people made her a hero. She looked beyond everyone's face and saw something different that made her want to help people. Sara displayed heroism in a way that she cared for her plant, and everyone around her. She especially cared for the Itos because of all the trouble they were going through. Sara was very strong when things were at their worst.

The genre I would include this story in is realistic fiction. Everything in the story was true. World War ll really happened, and sadly people do die. Comparing this novel to the last novel I read, I like this novel much better. Their similarities were both about heroes and a girl that tries to save the day.

I would absolutely recommend this book to others because it is very interesting. I guess I could say that I learned something from this book. That is that once you read this book, you can't put it down!

This is agreat book. Anyone who is looking for a Historical Fiction book, this is great!!!

Perhaps the best book on the Filipino American experience I have ever read.
This is a must read book.

I come from a similar background as the author, though a generation removed (younger). As I read it, I find that he has in fact written MY personal archipelago. This book is not contrived or pretentious. One of very few books I've found that relate the Philippines and Filipino identity issues so genuinely and honestly.

The only thing better then reading this book on your own, is to experience it from Francia's own lips. Francia is an amazing storyteller, this book is a must for anyone interested in personal/cultural identity. If you ever get a chance to hear this author read, do it- he is wonderful!

From the first word of this book I knew that this book was for me. Luis Francia's book is a must read for any Filipino-American looking to discover their Cultural Identity.

Luis takes his reader's on poetic journeys through the Philippine Archipelago, through these adventures we discover the many cultures of the Philippines and start to understand social and political issues that Filipinos face. Through his words you feel Luis' passion for a country he loves in the same way that you feel the passion through the words of Jose Rizal, Jorge Luis Borges, or Pablo Neruda.

It is not enough to say that I enjoyed this book. Luis' book is culturally significant. It meets the needs of Filipino's in their struggle to create a new cultural identity.

Though a part of Texas A&M's military history series, this book often serves as more of a study in the political conflicts between the Defense and State Departments. As a result, it details enough of the conflict between the two to intrigue both Koreaphiles and those interested in the political process and posturing.

The author was in the unique position to know fully about both positions during key moments in Korea's modern history. The result is a read that is sometimes funny, often insightful, and always interesting.

Perhaps what is best about this book is that while it helps to have a basic understanding of Korea's recent history in advance, it is by no means required. Young's straightforward style makes otherwise complicated issues seem as simple as night and day. It also provides a wealth of information in under 200 pages without overwhelming the reader.

Eye on Korea is a tremendous contribution to modern Korean history. It is a very easy and entertaining read. It will appeal to those who know nothing about Korea, and to those of us who have lived or travelled there extensively. There is little to no jargon, things that would not be familiar to the average reader are explained quickly and clearly.

I have spent the better part of my adult life in Korea or working with Koreans. I was surprised and delighted by the things I learned by Eye on Korea. It filled many gaps in my understanding of how things went down in the late 70's and 80's. It was full of names, places and events that I recognized, but had never before had a coherent picture of how they all related. Eye on Korea provides that coherence.

If I am forced to complain about anything, it would be the brevity. I would have enjoyed a couple hundred more pages. It's evident from what Col. Young tells us--and from what he doesn't tell us--that he knows enough to fill volume upon volume.

This is a MUST BUY for anyone interested in Modern Korea or Korean-US relations.

James Young, one of the American military's first area specialists, has written what may well be the most interesting and definitive book on recent Korean-American diplomatic and military relations in print today. Young, a former Army Colonel, spent almost 20 years in Asia, including 14 in Korea, where he was an advisor to five American ambassadors and several Secretaries of Defense. In this appealing memoir, he writes with the expertise of an old Korea hand.

After four years of training in Korean language and culture, Young was a first hand witness and participant as American diplomats convinced South Korean President Park Chung-hee not to develop his own nuclear weapons. The lessons from this experience might well be of use today in dealing with North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

From the perspective of a military attache,Young provides new insights into the intrigue and behind-the-scenes efforts to derail President Jimmy Carter's troop withdrawal policies. His on-the-scene account of the military coup of 1979, and subsequent events, is extraordinarily authoritative and comprehensive, and provides new information for historians. He provides personal observations on the imposition of martial law and the Kwangju incident that followed, when Korean military forces ran amok during protests in the city and killed and wounded hundreds of civilians. For the first time, he details how the United States was caught flat-footed, and how policy makers at the time failed to respond, thus sowing the seeds of anti-Americanism in the years to come.

