History Books

As Founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association (IMGCA), I am always searching for new material, stories and background on sports psychology that I can bring to our members via articles, training programs and our IMGCA Certification programs.

I have followed Paul Fein's writing for years and have always been greatly impressed by his tennis acumen, his intellectual depth, and his writing style. He is one of the very best tennis writers being published today, and this book, Tennis Confidential, is no exception. This is a superb addition to the tennis literature, and one you will want on your bookshelf.

Paul's in-depth analysis of the social context of tennis is remarkable, and I really appreciate his engaging interviews with tour players that reveal the hidden mental dimension.

This book has appeal to all tennis players. I highly recommend this book for players, coaches, teachers, parents and officials.

If you love the game of tennis, you'll love Paul Fein's insightful comments on the game that fill this book. From the "look behind the curtain" that Paul provides in his interviews with Pete, Mac, Jimbo, etc., to the well thought out logic he applies to many of the current controversies of the game, you will find much interesting, amusing, and thought-provoking material in Tennis Confidential. Buy it!

Tennis Confidential is not an encyclopedia, but it IS encyclopedic. There's a lot of substance within its covers: player profiles, interviews, controversies, history, greatest matches, and even a brief history of racquet design.
Fein's passionate concern for the sport is evident throughout. He writes, "If tennis tries to be all things to all people, it will lose its brilliant uniqueness and end up being nothing much to anyone." His book, however, comes close to being all things to all tennis fans.

As a former coach of several world-class players and also former National coach for the French, Swiss and Hellenic tennis Associations, I most appreciated the originality and expertise in Tennis Confidential. Pro tennis has plenty of controversies about on-court coaching, the scoring system, equal prize money, ranking systems, doubles reforms, the service let, etc. The essays analyze them with more thoughtfulness and fairness than I've seen before. Your opinions about certain issues will undoubtedly change after you read these essays. Interviews and features with Agassi, Serena Williams, McEnroe, Ashe, Navratilova, Borg, Sampras and other champions are also eye-openers. History fans will definitely enjoy the six retrospectives and the 10 greatest matches. On a light note, everyone will have fun with "True Confessions" and the amusing and sometimes shocking trivia that is sprinkled throughout the book. Several of the articles received writing awards. This is a book you will want to read and re-read.

As a tennis fan, especially in a family with few tennis fans, I enjoy reading outside material about the game. Not tips on playing, but about the pros, especially stories, history, analysis, etc. So I figured this book would fit right in with my appetite, especially from the subtitle, 'players, matches, and controversies.' I was right!



Tennis Confidential contains all of this and more! I was excited to read about events that happened before I was around, and also enjoyed reading about events that happened while I was around, and Fein brought a fresh and inside perspective to dozens of topics. Chapters I particularly enjoyed include the Burning Issues section, in which Fein examines modern topics like power, blacks' domination, new stats, and more; Controversies, with topics such as equal prize money, women's tennis superiority, the let rule, and more; and all time top 10 matches, with many surprises, but deep analysis.



No wonder my 2nd favorite sport is baseball. Both it and tennis, my favorite, invite analysis, discussion, controversy, have rich histories, and no clock. Reading this book allows me to appreciate the game more, want to discuss it more, and proud to be a tennis fan.
Plus, the author is very friendly and happy to discuss his work. I met him at a tournament, and we took a picture together.

One of the men that was shown in this book is my great uncle on my mother side. My mother told me of the story when I was a senior in high school. My grandpa never talked about it and neither did his dad but my grandpa was told but other relatives about and shown the picture. But what made my grna father tell us the story was when a show touch by angle was on they had an episode about lynching and my grandpa saw his uncle and he called my mom and was very upset about it and told my mom the story about his uncle who was lynch as a teenager in Center,Tx and how the family had left the town when it happened because they knew they could do nothing for him and didn't want to become victims.Lige Daniel is my great uncle I never knew him but to see the picture and know that this person is my blood and that he was just a kid when he died. It stuck with me it scared I was a seventeen when I first learned of this a year older than him its scary and sad to think of the pain and torment he must have went through.

