Fighting Books

The Confederacy's Fighting Chaplain, Father John B. Bannon by Phillip Thomas Tucker, is an excellent biography and Civil War History. The book gives the background of Father Bannon, beginning with his education in Ireland and his service in St. Louis. The conflicts which were tearing St. Louis, as well as the nation, apart are well reflected in the life of Bannon as he was making his decision as to how to respond to the gathering storm. Not limiting his narrative to a mere recitation of facts, Tucker acquaints the reader with the factors working on, and the thoughts going on within Bannon's mind which led him to his conclusion that the Confederacy represented the cause of freedom and Christian civilization in America. The chapters covering Bannon's service as chaplain for the First Missouri Confederate Brigade skillfully blend the details of the chaplain's life with the greater history of the War in general. The final section of the book relates Bannon's unique service as a diplomatic agent on behalf of the Confederacy and his role as personal emissary from President Davis to Pope Pius IX. Davis had asked Bannon to undertake a mission to Ireland to attempt to dissuade Irish from enlisting in the Union Army. It was Bannon's initiative to undertake the overture which almost resulted in recognition of the Confederacy by the Vatican. The unique intertwining of Bannon's roles as chaplain and diplomat within the larger story in which he played a part, make this a very worthwhile addition to the Civil War literature

The Confederacy's Fighting Chaplain, Father John B. Bannon by Phillip Thomas Tucker, is an excellent biography and Civil War History. The book gives the background of Father Bannon, beginning with his education in Ireland and his service in St. Louis. The conflicts which were tearing St. Louis, as well as the nation, apart are well reflected in the life of Bannon as he was making his decision as to how to respond to the gathering storm. Not limiting his narrative to a mere recitation of facts, Tucker acquaints the reader with the factors working on, and the thoughts going on within Bannon's mind which led him to his conclusion that the Confederacy represented the cause of freedom and Christian civilization in America. The chapters covering Bannon's service as chaplain for the First Missouri Confederate Brigade skillfully blend the details of the chaplain's life with the greater history of the War in general. The final section of the book relates Bannon's unique service as a diplomatic agent on behalf of the Confederacy and his role as personal emissary from President Davis to Pope Pius IX. Davis had asked Bannon to undertake a mission to Ireland to attempt to dissuade Irish from enlisting in the Union Army. It was Bannon's initiative to undertake the overture which almost resulted in recognition of the Confederacy by the Vatican. The unique intertwining of Bannon's roles as chaplain and diplomat within the larger story in which he played a part, make this a very worthwhile addition to the Civil War literature.

This paperback is a must read for all that once held the church and its worldly representatives in such high esteem. It is redemptive in that the author found solace - something that eludes the vast majority of Catholics in the archdiocese of NY with its present Cardinal who hires pitbull attorneys to defend the church's gold bullion and succeeds temporalily by arguing that its victims brought suit after the statute of limitations expired. Doesn't Egan know that this statute doesn't apply in the hereafter - or does he only care about the here and now?

Excellent reporting re an underreported subject (misconduct and misprison of felony by the Catholic order of Salesian priests and brothers). Due to advanced age, their numbers are swiftly declining to the extent that few of them are found in the classroom. Their woeful incapacity to teach high school subjects was compensated for by a reign of terror and intimidation in the classroom, the corridors, the yard etc. A truly angry bunch of men who could in a moment flash a corporate smile.

The Hockey News recently listed the 100 most influential people in hockey. Read "Crunch" and you'll know why Kevin Allen was on that list. An informative and entertaining book that chronicles the sport's physical side, it's a MUST read for every fan of the "Coolest Game on Earth"!

Kevin Allen shows why hockey is more than just a contact sport. He speaks of the grit and guts required to succeed in the sport. It is also well written and the style does not become burdensome. This book is great.

I was researching the heroic story of the loss of the USS Aaron Ward (sunk off the Solomon Islands towards the end of WW2) when I came across this item advertised on one of the Amazon websites. Unaware I was looking at an eight-volume set of books, I baulked at the price and decided to search on. Nevertheless, I kept coming back to this item and decided to take a closer look. I am so glad I did.

