Texas Books

Since Joe Coomer and I are distant relatives (cousins by marriage), I've been reading his books for about four years. I started with KENTUCKY LOVE because that's where his ancestors and mine began. What a book that was!

Then I read three more, in no particular order, so I'm wandering helter-skelter through his writing career ... and enjoying every moment of these fine reads.

Each book I read is so unique from the other, but each has common threads: warmth, love of family and friends, love of life, life lessons, smooth reading, realistic characters, etc.

I really looooooove the concept of ONE VACANT CHAIR, and appreciate finely-drawn characters who have unusual jobs in life.

Go, Joe!!! (And congratulations on the movie deal on THE LOOP. Can't wait to see the movie!)

This story has everything I look for in a book: excellent characters who evolve; a good, strong plot; romance; and humor.

Sarah is a fourty-something mother whose husband has betrayed her and whose grandmother has just died. She takes refuge with and also takes care of her grieving Aunt Edna, grandmother's caretaker for the last 20 some years.

The cast of characters includes a blind black man who repairs the chairs that Edna endlessly paints, the rest of the family who are quite quirky and a southern baptist minister with a bad toupee.

There's old family squabbles, new acquaintance mystery. And most of all, there's a big old life lesson - what you see is not always what you get. It's all in what you choose to see.

This is not quite a light read; it's a lot thicker than that. But it is utterly lovely.

(*)>

"We were two fat women, eighteen years apart, a chair artist and a designer of Christmas ornaments, who only knew we had troubles and a hot summer to get through," says Sarah. But as it turns out, there is a great deal more to quirky Aunt Edna's troubles than Sarah could possibly imagine. As the novel turns from the hot, oppressive heat of Texas to the misty beauty of Scotland, she learns of her aunt's remarkable secret life and comes to fully understand the fragile business of living, and even of dying.
My reviewing experience is minimal, but it would be remiss of me to not let you know how much I enjoyed this book. Joe Coomer's book "One Vacant Chair" is one of the most well-written stories that I have ever read. If you have the time this summer and you're looking for a great read, try this book. You won't be disappointed.
"It's where you sit down that determines everything in life."

This book works on so many different levels. It's a great read that's hard to put down once you start. It has wonderfully fleshed out characters who come to life on the page. The themes are compelling, and Coomer handles them with a strong sense of humor and sensitivity. The discussion of art technique adds another interesting dimension. All in all, I loved this book!

Friends and family have been phoned and emailed with the rave review I've given this book. Funny, touching, sweet, and spicy---it has everything you hope a book will have, and then some. Realistic characters, great dialog and a realistic plot kept me reading well into the night. Tell your friends...they'll thank you.

A wonderful book for quilters and lovers of history. Written in the first person, you are drawn into the simple lives of these women. A quick and rewarding read.

Reading about the lives of these women makes you appreciate the ease of modern life but the simjplicity of their days is enviable. Wonderful quilts too.

This book is facinating with it's history of American pioneer women. It contains real quotes from real people about the lives that they lived. If you have seen or been in the play you will be delighted to see that some of the show's monologues are word-for-word from this book! I't's a moving book and a moving play.

This book is a wonderful tribute to women...quilters or not. The book is filled with interviews, pictures, and descriptions that bring the joy and sorrow of daily living to life. If the simple things in life are indeed the sweetest.... then these women and their quilts tell the sweetest story ever...they tell our story... they are our history.

I have read many books about pioneering women who set up homes from scratch and quilted for practical and soul-fulfilling reasons. Usually though, those women are long gone and we are left with rather dry details of their lives. The joy of this book is that the women whose words are recorded in it are living, breathing members of that pioneer group, and, even though their experiences were in the 20th rather than the 19th century,the issues and incidents are the same and they tell a vibrant story.
The book records conversations amongst Texas quilting groups, to which the authors were invited and the ladies seem eager to tell stories of their early days in dug outs and cabins, their families scaping a life from the soil and their role in that. None of them ever sound hard done by or as if they wish their lives had been different. And they are all keen to express the creative and fulfilling role that quilting has had in their lives.
If you are not a quilter, you will still enjoy the strength, friendship and nobility that run through these conversations - they are a link with a passed era, which I felt honoured to share as I read.

