Irons Books

I won't re-iterate the previous good reviews on this book. However, there's one review in which the author mentions the cupola furnace is "small". A furnace that melts upwards of 600 pounds of grey iron per hour is nothing to sneeze at. And, the furnace can provide approximately 200 lbs of iron per tap. That's more than one man can handle. Besides, he gives you all the information necessary to build whatever size you want! As for the requirement of welding equipment, lathe, etc. - if you don't own or have access to this equipment and the knowledge to use it correctly, you shouldn't be attempting to build anything of this sort to begin with. This is an excellent book written by someone with the practical knowledge that uses the furnace the way an above average machinist/mechainc/repairman would. This book will give an individual an opportunity to make him/herself an excellent living.

Steve Chastain has written a modern, comprehensive "how to" guide on the construction and operation of small cupola furnaces. I have built and operated a 10 inch cupola furnace using his book as the major reference. The chapters include:

1) Cupola theory and design considerations

2) Building a 10 inch cupola

3) Cupola operation

4) Air supply and blowers

5) Designing centrifugal fans

6) Construction of centrifugal fans

7) Construction of a Pitot tube and manometer

8) Calculation of Air Flow

9) Additional Cupolas based on the 15 inch shell

10) Oxygen enrichment

11) Purchase of Coke

12) Conclusion

Appendix:

Suppliers

Airflow through pipe

This 128 page book is a treasure trove for the amateur foundryman. It is absolutely packed with accurate information. I have operated a small propane fired crucible furnace for several years and needed larger volumes of cast iron. Without any prior experience I was able to build a functioning 10 inch cupola furnace. I made mistakes along the way. The two most glaring were not following the blower selection and cupola operation exactly. You can not take shortcuts, period. I was intimidated by the thought of building a powerful blower and tried to substitute insulation and dust collection blowers. It didn't work. Re-reading the book explained why in eloquent detail (with straight forward math to back it up). I had never built and balanced a blower before. Following the book I had a blower that worked the first time and exceeded design specifications. I picked the wrong size coke for the furnace and produced a disappointing quantity of cast iron as a result. Using the correct size coke and following the instructions remedied the situation. If there are limitations with this small book it is that the author expects that you will read and comprehend the book before you rush off and start building the furnace. Do not take short cuts. This will ultimately save you time, money and frustration.

I can recommend Mr. Chastains book with enthusiasm.

Stephen D. Chastain's book Iron Melting Cupola Furnaces for the Small Foundry is not a rewrite of information from the past but Steve has designed, built and has in use a cupola furnaces suitable for casting those obsolete iron parts you can no longer find or making proto types allin your back yard (But only if you have vary good neighbors thatlike you a great deal!). Steve's book has a good mix of practicalinformation and theory. Using his little book, two of my friends and I have taken the detailed information presented and have fabricated a working coke burning cupola furnace (including the blower). I would not have started the project without his book. Steve also gives detailed information on running the furnace to melt iron. His book now finds its self dog-eared, highlighted, annotated, and returned to often - it is well worth the money.

Brian

This is a nice book on how to build a realatively small cupola for melting iron. It is well written, and he has a couple of pictures in the book. This is not a beginners furnace however and it requires a cutting torch, welder, and a small lathe for a couple of parts. Also, iron in general is rather dangerous for a beginner, so start with lead or Aluminum. For info on melting aluminum, check out ...
In general, I would recommend this book for reference if you are a beginning foundry person, but if you are really serious, go for it.

Stephen D. Chastain's book Iron Melting Cupola Furnaces for the Small Foundry is not a rewrite of information from the past but Steve has designed, built and has in use a cupola furnaces suitable for casting those obsolete iron parts you can no longer find or making proto types all in your back yard (But only if you have vary good neighbors that like you a great deal!). Steve's book has a good mix of practical information and theory. Using his little book, two of my friends and I have taken the detailed information presented and have fabricated a working coke burning cupola furnace (including the blower). I would not have started the project without his book. Steve also gives detailed information on running the furnace to melt iron. His book now kinds its self dog-eared, highlighted, annotated, and returned to often - it is well worth the money.

What could be more presumptuous than attempting to sit in judgment of writings of John McPhee? Essayist of the American scene for the New Yorker magazine, McPhee is a lodestone for people unheralded, forgotten or simply unknown. When you read his accounts of their lives and work, his use of language, image, empathy will instill them in your memory. There, they will be cherished, later re-examined to be reflected on, or valued, or best of all, emulated. All his subjects are worthy role examples, but that is only a part of the value of reading McPhee's accounts of their lives. His scope is vast, bringing together personalities, history - often at some depth, and other related information. All this seems to pale in the light of his ability form sentences that lead you into novel worlds, elevate your interest in something unexpected, or simply describe an otherwise mundane event.

