United States Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I can't want to read Utah Beach!


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

I am an avid reader of the paranormal. I head a paranormal book of the month club due to my ever-expanding library. When I started reading this book, I found I couldn't put it down. It's very captivating and well written. It's not just about the Salem Witch Trials at all, which is scarcely talked about in this book. This book goes indepth about stories and tales you have never heard about before. I loved it! I highly recommend this book to any lover of the paranormal.

You can tell that this book is something special just by looking at the quirky artwork on the front cover. I must admit that I've never visited that part of the world before, but was surprised to find out that New England has such a rich history of folklore and creepy tales. I love the informative way in which all the stories are presented. They have depth and the author usually always offers a theory as to why the (mostly) supernatural events have occurred. My most favourite story in the collection was "Beyond the Dark Entry". It discusses the demise of a small hamlet by the name of Dudleytown. This story was genuinely creepy. I also loved "From the Mountains of Madness" which details some of the eerie experiences various people have had on the top of Mount Washington. Another thing I liked about this book was that even though some of the subject matter or folklore may have stretched the truth a little over the years, they never fall into the trap of being so far-fetched that you feel like you're being taken for a ride. This was a thoroughly entertaining book and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in this genre. I consider this to be one of my most favourite reads ever!!

Another collection of the incredibly bizarre and truly creepifying true tales of New England from Joe Citro. Not only are these tales so weird, so full of the Yankee spirit, so very scary, but Citro imbues them with the clever, dry-wit of the twinkle-eyed New England storyteller. This book was fantastic. Part of it might be that these places are very familiar to me and it isn't hard to imagine these weird, magical, creepy things occurring in the depths of old New England. Also, these tales are so absolutely bizarre that not even New England's best storytellers (from Nathaniel Hawthorne to Steven King) could have imagined them. I couldn't put this book down, and yet, I couldn't read it at night. Wonderful, scary, and fascinating collection. Grade: A+

What you'll love about this book is that Citro spins a good yarn. His storytelling style reads well, and your eyes effotlessly flow over the words. As for whether these stories are true, he includes some fantastically compelling reasons why they could possible be more than simple legend or folklore. Documentation, methodical investigations by qualified skeptics, law enforcement sightings, journalists, and witness-upon-witnesses, all shared in a non-overbearing fashion. He's not trying to prove anything, he's just tickling our thoughts -- and it works!

The stories themselves are either interesting, quirky, terrifying (or all of the above), and all of them -- I mean all of them -- are utterly unique. Just stuff you couldn't have made up on your own even if you were using hallucinogens!

If you're a skeptic it will challenge you. If you're a person of faith it will make you rethink your pre-assumed theologies. But ultimately this book succeeds because at its heart they're just well-told stories that will chill you to the bone and make you think at the same time.

From the title of this book, I was expecting mostly ghost stories. However, this book is unique in its genre, and I was very pleasantly surprised! Although this book has much legend and lore, of which I am not usually a fan, this author's ability as a raconteur quickly overcomes the boundaries of time. These tales are superbly told by a master at his game. Joseph Citro, in his own words, claims to be an "anthologizer." That is exactly what he does here, and he does it well.

The author's ability to narrate a captivating tale is the epitome of the classic New England story-teller, wry humor included. His prose breathes invigorating life into these stories, most of which are "off the beaten path." He will at times make you shiver, and at other times scratch your head. Gathered for your inspection are some of the most creepy, bizarre, and, in some cases, well-documented strange happenings from across the region. Joseph Citro has set himself apart as a top-notch investigator of odd history and unsolved mysteries, a true "Bard of the Bizarre." I am especially a fan of the stories about the sightings of the "Yankee Bigfoot." There were some pages I couldn't turn fast enough.

This collection peeks into lots of New England's nooks and crannies, and should be included in any ghost story, folklore, or mystery-filled library. These strange tales are engrossing, well varied, and unique. I would love to sit down with the author over a roaring campfire, late at night, with only the forest winds howling . . .

I found this book (a first edition) in the dusty corner of a library in New York. The title intrigued me, so I had to check it out. I honestly do not think I have ever read a more enjoyable memoir....and about such a subject. There is absolutely no other book out there that describes a patients stay at a TB sanatorium. Sure, there is the Magic Mountain and various others that are tiresome and not REALLY and simply about a stay in a sanatorium....interesting, because so many people had that experience-and no, not everyone died. This is the only book of its kind and I am thrilled and honored to have accidentally discovered it. I was even more shocked to find out that she was Mrs. Piggle Wiggle...hey, I grew up with her!