I had really almost decided to stop buying Junior League Cookbooks. They had all started to look about the same, recipe wise, with little if any regional feel to them. (and you guys in north dakota can just leave out the tex-mex, ok?) But I am extremely happy that I have this one. The book is a work of art in itself, with really nice design to it, and at least a hardback/spiral not a plastic comb (I know, some cookbooks could not afford to see the light of day without that)- but these recipes are terrific, very texan, and have for the most part left out the huge amounts of filler recipes that so many junior league cookbooks have started to have- like endless lasagna dishes, italian, etc. Well Done! I would have bought a few more for friends if I had any, IF they had left out more of the 'canned' sorts of things.... but there is not an overwhelming amount of that, like there was in the '60's.

South Texas women have always had a flair for entertaining. Nothing is ever ordinary! The book is filled with fresh ideas in a creative ensemble of South Texas cuisine. Recipes are easy to follow and offer a twist to the overly detailed companions. Your friends will delight in your cooking and be so ever inquisitive of the recipes, this I know from experience!

South Texas women have always had a flair for entertaining. Nothing is ever ordinary! The book is filled with fresh ideas in a creative ensemble of South Texas cuisine. Recipes are easy to follow and offer a twist to the overly detailed companions. Your friends will delight in your cooking and be so ever inquisitive of the recipes, this I know from experience!

This Cookbook has a lot of unique recepies that are very easy and and delicious. The variety also makes it easy to do a complete meal from the cook book.

This is a great cookbook! There are great recipes for casual entertaining with ingredients that are easy to find. I collect JL cookbooks from all over the US and this is one of my favorites. Maybe because there are lots of Tex-Mex and appetizers.

Reifenberg does a fantastic job with this memoir. The stories of the orphans he works with are engrossing, and his own story is quite interesting to follow as well. He also writes about the brutal dictatorship in Chile which is very much tied to why his orphanage is so important. I would highly recommend this book, especially for people who are interested in international service.

I read Santiago's Children after returning from a long-term volunteer placement in Latin America, and was thoroughly impressed. This book provides an unusually realistic account of volunteer work in a developing country. Although Steve Reifenberg occasionally sees dramatic results, he also learns to appreciate slow changes and small-scale victories in the lives of the children with whom he works. He depicts Chileans responding to political oppression not with heroic displays, but with quiet acts of kindness, courage, and generosity.

Fortunately, you don't have to be an international traveler to enjoy this well written and engaging story. Its protagonist, the young Steve Reifenberg, is a complex, down-to-earth, and entirely likeable character. Steve offers honest, self-deprecating accounts of his successes and failures, enthusiasm and frustration. His love for the people and places he discovers, and especially for the children of Hogar Domingo Savio, is apparent in every anecdote. He comes away from his experience in Santiago with a universally useful lesson: "I learned to believe that maybe it was not a bad thing to have big dreams, even if sometimes they fell short."

I read Santiago's children coming from two places :

First as an avid reader of autobiographies. This one will remain a gem in my memories. It is seldom that one finds a life story so well written, funny, terribly moving, sad, authentic and yet so humble. Reifenberg takes you from the first chapter to the very last page through numerous simple - yet incredible - everyday life stories in Chile. This book combines epics from the childhood of Chilean orphans, their wonderful "mama", Chilean history and includes Reifenberg's own story in the background. I roared with laughter, was moved to tears, even sobbed and did not want this unforgettable book to finish. A must read for anyone !

Secondly relating to the book as a career counselor. I wish that the choices my clients made could often take this path of self-reflection, as long, thorough and difficult as it may be. But where in the end one senses that the person has found his or her core values, the ones that will enable them a fulfilling career and life. Reifenberg seems to have set the ground for a lifelong self-understanding and calling during those two years in Chile.

In the years I spent working for an international volunteer organization, I was often asked whether volunteers benefit more from their experience than do the communities they serve. Steve Reifenberg's lovely memoir, Santiago's Children, provides the perfect answer: everyone benefits. Young volunteers who are often seeking guidance for their careers and lives come home with open minds and vastly broadened horizons; their families and friends at home learn with them and are given an opportunity to contribute from afar; and the children and communities in which the volunteers work acquire knowledge, skills, and affection for people from other countries. Reifenberg has written a funny, compelling, and thoughtful account of his experience in a beautiful country at a troubled time. Reading it, I came to care deeply about the orphanage and children he describes and to respect him for the quality of his observations. His book will be of value to anyone considering going overseas to live or work.

