History Books

The accolades for this book you find here are extremely well deserved. I will add to the cheerleading only by saying that this book is without a doubt, the single best book I have ever read concerning any aspect of the war in the Pacific. And I've read a LOT of it. It is literally impossible to put this book down once the action starts. Too bad more of naval history isn't written by this author. I have read many books on the Battle of Leyte Gulf that left me scratching my head in frustration as the author utterly fails in his attempt to relate to the reader a complex and disjointed narrative of one of the most complicated battles in U.S. Naval history. Not so with this Last Stand. BTW, I have been trying to plow through Lundstrum's "First Team" for what seems like forever. Talk about a great story ruined by a guy who has no flair for writting. But back on topic and in conclusion I will say that this won't be the last time I read Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. As far as Lundtrum's book, well, I'm really looking forward to finishing it and making a paper weight out of it.

Being a voracious reader of world war ii novels,This is quite simply one of the most exciting and heart rending novels of naval warfare I have ever read.What make's it all the more interesting is my late grandfather served on a destroyer escort and even though he told a few tales himself reading this novel I truly almost felt I could smell the cordite and feel the deck as the Samuel b Robert's charged at the Japanese fleet.Next time you see a vet shake his hand and thank him.They deserve it!

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors chronicles "The Battle off Samar", possibly the most lopsided battle ever fought by the US Navy. Due to an inexplicable decision by the legendary Admiral Halsey, on October 25, 1944 a small flotilla of Escort Carriers and their escorting squadron of "Tin Cans" (Destroyers, and their little cousins, Destroyer Escorts, the smallest ships in the blue water fleet) were the only thing standing between a powerful fleet of Japanese battleships and the US invasion force sent to liberate the Philippines.

For the Americans, trying to stand up against the heavily armed and armored Japanese behemoths with the minimal forces at their disposal was suicidal. Still they were the only ships available to prevent the Japanese steaming into Leyte Gulf and slaughtering the soldiers and Marines still on the beach, so stand up against them is what they did. Incredibly, the Japanese retreated...but only after blasting two Destroyers a Destroyer Escort and one of the Escort Carriers into oblivion.

It was once said (by William Manchester, I believe) that military history often focuses on battles because, once so much blood has been shed we humans seem compelled to justify all the loss and pain by giving the event meaning. By the time the Battle off Samar took place, the Japanese empire was certainly beaten. Win, lose or draw, on that day in October they were not going to significantly alter the course of the war. And yet the willingness of the outnumbered and out gunned American squadron to stand and fight when they should have had no chance of winning does elevate 3 hours of explosive action to that point where stories and poems will be written about it for decades.

James D. Hornfischer's book captures both the events and emotions of the men who made what they knew would be a suicidal last stand vividly. It is well worth reading for anyone interested in World War II history.

This is an incredible story of true courage by the men of the U.S. Navy fighting in the Pacific during World War II. Words are not equal to the valor shown by the Tin Can Sailors who battled the best ships of the Japanese Navy and turned certain destruction into an unbelieveable victory. I dread to think that our nation may one day forget the courage and sacrifice of these men. The Tin Can Sailors are a shining examples of this nation's best. Highly recommend this book.

A couple of years ago, I read "Shattered Sword" (about the Battle of Midway) and proclaimed it the best WWII account of Pacific Theatre Naval history to date. I now have to say THE LAST STAND OF THE TIN CAN SAILORS by James Hornfischer ranks right beside it.

This is a brilliantly presented accounting of Halsey's folly when he let his enormous ego get in the way of following orders. The result is the death of some of the Navy's finest tin can sailors and the birth of legends in Naval history. Had Halsey been in position with the 3rd Fleet to guard San Bernardino Straits, it is quite possible that even more American lives would have been lost in the ensuing battle, but it is also quite probably that the Japanese Center Force would have also been dismantled piecemeal just as the Japanese Southern Force had been destroyed the day before.