THIS IS THE SECOND COPY FOR ME . SOMEONE STOLE THE FIRST ONE. WHEN I ALLOWED MY STUDENTS TO VIEW THE PICTURES.... A FUNERAL ATMOSPHERE ENTERED THE ROOM COUPLED WITH TEARS AND REQUEST FOR ME TO CLOSE THE BOOK !!! SHOCKING AND EDUCATIONAL... A MUST FOR ANY REAL BLACKMAN AND WOMAN'S HALL OF KNOWLEDGE !!

I haven't read the book yet, but plan to in the future. I went to a website dedicated to it the other day' and it featured those photos and the history behind them. I was saddened and horrified, and am still haunted by what I read and saw. I cannot for the life of me understand how so many of those people, including women and children, could have taken such pleasure in those unspeakable atrocities. I only hope and pray that none of those people involved were in my family.

What I wish they could have added to this book, however, were a few bits on the Native Americans. I'm 1/4 Native American myself and some of my ancestors walked the Trail of Tears. Their people were also persecuted and murdered and treated as non-human---and whites who killed "Injuns" were considered heroes. I imagine some Native Americans were lynched and tortured as well, and likely there were photos.

The pity of it is, I wonder if America has learned from its past? Even now we are tolerating human rights abuses in other countries, and it's only recently that the UN is acknowledging the horrors of Darfur. It's time for America to face its "demons" and really work to change things. If not, God will surely judge this nation for its crimes against humanity. Maybe He has already.

But what I definitely hope people will learn from this book is what hatred and bigotry can do to all of us. Don't hate ANYBODY for their color---black, white, whatever---or for their nationality, religion, etc. If we want to honor the memory of these poor victims, let's rise above the hatred of their murderers and strive to defeat the evil that led to these acts. By learning from history, we can hopefully not repeat it.

As a white man over sixty, growing up in the Northeast, I was sheltered from the realities of racism by my surroundings. "Colored people" were simply not socially acceptable, thats all.
When you go through this book you will cringe and shutter. What reason and why would white people do this. Not only lynch but torture and maim before they allowed the subject to die, and often for no reason - just because it was Saturday night and people needed something to do. Truly a wakeup call for white America to reflect on what we were and really how far have we come.

Buy this book !

Z

This book is the ultimate metaphor for the graphic brutality of Black people in America.
The British poet William Wordsworth once said, "Man know thee thyself, presume God not to scan, the sturdy of mankind is man". How do you begin to understand the nature of evil? The sheer barbarity of these pictures, the nonchalant attitude of the perpetrators and the wicked glee on the faces of the participants (even children) confirms the graphic truth of the institutionalization of racism and evil in our world. Dr. Martin L. King once said that "God will not so much punish the wicked for their evil deed, but for the appalling silence of the good people. For all those lily livered fools in our world, who are quick to parrot that idiotic sentence "slavery was before my time", let me remind you of James Byrd of Texas in 2000. Without a Sanctuary: Lynching photography in America is a profound documentary of unimaginable evil and wickedness. These horrible pictures can only appeal to our conscience as a society to do the right thing. I agree with Dante in his 'Inferno' that the worst place in hell will be reserved for all those who are neutral on the great issues of life. I am profoundly grateful to the authors of this great human document James Allen, John Lewis, Hilton Als and Leon F. Litwack. May the souls of these beings who endured these horrific brutality rest with God forever.

Who wants to remember 35 years of people robbing, cheating on each other, stealing money, jumping in bed with someone else when they were already married, the search and holding on of power. These were not nice people they were all distrubed human beings who belonged in jail or the sick house.

When the series finally left the air, it was a sign of sanity.

This is now a great retrospective of a great show that is now defunct. It is one of the best types of this book (though it is not as well done as General Hospital's). It should be in every collector's bookshelf.

This book is a must-have for any fan of the much-missed soap opera Another World- hundreds of photos, detailed year-by-year recaps, and interviews with the actors all make for a great tribute to a wonderful show. If there are any complaints, it's that some of the plot synopsis have been condensed a little too much, and more information about spin-offs Texas and Somerset would have been welcome, as well as more behind the scenes information. Still, this is an incredible book that should appeal to any fan!

