History Books

The part that most struck me was when he wrote "Before the war would end, little Austria would supply nearly half of the staff of all Nazi concentration camps and death camps." and the story he tells of being a boy in Vienna in March 1938 "when Hitler entered the city and found a quarter of a million people rapturously cheering him". He says his cousin Sonja still lives in Vienna "where the citizens now call themselves victims....hoping to keep their secret from the rest of the world". Hitler was an Austrian and so was the head of the Gestapo Kaltenbrunner and many many other Nazi's.

I've read several books about the holocaust,whether their authors were survivors of the death camps, survivors on the run, or even non-Jews who helped others survive by hiding them. This book was an incredible story. His escapes were brave and amazing. I'm always looking for more stories such as this, it is amazing to me, there are so many stories, I want to know them all. If you have any other recommendations, e-mail me at Stacy1212@aol.com. Great book, must read.

I just finished this book, I coulnt beleive the outcome of it.It was so shocking to hear all of this. I couldn't put it down. Im very interested in the Holocaust, even though im not a surviver, but it is so interesting on how people were back in WWII, it amazes me that people had to go through all of this..I would diffently reccommend this. Thanks to Leo and Michael, to share such a tragic story and a big and unhumian peice of your life, a peice of history..Best Wishes

an incredible story about the human spirit and the will to live against all odds.

Well, the writer is my Grandpa. I am 10 years old so I read it early. My mom helped me out a lot. But thats not exactly a bad thing! Everytime I came to a word I didn't know she would tell me. My mom really could help because my mom was even the one who read it and edited it so she was one of the first, and that really helped because she knew the whole story. I first thought it wasn't such a bad tradgedy of what he did, but after I accually read it, I really changed my mind! If you have not read it, you really got to. Even if you are ten like me, try and you will really like it! Expeccially read it if you like biographies and autobiographies, cause this is an autobiography! Even if you don't like non-fiction, read it anyway! This is so cool that it sounds impossible, and im it sounds impossible it's as fiction as any other book!

The copy of the book which I got was really tattered and scribbled all over.
I am not really with it.

This is by far the best Abe book out there...actually makes "learning" fun!...be careful about loaning this one out!

This is the best book on Lincoln I have ever read. A true joy to read.

Knowing little other than the obvious facts about Lincoln, I was amazed, entertained, and simply captivated by this Carnegie masterpiece. Lincoln's poverty-stricken childhood, his lackluster days as a lawyer, his love of poetry, his political career - it's all covered in great detail and conveyed in a very appealing and straightforward style. Carnegie's research and dedication towards this book are deservedly well-applauded. The story of how this very mortal man became so admired, so loved, and such an American icon is simply priceless. This monumental work is a must-have for anyone's collection.

THIS BOOK WAS GIVEN TO ME . THE COPY I HAVE IS THE 1932 PRINTING . I KNOW NOW HOW LUCKY I AM TO OWN IT AFTER FINISHING . IT WAS VERY HARD TO PUT DOWN . OTHER BOOKS I HAVE READ ABOUT HIM DIDN'T TOUCH ON HIS GENTLENESS AND HOW IT AFFECTED NOT ONLY HIS MARRIAGE BUT, THE WAR. SOMETIMES I THINK NOW, HE WORRIED TOO MUCH ABOUT OTHERS FEELINGS . SUCH AS INEPT GENERALS AND THAT LUNATIC WIFE , MARY TODD WHO'S TEMPER TANTRUMS WERE INFAMOUS. LIKE HE HAD ENOUGH " ROCKS IN HIS SACK " WITHOUT STRIFE AT HOME. I SO PITY HIM , EVEN NOW THAT HE IS BEYOND ALL CARES AND WOE . GOD BLESS YOU SIR AND GIVE YOU THE PEACE THAT SO ELUDED YOU HERE ON EARTH .