If there's anything good about a disiplinarian TB institution in the 30s (not 40s), it's the opportunity to meet so many different kinds of people. Macdonald is an observer and nailer of people's quirks on a level with Dickens (both of them, Charles and Monica). I love this book. There's one thing I would like explained, though. American readers talk as if Macdonald's "racism" was an understood and obvious thing. I see no racism in this book. OK, she calls somebody "coloured" and another girl "black". She also mentions that her roommate is Japanese and her workmate an Eskimo. Is she racist for not using today's PC terminology? She praises the institution for accepting everybody and mixing them together. She quotes some racist comments from other patients, but doesn't say she condones them, in fact "Betty" in the book answers back and disagrees. Please, please, somebody tell me why it is currently PC to say Macdonald is racist?

I read this book long ago, have forgotten a lot of it, but just about every December I find myself singing "Deck the Halls in Old Crepe Paper, fa la la" etc. Used to confuse my kids no end. For those who haven't read it yet, look for the scenes of holiday celebrations in the old TB sanitaruims-- sad & funny.

as "The Egg and I"--her statement in that book that "I do not like Indians and I think we did a good thing in coming over and taking this beautiful country away from them." made my part-Cherokee blood boil--could write another that was so UNracist. While the author does use terms like 'colored' and 'Negro', those were (one can understand) the accepted terms in the 1930s, and while she records the racist attudes of some of the patients and staff, she apparently does not agree with them. She formed a close attachment with a Japanese patient--whom she later urges to go to college--and when an African-American (to use the accepted term of today) patient tells her that she doesn't mind being in isolation because the white patients don't want her as a roommate anyway, she thinks this absurd.

It is difficult for us today to understand how very scary TB was back then. While TB is not unknown today, if caught early it is easily treated with appropriate medications; not so, then. The only treatment was a rest-cure with pallitive measures; many people recovered, but many did not. There were some surgical treatments (collapsed lung), but they were painful and not terribly effective. It was known to be contageous, although not nearly as contageous as many people thought it was. The nearest modern equivalent might be HIV/AIDS, except that the latter is always fatal.

As other authors have mentioned, one hardly thinks that such a story would be funny, but BMacD is able to find humor in any situation. I've read all four of her books for adults and enjoyed them very much--even 'Egg'. That she was able to be discharged from the sanitarium after only about a year shows that laughter is, indeed, the best medicine.

This book is filled with an off beat sence of humor. It isn't the slap you in the face kind of humor but rather the kind of humor that hits you later. For example, I found myself smilingat something I read earlier in the day while cooking dinner. At the end of this book you feel like you know each of the people personally. I wanted a follow up to find out what happened to each person. It's that good.

Basically this book is about Betty MacDonalds stay in a sanitorium while she had TB. She can take such a serious topic that could be pretty morose and turn it into something interesting and funny.

Very good account of life in Recondo. The walk through the Vietnam service portrayed in this book, will keep you in the moment.

This book gave a good accounting of the training to become a Long Range Reconaisance Patrol leader, and what it was really like to be almost alone, behind the enemy lines.

another excellent book by Larry Chambers. This details his attendance at the coveted Recondo School in Vietnam, detailing the processes and the experiences. Very well written and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone looking into the LRRPs of Vietnam

This is an exelent book, it covers the author time while serving in F coy/ 58 LRP and L coy/ 75 Ranger

One of the things I love is the way the author decribes the small details, the nitty gritty...attention to details are importend, but it is details in the field...


This book also gives an avid account of the authors trip to the famed MACV recondo school and has plenty of goddy tips that can be used even today by modern patrol soldiers.

The author is a modest man, but you cannot miss that fact that Larry Chambers was icecold in combat.....did things that many others would have freaked out on......
I could not put i down

Go Buy it

"I made this book mandatory reading for my Ranger team. I'd quiz my men about what they'd learned; to be bold, daring, tenacious, audacious, and don't be afraid to make a decision. We went from the worst platoon in the regiment to the best platoon in six months. In training we'd get to objective so fast they had to hold us back.