For the first 10 years of watching AW, I was a loyal, but hardly passionate fan. The last 5 years, leading up to the cancellation, I developed a passionate attachment. This book has made dealing with the loss of this 15 year old friend so much easier. I treasure this book in so many ways. If you are or were a fan, this really is a must have. No doubt.

Anyone who watched this soap will enjoy this book. Since this soap was taken from us on the 35th anniversary, this book has even more meaning. You will get to relive the highlights and story lines now missing from our daily lives. I get mine out about every 6 months - or whenever I need a Bay City fix. Looking through the book always manages to bring tears or laughter to me.

It is always great to have a look at alternative versions of familiar things. It gives different prospective and reminds that current interpretation of some events may (and in many cases is) not absolutely correct.

This book and the other two in this series don't make history less complex but they sure make it readable!

My older sister originally bought me and my younger sister the computer program. That was a few years ago, but it was a nice dry sarcastic, but silly humor.
Then I ordered this book, which has much the same type of humor. I wish it were in color instead of black and white, but otherwise, a fun way to "read" history.

I highly recommend this book. It's well written, it's occasionally funny and very readable. Volumes 1 to 7 starts with the Big Bang, to the evolution, to the first great civilizations (Sumer, Egypt and the Greeks), and ends with Alexander the Great reaching India.

I was so impressed about the presentation that I thought - why isn't there an animated version of this book (and the other volumes)? Wouldn't it be nice for kids to be able to get their history lessons via Cartoon Network?

But then I reached the part about what early Greek women did with their goats and sheep and how the Spartans treated young boys and I thought "well, maybe it's better if it stays in book form".

My only gripe is the lack of an index. Certainly handy when important names and places are regularly mentioned (like any other history book) .

You know it takes a comic to get to heart of humanity. In most history books you get a narrow point of view, and one that is usually "politically correct" according to the standards of the day. By making a comic version of history, the author can get around all of the "PC"ness of most history books and really hit home with the way humanity *is* and *always was.* The "sheep love" of early humans was a laugh riot. I never learned so much while having such a good time.

I recommend these for history buffs and non-history buffs. Really it's just a good read period. Forget that it's history.

I actually enjoyed this 2nd installment more because by now I had developed a "trust" with the author and allowed myself to invest more in my hopes and dreams for the characters. I enjoyed that I knew these characters as the book opened and started with a depth that allowed a deeper story. The power of love, patience, and allowing God to work even when He makes no sense to us at the time was heart-wrenching and fulfilling!

As with the 1st book in the Mark of the Lion Trilogy (Voice in the Wind), this 2nd installment is extremely well written, historical, spiritual, adventurous, romantic, with characters you love and those you don't ... you will ponder it when you set it down, find today's reality is revealed in a story from 2000 years ago, and be challenged with lessons for your own life. This is a trilogy that brings inexplicable deep meaning and growth in your heart.

If you don't yet have an amazon kindle ebook reader, it's books like this that make it all worthwhile ~ only 60 seconds to download the 2nd story after you finish with the 1st - woo hoo!

Bon Appetit!

Francine Rivers paints a detailed picture of life in the Roman Empire. She gets into who her characters are inside rather than just how they appear on the surface. The book is Christian fiction, in the best sense of the word. The main character is a Christian Jew who is taken captive when Jerusalem falls to the Romans. The story is very much about how her faith effects her life and the lives of those around her, and it is shown not by sermon snippets but by her actions. I highly recommend the book. Much of what is sold as Christian fiction couldn't be sold to those without faith because the stories are trite and the dialogue preachy. This book could be enjoyed even by someone who didn't care a bit about religion

I agree with the other reviewers that Francine Rivers has done an outstanding job with this trilogy. If you like historical fiction you will love this book. But read the first book first!

This book was an amazing sequel to A Voice in the Wind. Rivers has a remarkable way of envoking emotions with her writing. I have adored every book that I have read of hers and I will continue to read all of her books. She is, without a doubt, the best author I have ever had the priveledge to read. I highly recommend any and all of her works!!!!!