Very down to earth, practical book about living the Christian Faith. Archbishop Chaput is a very holy man who knows how to get his point across to everyone. I highly recommend it

This was a gift and replacement order. This is a fabulously interesting, inspirational, and readable book! I had loaned my original out so often that it needed to be replaced, plus I bought several for gifts. I will read this book many more times! Living the Catholic Faith: Rediscovering the Basics

Addressing both those Catholics who adhere to Church teaching and just need a refresher, and those Catholics are happy to be "cafeteria Catholics" accepting those tenets of the faith that comfortably fit their lifestyles while rejecting those they find challenging (or as one reviewer put it "out of touch") Archbishop Chaput presents a concise teaching of Catholic belief which is essential to these times. He explains what we believe, why we believe it and the negative repercussions of deviating from these parameters. He builds up belief from the theological to the practical. From what we believe about God to its significance in our daily dealings with our neighbor.

Contrary to his critics, Archbishop Chaput is not the least out of touch, in fact the book is peppered with annecdotes from popular culture as well as annecdotes from classical works. He very ably discusses current affairs, and he insightfully points out just where the world is going off-course.

Archbishop Chaput is one of the stars among the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. He speaks clearly, concisely and without fear of offending people with the truth.

This book is well worth your time.

I am a doctoral student in Theology, so I have read much deeper explanations of many truths of the faith and explorations of how to live it. I don't want to read heavy theology all of the time, though; sometimes I just want something light and entirely oriented towards my practice of the faith. This book hit the spot. My wife and I read it concomitantly and it has really energized us and given us a lot to talk about. We are both cradle Catholics and very informed, but everyone needs continual spiritual nourishment. While the book might not have taught us anything "new" per se, it provides a great vision of the faith overall and very helpful vignettes and action points to indicate how to live as a Catholic in the modern world. As the book unfolds, it enters into some of the typical stumbling blocks that Catholics have (e.g. why priest don't marry, why contraception and NFP are different). Again, not much new or different from the academic explanations I've heard, but the approach is much more engaging than most. Chaput simply unfolds the beauty of the Catholic faith in a convincing way.

I think the book is at its best in its emphasis upon mission/evangelization in the modern world. We often think that families are not capable of this--this is for crazies willing to take vows and give up everything. Taking the cue from Vatican II and recent Church teaching, Chaput insists that the family is the domestic Church capable of cultivating heroic holiness, and the laity are the primary interface between the Church and the world. We Catholics aren't as good as our separated Protestant brethren at inviting others to consider our faith, but I was challenged to do this in the ways recommended by the book.

Given my studies and goals, I am likely to find myself teaching introductory courses on Christianity or the Catholic Church. I will most likely try to use at least portions of this book to cover the basics of Christianity in a compact, informative, but attractive way. I would also recommend this as reading for engaged couples. Due to the family-oriented nature of the book, it might not be as useful for teenaged audiences, which might not care for this perspective as much.

I highly recommend this book--it will enrich you and challenge you to live Christ and be Christ to the world!

Anyone who follows any type of sports knows that the best teams or players, year in and year out are those that have most clearly mastered the fundamental basics of the sport. For years in American College football, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Alabama dominated the sport. These teams accomplished their goals, not by doing anything fancy or unusual but by simply lining up and running over their opponents. Put another way, they won by relying on the basics. Many Catholics, including myself could learn a valuable lesson from these football teams as we try to live our Catholic faith.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has written a playbook to allow us as Catholics to get back to the basics of our faith and to more fully appreciate the scriptural authority behind these core teachings of the Church. He does this in a very appealing and straightforward way that is easy to understand and very easy to read. There is no heavy theological jargon nor are there any unexplained Latin terms in this book and even someone who is totally unfamiliar with the Catholic Church will have no trouble grasping the Archbishop's points.

To his great credit, the Most Reverend Chaput takes on the issues he discusses head on and never swerves to avoid hurting someone's feelings. Almost any Catholic who reads this book will find that at least some of the author's arguments hit mighty close to home. The author also takes on the hard issues like abortion, contraception and suicide, issues that may be controversial in some quarters but which are at the heart of the Church's teachings on the sanctity of human life. The learned author also takes the time to explain in very clear terms some of the most basic tenants of the Christian faith and I found his point by point discussion of the Ten Commandments to be very enlightening.

The Archbishop does all of this while relating it to the world that we live in today. I found his analogy of two twentieth century films to be particularly poignant and to be charged with unpopular truth. Sometimes the truth hurts but it does us a world of good in the long run.