US Army Master Sergeant H. "Max" Mullen Ret.
75th Ranger Regiment

This is an amazing work, which draws you into the mystiques of our past and makes us seem so inconsequential in the greater scheme of lives gone by.

I have lived in Northern Arizona for most of my life and visit Sedona often. This book, with its wonderful images and text, make the reader feel like they are in Sedona. As a photographer I find the images outstanding and the messages in the text inviting.

Elegant and unique - the best of it's kind! This book is one that I enjoy over and over again, enriched each time by the authors' reverent vision and writings about this sacred and profoundly beautiful landscape.

The new edition's 22 Hikes are described and well organized (i.e. Easy Hikes, Hikes along Water, Hikes to Arches, Hikes into Canyons, Vista Hikes and Loop Hikes) and are wonderful for all levels of ability. I keep this book out for guests and visitors to see and have given it as a gift to out-of-town guests. Lindahl's photography and writings blend the beauty of Sedona in both mystical and poetic ways. I was especially impressed with the combination of rich native historical information and journal narratives that create a sense of being in the timelessness of the place. This book gives me a new appreciation of the natural world through the author's keen attention to detail and the way his profound descriptions and relationship to the land keeps me right there with him on his deep and meditative journeys.

Arizona Highways Magazine

I love this book. My parents are long time Sedona residents, and every time I visit them I purchase a few of Lindahl's "Secret Sedona's" to take home as gifts from vacation. The photography is phenomenal, as well as the written word, which decribes Sedona in the romantic fashion it is in reality.
An easy read, with pictures worth a thousand words and beautifully laid out, I recommend this book to anyone, whether you live in Sedona, visited Sedona, or have even never been there! (It will make to want to do all of the above.) 5 Stars!!!!!

I am in the process of planning a short, expensive trip to Sedona and purchased a slew of books on the area from Amazon including this one. "Secret Sedona" is a large, thin book of landscape and nature photographs very similar in style to an Eliot Porter portfolio. That's nice, but it's hardly the sort of practical information I am craving right now. It's the sort of book that you could buy in Sedona and easily pack into your suitcase as a souvenir, but not the sort of thing one would bring from home on the trip, and really not all that useful in planning a vacation.

Ross Carter, a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne wrote this story almost 60 years ago. He then abruptly died shortly after WWII because of a "bad" mole which caused his melanoma cancer to metastisize. Too bad, because his story as told in this book is worthy enough to merit a follow-on.

His personal story is presented as a series of vignettes. Considering the arduousness of his task as a soldier, it must have been a tall order to write it down contemporaneously with living it. It starts with his tales of parachute training in North Africa followed by a prolonged bloody stint in Italy, circa the autumn of '43 followed by his units' subsequent experiences in the Battle of the Bulge in the Fall of '44. They were in frontline combat under the most difficult of conditions for over 300 days while suffering a >200% replacement rate. It's a miracle that anyone could live through the descriptions of combat as laid out in the book, meaning Carter was remarkably fortunate to have "made it". The core of the story reflects the self sacrificing nature of these men who carry the mantle of American greatness on their collective shoulders. When you compare their heroics to the carping classes in today's America the contrast is glaring. It makes me reflect on the attutudinal differences between the time of Rome's greatness and the time of its collapse.

I've read many stories of combat such as "Fields of Fire" by Webb, "Face of Battle" by Keegan, "Dispatches" by Herr, "A Rumor of War" by Caputo, "Once an Eagle" by Myrer, "Goodbye Darkness" by Manchester, and "Soul of Battle" by Hansen, to cite a few, but to my mind none are as relentless or as compelling as this story. The poignant little things that pop-up in every vignette plus the feeling for these men as nothing less than a force of nature is beyond comparison. One can only marvel at them.

This book explains both directly and indirectly the components of leadership, the kind needed to not only demand excellence, but to get it. It's a story thousands of years old, retold as though a composite of today. It's still us vs them and it's here or there. That there are differences in the technologies of war or of the geographical landscape makes less difference than that it's mano a mano with the will to fight and win the pre-eminent factor ( Victor Davis Hansen describes this well in his terrific work "Soul of Battle.)"

The way to read this book is to imagine a combat infantry paratrooper, dodging death both day and night on a constant basis, taking the time to write down his reflections of the conflict within which he's a participant. Read it and you'll see what I mean. This is one helluva book.

