United States Books

Andrew Lubin is a true combat correspondent. He wasn't staying at a hotel in downtown Baghdad - he was out in the field with Charlie Battery during some of the fiercest fighting in the early stages of the War in Iraq. "Charlie Battery" offers us a first hand look at the USMC by a military historian and journalist who goes where the Marines go. This is must have for anyone reading about the War on Terror. It's on my bookshelf and is an award winning book. An easy 5 star selection. From one combat vet to another - thanks Prof. Lubin for accurately telling the Marine's story!

Patrick J. McLaughlin, Author of "No Atheists in Foxholes - Prayers and Reflections From the Front"

This book lives in the heart of what it means to be a Marine -- and what it means to those who love a Marine. Ambitious author Andrew Lubin divides his attention between four perspectives -- the Marine Corps, the course of the early stages of the Iraq War, the impact of the experience on the young men of Charlie Battery -- and the emotions of their relatives.

In many ways, "Charlie Battery" is like all war stories. Bored boys decide to become warriors. They join the service of their choice. They train. They gain confidence. They bond. War is declared. They prepare for battle -- both mentally and physically. They travel to distant, forlorn places. They wait. They attack. There are set-backs and mistakes. Some die. They either succeed or not. They come home -- both proud of what they've achieved and saddened by what they've seen. It's a well-known saga. Unfortunately, it's a story that's evergreen.

This author writes with great affection about the Marine Corps. He is uniquely qualified for the task. Both his mother and father were Marines -- and now, as "Charlie Battery" opens, his son Philip has joined the Corps just in time to participate in the invasion of Iraq. Andrew Lubin paints a portrait of the US Marine Corps as an organization focused on being the best trained and most ferocious fighters in the world. They are proud to be "the point of the spear" -- and eager to take on all missions impossible their country requires. "Charlie Battery" forces the reader to close his/her eyes and remember generation after generation of determined Marines throwing themselves into battle -- from Tripoli to Belleau Wood to Iwo Jima to the Chosin Reservoir to Vietnam, the Gulf War and Iraq -- it's both a horrifying and comforting thought.

In more tender interludes, Andrew Lubin, the father, emerges to talk about his beloved boy turned Marine. We hear about Phil's friends and fellow battery team members. We see the tears of mothers and sweethearts. We admire the grit of wives long used to the rigors of Marine Corps family life. We hear of how important contact from home is to those waiting to hear whether or not they will be going into battle soon. We wonder how we would have felt if they were our children or husbands waiting behind the Line of Departure the night before the invasion.

Lubin's fourth focus is the "what happened" side of things. He follows the activities of Phil and his friends from the time they are called back to their duty station at Camp LeJeune. He describes their incessant training, their long cruise to the Middle East, and their dismay at their temporary home at Camp Shouf -- a Kuwaiti desert aggregation point. As the moment approaches, he shows the members of Charlie Battery as they transition from restless young men, fond of playing with aggressive desert critters, to grim Marines primed for the job to come. In the most visceral scene of the book, the chaplain stands among his charges the night before they cross the LoD playing "Amazing Grace" on his bagpipes.

The invasion, the Battle of Nasariyah, the Jessica Lynch story, the rest of Charlie Battery's activities in Iraq, their return to Kuwait and the long way home are told in a patchwork quilt manner -- based on research, and interviews with the men and their families -- and letters and emails.

"Charlie Battery" is a big busy book squeezed into 194 pages. It includes maps and photos and "where everyone is now" vignettes. If you are into military history, Lubin describes the course of the invasion and the circumstances behind each move associated with "Charlie Battery." If you have a loved one in the service, you will empathize with the relatives of the young men of "Charlie Battery." If you are a fan of the USMC, you certainly want to read this one. If you are a veteran, you will mourn the fact that war is still necessary -- and that our children must step forward to sort out the problems of an ever more complicated world.

This book is a great read. It is well written and flows well. Keeps your interest throuhout.
This narrative gives you good information and insights into what is happening over there. One of the few books that gives you the perspective of the actual soldiers.
I look forward to more books from Mr. Lubin

This was a great book detailing Marine Artillery. There are very few books out about artillery and as an artilleryman I thought it was an accurate account for those who have not been around a battery. It is a must read for all military and military enthusiasts.

This is a great read from the beginning to the end. I especially enjoyed the perspectives from both the Marines abroad as well as the family and friends back home. It was a nice touch adding the messages sent home.

Great detailed account of the preparation and deployment of this fine Marine unit. This is a must read for anyone who wants to know what happens during wartime and the courage and sacrifices involved.

Far better written than most, Class 29 transcends military memoire to become an emotinally authentic, engagingly human account that will interest even readers who are not SEAL afficiandos.

I'm a sucker for a story, and John Carl Roat knows how to tell one. He has one of the most incredible writer's voices I've ever encountered. It's like sitting with him over coffee and listening to him spin yarn after yarn about the earliest days of SEAL training.

Roat's dry and often wry sense of humor had me laughing out loud on every page. Endearingly willing to admit to his own human shortcomings, Roat sees the humanity in others. In a few strokes he captures those essential elements of character that make a reader care. Over and over I cheered, and sometimes, I cried.

In one memorable scene, in which another trainee reaches back to give Raot a hand over an obstactle course, Roat talks about how the trainees themselves in subtle ways played a part in who made the grade and who didn't.

Other books about SEAL training will give you detail, endless detail, about SEAL training today, but no other will make you understand so well what makes a man become a SEAL, and what becoming a SEAL makes of a man.