One of the most difficult things for persons who engage in meaningful international volunteerism is balancing the reality of the limitations on what they can actually accomplish with the idealism, energy and commitment to doing good that brought them to the decision to volunteer in the first place. "Santiago's Children" is a wonderful narration that paints one international volunteering experience with honesty and insight across the what will be for potential volunteers and others curious about international volunteering a surprisingly broad mix of experiences, successful and unsuccessful, that this particular volunteer had during his years at the orphanage in Chile. Probably even more importantly, this book shows how the volunteer experience can transform the volunteer in unexpectedly profound ways.

As the Executive Director of an NGO that sends volunteers to teach in developing countries, I have been looking for a book to send to our incoming volunteers to give them a realistic sense of what sorts of experiences lie ahead for them, as well as to show them how serious service can change their lives. We have decided on "Santiago's Children."

This book caused me to think of people and places I hadn't thought of for the past 30 years. I served with Delta company Sept. 1970 till July 1, 1971. Keith Nolan told a story that should have been told long ago. After reading Sappers in the Wire I was upset with some of the things that were said about Delta. But I now realize that not everyone will recall events in the same light. It has a lot to do with where you are at in the chain of command. This book caused me to get in touch with quite a few of my wartime brothers. It has also help me to remember things that were in the back of my mind, THANKS Keith for telling at least part of The Professionals story of 1970- 1971. I will re-read this book over and over, because each time it helps me remember more.
SFC Joseph H. Wolfe, Jr. US Army (Ret)
Charleston, SC

AASIGNED TO COMPANY "D" 1/46, 196 INF, I KNOW MR. NOLAN HAS TONS IF INTERVIEWS AND DOCUMENTS ON THE SUBJECT, FSB MARY ANN, I BELIEVE THAT VOLUMES COULD AND SHOULD BE WRITTEN, AS WELL AS, PHOTOS, NOT TO STOP SHORT OF A FEATURE FILM.....

This book helped me remember how lucky I am to be here to read it. I was amazed at how much detail he found in his research, best one Ive read on viet nam and what it was really like. Thanks mr. Nolan

The war was winding down but for the men of the 196th LIB home was just a distant dream. As a member of Charlie Company, I can attest to the accuracy and fairness the author treats the grunts of LZ MaryAnn. I only pray that we will never see a war like VN again.

AASIGNED TO COMPANY "D" 1/46, 196 INF, I KNOW MR. NOLAN HAS TONS IF INTERVIEWS AND DOCUMENTS ON THE SUBJECT, FSB MARY ANN, I BELIEVE THAT VOLUMES COULD AND SHOULD BE WRITTEN AS WELL AS PHOTS, NOT TO STOP SHORT OF A FEATURE FILM.....

THIS IS SUCH A GOOD BOOK. I first picked up when I was in middle school (a very long time ago) and I try my hardest to read it again every few years. The characters are delightful and the entire book is a such a beautiful story. Highly Recommend It.

Although I read this book like 5 months ago I can still remember what it was about!! I can't even describe this book it was so amazing! To all readers out there: read this book you will fall in love with it!

This is a great book. It shows wonderful examples of joy, pain, love, friendship, and sorrow. Roxanne comes into Jesse's life and they become best friends. Roxanne is kind of the outcast of Ida. With her bubbly personality, giant coat, wild red hair, and Liberty Bell tattoo, people look at her as a definate outcast. Roxanne teaches jesse the magic of life and they bond. This is a wonderful book for all ages. a must!!!

I give Under The Mermaid Angel two thumbs up.
It is a good book to read if you'r feeling really down and depressed and you just want a really good book to read to so totally boost up you'r spirit.

I read this book when I was twelve. It is still my favorite book. And when I read it, I finished it in 2 days! I couldn't put the book down. It is not tons of adventure on every page but it is soo interesting. I felt connected to Jesse. Well, Jesse feels kinda in a rut in a very boring town (Ida). But when roxanne moves in she changes Jesses life. They become best friends even though the big age difference. I think the climax of the book was when Roxanne wanted to touch Frankenstiens hand at the church and she didn't. I thought it was so sad that she sat next to him but never said or did anything. And he never knew. And that she came all the way to Ida and sat next to him and never told him. Very sad. At the end of the book. I wished that it would go on. I wish Martha Moore would make a sequel. Because I want to know if Frankenstien ever found out about his mother.