But, as history has shown, Halsey couldn't contain his ego and went chasing after his own legacy, leaving the Straits to be guarded by the "little guys" a tiny group of escort carriers and accompanying destroyers and destroyer escorts. Hornfischer deftly tells the tale of the men of these greatly overmatched tin cans who faced down the Imperial giants. Many of them eventually paid the ultimate sacrifice.

This incredibly well researched story will have you glued to every page. The details are accurate to a flaw and riveting like no other account I have ever read. This is superbly written and also includes several pages of photos as well as maps of ship positioning during the battle. This is one of the best Naval warfare history books you will ever read.

I had a hard time putting this book down! It is amazing, and horrible, the things that this woman went through as a child, and I am so grateful she relived the nightmare so that we might know what went on.

I feel that the book depicts exactly the kind of life the Jews lived in Germany. The author did very good when giving discriptions of the horrific sights of everything that was going on.

I just finished another very painful but interesting and shocking memoirs in "Thanks to my Mother" by Shoshana Rabinovici and started this book. It's absolutely shocking and heroic struggle to do everything possible to survive day-by-day and minute-by-minute the Systematic Nazi Plan to annihilate the Jewish People.
Highly highly recommend to every one who is interested in Holocaust and to everybody to read and to learn what was really WWII about.

An avid reader of Holocaust memoirs, I found "Alicia" an unforgettable story of survival.

Only a child at the onset of World War II in her native Poland, Alicia Jurman soon lost both her parents and all four brothers -- murdered, in different ways, for one reason, being Jewish. It was only through a strange destiny that young Alicia kept surviving herself -- once being pushed through a gap in a train window, heading for a concentration camp; another time, falling unconscious and being presumed dead by the Nazis, only to be rescued by an astute and caring Jewish gravedigger.

Yet even when a person is at her lowest, she can always find others even worse off. It would have been easy for Alicia to say she had nothing left to give; yet even during the most destitute and desperate of times, she shared food and supplies with other Holocaust survivors.

It was also this loving attitude that made Alicia take action after the war, when she noticed a number of starving orphaned children roaming city streets. Only 15 and an orphan herself, Alicia took it upon herself to establish a Jewish "orphanage," moving some 24 youths aged 10 to 15 into a vacated apartment and securing financial help to get their new lives underway.

Still a teenager, Alicia eventually sought refuge in Israel. But, as always, problems arose...

Alicia Jurman is a modern-day hero, guaranteed to inspire readers for generations to come.

This eye witness account of the holocaust in Poland is so horrific it would be too depressing to read, if it weren't for the author's lucid, straight forward prose. Alicia Jurman was 13 years old when she fought for survival against literally impossible odds in southeastern Poland and witnessed the destruction of her entire family, friends and neighbors. Her survival was accomplished through truly incredible pluck, strength of character, resourcefulness, and unbelievable good luck.
We already know (or should know) all about the horrors of the holocaust: the depth of depravity to which the human soul can sink; and we know that to forget this worst of all possible nightmares is to face another genocide in our lifetime (we already have in Darfur, Rwanda, Bosnia, and elsewhere).
What distinguishes "Alicia: My Story" despite the unspeakable horror is this horror as viewed through the eyes of a girl who simply refuses to give in and give up. She is an amazingly strong girl who used everything she had to survive. And she tells the story in a matter of fact way that propels the narrative forward and keeps the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next.
If one has never been exposed to what went on during World War Two, this excellent book is the perfect place to start.

Susan is growing up during the Civil War. She helps the Confederate Cause by collecting silk dresses for a balloon to spy on the Union army. She also struggles with her mother, who takes out her anger on Susan. But when she meets her brother Lucien, who was shunned from the family and has anti-Confederate views, her loyalties are tested. Can she do what she thinks is right, without hurting the people she love?

I love this book. I read it years ago and wanted to read it again, so I bought it.