This book starts with a shock - cattle rustling isn't a practice limited to Hollywood's false sense of history. Cattle duffing remains an active practice in Nevada. Branding, the symbol of ownership, is still subject to the "running iron" in shifting title without accompanying cash exchange. Law enforcement is not applied by gun-toting marshals, but by a Brand Inspector marking tallies in the palm of his hand. McPhee escorts one across vast stretches of the Basin and climbs thousands of feet over the Range to "take attendance" of cattle like a country schoolmarm. There's little limit to how far he must travel - tracking moving cattle may lead him to California or southern Utah. McPhee's descriptions of the country are more than matched by his relation of successful apprehensions of rustlers. His account brings the action into sharp focus and you are beside the Inspector staking out a mountain hideaway.

McPhee raises the term "investigative journalist" to fresh levels of excellence. Other topics in this collection include word processing for a blind author, understanding gravel as evidence, exotic automobiles and the travels and travails of a glacial boulder - a special one. His guidance through these topics is sure, keeping your interest at a peak as he conveys a wealth of information and character description. As with any McPhee book, this one remains timeless. It's worth your attention - and retention.

Although I've long heard of the prolific essayist McPhee, I'd never actually read anything by him until now. While I admire his curiosity about the world around him, only of two of the seven essays (all of which were previously published in some form in The New Yorker I believe) really captured my attention. "The Gravel Page" is in fact seventy pages about the compelling subject of geological forensics. It holds together somewhat better than some of the other pieces because McPhee uses several high-profile cases (the kidnapping/murder cases of beer magnate Adolph Coors III in Colorado and DEA agent Enrique Salazar in Mexico) to show how soil analysts can play a key role in solving a crime. Equally compelling (perhaps because it's a topic that has a broader impact), is his foray into the world of auto tire disposal. There are a number of amazing facts he brings to light, the number of tires discarded, the rejection of retreads in the US despite no difference in safety, shredding and recycling entrepreneurs, and most impressive, the amount of recoverable petroleum in each tire. For example, according to McPhee, burning tires yield more energy than lignite coal, with similar emissions. So, let's see, we could be recycling tires for fuel instead of trying to rip more coal of the ground. Hmm, tough call... In any event, these two essays are worth checking the book out of the library for.

The other five essays are as follows: "Irons in the Fire" starts out promisingly enough as a behind the scenes look at modern-day brand inspectors in Nevada, complete with rustlers. Unfortunately, unless you have some particular interest in cattle, digressions and its 50+ pages of length may render it rather numbing after a while. The second piece, "Release," is an entirely mawkish-and thankfully brief-portrait of an author who uses voice-recognition software on his computer to assist his writing. It might have been remarkable fifteen years ago, but we've all seen umpteen of these stories on the local news since then. He tries to milk some humor out of it via the computer's awkward pronunciation, but its just not funny. "In Virgin Forest," is another brief entry, this time about a bit of primordial deciduous forest just across the river from Manhattan in New Jersey. It's kind of neat to discover how it came to survive in pristine form in such an unlikely place, but there's not a whole lot more to it. "Rinhard at Manheim" is perhaps the oddest piece-it's basically the transcribed ramblings of a friend of McPhee's who's a scout at a "exotic car" auction, as he describes the merits and deficiencies of various luxury sports cars. There doesn't seem to be much point-or even humor-to it. The final essay, on the history, repair, and geological origins of Plymouth Rock is rather tedious on the whole, although geologists, stonemasons or history buffs might find it more worthwhile.

As always, McPhee's work is a zenith of style. But, in this collection, his shortest piece is his most fascinating. For, who is this mysterious "Rinard at Manheim," whose knowledge and wit are at least equal to the author's?

Once again, McPhee has revealed the fascinating hidden sides to a number of subjects which at first appear ordinary. He is The Master at popularizing Earth Science, and shows why in the most entertaining manner.

Others more talented than I, and who make a living reviewing books, have already reviewed and praised this book. I have a question of the publisher, though. At the front of the book, below the card-catalog data, is the following statement: "A NOTE ON THE BINDING The die on the front of the binding -Lazy J Over Running M Combined- was created by Ellie Wyeth Fox for the author". Where is this die (cattle brand?) to be found? I looked all over my copy of this book and could not find it anywhere.

Mr. McPhee again turns his discerning eye on the work people do, what it entails, what it means to the worker, and (usually), how the author feels about it. Then he expands the context to outline its national, geophysical, geopolitical, economical, or other relevant influence, always in human terms. THIS MAN CAN WRITE! Here, he ranges from current-day cattle rustling in Nevada, to computers for the blind, to the content of a virgin forest in New Jersey (!), to the mortal hazards faced by high-tech soil-analyzing crimesolvers, to the sheer scope and methods of used tire disposal, to a short piece on an exotic auto auction in Pennsylvania, to the likely origins and the repair of Plymouth Rock. All, thanks to the author, are wonderful to read. But then, so is everything he has published.

This book is a must for those who have never seen the Border regions during the cold war. These pictures show the regions as they were then. The photographs in this book show these areas as beautiful, tranquil, quiet and foreboding, with the ever present eye of East German Guards peering at you from the border towers. Those fences and no mans land are gone now, and have since been replaced by reconstruction. These photographs are very rare and exclusive, taken throughout Berlin, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czeshoslovakia and Italy. It is a haunting reminder what communism was, especially for those who lived between the fences.