Additionally, Young's insider account of dealing with the senior leadership in North Korea in both diplomatic negotiations and business settings makes a major contribution to understanding the internal dynamics within this secretive state.

"Eye on Korea" is a great mixture of contemporary military and diplomatic history. It offers stories that are entertaining, provocative, and often humorous. Those interested in the region, the issues, and modern Korea will value this book.

Colonel Jim Young has developed a keen analytical eye for things Korean developed over a multi-decade career of study, friendship and focus on this fascinating but enigmatic country. Young uses the vehicle of autobiography to detail some of the high points in the modern developmental history of South Korea and along the way opens the curtain to an insider's view of US governmental machinations. The Colonel had an uncanny way of being involved over many years with key events in US-Korean relations such as threatened troop withdrawals under President Carter, assassination of President Park, the death of dictator Kim Il-sung in North Korea, the murder of US Army officers and many, many other events. Final chapters discuss nuclear North Korea and the complexity of the tense situation there.
This book offers the reader a fresh insight to events and analysis not seen elsewhere. It is written for a non-technical audience but is valuable for the cognoscenti as well. I recommend 'Eye on Korea' most enthusiastically to every concerned person who wonders what the future holds for America in the vital but tumultuous environment of the Korean Peninsula.

I never would have thought of the theme of this book, but once immersed in it, found it totally engrossing. India has been the great seed bed for many Western thinkers. This is an exciting way of seeing the relationship between India and the U.S...and a well-documented account of it with fascinating stories.

Jeffrey Paine has written an amazing book, which is both sophisticated in its analysis and insightful in its perspective. Yet, the narrative is racy and easy to read - possibly because of his background in journalism.

Paine traces the careers and Indian adventure of eight well-known persons who were either Westerners or were Indians influenced by the West to begin with, but later became deeply influenced by India. Yet in the process, they also influenced India itself. The list includes Lord Curzon, Mahatma Gandhi, E. M. Forster, Shri Aurobindo, Mira Behn (Madeleine Slade), Mother (Mirra Richard), Carl Jung, V. S. Naipaul and Annie Besant, all well-known figures in India and outside.

In the process he weaves a magical yet sophisticated tapestry showing why India exercised a near-fatal charm for these people and how it changed them. He also adds a lot of tid-bits about their personal lives, and idiosyncracies, their struggles, their failures and their successes. Surprisingly, and without noticing it, by the time you finish the book, you would have developed a pretty good perspective on how India has affected and deeply influenced Western world through these people. A remarkable intellectual feat indeed.

His handling of each character in the drama is confident and skillful. He has a definite format to follow, and this adds rigour to a book, which could have become a maudling, sentimental journey otherwise. The connections he makes with other contemporary characters and happenings are simply astounding and marvellous.

However, he becomes less sure of himself as he comes closer to the present, possibly because the processes are still going on, and the advantage of hindsight is not available. As a result, his handling of the chapter on Shri Aurobindo and his spiritual companion, the Mother, is less deft. He also fumbles with the conclusion, possibly because India is an incredibly complex phenomenon and Paine is after all a mere mortal.

Notwithstanding this slight blemish, an excellent book, worth the time and money, for anyone interested in understanding India and the West.

A paperback edition is also available in Penguin India under the plain title 'Father India'.

I admit I may have been mildly intoxicated before I read this book - intoxicated on Western Buddhism and New Age philosophies that legitimize themselves by associating themselves with Indian religions. This book sobered me up. Paine indicates that much of what many of us have mistaken for pure distilled India is really a hybrid mutation of India and its European interpreters and visitors. I honestly feel I came away with a much better understanding of characters like Madame Blavatsky, Krishnamurti, and Ghandi. There is also a great deal of material addressing individuals who adopted a homosexual lifestyle including E.M. Forster and Christopher Isherwood. I might wonder if Jeffery Paine is himself practicing homosexuality given the amount of time spent on the topic. (In fact, if he isn't, it would be a bit annoying.) The representation of this group seems a bit disproportionate but it may indeed be the case that a disproportionate amount of the Europeans experimenting with India in the early 1900s were of this group - well at least the ones that got famous. (In which case I shouldn't be so annoyed).