WHY WAS THIS BOOK NEVER MADE INTO A MOVIE??
It would have been much more engrossing than "Band of Brothers". It is at, or near, the top of all the WWII books ever written. Do yourself a favor and read this book. I read it when I was about 17 years old. I have never forgotten it, and many things have brought it back into memory over the many years since mid 1959 when I read it. Only "From Here to Eternity"and "Battle Cry" were as engrossing, BUT this one is TRUE. READ IT.

My Grandfather, Charlie Loyd Shipp, was named "Sheraton" in this fantastic book. A major mistake was made in the book on page 186. "Sheraton" did not die until October 24, 2004 of old age, after battling Alhezimer's, a battle this old solider could not win.The survivors from his regiment thought him dead until they some how learned he'd survived about 25 years ago. I had never read the book until now and now see Papaw as a warrior and not just my gentle grandpa. He married my Grandmother, Letha Shipp who still lives, in 1947, had two sons and two grandchildren. He became a successful automotive dealer in Texarkana, Texas and heck of a good grandfather. We'll miss you papaw!

Much like Company Ach to Civil War buffs, this novel is more of a memoir about the experiences in battle of an enlisted soldier. One may not find scholarly prose, but the first hand accounts are a good source of professional historical authorship.

Frankly, the book reads astoundingly well for a guy that didn't have more than a year to synthesize his thoughts after the actual battles had taken place - mostly, it seems, from memory. He died in 1947 of cancer, of all things. The person who rated this book as one star (above) must be a quite well read, and I would like to see his book list of four star ratings.

One takes away from this a sense of what the comaraderie of being a member of the elite 82nd would have been like, and that the members prided themselves not only on the valor of their volunteer status (actually, the definition of an elite troop), but an affinity to other paratroops, whose Airborne bond is the stuff of legend.

Heartbreaking, the only word I can think of when I think back of the book. It was because Ross Carter fought his last battle (Cheneux) not to far from where I live, that I bought the book.
It's so different from Megellas' great book "All the way to Berlin", mainly because Carter wrote his book just after the war on his sickbed, just before he died of cancer.
Maybe it's not a pageturner as Megallas'book, but it's so genuine, so real. Heartbreaking...

A fascinating collection of stories and events relative to our government and other countries effort to gather information.

Fantastic! Told from the unique perspective of the technical and operations officers of the day, this is a must read for anyone interested in the period of history between the Cold War and today.

Spycraft is a well documented and entertaining read about the OTS engineers who work mostly behind the scenes to develop innovative and clever solutions to meet collection requirements. It chronicles the same problems faced the world over where the "fine arts graduates" see themselves as the master race, relegating the "techs", often dedicated engineers or scientists with multiple degrees, to subservience in the mistaken belief that techs could not analyze requirements and target using technical means in their own right.

For most people when they think of Spying they think of the guy on ground
doing his Thing.But little thought is given to the people who make and place
the gadgets the spy uses. The book goes through the history of the departments and devices involved from the beginning till the present day with eye opening stories packed full of interesting facts.
If you are interested in Tradecraft then this is the flip side of the coin.
An excellent book that belongs in every spy buffs library !

It's hard not to be fascinated with the James Bond spy persona, what with all the cool gadgets and such. But what is the reality behind spies and their techniques? Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to al-Qaeda by Robert Wallace, H. Keith Melton, and Henry Robert Schlesinger offers up a comprehensive, detailed guide to the real-life story of the tools that make up a spy's arsenal of weapons.

Contents:
Section 1 - At The Beginning: My Hair Stood on End; We Must Be Ruthless
Section 2 - Playing Catch-up: The Penkovsky Era; Beyond Penkovsky; Bring in the Engineers; Building Better Gadgets
Section 3 - In The Passing Lane: Moving Through the Gap; The Pen Is Mightier Than the Sword (and Shield); Fire in the Attic; A Dissident at Heart; An Operation Called CKTAW
Section 4 - Let The Walls Have Ears: Cold Beer, Cheap Hotels, and a Voltmeter; Progress in a New Era; The Age of Bond Arrives; Genius Is Where You Find It
Section 5 - Prison, Bullet, Passport, Bomb: Conspicuous Fortitude, Exemplary Courage in a Cuban Jail; War by Any Other Name; Con Men, Fabricators, and Forgers; Tracking Terrorist Snakes
Section 6 - Fundamentals of Tradecraft: Assessment; Cover and Disguise; Concealments; Clandestine Surveillance; Covert Communications; Spies and the Age of Information; Epilogue - An Uncommon Service
Appendix A - U.S. Clandestine Services and OTS Organizational Genealogy; Appendix B - Selected Chronology of OTS; Appendix C - Directors of OTS; Appendix D - CIA Trailblazers from OTS; Appendix E - Pseudonyms of CIA Officers Used; Appendix F - Instructions to Decipher the Official Message from the CIA on page xxv
Glossary; Notes; Selected Bibliography; Acknowledgments; Index