With photos taken in the mid 1980s the author takes us on a pictorial trip along the former Iron Curtain from the Baltic sea coast at Travemunde (West-East Germany) to the Adriatic sea coast at Trieste (Italy-Yugolsalvia [today Slovenia]); with a separate chapter on the Berlin Wall. They are superb photos full of (sad) atmosphere, poignancy and historical importance. Like another reader, I just wish there were more of them. The chapters with photos from the period following the collapse of the Soviet empire and thus its lengthy prison wall with the west are relevant too. The author doesn't provide any lengthy description of the physical nature of the fortifications, history of escape attempts, as well as the constrast in the lives of people on each side of the borders but that has been the subject of other books and there is no need to; the brief comments combined with the pictures are all you need to appreciate it.

I haven't seen anyone else put together a book like this, with shots from all along the Iron Curtain in the Cold War. My only disappointment was that there's not more of it - because the work in here is excellent, and I would have loved for it to not end so soon. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in what the Soviets did to Eastern Europe until the fall of communism.

The Lost Border by Brian Rose fulfills an historical need by photographing the Iron Curtain before it was relegated to the dustbin of history. The photos are are in color and fill the need of being historical rather than some modern black and white modern art form which would have defeated the whole purpose of the book. I have walked the Berlin Wall many times in the 60's & 70's to take photos and aggravate the guards and for me to see the rest of the Iron Curtain in this large format book was a pleasure. I compliment Mr Rose on his endeavor. These photos show the stark reality of the evil of communism in clear detail. The Lost Border is an asset to any library; home or otherwise.

I grew up behind that border, lived in this grey cold world. The photographs brought back a lot of supressed memories. Looking through the book, I realized that these memories should be kept alive. Awesome and chilling at the same time. I would recommend this book to anyone....the era has passed but it was real. A lot of lives were lost at that border and many untold stories are buried with it. To me that book is a tribute to all who suffered in the name of freedom, I was just one of many.

Ordered a book that i would usually get in a book shop and realised that it was much cheaper through amazon and i would recieve it a lot quicker

This is the Bible for understanding the processes involved in steel production. The history and development of the various technologies are fully discussed. The nature of the market, with the critical financial drivers are fully explained. The technical detail is written at a level that will benefit the expert, but in such a way that someone new to the business can understand the concepts and issues without being overwhelmed. This book made it possible for me to work with steel experts without being intimidated by their jargon. Don't leave home without it!

This 1500 page book is a comprehensive work on the subject of steelmaking. Some of the topics include the history of steelmaking, slags, refractories, solution thermodynamics, furnaces, alloys, and chemistry. It has many charts, tables, and illustrations as well as an extensive index and excellent cross-referencing. This book is a definate must-have for any materials science student interested in the steel industry. It is also an excellent reference book for the professional.

Coming from and Iron-making research and devlopment background, I found this volume a useful tool in coming to terms with the various processes that are used for steelmaking.

Additionally information is provided for the physical properties and thermodynamics for the iron & steel making processes. Other operational issues as such as refractory design are also covered.

This is the second volume of The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel which covers ironmaking. Like the first volume on steelmaking, this volume gives an historical overview of ironmaking.

Sections include: the fundamentals (Thermodynamics, reactions, physical properties) of iron and steelmaking; Refractories; Coal & Coke; Iron Ores; The Blast Furnace design & operation; and Direct Smelting processes.

I found the sections on the physical properties and thermodynamics are quite good. A good reference for people working in the industry.

but Roger is such an interesting writer that anyone regardless of their life style will find this book entertaining..a book that is hard to walk away from..

Anyone that has ever read Roger's tractor books will love this. If you read his columns in Successful Farming, a lot of it will be familiar, but well worth re-reading. As has been the case with each of his tractor books that I have bought, it turns into a marathon cover-to-cover reading session. I have yet to be able to pace myself while reading one.

Yep, some folks may have seen this material before, since this book's a compilation of Welsch's enrapturing material written for Successful Farming magazine. I haven't, because I'm too cheap to subscribe, but I still got to enjoy all this hilarious writing because my wife bought me the book for Christmas. There's something genuinely funny about Roger Welsch, and whether the topic is tractors, love, or interior decoration, it shines through in his thoughtful and eloquent writing. Roger starts each essay with a topic related to tractors, tractor restoration, or tractor enthusiasts, and by applying his gentle humor and a creative logic that suggests a tenuous grasp of reality, crafts gem-like vignettes of modern rural life. This book is in a class with the author's LOVE, SEX, AND TRACTORS or Howard Mohr's HOW TO TALK MINNESOTAN ... it was so funny I had to take it out to the shed and read parts of it to my John Deere "A". We both had a good laugh.

Actually,the book was a compilation of articles that have appeared in Sucessfull Farming magazine over the years. His books are always funny to those who understand life on the farm and tractor restoration.