Certainly India has played a part in our present culture albeit in a roundabout and almost covert way. Paine's book suggests that it was more as a catalyst than a direct effect. A place to which people embarked on holy quests and often did not find what they expected. If you have read a few new age books that swear allegiance to Indian philosophy and religion and are feeling a bit tipsy, or if you have an interest in the psychological history of the waning British empire and India as the British empire waned, I highly recommend this book.

The book delves into the feelings, emotions and travails as felt by some of the administrators, writers,social activists and reformers who have ';experienced ' India at close quarters.Curzon, Annie Besant,EM Forster, Chris Isherwood and finally Gandhi's experiences are chronicled in detail.The book tries to provide the reader with an understanding of India that is gleaned from the spiritual and pyschological processes of these visitors and tries to enunciate a depth of feeling. These 'outsiders'twist and turn at every corner in India and the reasons for their doing si might infuse an Indian to think more deeply , and accord the foreigner with a more intimate view of the seething cauldron that answers to the name of India.

This is a wonderful exposition of the power of direct action to effect social change. Mr. Elmer does a great job of showing how a typical, suburban, middle class kid can end up burning draft records and sitting in a tiger cage for the summer on the capital steps. He makes a convncing case for the efficacy of direct action for those closed out of the political process. In effect, while very few decision makers will directly change their position because of sit-ins, protests, hunger strikes,etc., they have the power to change public opinion. As he explains, 10,000 young people may not have had the votes to elect anyone, and certainly didn't have the money to play politics in the usual way of making campaigndonations, etc., what they did have was the power to show that the only way to fight the Vietnam war was to send tens of thousands of middle class kids to jail--something thqt this country ultimately was not willing to do (at least, given the reality on the ground created by the Vietnamese themselves, and the international climate).

Where Elmer over sells his case is in arguing that non-violence is always an appropriate (and seems to argue that it is always the best tactic). It is hard to believe that this would ever work in a society such as Somalia, iraq, Cambodia (under the Khmer rouge), etc. It is one thing to ask masses of people to risk a short (or even long) jail sentenceas the price of civil disobedience, It is quite another when the price is immediate death, and the torture/murder of one's entire family. In other words, civil disobedience assumes a certain level of commitment to law and openness which simply is not present in all societies at all times.

One final criticism--Elmer confuseses non-violence as a tactic for mass mobilization with pacificism as a way of life. While the civil rights movement certainly won great victories using nonviolent protest as a mass protest strategy, it is unclear that those demonstrations would have been possible but for a committed core of people who were commited to self-defense--including resort to violence. The civil rights workers we all know about--certainly including Dr. Martin luther King, Jr., himself, were constantly protected during the most dangerous days of the movement by body guards. Especialy in the deep south, it is not at all clear that anyone would have surived long enough to lead a voter registration drive without the armed protection of men with guns. Certainly, it was the risk of outright war that motivated the federal government to intervene.

One must ask, reading Elmer's account, where today's activists are. Is there a cause today for which you would be willing to defy the wrath of the entire federal government and spend years in prison?

I've long known that during the '60s and '70s there were many protests against the Vietnam War. But my knowledge, I confess, didn't go much beyond that. Thanks to this entertaining and informative book, my embarrassing ignorance has been greatly reduced.

Elmer's book opened my eyes to the many forms that protests took, such as the destruction of records at draft boards across the country. I also learned about the kinds of personalities involved in protest actions, and about their motivations and philosophies. Those who called themselves pacifists varied in their views. When it came time to issue statements to the press and public, words were chosen carefully. Participants in covert actions didn't always agree on whether and how to reveal what they'd done.

The book raises many questions I'd never thought about, such as whether destroying draft records is a violent act, and many questions I haven't thought about enough, such as why so many people who feel strongly about something fail to take action. Elmer ties his experiences in with other pacifist movements, such as Gandhi's, and explores ethical issues in a very accessible way.

This is a personal history book that's well worth reading. Elmer faced many tough questions and decisions in his life and took many risks in the service of humanity. The book is inspirational and often moving. When Elmer was being interviewed as he applied for a license to practice law in Rhode Island (and legitimately worried that he might be rejected due to his "criminal" past), his interviewer said, "My brother was classified 1-A when you [destroyed draft files in Providence]. You probably saved his life. I've been waiting 20 years to thank you. You're approved."

In a time when discussion of a national draft has surfaced once again in election "town halls," Jerry Elmer's new book, Felon for Peace, responds to a timely debate. If there are any young people out there who don't know how they'd respond if ever a draft were reintroduced, now is the time to arm oneself with knowledge.