The Last Silk Dress is one of the Best Ann Rinaldi books I have read ( and I have read many). The way Ms Rinaldi discribes the occurances takes you back and makes you feel like you were there. This was actualy the first Rinaldi book I read and now I own at least 7 of her books. The author and the book are wonderful and I suggest anyone who is into historical fiction or just needs a good book to bye this one or check it out of the library.

I thought that this book was well writen and I could really relate to Susen the main character. She is the old version of a todays rebels. It is a very good book and I recomend it to anyone who loves history and fiction.

The Last Silk Dress was an excellent book. The author, Ms. Ann Rinaldi, wrote the story in first person format. The story truly showed what the main character, Susan Chilmark was thinking and feeling. Ann Rinaldi wrote with so much detail that one could picture each and every scene that she described. I felt present in each part of the story.
The book is not part of series. This book is not a journal, but it shows how Susan thought and felt when she was overcoming the challenges her brother, Lucien, set for her. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially people who like historical fiction.

I have read thousands of book - more than I care to count and I am never without a book - my hands don't feel right if I don't have a book to hold. This is my favourite book of them all. No film or TV broadcast has ever done this book justice. The depth of Dantes revenge and the fine detail that Dumas gives had always enthralled me. I challange every lover of the written word not to find themselves hooked by this dark tale.

I've ordered books in the past where the seller said it was "good" as a comment to condition and appearence and was always pleased, except with this recent exception. I must admit I was disappointed with it's outward appearence when received, and found it necessary to rebuy the book at "Barn & Noble", since this was to be part of a Birthday gift. I will be more careful in the future when I see the word "good" as it is subjective from one seller to the other.

I enjoyed the movie, but the book has so much more story background. A person really should check out this book, for more of the count's machinations. Very Clever!

Very good quality, very good book. This is my favorite book, and it's the second time I read it,the best classic you can find.

This is one of the thickest books I've ever read, and it was worth every page. Don't be daunted by the size, the complete, unabridged Count of Monte Cristo is not just one of the best adventure stories ever written, but one of the best stories period. The simplicity of the story conceals everything the story has to say about life; the expectations, disappointments, despairs, hatreds, loves, joys and bittersweetness that everyone experiences. This book is timeless and unforgettable.

Books this long need to be way more interesting or it turns into a slog, I don't care how fast you read. This one really bogged me down. I am not saying it was not a good story, it just needed to be way shorter and keep moving a lot faster.

As a high school student, I first encountered this character in a series made up of five books. At the time, each book was released weeks or even months apart. I was so enamored with the story that I finished each book before the next one was released. But I eagerly anticipated each installment. It was like being hooked on a daytime soap. But mind you, this is no soap opera. This is perhaps the most captivating story I have ever encountered. I am pleased to find this edition contains the whole set in one book. If you are a fan of sword fights that begin with but an intent in the mind of the combatant coming to an end in the deceptively tranquil plains of feudal Japan, look no further. This story reminds you that however perfect the sword is as a tool for killing, the deadliest weapon remains the swordsman and not the sword. Musashi is the ultimate swordsman and his story has all the elements of an engaging epic containing betrayal, honor, struggle, unrequited love, death and much more. The duels of the sword depicted here are like nothing I have ever read or seen or heard about before back then as a high school student and now as an adult. Printing quality and paper quality is excellent as befits a treasure of literature.

Great story!! Full of action and wonderful details so you really feel like you are part of the story. My son who does not like to read cannot help but enjoy this one. Just when he seems a little bored the author has something exciting. A great read for boys or men.

I read this books while I was in the senior high school, approximately twenty years ago, but until now the story is still clinging in my mind and it refused to forget it because this is a best novel I've ever know.Extremely worthy to own it. It seems that Eiji Yoshikawa did a great deal of works to perfecting it.