This book is highly relevant to the world today and especially to Catholics facing the challenges of the twenty-first century. The good Archbishop has given us a wonderful blueprint to follow as we try to live our faith and spread the gospel to the whole world.

This is an excellent book. It really shows you how being a Christian makes sense.

Mr. Colson gives an excellent argument on his experience with the Watergate scandal. He illustrates how if Jesus Christ were just a scandal, then Christianity would have caved-in with the apostles and the first believers long ago.

Neat book.

It is a must for christian reader. Very moving and crystal clear message of what constitute Christian message.

Inspirational writer, Chuck Colson, delivers a heartfelt and moving book about loving God. He refers to R.C. Sprouls "Holiness of God" dvd series, which is a class I'm taking at my church right now. I couldn't put the book down & read it in two days.

This is a wonderful book whether you are Christian or not. It really depicts what Loving God really is. This book has helped me make my decision for Christ. There are many stories inside that really depicts the foundations for loving God. Chuck Colson has incorporated many wonderful testimonies that truly depicts how wonderful this God is.

I appreciate Colson's heart and where he has been in his life. This book is chock-full of stories of his life and ways we can learn to love God. There were a few chapters that seemed to bog down, but overall it's a good read and worth the time.

When Dan Shapiro was 21 he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer that automatically changed his life and left him with the typical battles of chemotherapy, surgery and all its side effects. Yet being the son of delightful, highly energetic and incredibly optimistic parents helped him battle the odds and exceed the life expectations the doctors set for him. The title of the book comes from his mother actually growing marijuana to help with the anorexia and nausea that his chemo sessions left him with. Though not a drug advocate, mom is an expert gardner and grows bushes of cannibus that would make any drug user happy for the rest of his life. His parents help is always to the extreme and its hilarious the measures they take to ensure that their son's cancer not take over his life.
The other wonderful part of this story is just the progression that he makes with each chapter- finding love, graduating medical school, buying a house, and of course beating the disease. Shapiro is warm, compassionate, yet downright hilarious. I couldn't help but read outloud some of the passages to my boyfriend such as when his parents decide he should donate his sperm, or when his mom tells his new girlfriend that they have pot drying in their attic. This book is just wonderful. You will have no problem enjoying it.

A must read if you've ever known anyone diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease.

Helped me understand what my own son was enduring.

My 19 year old son is going through cancer treatment, and by chance a friend loaned me this book. It is a wonderful reference for anyone who has a young relative going through cancer treatment.

I picked this book up in the biography section of my library.
I was about to have my knee operated on and wondered if I could find a good book to read during the days in bed not moving. Well, I was moved by this book.
It is one of the best books I have ever read.
You almost feel like you know Dan through his setbacks and triumphs.
You'll laugh. You'll cry. You will fall in love with this wonderful book.

You might think that the title of my review refers to this man's life changing experience, but in fact I'm speaking of the life changing experience that has been reading this book. Dan Shapiro truly is a brilliant man and he wrote a complex, insightful book. I think the title is misleading, but the story more than makes up for it. It's almost as if the book is interactive; it makes you think back about many things, and can be very humorous at times. When he said he knew his daughter wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for his mother's talking to a stranger, it took me a while to realize he was talking about the woman in that first waiting room telling his mother to save sperm. I like that, that way that Daniel Shapiro has about writing this book. It was one of my favorite books, if not my favorite book, that I have ever read, and I would absolutely love to see a sequel of some sort. (This is the kind of book that once you're finished reading you feel like you've known the author all your life and you wish to meet him.)

I too was a forward air controller. The col. relives alot for me. The Ho Chi Ming trail was pure hell. 57mm rounds leave a lasting impression on one who has experienced war. The book deserves 20 stars.