My first exposure to Roger Welsch came from his "Post Cards From Nebraska" as aired on CBS's "Sunday Morning". The folks at CBS, lost a viewer, now that the "Postcard" segments are rarely included.
The main result of the CBS error, was that I turned heavily to the reading of Roger's books, to maintain and increase my levels of socially acceptable gratification.
"Old Tractors Never Die...Roger's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Ageless Iron" is a collection of pieces that originally appeared in the Successful Farming magazine. If I had more time, I'd be a subscriber...if for no other reason then to show respect to the folks that grow and raise my food. In reading "Old Tractors..." I've gain years worth of Roger Welsch's insightful, humorous and unique perspectives on this boy's favorite pass time.
I love tools, machinery, rust and iron. The collection, restoration and maintenance of old tractors is touched on. The reasons a person would enjoy this pass-time are shared. A deeper meaning of gratitude came to me, for those that farmed with all that old iron. It's a people kind of book that will introduce you to folks you can call friend and hobby you might just pick up.

This fine reference is divided into two sections.

In the Section 1, Mr. Blandford begins with the basics, providing us with information on iron and steel, forges and anvils, the tools of a blacksmith. There is thorough narrative on basic techniques, such as cutting, bending, drawing out, upsetting, twisting, welding, heat treatment, and case hardening, followed by a chapter on advanced processes: making chain, making nails, rivets, and welds. There is much emphasis on making tools, and this is a very importatn skill. All the primary tools are covered: hammers, tongs, punches, spikes, knives, sets, fullers, swages and much more.

Section 2 covers much general information regarding metals, measurement, and other common metal-crafting procedures.

This book is jam-packed with all the knowledge you need, and well-illustrated with line-drawings and black & white photos. Its truly among the best bargains for your metal-shop needs.

But still not as good as Sims "Backyard Blacksmith" A few more pictures would have made this book a five star.

As a beginner blacksmith with a professional engineering background I bought previously Alexander G Weygers: "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" largely because it had many "excellent" reviews. However, Blandford wins on most points. I have found Blandford very helpful on specific details, on leading me through principles and methods, with much clearer illustations properly referenced in the text, and with a wider scope of nedded information. In contrast Blandford has much better information on welding, and detail on forges and on aprons and is far better indexed. I have learned a lot from both books, but if I had to choose one it would be Blandford.

Mr. Blanford Writes of experience. He makes you feel welcome in the world of the blacksmith. Is on my must read book list for my students.

Percy Blandford writes on a lot of shop craft topics and has clearly thought about them a lot. He writes well. This is a general introduction to metalwork primarily from a smithing perspective...that is, carbon steel work. It touches on other areas but really isn't suitable to the beginning welder, sheetmetal worker, or tool and die hobbiest. It would be best for the person who wants to make historic replica items from a forge who one who wishes to supplement historical replica woodworking with some basic metal work in brass or iron/steel.

In the story:

Halfdan Ingolfsson and the ships accompanying him left Greenland with their minds filled with the stories told by other Northmen. Northmen who had been successful is helping to build two settlements on the eastern coast of North America long before Columbus was born. Halfdan understood the hardships of carving a living space out of virgin territory. He knew about the fights with the area's inhabitants known as Skraelings (thought to have been Indians). As a result, Halfdan wants to go to a different place, hoping to make contact with different Skraelings and try to live peaceably amongst them.

With five ships in the fleet, all loaded with women, children, the crews, tools and domestic animals the people would need, Halfdan set sail to the west of Greenland. Five days after setting sail, they arrive at a beach where they spend several days building up their stores of food. Here they meet and trade with the Indians called Tornit.

As the flotilla sets sail once again, they head west and then south, following the coastline traveling a couple of days before taking to another beach where they meet the Thalmiut. The next morning Halfdan takes a few women and part of the fighting men to visit the Thalmiut village where they trade many items and learn many new things. While Halfdan is gone, the settlers face the first real battle in the new land. Other Indians from another tribe start the battle, but they are no match for the Northmen. After taking a prisoner and Halfdan returns after his trading adventure, they set sail south still following the coastline. With the help of the captured Indian, the Northmen find a wonderful spot just off a fjord, with high ground, plenty of trees and food for the hunting. Here they decide to make their village. `Here' is present day Hudson Bay, at the southern beach.

The story ends with a premonition of a future battle with the Naskapi Indians. Look for its sequel--Axe of Iron: Confrontation. The student of history and the reader who loves historical romances and accounts of explorations of new lands will love this book. Good descriptions, although a little slow reading at first, gives the reader a fair idea of the Northmen's way of life, their tools, their dreams and their labors. The thrill of facing the unknown and the courage of these pioneer men and women make this book a good read. I recommend this book to them and to those who have been attracted to the stories of the Vikings of old.

Lucille P Robinson
[..]