Excellent book. Have read and will reread this book again. My library contains science fiction to romance. All books I love and reread.

I love this book! Wonderful, yet heart wrenching re-telling of the Cherokee way of life and the hardships they withstood from being forced off their lands and moved to Oklahoma. Yes it was good about Sam Houston, but my interest was caught of the telling of the Cherokee life and the Trail of Tears. I could not put this book down. I have read it more than once. I bought this book 12 yrs ago. Still a great book!

Tiana is the most incredible characters I've ever read about. Reading this books made me feel like I was stepping back in time to the days when the Cherokee were free and powerful. Luicia St. Clair Robinson does a remarkable job in researching the people and their culture. In this book you learn about Sam Houston, the development of the Cherokee Syllubus, Tecumseh, and the strengh of a Cherokee Woman.

As she did in her superb novel, "Ride the Wind", Ms. Robson once again gives us a fascinating novel of real people and the events as they might well have been. Although "fictional" the story is true. Sam Houston did indeed have a Cherokee wife and their love story, although a scandal in its day, was indeed a true romance. Get a snack, curl up on the couch, and enjoy.

This was an excellent book, I read years ago. One that changed my life. Who Tiana Rogers was and the way she is portrayed in the book, gave me a role model to follow, in a time when I really needed one. This is a book that touched my soul, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's attention it called. It's a beatiful story and one that you'll never forget.

This is a great book just for bird lovers in Texas. Wonderful pictures included.

This is a very fine book with photographs taken in the field. Another reviewer suggested this book "if you're only going to have one bird book." My wife and I prefer another book, but this one contains excellent information to supplement the other which is more of a field guide. This book also describes the evolution of the bird classification system, and how the names and designations of some birds have changed with DNA evidence. The author is clearly an expert in his field. Some sources list a hardcover version, but when we tried to get it, it was out of print.

This the book to get if you want answers to the questions "what bird is that in my yard/in the park/at the beach?", and "what makes that bird special?". Even the best field guides give no answer to the second question, and their answers to the first question are often frustratingly complicated to the casual or beginning birdwatcher. Most people who call themselves birdwatchers (92% of them according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) can't even identify 40 species. You can use this to identify the easiest and most common 150-200 or so of Texas birds, and then go out and get a field guide to take you through the more difficult identifications.

However, you'll never find a field guide that will show you what makes each bird unique, and where each bird fits into the landscape. The descriptions are engaging, personal, and informative regarding behavior and location, and the photographs catch much about the lives of birds that can only be seen otherwise in the field. Tveten's pictures, including mockingbirds attacking raptors, songbirds calling from brush, and the activities of feeding and nesting birds, catch the essence of why people go out and look at them over, over, and over again.

This book will make you enjoy finding and looking for birds.

The photography in this book is superlative and the main reason to purchase it is to admire the lush color photos of Texas's birds. However, I also enjoy the book because it allows me, as a novice birder, to learn to correctly identify various species. This book is much superior to an Audubon guide or a National Geographic Filed Guild to birds because each photo is huge and shows the birds to their best advantage. The photos of the various migrating birds aresimply outstanding!

I recommend this book for anyone who has an appreciation of birds in the Lone Star state and wants to vicariously see them through this medium. It will definitely prompt every armchair birder to take to the field and spy these wondrous creatures in their natural habitat. There are several birds I saw in this book which captured my fancy immediately. By seeing these photos, it prompted me to go out and beat the trails and shorelines to see each of these birds up close and "in person." A great book!

This book has beautiful photographs of Texas birds. It describes their songs, how they eat, mate, nest, care for offspring, and all in an interesting manner. The way the author describes birds, you know he has a great love for these winged creatures. Cedar Wax-wings are "courteous", Loggerhead Shrikes have "the inclinations of a hawk", Grackles are "bullies", Carolina Chickadees are "acrobatic", Horned Larks have a "rakish, devilish air", etc.. Believe it or not, these descriptions actually help me remember what the birds look like and what they are called. Highly recommended.