I read Musashi 15 years ago, and I remember it vividly. It's such a sweeping, wondrous novel, I'm surprised it's not more famous than it is. I became a bit of a Yoshikawa fan from this, and visited his home, preserved as a museum, outside Tokyo. A beautiful serene place. Musashi, in retrospect, was highly inspirational to me as a writer, in terms of pacing, character development, and raw storytelling. I recently bought a copy for a fellow writer, who has samurai themes in his works, and I'm sure I will continue to gift this novel to my friends. Enjoy!

One silent November evening during the first week of battle in Fallujah, Iraq, in the year of our war 2004, Lt. Col. Kopelman, battalion commander, led his troops through a seemingly empty street sided by seemingly empty houses when one of his men heard click, click, shuffle sound. Sticking his rifle into the doorway he found a yipping, tail-wagging, and nail-clicking fur bundle of puppy.

This discovery began a five month odyssey of puppy rescue. "Lava," the puppy, made it to the United States, in spite of rules forbidding the transfer of animals.

It took a band of conspirators to get the puppy out of Iraq by air to Chicago's O'Hare Airfield, then on to California in April 2005, where "Lava" lived happily ever after.

"From Baghdad, With Love" is one of the better stories to come out of Iraq. With a lot of heart, a few tears and a lot of system spoofing, this well told tale of Marine and puppy is well worth a read.

Richard N. Larsen
Reviewer

Several times throughout this book I cried. I love that this Marine cried too. A tough guy with a BIG heart for a puppy. Definitely the kind of person I like. I had a hard time with reading about what happens to animals at war time. Honestly, I never thought about it much. Now I know. I'm a veg, 20 years, since I see what happens to animals. I find I always connect with people who go above and beyond for animals, so I knew this would be a good read. I highly recommend it. Now on to book two.

In other reviews, some people said they "didn't like the language" or "the way the book was written". I am not sure what they were expecting! I have been a lang. arts teacher for over 30 years, and I thought this was a great story, and it was written the way I would expect a "war story" to be told. It definitely showed me a different side of the war, as well as giving some facts I didn't know at all. I actually read parts of it aloud to my 7th graders. Anyone who has a heart for taking care of all the canines in the world would love this story too.

I just want to encourage everyone who loves dogs....... and who wonders about the war in Iraq, to read this book. A lot of people came together to save one little dog, and that's really what it's all about. VERY good.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this wonderful book? Not much to tell you the truth. It is a great book, very hard to put down. You learn so much about Lava and Jay, as well as what is really going on in Iraq. It took me a long time to bring myself to buy this book.
One reason was I was afraid to read the reality of what is going on in Iraq. Because I knew that there was no way someone could write about a dog he is trying to save, without telling us what is really happening over there. The other is I knew that the military doesn't allow any contact with stray animals. So in my head I thought it was going to be a sad ending.
So I avoided the book, that is until the seeing the second book that came out. I saw that he arrived home safely. Now, I am kicking myself for not getting this book earlier. I laughed, cried, almost hurled (from some of the things that he described), cried, and laughed again.
I hope that this really opens the militarys eyes and sees that our troops really do need the comfort of animals. They just seem to make everything feel better. Just a few minutes of being with your furry pal, puts you in a wonderful zone.
Thanks Jay for saving Lava, and opening the door for the possiblity of more rescues.
Good bless our Troops!!!

Nisargadatta Maharaj was born into Indian rural poverty, drifted to the city, married, supported a family by selling cheap cigarettes. He found a guru, learnt a simple spiritual method, practised it devotedly and in three years "realised", to use the jargon. Gradually "spiritual seekers" began to beat a path to his shabby door. He died in 1981.

I haven't yet worked out why this book is so excellent. No poetry, no eloquence, no indelible stories, no mind-stopping koans. Sri Maharaj lacks the saintly radiance of a Ramana Maharshi: he is a no-nonsense Jñani (one who knows,) his manner is straightforward, cantankerous at times. He teaches only what his teacher taught him:
You think you are a body with a name, a home, with parents, a history, an identity. You are wrong. You are the boundless, changeless, formless Unnameable Reality that always was and always will be. So long as you fail to realise this, you suffer. The easiest way to realise is to concentrate on the pure sense of being - I Am - without content or specification.