This is an entertaining and honest read. I really enjoyed the writing style. This book focusses more on the life of a FAC than the actual flying of the missions. Fans of DaNang Diary and A Lonely Kind of War might be disappointed to find much less in the way of the white knuckle accounts of hostile engagements, but anyone interested in the people who fought the war can't fail but to be impressed with this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I am not very interested in war or military titles but this was a departure from the standard fare. Mr. Jackson's personality and joyful approach to life left me feeling proud. His view of life is very uplifting. I can't really explain the way this book made me feel, a combination of proud and sore, from laughing, but with a better understanding of why someone is willing to fight a war. The last chapter made me cry as did other parts but overall the book was a pleasure to read. I may even read it again I definitely will be buying it for friends. Thank you to the authors for helping me understand things that were unknown to me before this book.

I initially ordered this book because I didn't think it could live up to its reviews and I was going to give it less than five stars. After reading it, I would give it six stars if that was possible. This is a top drawer example of a really well constructed, well written and well drawn picture of a man and his impressions and experiences in combat. Te story telling is brilliant, a real "page turner." I have read numerous volumes of war stories, many were excellent but none were able to catch and hold me like this one. Mike Jacksin has done a large favor for Vietnam veterans by showing just how normal they really were.

What a special book this is. It traces Mr. Jackson's experiences as a young man growing up in Ohio and follows him into air force training, pilot training and, finally, into combat. It does an excellent job of showing civilians what it is like to train for and experience war. I think it gives a more personal and even funny view of Vietnam than other books I have read of that era. It is also a timely book with solders once again marching off to war. Mike Jackson has my respect and appreciation.

Is it ever a wonder that Max Lucado is truly anointed by the Lord to touch your heart? In 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles from the Cross', Lucado gets to the heart of the matter. Even to his Irish friend, Ian who had been there and done that. Tired of religion and theology. When everything else seems empty. What really mattered? He wanted treasure. The answer: The Cross.

As it is written, from Paul in I Corithians, chapter 15.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures....

From the Cross comes Words spoken in the Lord's final acts. The words come from Luke, chapter 23. He spoke to all of us through time. He saw each one of us. From His suffering, His pain and His shame to our sickness, our sin and our doubt. His cry, "Father, forgive them." [Luke 23:34] was enough. To all the Bernhard Goetz's who lash out in anger for injustice. There is justice. To the criminal who died on the Cross next to the Savior there is hope. For those finding a way out there is pardon and forgiveness. To the solider or missionary who leaves loved ones behind. For Love is built NOT on passion and romance but on mission and sacrifice. That eternity is closer than any Good-bye, but in reality 'see you soon.' To all the Judith Bucknell's who cry in loneliness. He reached out from the Cross to your lonely heart. It was Jesus in his hour of abandonment, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' [Matthew 27:46]. When no one else loves you. He is going to love you. He always has. He was fulfilling prophecy. When you're tired and thrist. He knows that, too. God became flesh and dwelt with us to know everything we have ever done with compassion He carried it with Him to the Cross.

The witnesses who were there and saw the miracle of salvation. Even those who ran away. There was a great price paid. He sacrified His life. We all know what had happened that day. The message is in our tears. No education, maturity or religion can separate us from His passion. From the Cross' wisdom comes the open arms of undying Love and a place to come home to. Only that wisdom lies NOT as men sees it, but in Faith in the Power of God. The evidence in an empty tomb. So what does really matter to you? I'd say a living God in the flesh, making the most important decision in your life, to spread the news 'in an information age, NOT regeneration.' In Jesus' words, 'Will you tell them?' 'Will you tell them I came back and that I'm coming back again.' Will you?

NOTE: Contains a Study Guide at the end for each chapter for further study plus added notes. To Max, May God continually Bless you as you Bless us with your gift. In the Love of Jesus.

Anything Max Lucado write is an understanding of the Bible that helps a person to find it easily understandable. He makes it easy for people to read and under Jesus a lot better and plus his bible study at the end of the book makes it easier to share the knowledge with a friend

Is it ever a wonder that Max Lucado is truly anointed by the Lord to touch your heart? In 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles from the Cross', Lucado gets to the heart of the matter. Even to his Irish friend, Ian who had been there and done that. Tired of religion and theology. When everything else seems empty. What really mattered? He wanted treasure. The answer: The Cross.

As it is written, from Paul in I Corithians, chapter 15.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures....