The Burning Plain is about fifteen emotional stories. The stories give the reader a lot to think about. Many of these stories are short interesting stories that give the reader what to think about, action, sad parts, and contains nasty events when people are killed. We recommend the book to the readers because it is a very interesting book because the way many short stories are put into one book. The book will make the reader feel grossed out because in the ways some people are killed. All of these stories take place in a rural place. For, example Talpa takes place in a village as well as Luvina. In the story Macario the setting is in a house.

One regrettable consequence of Garcia Marquez's fame is that Latin American literature has come to be identified exclusively with "magical realism". Everything has to be extraordinary, epic, full of tropical lust, palms, jaguars, people having sex in every corner, flying to the sky with a pineapple on their heads. But Latin America is a vast continent producing artist of universal stature, even if the rest of the world decides (to their disadvantage) to ignore all but the folkloric.

Well, Juan Rulfo is a master of the highest sort and this book is NOT magical realism, but pure, hard realism. He only wrote two books, this one and "Pedro Paramo", another masterpiece which I also don't count as magical realism, although some do, as well as a few lesser works. He didn't need to write much. His is a literature worked and reworked restlessly, until reaching perfection. Every single word fits perfectly with the rest. There are no digressions, no philosophy, no theories or grand landscapes. All his tales develop in Southern Jalisco, in a poor, dry, vast, sunburned and sad land. The prose is also dry, precise, economical and to the point. The characters are ignorant, miserable, but conscious and courageous. The titles say much: "It's because we are so poor" is one of them. However, you will not find self-pity or corny sad tales. Only bits of human misery perfectly narrated. By the way, this is the first review I write for Amazon in which I use the word "perfect". Probably it won't happen again, with one or two exceptions.

The Burning Plains is a compilation of short stories that Juan Rulfo published on diferent publications at different times. it's also at the moment, besides his masterpiece Pedro Paramo, the only material available.
The shorts stories are chilling, incledibly well written. It's superb, and the english translation more than acceptable.
To me the highlights of the book are "Talpa" and "they have given us the land" (the opener on the spanish version, but some reason is not on this english edition)but the whole book is amazing.
I bought this book for my girfriend as an exorsism from jennifer Wiener's "Good in Bed" I was worried about the translation but it didn't dissapoint me.
the ideal way to read The Burning Plain is in spanish, but since this book is not that surreal as pedro paramo is, this tranlation works just fine.
I hope this brief note helps you to choose a good book.

Rulfo's style, like his stories, is sparse, quiet, and often harsh. He offers disturbing tales of miserable people in barren places; yet there is also a strange beauty to be found in his work. I can think of few, if any, examples of such perfect prose. The characters--though they suffer--seem close at hand and perfectly real, and he gives the most incredible descriptions of landscapes that I have ever read in my life. It is easy to see his connection to "magical realism"--it is largely in the way he sets the tone of the stories, and in those unbelievably vivid descriptions--but his work does not fall into that category. There is no escaping the terribly blunt reality he creates.

Whether you are interested in Latin American literature or not, if you are at all interested in prose, you should read this book.

ANGST. This is the best word to describe the human landscape that Rulfo has portrayed in this collection of short stories. A lanscape of extreme sorrow that blossoms over the arid plain, where poverty, opression and ignorance intermingle with faith to shape the tragedy of the post-revolutionary rural Mexico. A tragedy that has lived over 70 years and that may help explaining the nature of the mexican people, their doings and fears. But moreover its social meanings, Juan Rulfo, has created a masterpiece of storytelling, not only at the Latin-american level, but rather as an universal gift. This is not magic realism alà Garcia Marquez or Isabel Allende. This is bare boned reality, told with the beauty and the ease that just a master can reach, in which the words mix perfectly for creating short bursts of narrative, perfectly solved stories, that will fill the mind, the mouth and the eyes of the reader with the burnt sand of the plains, with the ashes of the dead, with the tears of the desperate. If you're ready to follow Tanilo's bloody footsteps toward Talpa, to hunt toads with Macario, or to fall under the spell of Niño Anacleto's preaching, or under the spell of misterious rural Mexico, dive into the pages of this collection of short stories, and compare it with any other you have already read, and you will understand why Rulfo never writed any further. Because he almost reached perfection.