It's the details that grab the reader's attention in J. A. Hunsinger's historical novel, Axe of Iron: The Settlers. The book is the first installment in a planned series of stories about the migration of Norsemen Greenlanders to North America. From the introduction, which provides background information, to the brutal ending, Hunsinger uses his extensive knowledge of the history and culture of Norsemen to craft a story that exposes the lives of an ancient people with an admirable sense of adventure and value for community.

In the spring of 1008, three hundred and fifteen Greenlanders and Icelanders board a fleet of six ships and leave Greenland for North America. Halfdan Ingolfsson is the chieftain on this expedition and Gudbjartur (Gudbj) Einarsson is his dedicated second-in-command. There are men, women, and children on these ships, as well as a variety of livestock and supplies. The leaders of this expedition are known champions of their people, warriors who will furiously fight against outside enemies and just as strongly mete out justice on their own people when deemed necessary.

The destination is Leisfsbudir, Vinland. It is an area that has already been explored and settled, but not without problems. Early on in the journey, Halfden desires a change of plans because of the trouble previous settlers from Greenland have had with the natives they call Skraelings. The Norsemen that came before this group were harsh in their dealings with the natives. Halfdan plans a different approach: "The key to our attempt at settlement here, and the only chance of success we will have, is to settle where the Skraelings do not live. When first contact is finally made, as it will be eventually, they will be treated fairly." The group heads to Snorrisfjord and ultimately settles on land they name Halfdansfjord.

Hunsinger teaches with the details that he infuses into this story. The reader will learn what the Norsemen ate; how they set-up temporary camps and permanent residents; how they conducted themselves in battle; and the manner in which men and women fell into intimate relationships. The importance of respect and loyalty in the culture is represented by the relationship between Halfdan and Gudj. Their bond is stronger than that often seen between blood brothers. There is an intense trust between them that provides the level of security needed to lead their followers while exploring a new land, surviving severe storms at sea, and battling against natives. The love and admiration between the two men is so overwhelming it frequently makes Gudbj uncomfortable. But their feelings for each other do not diminish them as men. Halfdan and Gudbj are secure in their masculinity and, as a result, are not intimidated by the strength of their women who work as hard and love as strongly as they do.

Axe of Iron: The Settlers is a hearty, adventure-packed history lesson. I highly recommend it.

Halfdan Ingolfsson is a brave, intelligent leader of men. His second in command, Gudbjartur Einarsson is loyal, invaluable and ruthless. He does what must be done. The two men lead a group of Greenlanders, sometime between the year 997 and 1003, to a new and exciting land. A land filled with game, fish, fresh vegetation and North American natives. Can the two men discover the perfect home for this diversified group of men, women and children? Will Halfdan decide to take a wife from amongst the women traveling with them? How will they coexist with the natives?
Author, J. A. Hunsinger is an expert in the mores and customs of the Northmen, the Vikings and the Norse in general. His research is beyond reproach and he provides an educational, yet attention getting plot. The characters are believable, filled with faults and foibles, most realistic. The descriptions of ancient North American shores are vivid, and in depth. Readers can picture the landscape, the animals and the settlement of the settlers.
The use of fiction to develop a story around a most informative history lesson is a talent, and this author definitely excels here. The book is filled with technical descriptions of tools, ships and interesting facts of their day-to-day existence. Sometimes brutal and violent, their lives were filled with adventure. The pagan customs and the mix of early Christianity are well explained in fictitious settings.
As one who has visited L'Anse-aux-Meadows in Newfoundland's northern tip, I found this book very interesting, exciting and a great read. Perhaps this was the land of Halfdan and Freda? I look forward to the rest of the series. Highly recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Review.

Axe of Iron: The Settlers, is a thrilling Norse adventure. Hunsinger shows his knowledge of history and specifically the Norse in North America. It was exciting to follow Halfdan Ingolfsson as he and over 300 adventurers explored new lands! Every turn of the page brought a new experience filled with extremely accurate portrayals of the challenging life these people led. It was interesting to learn about daily Viking life and to debate Hunsinger's ideas on what happened to these people that have been lost to history. I recommend this book to anyone with a passion for any type of history. It speaks volumes about how man must learn to live with nature or risk being conquered!

"Brotherhood of Iron" is a most unique novel. The author Ralf W. Zimmermann is a retired Lt. Colonel and a decorated combat veteran of the 1991 Gulf War. He writes with great clarity and takes you to the battlefield in France during WW II. His narrative is brilliant; the characters he portrays include you in the action. The facts of the novel are accurate descriptions of the War that was waged in Western Europe during WW II. The story primarily focuses on the Panzer Corps, of which the principal character is a member of a German tank crew. The author's father was a person who served in the Panzer Corps and is depicted as the young crewman, who is the principal character in the story. It doesn't stop there, nor did it start there. The tanker's older brother is a fighter pilot flying the Focke-Wulf 190 fighter. The reader is rewarded with double duty excitement, the tank warfare and the aerial combat. The vivid descriptions of sight, smell, feel and taste are remarkable and one can easily recall the same feelings and thoughts experienced in training and live fire exercises.