From the Cross comes Words spoken in the Lord's final acts. The words come from Luke, chapter 23. He spoke to all of us through time. He saw each one of us. From His suffering, His pain and His shame to our sickness, our sin and our doubt. His cry, "Father, forgive them." [Luke 23:34] was enough. To all the Bernhard Goetz's who lash out in anger for injustice. There is justice. To the criminal who died on the Cross next to the Savior there is hope. For those finding a way out there is pardon and forgiveness. To the solider or missionary who leaves loved ones behind. For Love is built NOT on passion and romance but on mission and sacrifice. That eternity is closer than any Good-bye, but in reality 'see you soon.' To all the Judith Bucknell's who cry in loneliness. He reached out from the Cross to your lonely heart. It was Jesus in his hour of abandonment, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' [Matthew 27:46]. When no one else loves you. He is going to love you. He always has. He was fulfilling prophecy. When you're tired and thrist. He knows that, too. God became flesh and dwelt with us to know everything we have ever done with compassion He carried it with Him to the Cross.

The witnesses who were there and saw the miracle of salvation. Even those who ran away. There was a great price paid. He sacrified His life. We all know what had happened that day. The message is in our tears. No education, maturity or religion can separate us from His passion. From the Cross' wisdom comes the open arms of undying Love and a place to come home to. Only that wisdom lies NOT as men sees it, but in Faith in the Power of God. The evidence in an empty tomb. So what does really matter to you? I'd say a living God in the flesh, making the most important decision in your life, to spread the news 'in an information age, NOT regeneration.' In Jesus' words, 'Will you tell them?' 'Will you tell them I came back and that I'm coming back again.' Will you?

NOTE: Contains a Study Guide at the end for each chapter for further study plus added notes. To Max, May God continually Bless you as you Bless us with your gift. In the Love of Jesus.

"Any serious study of the Christian claim is, at its essence, a study of the cross. To accept or reject Christ without careful examination of Calvary is like deciding on a car without looking at the engine."

As "pain pervades the dusty planet," we can at times wonder how our suffering can better us as human beings. We feel alone roaming down here while God seems far above, safe in his heavenly paradise.

This is where Jesus Christ appears. In his suffering, we can see God at his most human. When the consistency of life IS inconsistency, there is someone who understands.

Jesus died for people instead of taking revenge. He didn't retaliate even when he was facing death. He takes our sin on his shoulders and becomes the "death slayer."

Max Lucado is really writing to people who have broken hearts and who can find a lonely person simply by looking in the mirror. The land of promise is for those who endure the pain and suffering and are reborn.

I loved the story he tells about the puppy and how he explains guilt and forgiveness. He brings a human element to spiritual concepts. He also explains how we can't get rid of guilt ourselves, we really do need a savior.

A beautiful look at Christ, the Cross and why we need God.

~The Rebecca Review

Max Lucado has done a marvelous thing by blessing humanity with his portrayal of the Cross of Jesus Christ. In his own unique style of writing, the author takes you on a vivid journey of discovery as you see the Cross, and the characters who "surround" it, from a new light. Max Lucado has such a powerful ability to express himself in words. Tears filled my eyes as I was touched, transformed, and impacted by my Saviour through this book. You will be truly blessed!