This was a very entertaining book but... The problem that it deals with is the actual combat that occurs as the US forces hit the beachheads.The author belittles the fact of the Japanese kamikaze on the US naval forces.The Japanese had over 12,000 airplanes available to attack US naval forces when they got into range. If only 10% got through and hit a target that over 1,200 ships hit. The staggering amount of casualties this would have cost to the US forces is unimaginable. The resistance of Japanese defenders is underrated. On Okinawa only 3 Japanese divisions were able to stop a US Army corps and produce over 50,000 casualties on an island way smaller than Kyhushu.This was also done with the US having complete control of the sea and air. This book is an optimistic view on the invasion and a apology for us dropping the atomic bomb. I think no apology is needed as the bomb shortned the war and saved many lives on both sides

In the alternate history genre, David Westheimer's "Death is Lighter than a Feather" is relatively obscure, which is a shame because it is among the most accurate, well-written offerings available. In detailing the events of an American invasion of Japan in the absence of the use of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Westheimer shows a firm grasp of strategy, tactics, weapons and geography. However, unlike many alternate histories that focus on the military to the exclusion of all else, Westheimer has simultaneously produced a rich novel full of fascinating characters that truly captures the fundamental essences of the Japanese and Americans, as well as war in general.

Westheimer begins with a prologue that deftly weaves actual events into a world in which nuclear bombs are never brought to bear. Written in the manner of a history text, it quite effectively conveys the events and players that dictated the course of events without bogging down the fiction reader in historical minutia. At the same time, the matter of fact transition from reality to fiction sets the stage quite nicely for the heart of the novel.

Rather than attempting to follow a primary cast of characters through the entirety of the novel, Westheimer has instead strung together snapshots of the lives of average people on both sides of the fighting; an American frogman, a Japanese colonel, a young Japanese girl, an American Marine, etc. The only link between chapters is the occasional return to the history book approach of the prologue in order to detail the larger course of events, and set the tone for the next chapter. In less capable hands, this approach could make for a disjointed reading experience but Westheimer effectively carries through common thematic elements that allow him to cover an array of experiences and concepts without destroying the flow of the novel.

First and foremost among these elements is Westheimer's focus on the common man or woman. By and large, the big power brokers are completely absent. Neither MacArthur nor the Emperor (nor any of his generals) makes an appearance after the prologue. Instead, Westheimer focuses on low ranking officers, and even more so, on enlisted personal. The overall effect of this approach is a ground level view of the fighting that compliments the big picture portions of the text. At the same time, this close-in approach allows Westheimer to consider issues that would be discordant with a book focused on grand strategy. For example, the author considers a Marine who becomes convinced that he is killing the same Japanese soldier over and over again. Westheimer forces the reader to consider whether this is due to shellshock, or if it is a way of rationalizing the horror of killing one's fellow man.

Which brings me to another fascinating element of this novel: Westheimer's intuitive understanding of the causes of war, and particularly, the mindset of the American soldier. His ability to capture what unremitting hatred does to the Japanese, and the consequences that it has on the American soldier is remarkable. His writing is made even more profound in the light of 9/11 and our recent war against Iraq as he eloquently captures the motivation for fanatical, even suicidal, resistance, and the conflict that resistance causes in American soldiers who are at heart disinclined to kill unless it is absolutely necessary.

That said, Westheimer doesn't limit himself to consideration of combatants. His chapter covering a day in the life of a chaplain's assistant perfectly illustrates the contradictory nature of war in general, and the almost perverse naiveté with which America sometimes goes to war. At the same time, his descriptions of ordinary Japanese citizens, particularly women, and the dichotomy of what they see versus what they are told is superbly handled. Westheimer considers what it would be like to live in a world where the "divine" word of the Emperor is at direct odds with what one sees in their everyday life.

Ultimately, Westheimer has produced in "Death is Lighter Than a Feather" the rare alternate history that is historically accurate even as it is good fiction. From his descriptions of the ferocity of hand-to-hand combat, to the serenity of two lovers in a bamboo grove, the author displays a talent that is rare in authors of any genre. At the same time, he successfully ties these fascinating snapshots into a larger picture. Westheimer writes with authority on the invasion that never was, but he also considers war in general, and given the world in which we live, where kamikaze attacks have once again become the norm, it is perhaps more pertinent today then ever.