Set out in alphabetical order and written without fear or favour, the United States Department of Defence have provided one of the most important research tools of modern years and I congratulate them for an excellent job of work. The entry for each ship commences with a note about the origin of the name. For example, the USS Missouri is named after an American state - enough said. The Aaron Ward, however, was named after Admiral Aaron Ward and that particular section commences with a most reasonable biography of the man.

Each ship to bear a particular name is covered in varying degrees of detail - largely dependant on what historical information was available to the compilers. Famous ships and, naturally, more recent vessels, get excellent coverage although it must be said that if the information was available on those much older vessels, then their full story is told here.

Watch out for single volumes being sold separately - when you are either looking for a complete set or perhaps a different volume.

Altogether, one of the best additions to my library for a very long time.

NM

Definitive guide to U.S. naval vessels - draught, class, propulsion, etc.; history of ships' names. The online version of DANFS is updated with information post-1959. The United States Naval Vessel Register, NVR online, gives disposition information for ships which were commissioned by the Secretary of the Navy or the President of the United States, but the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships includes ships which were commandeered during wartime as well.

I was researching the heroic story of the loss of the USS Aaron Ward (sunk off the Solomon Islands towards the end of WW2) when I came across this item advertised on one of the Amazon websites. Unaware I was looking at an eight-volume set of books, I baulked at the price and decided to search on. Nevertheless, I kept coming back to this item and decided to take a closer look. I am so glad I did.

Set out in alphabetical order and written without fear or favour, the United States Department of Defence have provided one of the most important research tools of modern years and I congratulate them for an excellent job of work. The entry for each ship commences with a note about the origin of the name. For example, the USS Missouri is named after an American state - enough said. The Aaron Ward, however, was named after Admiral Aaron Ward and that particular section commences with a most reasonable biography of the man.

Each ship to bear a particular name is covered in varying degrees of detail - largely dependant on what historical information was available to the compilers. Famous ships and, naturally, more recent vessels, get excellent coverage although it must be said that if the information was available on those much older vessels, then their full story is told here.

Watch out for single volumes being sold separately - when you are either looking for a complete set or perhaps a different volume.

Altogether, one of the best additions to my library for a very long time.

NM

This set of books represents the finest collection of basic data about America's fighting ships to found anywhere. Straight forward basic facts that is not emersed in minor details. It gives the researcher a lot of information about ANY American ship without the fog of propaganda style writing.

There is also a complete book on Confederate Naval vessels. It is the only place I have evet found that list EVERY SINGLE craft that the Confederacy used. This includes the torpedo boat CSS David and submarine CSS H.L.Hunley as well as every ironclad built. A great wor\k of writing to have on any book shelf that deals with American naval history.

This book is a prodigious effort and I must admit that I was looking for it ever since I first saw it in German years ago in a small shop in Rothenburg ob der Tauber run by a former member of the 503rd Schwere Panzer Abteilung. It is primarily a day by day account of the battles of the SS formations and has an apologists stamp to it.

This book was written about a time when the German Army could no longer dictate the tempo at the strategic or operational level of war. However, at the tactical level, they remained highly effective. German formations remained capable of delivering hard blows in response to Soviet operations, but were no longer able to successfully conduct a major offensive operation. The high command, driven by Hitler, remained determined to do so however. This resulted in the grinding down by attrition of available combat power. At the height of their conquests, Germany had greater depth and capacity to make good losses, but that ability had long since vanished in the reverses of late 1943 and 1944. And now, beginning in December of 1944, there is the increasing realization that the conditions no longer exist for operations on a grand scale. This is a fact that Hitler refuses to accept. Carefully husbanded resources are squandered in attempting to force a decision in the face of adverse conditions and superior combat power. This merely creates the conditions for Soviet success at the operational level by writing down German strength and tying up reserves.