An Echo in the Darkness is the second book in Francine River's Mark of the Lion triology. The book wastes little time recapping from the first book (A Voice in the Wind).

Spoiler alert: Since the last book, we discover that life has changed for the characters in 1st century AD. Hadassah is surviving with disfiguring injuries, Marcus is seeking to make sense of the world as he knows it, his sister suffers from an unidentified and dangerous illness and his mother Phoebe has turned to Christianity and does good works in the community.

To make sense of the tragedy and abominations of the people, Marcus travels to the holy land to find this "God" to whom Hadassah prayed. His journey, is a good metaphor for many people's journey into Christianity. Through his journey, as well as Hadassah's into forgiveness and Julia's into redemption we get a good picture of life in Rome, Ephesus and Israel in the 1st century AD. However, my overall issue with the book was that the talk of God and faith was quite heavy handed. I much preferred a Voice in the Wind because there was a better combination of history, faith and humanity. I know this is probably an unpopular sentiment, but there was so much talk of God in this book that it became overbearing at times. For me, it was to much, for others, if you enjoy a substantial focus on God in a book besides the Bible, then this book is for you.

A very colorful look at Mt. Everest from the Imax Everest expedition. Much better than the Imax movie itself, compelling images interspersed with informative commentary and history from a number of writers.

Compared to Everest: Summit of Achievement this is a lightweight introduction. Yes, you will want to own this and read it more than once. Yes, it's better than the Imax Everest movie (not saying much). Unfortunately this book shares some of the superficial qualities the Imax movie had. The editors would have done well to drive their razor-sharp crampons a bit more forcefully into their subject matter, if you catch my drift...

This is another awesome book to show Mount Everest. If you like nice pictures of mountains(especially Mount Everest), this is the best.

As a former climber, I've always been fascinated by Everest. This is a wonderfully written and beautifully photographed account of the ill-fated assault on Everest that took a number of lives.
Especially sad, since as I was reading it yesterday, we got word of the death of Sir Edmund Hillary.

A stunning photo-journal of Everest, focusing on the tragic/heroic month of May 1996. Excellent narrative accompanied by fantastic photographs.

I bought this book for the photography alone: this is as close as I am ever likely to get to the Himalayas.

The photographs are spectacular, and I can see why so many people are challenged to want to make the journey to Base Camp if not further. Appearances can be deceptive: beautiful colour photographs portray a seemingly benevolent picture of Everest which is quite at odds with reality.

Recommended for those with an interest in the Himalayas as well as to those who admire beautiful photography.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I read this book years ago and was amazed and horrified by its content. Amazed because of the indomitable spirit of a man like Col. Rowe. Horrified because of the torture he endured at the hands of the enemy. Years later, as I became more interested in politics, I couldn't remember the author and thought it was a story of John McCain...both stories are so similar. Of course, with a little research, I learned the error of my ways and know they are two different people. However, now that Sen. McCain is running for President, because of the harrowing account of this book, I will vote for McCain because that kind of proven character encourages me to be a better American and, as said in Saving Private Ryan, I wish to "earn this."Five Years to Freedom: The True Story of a Vietnam POW

James Rowe's story is one that makes you appreciate how good we have things in our day to day lives. I love POW tales because I am always hoping the person(s) can find a way to escape to freedom. This story was fine but I would say a little darker & more depressing than most POW tales I have read.

Interesting but written more as a novel and not as an actual recount of his 5 year imprisonment in the hands of the North Vietnamese. The minute detail of his every recollection during his 5 years of captivity makes it difficult to believe that he himself wrote his memoirs. Nevertheless I salute him for his bravery, his will to survive and service to his country.

Incredible story of this man and other POW's in Vietnam. This is one of, if not the best, books I've ever read. One of the many points I took away was how the will to live sustained Nick Rowe and so many others. Maybe more so, it gave me an appreciation for the freedoms we take so much for granted. I finihed the book days ago, and can't get it out of my mind. Great book, Great leasons, Great man.