Scared for your life in the midst of a civil war. Then put into a Sudanese refugee camp, disconnected from your father but left with your terrified mother and siblings. After a while, you are reunited with your father, and your entire family is together. Then in America, where you must start over in an alien place, where you get most of your possessions from dumpsters. This was the childhood experience that Mawi Asgedom underwent.
The book "Of Beetles & Angels" shows the extraordinary experiences throughout Mawi Asgedom's young life, which led him to America and to graduate from Harvard University. His amazing story shows the hardships, as well as the joyful occasions, as he discovers American culture and starts an American life. I thoroughly enjoyed his book and believe that I caught a glimpse at just how hard his childhood was.
The chapters within the book are separated into different stories and times of Mawi's life. This way, the reader truly gets to see how wonderful and cruel our country can be to those who are starting over in a new place, and how Mawi and his family start in a new and foreign place. The book also shows Mawi's experiences viewing racism, biased brutality, and what it is like to be noticeably different from most others around you. " Most of our classmates treated us nicely, others ignored us, and the rest -- well, we could only wish that they would ignore us. We may not have understood their words, but we always understood the meaning behind their laughter. `African boodie-scratcher! Scratch that boodie!' `Black donkey! You're so ugly!' `Why don't you go back to Africa where you came from?' We were just two, and they were often many. But they had grown up in a wealthy American suburb, and we had grown up in a Sudanese refugee camp. We were accustomed to fighting almost daily, using sticks, stones, wood chips, and whatever else we could get our hands on. So it was usually no contest, especially when the two of us double-teamed them, as we had done so many times in Sudan. The cruelty of brutal beatings and the name calling left Mawi and his older brother scared and unsure about their new found home America.
Mawi Asgedom's parents dreamed that their children would do well in school. The primary values that they taught their kids were that education was most important, knowledge was power, and that if all of the children within their family studied hard, they could earn scholarships and become smart and powerful leaders within their new country. Mawi kept his parents' values close and fulfilled them all. "I graduated from Harvard one year ago and have since thought much about my parents' dream. By earning my scholarship and graduating, I have fulfilled it. But along the way, I have found greater value in other dreams. And while Harvard University taught me well, my true education has come from less-likely sources. As I look back to the angels, the Charlenes and the Beth Raneys; as I look back to God's servants, dressed as beggrs and as beetles; as I look back to my inspirations, to the Mamas and Tewoldes, I see true guidance staring back at me. True power comes from focusing on what we can give, not what we can take." Mawi learned so much throughout his life and not only made his parents' dreams come true, but also made his own dreams come true.
This book, with all of its extraordinary detail and description, probably cannot entirely summarize all of the struggles, hardships, and rewards Mawi and his family endured from their journey to America and once in America. However, throughout the pages and dialogue of the story "Of Beetles & Angels", the book does an exceptional job of showing how unique Mawi Asgedom's life was as a child. I absolutely recommend this book.

Beginning in 2001 I worked with two refugee families from Liberia. I wish I had read this book first, because it would have helped me to understand better the sorts of things these families might have experienced before they arrived in our country. While experiences of war, persecution and homelessness vary among people arriving in the USA, the feeling of confusion (even when you speak English, like 'my' families did) and dependence mixed with utter relief of finally getting here seem to be common among all. "My" families knew basic things, but our housing, food and school systems were totally overwhelming even for these educated people. And the police, which we're taught to depend upon, strike fear into every refugee I've ever met. Most of them have had bad experiences with police.
So when I read this book I could relate to some things, I cried over others, and I put others in the back of my mind to remember for when I'm working again with refugee immigrants, especially in these days of heated debates about immigrants.
Personally I think this book should be a must-read in every high school curriculum and for every teacher, not only because it's such a compelling story, but it helps us to see others through another lens and it is ultimately a story of hope.
From a strictly literature point of view there are better books out there, but this one tugs at the heart. And it's also a fast read if you want it to be.

Of Beetles and Angles is the remarkable non-fiction account of Mawi Asgedom's jouney as an African war refugee to America and the obstacles that he and his family had to overcome. In his own words he describes his inspiring transformation into a man with traditional values and principles mixed in with the demands of everyday life in a new society. Influenced by his older brother and father, Mawi sets out to experience the American dream and more importantly, look upon each and every person as angels sent to test the will of our hearts.

This book told me one thing: everyone can be an angel. No matter in what form, that thing could be an angel.
From this story, a boy named Mawi was a refugee. His homeland had been involved in a war. His father decided the family would flee to Amerikha, as they called it. It was a place of peace, which was something that didnt exist in Eritrea, their homeland.
Many perils were made in America. Mawi needed to go to school, with his brothers and sister. He survived through prejudice and violence at school. His dream was to be welcomed with a scholarship into a special university. He worked very hard to achieve his goal.
How did it happen? Just read the book and find out!

I won't take a lot of space stating what the book is about. Just get it and read it, everyone from middle school through adults. You'll be glad you did.