Walt Whitman described this as "the thought of identity, yours for you, whoever you are, as mine for me. Miracle of miracles, beyond statement, most spiritual and vaguest of earth's dreams, yet hardest basic fact, and only entrance to all facts."

All kinds of people come to him with all kinds of problems or questions; all are answered with the same teaching. Every word carries conviction, as a heavy weight falling leaves a deep mark in the ground. Nondualism was not a philosophy for Sri Maharaj, not a slogan to sell books, but the reality he lived at every moment. The sense of his presence carries over even through the printed word.
This book is for everyone interested in "spirituality", and for some who aren't. It's as accessible as the latest New Age bestseller but as profound as the Hindu tradition itself.

What makes this a particularly effective book is that Nisargadatta tells it exactly as it is after assessing each of the needs of those who approached him with their own issues. He often did not mince words because he knew that only by being so direct would these people grasp exactly what he knew they needed to grasp. Many other "gurus" aren't like that in the interest of being too "polite". But not Nisargadatta. His real talent or even genius was forcefully penetrating through the obstinate ego driven misconceptions as few others in history could do(at least in his own Advaita tradition).

Like many seekers who've spent decades "searching and never finding", I have a bookshelf full of books that did nothing more then compound the growing frustration while attemptng to resolve the basic question "Who am I?".Everything in our culture points to the "mind" as the source of all solutions; if you "do" this you will "get" this, often brilliantly presented formulas (The Secret etc) that do nothing other than lead "believers" even further into more suffering and end up on the long list of failed efforts.So it was with great amazement that I discovered
the non-duality works of Nisargadatta Maharaj.If you are ready to end the futile mind based "paths to nowhere"search and discover the shockingly simple truth, read this book.

This is one of my favorite books off all time. Spiritual, accessible, non dogmatic, written by a true spiritual master.

I invite you to explore its gifts and wisdom.

This is indeed a spiritual classic that I have found incredibly engaging, as well as enlightening. The patient eloquence of Sri Nisargadatta when occasionally confronted with the frustrated and confused ignorance of the interviewer's questions is quite humorous - often like a parent talking to a child.

The one thing that disappoints me is the quality of the printing - at least with my copy. On most pages it is so bad that some words are missing letters, or part of a letter and much of the printed text is so light that it appears the printing press was low on ink. It's not so bad that it's unreadable, just somewhat annoying. Perhaps this is the exception and not the rule. It's just a shame that one of my favorite books has such poor quality printing. Hence the 4 stars.

many books have been written about apollo
I have read more than forty
but in this one we feel the authors has been given the chance to hear directly the moonwalkers
for me it is one of the best first hand report on apollo

This book vividly paints the picture of the voyages and lives of the Apollo astronauts. It is exhaustively detailed; so much so that you often feel as if the astronauts are telling their own stories in real time. For true fans of the Apollo era this is the comprehensive story of the greatest adventure man has ever undertaken.

A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts

This is an outstanding lesson in history from the perspective of those who lived it. Having just attended Advanced Space Academy for Educators in Huntsville, Alabama and the Kennedy Space Center, Florida; this book brought the sites, history, and lessons to life.

It should be required reading for those who have forgotten what our American Spirit is all about.

This is a comprehensive book about the Apollo space program that does an exceptional job of capturing one of the most incredible times in human history. It was a time when the belief was that we could do just about anything we set our minds to.

Andrew Chaikin does an amazing job of capturing the courage, the commitment, the sacrifices, the driving motives and vision of the astronauts, supporting crews, wives and more. This 600+ page book hardly wastes a word. The book was so good it was turned into a mini series by HBO.

It is clear that Chaikin has a deep passion and respect for the space program and the people in it. He brings the truth to this writing without much dirty laundry being exposed.