This is the case for the main event in this book, Operation "Spring Awakening", an ill conceived, ill timed offensive designed to keep Hungary and Hungarian resources in the war and protect Vienna. In events reminiscent of Burnside's "Mud March", the 6th Panzer Army struggled to mount a major offensive after pulling out of a major battle in the Ardennes. The fact that they were able to mount an offensive at all is a testament to their determination and ability. The wisdom of mounting it speaks less so. Heavy weapons, particularly in the case of the II SS Panzer Corps could not be brought forward by LD due to terrain and weather. There was little doubt about the location and timing of the offensive. Once begun, the offensive was characterized as much by the type of head- on bludgeoning that we consider more in the style of the Soviets. And yet there was some degree of success. However, as the offensive had obviously begun to run its course, it became apparent to operational commanders that danger lurked elsewhere, to the northern flank covered by Hungarian forces. Once again, the Soviets seized the initiative and began to dictate the course of events that lead to the eventual final surrender.

The dominant theme running through the book is the internal conflict between primarily General Hermann Balck and a variety of SS leaders, most specifically Gille, commander of the IV SS Panzer Corps and Dietrich, commander of the 6th Panzer Army. This was not the Hermann Balck who successfully commanded on the Eastern Front in 1943. By this period, he had tasted defeat at higher levels of command and was now commanding at the Army level. As the Germans became less able to win above the tactical level, it became increasingly important to avert blame, the price of failure could be high. The author's contention is that this had become Balck's prime concern and he sought to turn the spot light from himself to the SS formations and leadership as success became elusive. The author, as a member of the operations staff of the 6th Panzer Army, has his own ax to grind as well. He naturally seeks to defend the actions of the SS units, with some amount of justification. This conflict, while much the center piece, overlays the larger conflict within German command structures that overlays all operations by this point in the war.

This book is not for the casual reader. The expense alone will screen out much of the potential audience. It is highly detailed and is accompanied by a separate folio of maps - a must for trying to following the tale amid confusing names and the changing situation. I found myself having to stop periodically and carefully review the appropriate map references or in several cases I became completely lost. It is a day by day account of Army and Corps level operations, it draws from first person accounts and detailed sources. To get the individual or tactical perspective, I would recommend reading Hubert Meyer, Otto Weidinger, or Will Fey who are focused on the tactical level. I do not regret spending the money for this book, but it is neither easy nor casual reading. I highly recommend it. Just understand what you are signing up for from the start.

Like the guy said above, don't purchase this book unless you're like me, an avid "nut" about the Eastern Front during WWII. It's well written and documented, but you have to really know what's been going on up until this ill-fated and timed offensive.

I can't say I found the latest research to be very encouraging, but it helps to know where we stand. I've been ill with CFS for 2 years and a patient of Dr. Natelson for a year. The book accurately represents his approach and attitude toward his patients. I particularly like how he clearly differentiates between CFS, depression, and other fatiguing illnesses. It's very heartening (and easier to get well) when a doctor tells you that you really are sick and no, it's not all in your head.

A new book on fatiguing illness is off the presses, with surprisingly *little* fanfare.

I *highly* recommend this book to anyone interested in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS,) its diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment and all other diseases that have fatigue as a major symptom.

Dr. Natelson is a professor of neurosciences at University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey Medical School and director of the New Jersey Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Center. He is also a principle investigator of one of two federally funded CFS Cooperative Research Centers, along with being the medical director of the Gulf War Research Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in East Orange, New Jersey.

Aside from his excellent medical credentials, Dr. Natelson's presentation of what is known and not known about fatiguing illness in general and CFS in particular comes across loud and clear as ONE WHO KNOWS. This man *understands* He CARES.

In the early chapters, he does an excellent job of examining all the definitions, various terminology, and strengths and weaknesses of various research approaches.

Dr. Natelson looks at fatigue, weariness, neurasthenia, functional illness, and other fatiguing illnesses or reasons for fatigue that must be ruled out before the diagnosis of CFS is conferred. He does this in a non-jargonistic, careful, patient and easy-to-read manner. The chapters and topics are logically arranged and flow easily, and most importantly, he is not judgmental about any of the causes of fatigue.

He addresses those who have been exhausted all their lives, saying that this represents one extreme, just as the over-energetic represent another.