The authors focus less on the "human" side of spying and more on the "technology" side of the spy game in this book. Going back to World War 2, you learn about the formation of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and how they started to create their own tools to aid in the uncovering of enemy secrets as well as creating havoc behind the lines. These efforts created things like the Limpet mine (designed to be used on ships and attached below the waterline), the Mole (an explosive that would be attached to trains and would trigger when there was an absence of light, like tunnels), and the Anerometer (an explosive to be used on planes that would detonate when a plane reached 1500 feet in altitude). The key in their designs was that they were not "one-off" devices never to be repeated, but instead would be manufactured on a small scale, in secret, and be available when the situation called for it. Through the years, the technology becomes more focused on surveillance and capturing of communication. I was amazed at the wide array of bugging devices and homing beacons they were able to deploy successfully to track and monitor individuals who were intent on doing harm to U.S. interests. Although not one of the now cutting-edge devices, I was fascinated over what they were able to accomplish with miniature cameras in the 1960's that could be deployed to agents and used to copy secret documents. Tucked away in devices like pens and cigarette lighters, a spy could photograph a document in seconds with a high likelihood of success.

There are also interesting stories on how certain terrorist crimes were eventually solved. The most well-known example was the bombing of Pam-Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. With debris scattered over 800 miles, it was not an easy task to assemble enough clues to determine how the bombing happened, much less who was responsible for it. Incredibly, the case ended up turning on the discovery of a small piece of circuit board and a fragment of a t-shirt. The technology gurus were able to match the circuit board to a type and design made by a certain company, as well as find the location of where the t-shirt had been sold. These clues tied the crime back to Libya and two specific terrorists, who eventually were tried in an international court. But it was only due to the extensive amount of intel uncovered on unrelated cases that allowed everything to be reassembled for this particular incident.

Spycraft is not a book you'll sit down and finish in an evening. It's long (550 pages), very detailed, and it's not written in a novel-like style. But it is fascinating reading, and the authors did an excellent job in telling the story of the hidden people in the CIA who work with no recognition but make all the difference in the world.

There are 2 things I absolutely HATED about this book...I hated having to put it down, and I hated when I finished it! Vivian Stringer's story is truly an example of courage in the midst of challenges. It's not just for sports fans. Anyone can be inspired by it.

I enjoyed the book. Not life changing but there are some life lessons to be learned through the reading

How important it is to have women, young and old, to know the power and authority that lies within and that you have the perfect example in
"the Coach" of all times. Ms Stringer has given us this jewel at a time more important that any other that I can remember when so many young women are suffering from low self-esteem and rejection and so many older women are caught in the throws of life. Thanks to Ms. Stringer we have renewed HOPE!!!

This woman is completely amazing!! Being from Iowa, I fondly remember the Vivian Stringer era. I was part of the 22,000+ that atttended the game against Ohio State, setting the attendance record at the time as part of C. Vivian Stringer's vision. I am in awe of her and hearing her own story in her own words has had a profound impact on me. She mentions in the book her decision to fight for her spot on the cheerleading squad at her high school not only to cheer the team on, but to pave the way for future generations She talks about how later on, she realized that those "future generations" were her own neices.

In thinking about that story and others in the book, I realized the impact that Vivian Stringer has had on my own daughter - a basketball and volleyball player, both directly and indirectly through other generations of Stringer girls with Stringer values.

Amazing story!! Amazing Woman!!