This book should be on everyone's "must read" list. It should also be on the must read list for evey high school student. This book is very well written and easy to follow. It is also very hard to put down once you start reading it. Being a Vietnam War Veteran myself, I would highly recomend this book to anyone.

This is classic history and a well researched book. Horne shows how the Battle for Verdun became a make or break with both the French and German Armies in World War I. What were they fighting over? A series of forts that weren't even staffed by the French even after the outbreak of hostilities. Some of these forts had their major guns removed to help other areas of the battlefront. The German Army wanted an area where the French were committed to so as to bleed them white. Instead both armies bled themselves white. The Germans fed in thousands of their soldiers to be killed for several acres of land. The French fought until their soldiers could no longer take it. It also shows how a soldier's soldier named Petain could rally his troops to make some severe sacrifices.

This is a great read. Horne is one of the world's premier historians. He shows how this battle affected the psychology of today's French citizen. This is the best book in the trilogy of battle books written by Horne.

Written by the renowned British expert on French history, this is the definitive account of the worst battle of World War I, indeed perhaps the worst battle ever fought (Stalingrad included). It documents 13 months of combat that led the French Army to mutiny and go on strike in the middle of the war. As with any book by Mr. Horne, it is well-documented and written. The only negative quality is Mr. Horne's pretentious tendency to splice French phrases into his English.

Nevertheless, highly recommended.

. Alistair Horne's The Price of Glory is a superbly written and haunting account of the horrendous battle at Verdun in 1916 between the French and German Armies. The Germans consciously attacked the fortress system they knew the French would defend in order to bleed the French Army to death, which, for its own reasons, willingly accepted the challenge. The Battle of Verdun was a condensed version of the entire First World War. In this 10 month-long battle, the Germans made impressive initial gains, but were unable to exploit their advantage due to the unyielding French defense that denied them final victory. The feuds between German generals and administrative problems also worked against their initial success. Sir Alistair Horne The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916 is the vivid and horrifying tale of one of the bloodiest battles in history.
Verdun was the symbol of the will of France; "Ils ne passeront pas" became the famous pledge in the greatest battle of attrition the world had ever seen. The book outlines the German's extensive and rapid buildup of resources and their careful security measures in their attempt to take this fortress system. The battle that lasted from February 21st to December 18th 1916 resulted in 1.2 million casualties for both sides. Horne reveals the character and personality of the generals: Falkenhayn, Joffre, Crown Prince, Knobelsdorf, de Castelnau, Petain, Neville, and Mangin, showing their unique strengths and weaknesses and how those character traits affected their decisions in battle. The underground battles for Forts Doumamont and Vaux are described in chilling detail. The ingenious dirty tricks used by both sides were depicted: the wearing of captured uniforms, the use of false blinker signals, and the Germans firing duds from the 420mm siege mortars to get the Frenchmen to go underground while German infantry swarmed the trench works. There are vivid descriptions of the use of poison gas and graphic accounts of the first use of the flamethrower on a battlefield. Horne takes a catastrophic battle of unthinkable proportions and makes it all too real.

Fairly quick read, great insight on both the leaders and the soldiers who fought. Brush up on your french though, Some quotes and a few short passages are in french, Without translation. That was my only complaint. If you've gotten as far as to read these reviews then I encourage you to buy the book...you will enjoy it.

The Battle of Verdun was a condensed version of the entire First World War. In this 10 month-long battle, the Germans made impressive initial gains, but were unable to exploit their advantage due to the adamant and intense French defense that denied them final victory. The feuds between German generals and administrative problems also worked against their initial success. Sir Alistair Horne brings all these issues to live and many others in what is a stunningly impressive book.

This engagement was fought entirely between French and German units. What makes Sir Alister's book so important is that most accounts of World War I in English tend to focus on the experiences of the United Kingdom. The French Army, however, contributed more division to the western front than the British. The focus on a battle in which no British units participated is rare in an English-language publication. The book is also an easy read. One testament to the caliber of the prose is that it has stayed in print since its initial publication over 40 years ago, which is no easy thing.

The leading figures in this study are names well-known to any student of the Great War: Falkenhayn, Joffre, Castelnau, Petain, Crown Prince Wilhelm and Nivelle. Horne does an excellent job of giving his readers short biographical sketches that breath life into these legendary names in a way that presents them as they were--human beings with strengths and frailties like everyone else.