Set in the same location where F. Scott Fitzgerald's great literary work The Great Gatsby took place many years earlier, Jerry Elmer's new non-fiction book, Felon for Peace, has successfully portrayed life in the 1960s and 70s in Great Neck, a highly-educated Long Island community, during the rise of America's War Resistance Movement.[...]. Of course, Felon for Peace goes well beyond Elmer's coming-of-age story in Great Neck, and moves on to the national scene.

Perhaps the book's greatest strength is that it poses the ethical questions of the time in a sophisticated way that challenges the readers of today. At the same time, Elmer is self-deprecating and draws the reader in, right from his elementary school days at the Kensington-Johnson School, through his days at Great Neck South High School and well beyond.

Felon for Peace could be a great resource in teaching the history of the Vietnam War era; it reveals with clarity what was happening on the larger domestic front at that time. In addition, the book could provoke interesting class discussions for student teachers, who are planning to teach high school; the book gives an excellent sense of the capabilities of motivated and highly intelligent high school students. I recommend it as an animated discussion-starter for over-50s book clubs as well. Felon for Peace is an excellent read.

Jerry Elmer's excellent memoir of a Vietnam-era draft resister provides an insider description of the American peace movement between 1965 and the present. Its historical contribution is twofold: (1) a personal discussion of some of the key players in the nonviolent movement for peace, such as Phil and Dan Berrigan, activists whom the author knew well, and (2) an anlysis of the effectiveness of nonviolent direct action.

Outrageously honest and funny, Elmer packs every page with important facts that will engage ordinary readers and academic historians. In addition, he examines the psychology of activism: the commited "activist proceeds from the unspoken (and perhaps even unconscious) assumption that his or her actions can and do make an important difference in the world."

Besides considering formative school-age experiences, Elmer looks back at the significance of his lifetime of activism, using his broad knowledge, international experience, parfticipation in many social change campaigns, great wit, litigious mind, and excellent memory to bring history alive.

What a shame. This book gives a good outline of the events of the war and what happens when politics, not military know how runs a war.

I wrote 'Fiasco' and was pleasantly surprised by how well it was done as an audiobook. I actually listened to it on my commute and enjoyed it. I recommend it highly.

This book provides a good analysis of some of the mistakes the U.S. made in the war in Iraq. I would classify the problems he describes into two main mistakes. First, the Bush administration imagined that WWII is a good analogy for the threat that the U.S. faces from the mideast. That wouldn't have been a particularly unusual problem in a war if they had corrected their worldview when they saw evidence of enemies using a very different strategy.
The biggest and least excusable problem was that the lack of anything clear enough to be called a military strategy. It almost sounds like Bush thought the sound bites used to market the invasion to voters amounted to an adequate description of military goals. This left various parts of the U.S. forces pursuing conflicting strategies that ranged from attempts to aid Iraqis in building a democracy to attempts to conquer Iraq for its Al-Qaeda connections, leaving U.S. forces to a confused pursuit of conflicting strategies that guaranteed increased Iraqi hostility toward the U.S. without accomplishing much else.
This book suffers somewhat from a narrow scope and an over-reliance on opinions from within the U.S. military. Ricks and his sources seem to be too optimistic that they've learned a strategy that has some chance of working if U.S. voters are patient enough, but they show no familiarity with the analysis in Robert Pape's book Dying to Win which suggests that the strategy advocated in Fiasco will perpetuate the conditions under which suicide bombings increase.
The book implies that a sufficiently wise set of leaders could have produced a strategy with a reasonable chance of success, but I'm left doubting that any U.S. overthrow of Saddam Hussein could have produced a good result.
The book is mostly cautious about historical events that the author can't verify, such as Bush's motives, and the extent to which U.S. policy was manipulated by Iran.
I'm curious why Fiasco doesn't devote much attention to the current Iraqi government. Possibly it is sufficiently tainted by its association with the U.S. that it is irrelevant, but if so I would have expected an argument to that effect.

I commute 64 miles a day by car and this CD made my commute fly by. The narrator helped me keep all the general straight-- all of whom were saying in one way or another: "This isn't going to work" or "What is Plan B once Plan A fails?". I sat in my office driveway listening to "Fiasco"!
I highly recomend it..........now I need to buy something else.....or wait for Tom Ricks to write a follow-up.