This book was absolutely fantastic. I'm not really into sports but have enjoyed basketball from time to time. Though, I've never really been into college basketball and didn't even know who C. Vivian Stringer was before the Imus incident, I was able to gain a tremendous insight into the life of a strong, confident, and resilient woman and the women she lends a hand in raising. To learn all that she has been through and how she mustered the courage to "Stand Tall" through every adversity was so inspiring, and not just for Black women but for every woman and human being. I certainly recommend that every person take the time to read this incredible story.

The Swamp is fascinating, relevant, timely, and compelling. It's not just a scientific study of the Everglades but a history of Florida. It's a must read for any Florida resident or anyone with an interest in the Everglades but anyone with an interest in ecology or American history should also enjoy it.

Unlike the broad and shallow Everglades, "The Swamp", by Michael Grunwald, is broad but deep. In a manner that is horrifying, entertaining, and informative, the story is broad, comprehensively covering almost the geologic origins of the southern end of the Florida peninsular through to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, aka the Compromised Everglades Replacement Plot, aka CERP. At the same time there is a tremendous depth, from the lowest, basest greed of man, up to the loftiest and most selfless of man's ideals. Some goals for draining the swamp, such as creating arable land for food, shelter and the pursuit of the American dream, appear to be good, even if the plans and programs to achieve the goals are ill conceived, poorly planned and inadequately implemented. Most sides of the issues are treated with sensitivity, understanding and in a equitable manner. While a sad tale of man's relationship to the environment, some hope is presented. For the hope to blossom into actuality you need to read this book and act to avoid the mistakes of the past and make progress to the achievement of a sustainable planet for all of us now, and for our future generations. The Swamp is one really big canary-in-cage-in-a coal-mine.

The information contained the book will allow any reader to develop a comprehensive understanding of the historic and current circumstances affecting the everglades national park ecosystem health. It is also entertaining, a fun read.

Grunwald is a captivating author. The Swamp takes time to digest because it is rich in history but it's well worth it. It's interesting to see how history repeats itself.

The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise

Once dismissed as a dismal swamp fit only for alligators, snakes, flamingos and Indians, the Everglades has become a battle ground in Florida's continuing tension between development and conservation.

In "The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise," Michael Grunwald writes a well-researched and fluently written history of America's unique ecosystem. The United States bought Florida from Spain for $5 million. A hundred years later, nearly $8 billion was proposed for a comprehensive development and restoration plan for the Everglades that has yet to be completed.
Along the way, a cast of colorful characters influenced the story, including Henry Flagler, John D. Rockefeller's partner and the builder of the "impossible' railroad from Palm Beach to Key West; Spencer Holland, Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, and environmental secretaries from several administrations.
There were villains: "Big Sugar" and other agricultural interests that wanted to dump (and still do) their wastes in the headwaters of the Everglades; the railroads, which consumed rights of way as political payoffs; and the "Plumers," - hunters who almost exterminated Florida's native birds so wealthy women could wear feathers in their hats. Andrew Jackson's administration fought three wars of attrition against the Seminoles in what was America's first Vietnam. And there were heroes and heroines: Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who started out writing public relations pieces for developers and ended up in her `nineties and beyond as "The Mother of the Everglades"; and Ernest Coe, another visionary environmentalist.

The Everglades, and a proposed Jetport within it, influenced the outcome of the 2000 presidential election. It has pitted the powerful sugar industry against environmentalists, but also forged strange political alliances including that of lobbyists for U.S. Sugar and the Sierra Club. Grunwald, a political writer for the Washington Post, interviewed dozens of current and former political leaders to get an insider's picture of the wheeling, dealing, and chicanery that went into the 2000 Florida presidential election in which Al Gore, the Nobel Prize winning environmental champion, found himself on the wrong side of the environmental fence.

In summary, Grunwald has done a yeoman job in compiling this important book based on extensive journalistic and historical research.

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Postscript

"Florida buys Big Sugar" In the July 7, 2008 TIME Magazine, Michael Grunwald writes that the administration of Florida Governor Charlie Crist has made an offer to buy the US Sugar Corporation,including over 180,000 acres in the northern Everglades drainage area, for $1.75 Billion. Grunwald notes that what Crist's deal can do is "change the political ecosystem." He adds "by essentially bribing US Sugar out of business, Crist not only frees up its land but also eliminates an implacable obstacle to restoration."
(Hopefully, similar arrangements can be reached in other states where agribusiness threatens the economy --timber, railroads,chemicals, and so forth)