As good as this book is there are some problems. Readers with out any ability in French might find Horne's passages in this language rather confusing. Sir Alistair's argument that Verdun cost Germany any chance of winning the war seems a little suspect as well. The German Army remained an effective force until the last stages of the conflict. Other factors, such as diplomatic ineptitude and provoking the United States to enter the war probably did more to cost the Germans victory than the defeat at Verdun. Still, even with those points in mind, this book is quite impressive and readers will enjoy it.

This is the book I've always wanted to read! I had just turned 6 when Pearl Harbor was bombed and my uncle and most of the other men in our family and neighborhood disappeared to that thing called "WAR"! I prayed for all of them and wondered, "Where did they go, what happened to them, what was it like?" My uncle was captured in the Battle of the Bulge, spent time in a German prison camp and came home very different - now I know and understand better why! Reading Prof. Harrison's book I finally know what happened to the young men who were suddenly jerked from their families, schools, futures, through no fault or desire of their own, and were trained and sent to see and do things they could not have previously imagined. They were pushed to and beyond limits they did not know they had, degraded, treated like cattle at times by our own army, and thus molded into a great and loyal fighting unit.

How any of our men experienced this and stayed sane, that they were able to return home to slip back into the lives they had expected, is incredible. I have read every book I find on World War II and studied military history in college trying to understand and know what happened, what war is REALLY like for our men. I've always known it wasn't what we saw on the movie screen. Now I know. Thanks to Prof. Harrison's detail and honesty, it is possible to get a sense of what it was like for the draftee. UNSUNG VALOR is very properly named - to go when called, to perform with the best of your abilities, to respond to the unknown and unbelievable with fear and courage, that is valor at its best - and it was unsung.

To survive, to return home, to teach hundreds of teenagers to speak properly in public, to act and produce plays, to put up with all the campus nonsense that young people in their late teens and early twenties produce, and to never lose your cool, never tell them what he saw and experienced at their age - that was also UNSUNG VALOR! A. Cleveland Harrison is an unusual man and has written a book that should be required reading of all Americans!

"Unsung Valor" by A. Cleveland Harrison. Subtitled: "A GI's Story Of World War II". University Press of Mississippi, Jackson. 2000.

This is a very complete and detailed book, tracing the experiences of a skinny Southern boy, (in 1943), drafted into the United States Army, deciding on the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), trained at the University of Mississippi, transferred into a regular Army unit (the 94th Division) and then sent to the European Theater of Operations, ETO, just when things were becoming really hot. General George Marshall had shut down the Army Specialized Training Program so as to supply warm bodies as replacements for all the causalities in the ETO. The author, A. Cleveland Harrison, recounts being wounded (88 artillery fire,) as his Division advanced on the town of Orscholz, his treatment, infection, his stint in hospital and, finally, his recovery. Then, he remained in England until his reassignment, April 1945, to the hostilities in Europe. Happily, the war in Europe ended in May 1945, and the author became a "Clerk-Typist" in Versailles, France and later, a "Mail Clerk-Draftsman" in Frankfurt am Main.

If you have had the opportunity to study the history of World War II, you probably have been exposed to the grand strategies of different battles, the movement of this numbered unit on one side against another number on the other side. You might even have become impatient with the stories of how one American general (or two) could not get along with a certain British field marshal, and begin to wonder how many people were killed by the egoistical personalities of such high ranking individuals. So, this present work, by A. Cleveland Harrison, is a refreshing relief in its detailed examination of the feelings and daily experiences of an ordinary Americana solider in the ETO

I became the fiftieth reviewer of this book because of the correspondence form Dr. Harrison prodding me to add his book to my Amazon Listmania list on the Army Specialized Training Program, ASTP. The first two chapters of Dr. Harrison's book deal extensively with the Army Specialized Training Program. certainly merit a place on any list on the ASTP. Thos chapters speak about an ASTP experience at a Southern university, which, from what I read, quite different than the ASTP experience at Manhattan College, my alma mater. I do not believe that an ASTPer at Manhattan College had to be concerned with how to wear a saber without getting the weapon caught between his legs. On the other hand, the Manhattan College ASTPer had to be concerned with living in an apartment on 7th Avenue.