The author does an exceptional job in dealing with the technical and tactical aspects of armored warfare. He is profoundly knowledgeable about the gunnery, mechanical, tactical and operational capabilities of the tank and the arsenal of weapons. It is an education just reading the thorough explanation of how the tank crewmen perform in training and in combat. The same may be said of the aerial combat pilot who flies for the Luftwaffe, but the primary interest of the story lies with the tanker.

Perhaps, the single most outstanding feature of the book is the feelings you will experience as it relates to the German soldier being pitted against the American GI and the British Tommy. The "heroes" of the book are the Panzer tanker and the Luftwaffe pilot and the enemy is the Allied Force. It is difficult to compromise your feelings for the "heroes" Vis a Vis the American and British "enemy". You will have a much better appreciation of how the enemy and your own forces function in the stress of combat and have the same human traits, irrespective of nationality and culture. This is a fine novel and has so much to teach the interested warrior.

Respectfully submitted,

Keith E. McWilliams, BG, AUS, Ret.

By the author-Ralf W. Zimmermann
E-mail: r6zimm@earthlink.net

12/12/2003

It is with interest that I read the commentary by Anne E. Silber, a fellow Colorado Springs resident. Regrettably, while Anne gives me credit for an action-packed read and historical accuracy, she seems to judge the book with a strong ideological bias towards everything German.

No, my book is not about the holocaust or manipulating history, although it condemns the holocaust in the introduction as the most horrific crime against humanity. No, the German soldiers aren't intended to become Hollywood-style super heroes. The story intends to show them as humans in the diabolic theater of war. The story, based on my father's experiences as a young tank soldier does not shy away from the murky thought processes of young German soldiers surrounding anti-Jewish hate propaganda and the realities of daily German life. My grandfather, a Kaiser royalist, had served in the Kaiser's Army with several Jewish citizens and had been married to a woman with Jewish ancestry. Anti-Jewish propaganda wasn't very clear to him, but...he had to live somewhere-he was German by birth.

The real story of Brotherhood of Iron centers not on ideology but on the little German soldiers and his fight for survival on all fronts from 1944-45. My intent was to show combat as brutal, often dehumanizing, in the traditions of Remarque and Buchheim's "Das Boot." Combat soldiers know that combat isn't black and white-it's mostly gray and often splattered blood red. When feeling the power behind the trigger of a gun, good and evil can reside in all of us, it doesn't matter whose uniform you wear. Just ask a few of our own vets, especially those who served in Vietnam.

YES, I saluted and said a prayer over the German war graves in La Cambe. Mine was a salute to the plight and deeds of warriors, often pitted against overwhelming odds. It was also a salute to several of my father's close comrades and tank crewmembers. Two of them found their eternal resting places in simple mass-graves at La Cambe.

My salute furthermore honored humans, drafted to living their destiny in a difficult time and in difficult situations. In the same tradition, I have prayed and honored the graves of our own troops, death camp victims, Confederates, Russians, French, British Red Coats, Indian warriors and many others. I am not ashamed of it and only a warrior could understand that. There is a time when hatred has to give way to healing and respect.

I believe Brotherhood of Iron succeeds at viewing war from the other side with a decent degree of fairness. It shows that for soldiers in the field, simple things become tough and morality comes in all nuances of gray vs. merely good and bad. I hope that Brotherhood of Iron helps all of us to understand the other side in conflict, so we can build a better world for the future and turn enemies into friends and allies. Ideological barriers aren't easily broken down but erode over time, mainly with understanding and education. It's something America began grasping during Vietnam but is still struggling with during our extended involvement in the Middle East. It takes time and effort to overcome hatred and an even stronger heart to turn the former enemy into an ally.

In my father's case, America succeeded. He ended up working for the US government for over thirty years and his son earned his citizenship by serving over twenty years in peace and war as a US combat officer and tank battalion commander. Maybe the book can help us learn from the past, so we don't repeat the same mistakes in the future.

I just read the book,"Brotherhood of Iron". When I first started reading it, I was a bit disturbed by the killing and attempts to kill fellow Americans. As I got further into the book, I realized, again, that, putting politics aside, that "landser" and "grunt" are completely interchangeable. I am both an Army and a Navy veteran, having served with the 2nd & 4th Armored Divisions in Texas and Germany during the "Cold War", aboard a Heavy Cruiser as well as PBR's in Viet Nam, and as a tank platoon sergeant with the Vermont Army National Guard. Having never been a fighter pilot, I cannot identify that closely with Major Kramer, but as a former tread head, I can most certainly identify with his brother, Uffz Kramer. While reading, I could smell the smells of a tank: the exhaust, the smell of cordite, the smell of churned up ground, the sense of family of a tight knit crew, and so forth. It also brought back a memory of when I was in Germany, TDY to the 2ndA/C on the Czech border. We had an OP overlooking a Czech army post. Three times a day the troops would file into what was obviously a dining facility, and lesiurely stroll off. One time while I was watching, the back door opened up and out came a big pile of crates with two legs under it. The boxes were dumped, the soldier turned around and made the European version of the "one finger salute" to the building and stomped off. I then decided that any poor EM that got KP, got p----d at the Mess Sgt, and showed his displeasure, did not necessarily have to be the baby-bayonetting, blood-drinking, iron-shod, mindless Communist that we had all been taught to believe. Just as all German soldiers were not the Allegemeine SS, Gestapo, or hulking brutes so favored by Hollywood. The way I see it, any soldier is basically fighting for his country (politics be damned), his comrades (crewmen, bunkies, shipmates, cohorts), and to make sure he goes home alive and well. Thank you for reawakening memories, not all good ones to be sure, but they are still are memories of events that have shaped my life. I enjoyed reading the book, and am glad that I had the opportunity to read it and become aware, again, of how much alike the landser, the snuffy, and the grunt were and are.