It's good to see it all down and organized in the way you have in a single book. Makes history very readable, especially for those of us who got almost no Philippine or Philippine-American history in our American education of 2 & 3 generations ago.

This is a great book (a must reading for all Fil-Ams). It looks like a time capsule with details. It will make a good gift to friends and the young Filipino Americans.

I admire the exhaustive and authoritative historical contents,the substance, style and layout of The Filipino Americans. It isfluid, easy to read and above all very informative. It deserves to be in every home library of families who love history.

Laced with reproductions of paintings and photographs from various sources, this fact-filled volume provides readers, in the early chapters, with a fascinating view of the always exciting, sometimes poignant, and too often tragic history of the Philippine archipelago. For many Americans unfamiliar with the mercurial nature of United States policy towards the Philippines following the Spanish American War, there will be surprises. Read carefully the content of letters from foot soldiers to their schoolmates and families back home. The author's many chapters on the distinct periods of Filipino immigration to Hawaii, Alaska, and the contiguous United States are colorful and informative. The reader discovers that it is the rich heritage of diverse customs and traditions that make the Filipino presence an especially welcome addition to the American scene. This is a book that everyone will enjoy.

I bought this so that my son could learn Tagalog, even though I don't speak it. My dad is a native speaker and lives 3 hours away, so I recorded him reading it to my son. We watch the video and follow along in the book. I also love it because it shows the cultural differences in a way that he can understand. After getting the book, I ordered another one to send to my niece. I highly recommend it!

Loved this book. Can't wait to read my daughter this book and let her know a little bit about her heritage. The book also helped me review Tagalog as I'm not the greatest speaker since I am American born and my own parents not passing on the language.

My 2 and 3/4 year old son loves this book and requests for it everyday. He specifically loves for me to sing the song "Bahay Kubo" and point out the vegetables pictures in the book. He is actually learning how to sing "Bahay Kubo" even though he really doesn't know what the words mean. The loves the character Sam, and I love to point out pictures which I say in English and Tagalog.

I ordered this book for my daughter, who was adopted from the Philippines. Bright, colorful pictures, full of fun facts on culture and language, this book is perfect, particularly for adopted children or Filipino children born in the US. This book would a great asset for introducing Filipino language and culture in an elementary school classroom. I will be buying another copy to add to my classroom library.

As a pilot, I could identify/sympathize with Mr. Morley-Mower's flight training. A down to earth book that tells it like it was. This is a tale of an unasuming hero. A must follow on is his first book, Messerschmitt Roulette. Thank you Geoffrey.

Great heroic story! Fascinating records of army and air operations over the treacherous terrain of the Afghan border. Shortly after the war, a pilot fights to keep his flying carrer with his appeals to King George VI! Does he win his? I'll save that for you!

I could not put this book down. What I found remarkable about FLYING BLIND is that Geoffrey Morley-Mower has already written one of the most engaging and insightful memoirs of any veteran of the Second World War, MESSERSCHMITT ROULETTE. Yet FLYING BLIND is, in many ways, an even more satisfying book. Here, in the second volume of his memoirs, we meet the man and the pilot on the cusp of living his dream: flying for the RAF on the distant edge of the British Raj. Morley-Mower's self-deprecatory wit, his elegant and understated prose, and his gift for narrative sustain FLYING BLIND with a verve rarely found in fiction, much less in military biographies. The men who fought the good fight in the Second World War are fading from us, but this book reminds us of their honor, valor, and above all, their humanity, in ways that few other books have. Geoffrey Morley-Mower's second volume of his memoirs, like the first, is reminiscent of William Manchester's outstanding remembrance of serving in the U.S. Marine infantry in the Second World War, GOODBYE DARKNESS. Like Manchester, Morley-Mower has no room for bombast and plenty of room for reflective, highly-charged prose. FLYING BLIND is a must-read for anyone interested in great writing. For military scholars, it is a jewel, as so few of the iron-backboned RAF heroes are still alive. Thank God Geoffrey Morley-Mower wrote this book, bless him. And, as Hemingway once said, good books never suffer in the re-reading. FLYING BLIND is richer in the re-reading. Enjoy.

This account of army and air operations over the Afghan border in the last days of British rule in India will intrigue a wide audience, from those interested in books on early plane and biplane flight to readers of military accounts. The author joined the Royal Air Force as a pilot in 1937, two years before World War II: his experiences in an antique plane provides a fine account of his adventures and close encounters.