Dr. Natelson does an excellent job in discussing the medical causes of fatigue. He looks at chronic infection in general, then specifically as in AIDS, Lyme disease (fully recognizing the difficulties with lab tests and proper diagnosis in this disease), and tuberculosis. He looks at sleep disorders, again progressing from gen! eral to sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome.

He has quite a good outline on MS can be diagnosed, and the similar but distinctly different diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

For MS, he says: "How does a physician make the diagnosis of MS in a patient who has not had repeated neurolgical problems separated from one another by periods of normalcy?" a frequent question. He goes on to state that the MRI becomes a diagnostic tool -- if the lesions are specific, in the "right" places and in the "right" pattern, then that "strongly suggests" MS.

But, he goes on to explicate the MRI abnormalities seen in CFS patients: Of 52 patients he studied, nine had the "tiny abnormalities" (commonly called UBOs) that were not specific enough to diagnose MS. Some time later he got in touch with 8; of those 8, three of them had doctors who had dropped the CFS diagnosis, but only two had a pattern of symptoms that pointed to MS. He postulates that patients with severe and chronic fatigue who have nonspecific MRI abnormalities may be in a different class, and may have a mild form of MS.

Of particular help, Dr. Natelson looks at the various terms and research, explaining "splitters" and "lumpers" and how these various categories have affected research. He even talks about the selection of normal controls and some of the problems.

He has several very good chapters on practical things to do, including one on understanding the doctor. I know, I know, some of us really bristle at the idea of our having to take time to understand somebody we are paying a hefty sum of money to help us!! But, this chapter gives insights into how we can better choose a doctor who WILL help, and also how to communicate more effectively with the ones who DO help. He pulls no punches with regard to how the training process, particularly in the past several years with the huge technological and information explosions in medical science, has been less than perfect! in producing the old-fashioned "physician" -- the guy or gal who holds your hand and leads you through the complexities of being sick EVEN IF he or she cannot cure you.

Dr. Natelson looks thoroughly at chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), what it is and what it isn't, and the role of depression before or after the fact or not at all.

He encourages support groups, coaches, experimentation. He is quite aware of all the limitations presently in the care and treatment of CFS, but does offer concrete suggestions about sleep, stress and anxiety reduction, exercise (moving rather than staying in bed kind), and why the various drugs work or don't work.

Dr. Natelson mentions looking into alternative treatment and medications, with some frank discussion about the benefits and pitfalls. His guiding principle seems to be six weeks -- if *whatever* it is you are taking or doing does not show obvious improvement or benefit in six weeks, then stop. He also warns about the many false promises accompanying many of the alternative treatments and the psychological and emotional toll that takes.

In all of his treatment talk, alternative or "standard" he mentions costs and cost-benefit analysis as one of the major determining factors.

All in all, this is a no-hype, honest look at all sides of the issues surrounding CFS, with practical tips based on his experience in treating and supporting the most severely ill patients.

As the son of a wwII navy vereran, nephew of a Korean war casualty and father, the sacrifices of the men and women of war becomes incerasingly important to me. The freedoms that we Americans now enjoy did not come without a price. I picked up the Book "Fighting Amphibs" at the Mystic Naval bookstore. The book is an extremely well researched and documented history of the Lcs class ships penned by a veteran who lived and experienced the war as a member of this small but significant ship. The personalization of the book drew me into the book, I could not put it down and have purchesed other copies for friends. The difference between THE PERFECT STORM and FIGHTING ANPHIBS is that in the perfect storm no one was shooting at them while braving muliple storms. To the author Mr. Ball and all the other unsung hero's and freedom fighters thank you and thank you for this invaluable record, perspective of the cost of freedom.

My father was a wwII veteran and my uncle was a Korean war casualty and I am a father. I recently bought the book Fighting Amphibs at the Mystic Seaport Maritime bookstore. when I started to read it i could not put it down. It is an extremely well researched account of an important strategic ship in wwII. The book is written by someone who exhaustedly researched it as well as lived it. The joy of fatherhood has led me to a profound appreciation for the men and women of all wars. This book accounts a sliver of life, courage, and teamwork in the days and historic battles of wwII. The lcs ships were unsung pieces of a very precarious puzzle. As I read the book with its graphic detail I could not help to compare it to the book THE PERFECT STORM with the lcs braving storms typhoons the difference the men written about in FIGHTING AMPHIBS had bombs torpedoes and nothing to live for but freedom. The contents of this book changed my life and all American's lives. I thank the author Donald Ball for the courage to go to war some fifty years ago and for having the courage to write this book.