Zimmermann's book is indeed action-packed and well written. The dialogue flows easily and naturally.The book purports to show the human side of German soldiers in WW11. Their suffering, their families sufferings are well portrayed.We've seen these sympathetic accounts before, and there is nothing wrong with sympathizing.Alas, the book disturbs me on some counts. Right up front, the author tells us that as an American Officer passing the graveyards at D-Day sites, he not only saluted the American dead, but the German as well. To sympathize is one thing, but to salute them? That, I think, was inappropriate.
I remember reading numerous glory-tales about our own Civil War soldiers, both Blue and Grey. They were also sons, husbands, brothers. They also suffered. Then, later, I also read books about how some of those same survivors went West, annihilated whole Indian Tribes, decimated the Buffalo herds, and stole land that belonged to the Indians. Its never all black or white, is it!
I therefore recommend that this interesting and provocative book be read, but I recommend another book as well.."Hitler's Willing Executioners...Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust" by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen, which documents how those ordinary people, just like the ones in Zimmermann's book, executed Jews and others..even when they were NOT ordered to do so, even when they were TOLD that they did not have to kill civilians if they did not want to.
Zimmermann wants to bring some balance to the demonizing of Germans due to WWll, and I have no problem with that. the problem I have is that this book is no more "balanced" than any other, and the reader should read many works to get any perspective at all.

This is great, fun history. Truth be told, I'm no expert on history of this period, but I do have a pretty sensitive "BS detector" and this book did not seem to me to be overblown or exaggerated. It is well referenced and seems 'factual' (if that word can be used to 600-1000 year old events). All in all, however, it was an enormously entertaining book to read.

I am writing for both volumes of the Crusades, Iron Men and Saints and for Flames of Islam. Both books proves to be well written and Lamb's storytelling does make both volumes read a lot like historical fiction. However, the book appears to be well researched if not slightly outdated by our standards today but still acceptable overall. (Both books been around for a long time.)

Because of the easy to read format as written by Harold Lamb, these two books could be read by almost anyone who have any interest on the subject. Its a great introduction material and easy to digest information would be welcome by many. Not only that, it tells a great story in an energic and entertaining way.

I was told and agreed that these two books compared favorably with Thomas Costain's four books series on English Plantagenat Kings. If you enjoyed Costain's works, you will definitely enjoyed Harold Lamb. They both writes in that style that make history into a story. Lamb would put into some fictional liners to advanced the story and takes legends into facts. But its a great way to start into the history of the Crusades and even if some of the modern works (you might read later on) might straighten out the details into proper perception, these two books helps in providing the background material which was so easily read and understood.

Excellent starter books, thick but very readable!!

This book is a bit older and hence some of the research is out dated, but Harold Lamb does a terrific job of not giving a biased perspective (something that is not always done when dealing with this subject). In addition, some of the details of the book are scarcely found in other accounts. The book has a narrative flow which makes for an interesting read. In contrast to its title the book only deals with the first crusade but as such it is an invaluable resource on such.

This was the first of two volumes Lamb wrote on the Crusades. it dealt only with the First Crusade. The second was "The Crusades: Flame of Islam," and it treated with the later Crusades.

Lamb wrote military history engagingly, almost like it was historical fiction. Most of his other historical works were biographies of great generals -- from Hannibal to Alexander to Genghis Khan. As a youth, I read as many of his books as I could find until I hit upon his biography of Alexander the Great. I was sorely disappointed. It was unabashedly historical fiction. This caused me to doubt the historicity of his other works until I read Steven Runciman's three volume work on the Crusades.

Comparing Runciman to Lamb reassured me of "Iron Men's" basic historical merit. It is fairly accurate and extremely well told. Lamb starts with the turn of the millenium and moves to the Pope's preaching a crusade. He describes the crusade of Peter the Hermit, and then gives an account of the First Crusade.

How on earth these naive, strategically clueless men-at-arms were able to wrest Jerusalem from Islamic control is beyond me. They had only three things going for them -- Religious zeal, superb fighting ability, and excellent armor.