This book deserves a place on any space buff's book shelf. It is also a great read for anyone interested in true life adventure of men who dared to sit on the top of rockets and go where no one had gone before. Highly recommended!

Here are a few other great books on the US space program:
Failure is not an Option - Gene Kranz
The Last Man on the Moon - Gene Cernan
The Unbroken Chain - Guenter Wendt

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space

Failure is not an Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond

The Unbroken Chain: Apogee Books Space Series 20 (Apogee Books Space Series)

I recently took my four year old son to KSC to see the launch of Discovery on its STS-124 mission. While I have always been one to make sure I have the TV on during a launch, I never dove much deeper than the average newspaper coverage. However, after taking the tours at KSC, a fire was ignited.
This book was the perfect fit for me. It covers every apollo mission without losing interest in the later missions. Obviously more time is spent covering Apollo's 1, 11, & 13.
Chaikin introduces the readers to many of the astronauts that while are not as well known as Armstrong, contibuted just as much, if not more to the program.
As it states in the description, the series,From the Earth to the Moon closely follows the book, but puts a more personal touch on the program while still providing enough information for the book to be used as reference for high school papers or a college thesis. It is the perfect mix of technical and entertainment. A Great Read!!

As a veteran of both OEF and OIF i can tell you that this audio book is dead on, It is extremely accurate but it gives you an idea of the day to day struggle that we went through to gain a foothold in Fallujah. I would recommend this audio book to all vet's that are home or you back from your deployment.

I came across this book thanks to two things. One being that it was recommended by another Iraq war author (David Bellavia). The second being that it was on my Kindle recommended reading list. I must admit that at something like 400 pages I expected it to drag on and become convaluted at times. This is not the case at all here. Mr. West does an amazing job of pacing out the book and describing the hellish combat that the Marines faced. He also analyses the political climate and assigns the blame for the unnecessary violence where it appropriately belongs. Kudos Mr. West on a tour de force, we need more authors of your caliber in this genre.

People might be sick and tired of Iraq, but this is an excellent recounting of the battle of Fallujah in 2004 and a detailed analysis of the decisions that led to so many problems in that region.

West zooms in on the street-by-street fighting between the Marines and the insurgents, and these scenes have visceral intensity. You are there with the soldiers as bullets ricochet, RPG rounds careen through alleyways and bodies crumple with mortal wounds. Then West zooms back out to recount the meetings between the politicians, generals and religious leaders whose decisions determine the course of the Fallujuh fighting even more than the actions of the soliders on the ground.

In many ways, Fallujah is a microcosm of the war in Iraq. Misunderstood by the press and public alike, this book studies how countless acts of Marine bravery and heroism were offset by political infighting and dithering within the Bush administration and in the upper echelons of military command. It is at once tragic, exciting, frustrating and mind-boggling.

"After the mutilation of the four contractors in Fallujah in April 2004, the White House and high officials reacted emotionally by ordering a full attack on the city." The same could be said about our government's decision to go to war after 9/11 and Osama bin Laden's escape. One major questionable decision put everyone involved in an impossible situation thereafter. Especially with too many cooks in the kitchen.

Whether you are for, against or just plain frustrated by the war in Iraq, this is a compelling read. I was up until 2:00am each night until I finished it. You will not be disappointed. You will also gain further appreciation for the pressure the principal decisions makers faced, for the soldiers who fought in those streets and for Bing West's reportage.

This is a must read for anyone that wants to really know what it is like and what happened in Fallujah. The next time you see a Marine after reading this, you will thank them for signing up.

This book is a very good book about the battle. I served with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force during this battle during Operation Phantom Fury. After returning home and seeing this book I immediately bought it. When you are on the ground even with a high level of information there are still things you don't understand and this book explained some of the things I still didn't understand even after being in the middle of the battle. Now I know where the incoming was coming in when 9th Communications Battalion took the 17 casualties in one mortar attack. Great job Bing and Semper Fi.