The title is actually a misnomer. This book isn't all about fire pumpers and ladder trucks but also contains great information about Rescue, Support (lighting, air resupply, generators), Airport crash trucks, Tankers, and Command and Control trucks. The last section talks about the colors and "decorative appearance" of trucks in different cities.

I find this book a wonderful all-around reference to the above vehicles. The book contains photos and info on the best of the breed of tankers, support, rescue, etc. The author went to the large cities and basically "peeked into the firehouse" to see what they have and what they used it for.

Methods and procedures are discussed such as how to hook up hoses to hydrants, drive to the scene, and conduct firefighting or rescue operations to name a few.

The author was also there for many major fires and rescue work in several cities so the photos are taken at great "frontline" angles and not behind some crowd. Also, the captions are specific and describes what the photo shows and is about. It's not "Four rescue trucks at a downtown accident," BUT "This is a pretty rare scene where four out of five NYFD rescue trucks show up for the construction accident. You can see the debris lying on the street in the background. One person was killed in this accident."

The best part I find is the explanations. As I read, I have questions which the author seems to predict and answer. Do tankers run to the water source with lights and sirens? Why does some cities run ladders and others towers? Do cities paint their trucks orange? Why don't firemen ride standing on the rear bumper? Why do rural towns have better vehicles than large cities? All these questions the author answered.

Highly recommend for the fire vehicle and modeler fan. A great book to learn both from text, photos, and quotes.

I recommend this book to anyone who even likes fire trucks a little bit. It has over 85 awesome color pics of all different kinds of fire trucks in every color imaginible. I especially enjoyed the section on special units. Also, there are sidebars covering such topics as quints and squad companies. Also, if you like this book, be sure to check out "Fire Trucks In Action" by George Hall- They're both great books!

I found "Fighting for Air - The Unknown Adventures of the Young Doc Holliday" an excellent and highly enjoyable read. The well paced story takes you through the life of Doc Holliday up to the point most people know him. I really enjoyed the historical detail of the novel covering Holliday's experiences through the Civil War, the carpetbagger era in the South and the boom of the U.S. as the country expands westward in the later part of the 1800s. Against this historical backdrop, the author does an outstanding job of getting inside the character of Doc Holliday to help understand the events and people in his life that created the man everyone knows mostly from the OK Corral. The history altering events that Holliday witnesses are covered from his viewpoint and give a unique personal perspective into how these events affected both Holiday's course in life and individuals of this time period. Yet the narrative never stops to digress into an extended history lesson. There are numerous well drawn supporting characters both historical and fictional that come in and out of Holliday's life along the way. As with the events he experiences, the effect these people have in the choices Holliday makes in his life are fascinating. Putting historical events and characters aside, the book is also a fun, rip-roaring, fast paced adventure! I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a well crafted character driven story, historical fiction or just looking for a good read.

Jack Kincade's new novel entitled Fighting for Air, The Unknown Adventures of Young Doc Holliday is a spectacular read. It's an historical novel based on Doc Holliday's life and adventures: a totally involving, magnetic history of an unusual and exceptional individual which keeps you on the edge of your seat just waiting for what will happen next I found this to be a true page turner in every sense of the word. Jack Kincade casts a spell over the reader from the minute you crack open his book and read the opening paragraph. A spell which cannot be denied nor one you ever wish to end.

It's a rare event when one finds a novel which reads like riding the rapids straight to the open sea. This novel wets your appetite with each page and maintains your interest from one chapter to the next. Consequently, I devoured it all in a day and a half just because I couldn't put it down. I was sorry to see the story come to an end. To say that I would recommend this to one and all is an understatement.

I can easily see this turned into a movie or cable series.