Joseph Balkoski's book on Omaha Beach is a great historical resource like his book Utah Beach. Omaha Beach tells the story of when largely untested American troops assaulted the German army's Atlantic wall. This is a great read covering the events of the day almost minute by minute. It reads like a great documentary. This is not written in the format of a memoir. Balkoski relies mainly on primary sources such as after action reports, unit journals, and citations to create his blow by blow narrative. He includes the invasion's diplomatic and strategic context. Omaha Beach is the closest the modern reader can get to experiencing the Normandy landings firsthand.

Sprinkled throughout the battle account are the accounts of those in the battle. It is a classic. It is a must for any D-day library. It also included comprehensive lists of all Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross winners at Omaha Beach. It has: the Order of Battle, unit casualty list for the first twenty-four hours, unit organization of a 30man assault boat unit weapons, and equipment carried in the assault by a typical soldier, and a series of detailed maps allowing the reader unparalleled insight into the minute-by-minute combat on Omaha Beach.

I read the book several years ago, just prior to visiting the Normandy Beaches. Bought it to have my own copy and read it again. The book's great strength (drawback for some readers, maybe) is its huge volume of detail. It is thoroughly researched; written with clarity; tells the story fully. The human side of this Day In History is also illustrated in meaningful detail; descriptions of unbelievable heroism are numerous; only three Medals of Honor were awarded;many DSCs. Issue: General Cota should have received the Medal of Honor; saved many lives; inspired leadership. A really fine and exciting book.

I am not going to go on at length since there are already some well written reviews here. I just wanted to add my vote that this is a great book. I think it is the finest book on Omaha written, including Ryan's and Ambrose's. I also recommend Bernage's work for the graphics and photos.

This is a great "you are there" description of D-Day on Omaha Beach in Normandy. Joseph Balkoski has done an excellent job of presenting the official and personnel accounts of people who were there that longest day of the war. The descriptions by the veterans take you into the landing craft, onto the beach, and up and over the bluffs that overlooked the beach. His telling of the story dispels the usual belief that the soldiers were stuck on the beach all day and only got off the beach near the end of the day as depicted in the movie "The Longest Day".

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a real detailed story focused on this one beach of the D-Day invasion. I would really recommend it to someone who is a wargamer such as myself since reading the stories makes me want to recreate these small firefights as well as the overall battle. I am sure there are many people who feel that way.

Balkoski's style of telling history is very well done and he has done an excellent job of bringing the materials together so that others can follow in the footsteps of the brave men of that day.

I can't want to read Utah Beach!


Utah Beach: The Amphibious Landing And Airborne Operations On D-Day, June 6, 1944

I decided at first to write a long review of this book, but upon reading the other reviews here I trimmed my review to simply this...

I own and run a battlefield touring company in Normandy and have read many many books on the fighting on Omaha Beach on D-Day. There is no better book than this one, that's it it's absolutely the definitive book on the subject. The author has lived overlooking the beach, he's from Maryland - home of the 29th division and he has studied the units involved for thirty years. This book will never be bettered. I cannot sing its praises loudly enough.

This is a great book to read if you take hikes in the New England woods or just want to be a "detective" of landscapes. You'll learn alot!

After reading this book I will never view the forest the same again. It shows me how to look for clues to the past at every turn. At first I was skeptical then began to see the patterns described in the woods right by our cabin. Even when I drive the clues are there. If you have any relationship to a piece of land this book will make it richer.

I thought I knew the woods. "Reading the Forested Landscape" allows you to see what is in front of you, but not seen. I will never look at a woods in the same way again. Tom Wessels does a masterful job of showing you how to "read" the landscape. The book is a "detective novel" of information. I will read it again and visit the woodlands and do a bit of detective work. Great fun.

...makes more sense after reading this book. The chapters give an introductory look at what you see when you walk through a forest and what it means to the ecosystem and to you if you're just curious or you are in wildlife management.

Before I read this book, I knew the woods had stories to tell; now, I can begin to understand them. This book is a forensic reference demystifying the clues the forest has to reveal. Each chapter describes, in depth, a particular setting and the clues found there. The drawings, unfortunately, are not as good or helpful as the writing. I would have preferred photographs, but it's only a small drawback.