Micheal Yon's book is exceptional. It is, in my opinion, an absolute exercise in truth telling. You will be appalled at the blindness at the top of the command structure and, perhaps as I was, brought to an occasional tear at the creativity, courage and humanity of the soldiers on the ground.

If you are interested in as close to an unbiased view of what has gone on in Iraq this book is a must read. If you want your faith restored in the absolutly incredible capabilities of our armed services this book serves that pubpose in spades.

I completed this book with a renewed sense of an already strong pride in the quality of our fighting men and women.

Yon is not an Ernie Pyle: he is objective and even-handed and has been very critical of U.S. policies and actions at times. At all times, however, he remembers that he is a U.S. citizen. He realizes that it is not possible to be "neutral" in a war in which the other side has been absolutely clear that they will kill or enslave "neutrals" if given the opportunity.

From the book: "I prefer to write what I see with my own eyes in the streets and on the battlefield, to paint a picture as intimate and rich in detail as I can, and then, as much as possible, let the reader come to his own understanding." So-called "journalists" from the major news organizations would do well to try doing the same - it's called "reporting".

"Moment of Truth in Iraq" is not military history, it is journalism - a branch of journalism that might be called "military human interest stories". The writing is much tighter than in Yon's freshman book, "Danger Close", which is more of a true-life adventure story (and a good one at that). All-in-all this is an outstanding collection. [...]

Yon is now reporting from Afghanistan.

The Soul of Wisdom

This book carves a sharp and prolific path through courage and combat, harm and heroism, tactics, strategy and diplomacy.
The spiritual transfer of courage and morality from Americans to Iraqis is at once hopeful and inspiring.
Explanations about the cross-cultural bonding and diplomatic elements of counterinsurgency are crisp and comprehensive.
Luminous vision from a book of such brevity is awesome, exciting and astonishing.
It shines a wide and very bright light.
"Brevity is the soul of wit," but it is also the soul of wisdom.

Mr. Yons book is a tremendous edition to the myriad of literature about the war in Iraq. I tend to believe the facts he uses in the book becuase I was in Sadr City and Diyala province and he describes the areas, the attitude and the overall gist of these areas quite well. What Mr. Yon brings to the table is an accurate description of what it takes to fight a counter insurgency and why we were failing at it. He describes why we seem to have gotten a second chance at winning over the majority population in Iraq and what we are doing with that chance. The bottom line is he stays away from the "why" and "if" we should be in Iraq and stays with whats going on there right now. The fact is that we are in Iraq, will be there for a long time, and the way we get along with the locals and our moral compass dictates how many times we will be attacked and subsequently, how many soldiers we have to send home in a casket. A very good point Mike makes here is that Iraqis just want to go outside every day and not worry about catching a bomb or a bullet in the face. All the other issues (oil, infidels, religion, etc.) are all underscored by a basic need to be alive. Iraqis are human beings and they are motivated by strong, passionate, and yes, caring leaders.

We went Iraq and most soldiers in 2003-2004 (I was one of them) believed that the way to win over the Iraqi people was with an iron fist and audacity, because that is what they knew. We just became the next baddest gang they had to deal with. We have learned to change that. Iraq has responded to us. It doesnt matter why because it doesnt look like we are getting out of there any time soon. Mr. Yon brings this fact out beautifully.

I dont like this book because of a specific value or wing affiliation, but rather because he brings hope for both sides based on facts that I can confirm as true. In a time when the Iraq situation is not much more than a political issue or tool for milllions (we know IT IS much more), this book made me a little less frustrated, even if it may be short lived.

We gave this book to our daughter on her graduation from Army basic training. My husband and I both had careers in the Navy, and, while in active duty service, I was always aware of the huge reality gap between what gets reported in the news, and what really happens in the arena. If you REALLY want to know what is going on in Iraq, READ THIS BOOK!