Jake Mohlman

What if the Atomic Bombs were not ready in 1945? The simple answer is Operation Downfall. This novel is about this epic battle that never was.

I wont belabor what has already been said. The writing is excellent. The weaving of grand strategy and the fate of individual Americans and Japanese is flawless. The analysis is solid. Enough said.

Two things I really like about this book that people havent really touched on are the use of characters in an alternate history novel and the authors' angle on the invasion v. A-Bomb debate.

The characters in most AH stories I have read have the dimensions of my grade school stick figure drawings. Theyre basically just there to make the move that would change history the way the author desires. Westheimer's characters are very deep and thought provoking. You become intrigued by them and want to know more and more.

There are a few books on the market that discuss potential invasions of Japan. Those that are not hyper technical treatises tend to be critiques of Truman's decision to nuke Japan. The normal theme is that US conspired to overplay the costs of invading Japan as an excuse to use atomic weapons. Mr. Westheimer does make a compelling case for the invasion to be relatively low cost (once the main defenses are breached there's little left but militia units made up of old men and schoolgirls armed with knives and pitchforks). However, he stays away from the conspiracy issue. This enhances the book by keeping the focus on the invasion (and people caught up in it).

I strongly urge Alternate History fans to read this novel. It is by far the best AH book Ive come across.

A very compelling book that reads much like a series of interconnected short stories. The author sets up the "big picture" nicely then zooms down to describe the experiences of individual soldiers. Using this device, we see the invasion of Japan from both sides. The Japanese outlook is perhaps the most interesting as their belief in their eventual victory, despite the obvious evidence to the contrary, is alien to the Western mindset - as is their blind devotion to their superiors and their total dedication to a type of honor that requires death over surrender. Ironically, books such as this tends to make one think that atom bombs probably saved Japan as a nation for the death and destruction caused by an invasion would have killed millions of the Japanese population.

David Westheimer has written a superb, fact-based novel that covers the first six weeks of Operation "Olympic", the intended invasion of Kyushu in October 1945. Of course in actuality, the invasion did not occur because the atomic bomb raids precipitated a Japanese collapse. Westheimer invites the reader into a very-possible world where the atomic bombs have not been dropped either for political or technical reasons. Given the continuing debate over the morality of the a-bomb attacks, this alternate world is well worth examining. The book begins with a prologue (in earlier versions of the book, this was actually the epilogue) that provides the historical detail behind "Olympic". Eighteen chapters follow, each detailing the experiences of one or more Japanese or American characters in the invasion.

The title is taken from the Japanese expression that, "while duty is heavier than a mountain, death is lighter than a feather." The real strength of this novel lies in the depictions of combat from the Japanese point of view, which is atypical for American readers. Having lived and gone to college in Japan, I can attest that Westheimer strikes many a true note in these depictions. Characters include resolute warriors, including a veteran fighter pilot, a determined corporal in a bunker and a fanatical battalion commander, but also cover Japanese civilians as well. One Japanese sergeant complains about some of the new recruits called up to face the invasion: "in his own regiment there was a private who had been a teacher in the middle school but it was known that he entertained subversive ideas and was not to be trusted with authority. It was a measure of the Army's desperate need that he had been permitted to serve at all. His proper place was prison, with other traitors and weaklings."

The combat scenes are very well done and these scenes evoke a sense of hopeless futility at times. The writing style is rich and detailed, but without irrelevant diversions. Westheimer also has a knack for focusing on interesting characters and situations, which is particularly true of his American characters. There is the UDT (underwater demolition team) frogman who bets that he will be the first American on Japanese soil and a B-29 pilot who affects a heroic attitude while concealing his cowardice. There is even a Japanese-American college girl who was visiting relatives in Japan when the war broke out and desperately wants to be "liberated" by the invading GIs. My particular favorite is the combat-happy US marine who believes that the Japanese are "playing a game on him" and that every Japanese soldier he kills is the same one.

The main point of the novel is to flesh out what most people with common sense could anticipate: the Americans will win but at great cost. Again and again, the fanaticism of the Japanese defense astounds the Americans. The novel ends by anticipating a Japanese surrender in January 1946, after many thousands have died on both sides. This novel should be read by anyone interested in the Pacific War or the atomic bomb controversy.