I am happy to join some 45 other Amazon reviewers in assigning five stars to this book.

Unsung Valor is truly an extraordinary book. I am 44 years old and have studied World War II rather extensively in the past. However, this book has revealed this war (and all wars) to me in a way that is completely surprising and unique. I now have a different frame of reference for studying all wars, especially World War II. For someone like me who has never served in the military, this book provides an invaluable insight to truly understanding the realities of war. The common, mundane, everyday details, which are made so interesting, provide a setting which only heightens the intensity of the actual battle scenes in an unusually enriching and exciting way. This book reads so easily you literally feel as if you are going through the experiences with Dr. Harrison. Unsung Valor brings the reality of war to the reader in a unique way and succeeds where most other narrowly focused books fail. Dr. Harrison should be commended for educating a younger public on the extraordinary sacrifices made by ordinary men who answered when their nation called. It is well worth the read and the time invested.

After posting a message on the 94th Infantry Division's website looking for information on the attack on Orsholz, Germany January 20-21, 1945 I was contacted by Cleveland Harrison. Mr. Harrison put me in contact with other members of the 301st Regiment of the 94th Division who were with a family friend when he was captured outside of Orsholz. Mr. Harrison mentioned his book and suggested it might provide more detail about the battle. After reading his book I was amazed at the clarity and detail of his recollections. I have corresponded several times with Mr. Harrison, and he was gracious enough to sign my copy of his book with a dedication to my friend. His story is wonderfully expressed as the memories and journey of one man in a time of fear and uncertainty. It is written in a way that will touch the average person, and make them understand, if only for a moment, what it was like to see the world through his eyes.
To all the 94th Division veterans, and to you Cleveland, thank you for your service.
Welcome Home.

Upon reading Unsung valor I discovered that Cleveland Harrison and I had been inducted into the army the same day at Little Rock, Arkansas,we went through the same sweltering day of probings,punchings,bendings,spreadings, and at last were sworn into the Army of the United States.our serial numbers were just a few numbers apart,yet I never met Professor Harrison. Upon reading Unsung valor this fall I was immediately taken back in time to 1943, and to the years following throughout WWII of which our president Franklin Roosevelt said" This is the generation which has a rendezvous with destiny"I relived that traumatic,hectic day of gathering together the eighteen year olds of our state predominately ,recent high school graduates ,to perform the miracle of making us into soldiers and sailors to free a world in chains. That group of newly inducted soldiers went to all parts of the globe.Prof. Harrison went as a rifleman;I went into the Army Air Corp as an aerial gunner with the Eighth Air force and was shot down over Germany and spent the last months of the war as a P.O.W..Our generation kept that rendezvous and fully met the responsibility placed upon our young shoulders to the satisfaction of a grateful nation and world. Professor Harrison's book tells about all this through the eyes and heart of a young Arkansas lad who as we said in those day "took up arms as a boy,became a man overnight,and a hero in a twinkling of an eye,some to come home,some to remain. Since reading Unsung Valor I have met Cleveland Harrison via E-mail and have discovered that we have much in common. it took took 63 years and one most touching,moving literary epic to do this.For Professor Harrison's time,effort,and no doubt many shed tears,I am truly thankful to him. Hand Salute <><

After reading this book, I was filled with an intense sense of pride for the small amount of Polish blood that runs through my veins. While this book is, at times, a chore to read, I could not put it down. The writers took great pains in laying a good foundation for the reader, dealing with the early history of Poland, and illustrating the territory struggles which play such an important role as the book unfolds, especially prior to and after WW2. The book made me laugh, and at times, cry for the sacrifice of these brave men. It is beyond words how deeply the western countries betrayed the brave and loyal Poles, who fought harder than any nation "for your freedom and ours".

Another great read, which will equally portray the Czech experience in WW2, is "One Man and His Dog" by Anthony Ricardson. The book is amazing to read and would make a remarkably good movie.