Of the seven wonders that Deborah Cadbury describes, five (The Great Eastern, Brooklyn Bridge, Bell Rock Lighthouse, London Sewers and the first Transcontinental Railroad were all built in the 1800s. But the Panama Canal (originally started by the French in the 1880s) wasn't finish until 1914 and the Hoover Dam in 1936.

Those complaints aside, each of the vignettes (or large blurbs) is in itself a fine story. She does a fine job in not only laying out the plans for each structure, but the history behind the need for the structure. Without belaying the point she discusses the dangers involved in the construction and the terrible tolls (over 20,000 in Panama from disease) that each structure took on the workers and owners.

Think of the book as an expanded 'Wikipedia' listing and you'll get an idea of what each section is like. Unlike an encyclopedia listing there are more personal opinions voiced, many of them are from interviews with people who worked on the construction of the 'wonders'. Good Read.

Zeb Kantrowitz

A wonderful and original account, with several small flaws. First the Hoover dam wasn?t completed until 1936, hardly making it fair to combine with the other feats. It would have been better to add the Suez canal or Moscow Metro in its place. Perhaps the building and designing of Brasilia would have been acceptable as well. Nevertheless this is a fun action packed account of many extraordinary accomplishments. An enjoyable read.

Seth J. Frantzman

A very well written book that covers what the author has chosen to be subtitled ?The Seven Wonders of the Industrial World.? The basis of this book is that, worldwide the knowledge and the production of iron and steel had reached the point where certain engineering visionaries dared to start considering the material?s properties to build on a grander scale than traditional wood and stone would allow. In little more than the span of a century these diverse engineering projects set a new world standard in their respective fields, and it became the basis for catapulting Western civilization into the modern era of undertaking grand projects. Deborah Cadbury, the author has a very nice writing style. The subject is easily understood, and there is no math. The author evidently did a large amount of research, she includes a bit of background material, but keeps the subject relevant to the central theme. The author does not delve into the engineering details of the problems, but generally strives to give the reader an overall view of the main problems encountered, usually a collection of engineering, financial and political obstacles.
As with most books explaining engineering techniques, a few more diagrams would have been helpful. One consistent pattern throughout many of the projects is that the Engineer/Visionary generally were obsessive control freaks when it came to their projects, and as their project came to life it manifested itself as exacting an equal toll on their health. The title is a little misleading, three of the projects, London Sewers, Bell rock Lighthouse, and the Hoover Dam deal mainly with stone or concrete. The subtitle would be better suited to be the title of this book. This reader highly recommends this enjoyable book

Engineering can at times be less than interesting, yet it was not always so. During the middle of the 19th century, materials and automated power made new endeavors that were once far-fetched dreams, bright new possibilities. Deborah Cadbury skillfully holds the reader enthralled during the tale of each endeavor, laying out the politics, players, economics, and natural obstacles that confronted the dreamer engineers who sought to make the world more civilized and safe for their fellow human. The one aspect of each engineer that struck me above all, was simply the nearly masochistic work ethic each of them displayed in their attempts to accomplish their dream.

All but three of these engineering marvels are notable because of the large impact they had on civilization at large, not simply within the geographic area in which they were manifest.

The three exceptions are monuments to overcoming fantastic environmental challenges to save lives and safeguard property that serve as examples of excellence and durability to this day.

Another aspect of these marvels that presented itself unexpectedly, was the assistance from, or directly to the medical profession from at least three of these projects. It is actually somewhat frustrating to think how many lives could have been saved if only someone had listened to the medical professionals at an earlier point in these specific endeavors.

To summarize, the subject matter is relayed in an entertaining fashion, with due consideration to detailing the people and their motives within the scope of each project, yet without compromising a suitable measure of objectivity. There are more detailed books regarding each project, but I believe "Dreams of Iron and Steel" manages an admirable compromise between informative detail and skillful story telling to merit five stars for excellence and motivational inspiration to succeed.

DREAMS OF IRON AND STEEL is a serving of History Lite. It is the written form of a BBC television series, subtitled "Seven Wonders of the Nineteenth Century". The subtitle is symptomatic of what is wrong with the book. In order to come up with seven wonders, Deborah Cadbury has stretched the nineteenth centruy to 1931 when Boulder Dam was begun. Her focus on one or two individuals who designed or constructed each of the wonders is probably dictated by the exigencies of television, rather than her adherence to the "great man" theory of history. Cadbury has the good taste, at least, to idolize the engineers and superintendent of the US intercontinental railroad instead of the crooked financiers who backed the project, as the late Stephen Ambrose did.

The British wonders are more interesting to an American reader because they are not so well known here. Cadbury's gaffs in setting the historical scene in Victorian Britain are less obvious to the reader in this country than the American ones. Example: "Nothern plans to abolish slavery had prompted seven southern states to break away and form the Confederate States of America." That statement wouldn't even pass muster in a high school essay on the causes of the Civil War.

Cadbury writes well, if a trifle overdramatically. That too may be traceable to the book's parentage. She appends a large "Bibliography and Sources" section at the end for readers seeking more substantial fare.