I originally was given this book as a gift. After reading it, I bought several copies as gifts to some relatives.

This is a history narrative that should be read by all. It gives information about WWII that is not covered in the "Anglo-centric" history that is taught to our students or disseminated to the American public. It covers how Roosevelt and Churchill allowed themselves to be bullied by Jozef Stalin. They gave away Eastern Europe in order to keep Russia from signing a separate peace with Hitler. It shows how the fourth largest Allied Military force (The Poles), did not have a free country to return to, after the war. The Polish Military was not even welcome in the countries that they defended or helped liberate. By this act of capitulation, Roosevelt and Churchill were in fact quislings. But then, who remembers Vidkun Quisling.

The book reads very easily, and is extensively footnoted to support all data and statistics.

"He who does not study history, will be forced to re-live it."

I was ashamed to learn how, as a proud American, we abandoned the Polish people during and after World War II. They were thrown to the "bear" as both Churchill and FDR sold them out.

If you love aviation, that is the focus of this book. It paints the illustrious exploits of the fine Polish pilots who sacrificed their lives during the Battle of Britain - defending an ally that did not come to the aide of the Poles as the country was overrun by Germany at the outset of WWII.

This also provides a brief overview of the attrocities the Russians allowed the Germans to commit while occupying Warsaw. If you've never heard about the Warsaw uprising, this gives you some insight.

A fairly light read as a history book goes but a thoroughly enjoyable story. You'll have new respect for the courage and commitment of these Polish aviators and perhaps of the Polish people.

KINDLE: On the Kindle edition, the images are a bit harsh but you probably already know about that as a general Kindle issue.

I don't use the word lightly -- but in this case "masterpiece" fits. This is in part the story of a group of extraordinary young men, Polish exiles who contributed mightily to the allied cause as fighter pilots in the Battle of Britain and beyond. The prowess and heroism of those men alone could have carried the book -- or a film, for that matter. But "A Question of Honor" is much, much more -- an epic, really, that covers the bravery of the Poles and the despicable manner in which they and their nation were treated, in 1939 and then in the latter period of the war. As the son of a Pole who was nineteen when the war began, I am very familiar with the story; but I had never seen it laid out so well. Olson and Cloud have produced a book that is both gripping drama and a brilliantly-prepared indictment of the powers that doomed Poland, by their aggression (Germany), their failure to keep their word (Britain, France), their lack of interest (the U.S. -- Roosevelt in particular), and -- in the worst case -- it is about the criminal neglect and barbarism of the Soviet Union, as Stalin prepared to take control over postwar Poland. More than anything, the authors show how realpolitik overran every promise, all good faith, and so many impulses to do the right thing. A brilliant, important book.

I found this book to be a highly entertaining and informative read. The exploits of the 303,in particular, are thrilling. I do feel that some of the momentum is lost when dealing with the political machinations of Churchill and Roosevelt, however less exciting, it is very important that these be revealed. The authors did an outstanding job of this. I've seen reviews that say this is done "out of context". I don't see a problem here. This is the account of intentionally overlooked heroes who fought for all and received nothing, from a world that seemed would rather that they just go away! I take this to heart as I am of Polish descent. My grandfather was born near Zamosc. The family, with the exception of his brother and himself were taken by the Russians to a Siberian gulag during the second partition, likely as suspected insurgents. My grandfather made his way to Amsterdam over a period of a few years and made his way to America by ship around the turn of the century. I've been to Poland, to Warsaw, the old town and could picture the devastation as I walked the streets. I've seen the monument to the uprising and the murdered. All this makes me wonder if this could be allowed today, In our "information age"? What if T.V. and video cameras were everywhere then as they are today? Could Churchill and Roosevelt get away with what they did? Would people remain indifferent as Warsaw was flattened and her allies watched? It's difficult to believe that such a thing could happen in a world that vilified a president for having sex but I do have faith in mankind's ability to forget,just change the channel, or with TIVO, not even watch what it does not wish to see. This is why we need books like this! I hope some one make it into a movie!

* I don't think forgotten is strong enough of a word.