Mary Margret Daughtridge, Romance Author, SEALed With A Kiss
SEALed with a Kiss: Even a hero needs help sometimes...

This book is real!! It's a fast easy read with no dull moments. It is a testament to the tough nature of seals past and present.

John Roat's book demonstrates the toughness and determination that was required in the early days of SEAL training.

I enjoyed the way that he describes in great detail the training that he went through. It's like you are right there with him.

Also, there are many stories about their "interactions" with their instructors.

I especially appreciated the last chapter in the book where the author describes, by observing the training the candidates currently go through, the differences in training between then and now. The training now has causes less long-term damage to the body, especially to the knees (the duck-walk was a favorite of the instructors back then).

Above all as you read the book you can see his loyalty, after all these years, to his team members.

To the point, easy to read and like a couple reviewers said " It makes me proud and it made me laugh" Who thought SEALs would be such down to earth enjoyable guys.

This was written for my Classmates and like them it has brought me nothing but joy. The book comes from the heart, theirs and mine. I've been pleased to hear how much help the book was for some in getting through BUD/S. I do love the questions from young men who aspire to become Team Members so feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer.
realnavyseal@yahoo.com

John Carl Roat
Class-29, UDT-21, UDT-11, SEAL Team 1

This book was extremely disappointing unless you would like to know how many gallons of water it takes to illegally cross from Mexico into the United States. The author takes a liberal and sympathic view of illegals and tries to sway the reader into thinking that breaking the law is OK for these people. Give me a break. Where is the equal-sided journalism? What about the economic drain to healthcare, gang violence and drugs that these people bring into the United States? If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and swims like a duck then it is a duck. Illegals are illegals are illegals. Don't waste your time on this book.

"A passionate exponent of more human solutions to the problems of illegal border crossings...John Annerino, an Arizona writer-photojournalist, tells the story up close and personal in a gut wrenching, bare knuckle account...His account puts flesh and bones on the story behind the dreams, and skeletons,too," Desert Candle.

There are those who call themselves experts on the subject and those who are. John is the genuine expert. His points on the subject can only be done by being there and doing it. That is John, that is how he is. That is how he lives. A Master photographer, a Father, Journalist. His treatment on the border issue is a no-holds-barred trip into the unknown. He makes it known, he does it masterfully! When I read Dead in Their Tracks I found it to be the best publication on the subject. It should be required reading for those who are studying Hispanic Culture here at the University of Arizona! When one has the folks at ABC News and other News organizations beating on your door for your knowledge on the subject you know it is John Annerino. When you read a John Annerino book or see his imigaes you are guaranteed that you have exposed to the very best in subject treatment. Dead in Their Tracks will take you for a ride you won't soon forget.

-"Photojournalist John Annerino plunges into a world few Americans ever consider, much less confront: a pitiless trek through the southwestern Arizona Desert that can deliver a man to steady work - or to a whimpering death," Laura Brooks, The Arizona Daily Star.

-"Anyone interested in this slaughter should run, not walk, to John Annerino's Dead in Their Tracks," Charles Bowden, author of Down by the River.

-"A passionate chronicle. The story...is gripping and profoundly disturbing," Susan J. Tweit, The Bloomsbury Review.

-"A stunning portrayal of the dangers (including death) faced by immigrants eager to work in the United States," Library Journal.

-"I'm trying to illuminate the lives of those who continue to die in America's killing ground," Annerino said," abcnews.com.

-"A gripping firsthand account of crossing the Camino del Diablo in the company of Mexican nationals...Annerino's evocative words and haunting pictures make the issue impossible to ignore," Donnamarie Barnes, People Magazine.

-"The story is riveting.Annerino's writing is emotional and graphic," Ernesto Portillo, San Diego Union-Tribune.

-"Through cholla cactus and scorpions, along sands simmering at 140-160 degrees, John Annerino and four Mexican companions stumble toward an oasis north of poverty: the American dream," oneworldjournies.com.

-"The book is a testament and a memorial.Thirty pages list the known dead...Annerino deserves praise for putting this story into words and pictures," Will Chaffey, San Antonio Express-News.

-"A gripping work of investigative reporting," Nicole Davis, National Geographic Adventure.

-"Seen on CNN and featured on CNN Bokchat, John Annerino has worked on the border for Newsweek, ABC Primetime, National Geographic Adventure, and America 24/7," KmG

This book is poorly written, _utterly_ disjointed, and has a cloying sentimentality that is really annoying. By that I mean it's not at all analytical: it includes random snippets of poems, etc. that serve only to confound the reader looking for some meat. Plus, there are certain phrases like "cutting sign" that I hadn't the foggiest idea about until I looked it up. Help the reader out here.

Yeah, it's hot as hell in the desert, and it's doggone handy to have water. It sucks that people are dying in the desert and the forces that draw them to _El Norte_ are highly complex and not necessarily their fault. Still, they are breaking the law from the word go, and well they know it, and it seems to me there are worse tragedies involving truly innocent people. Plus, it peeves me to no end that these illegals have largely trashed some of the most beautiful and exotic wildernesses in the U.S. So my sympathy is just not all that deep.

The photos are for the most part of lousy quality as well. Why it took carrying several cameras, as the author claims, to produce these pictures is beyond me.

Lastly the book is VERY short, with a ridiculously long appendix addressing every single death that has occurred in this area ... newsflash: no one is going to read that.

How could the editors have allowed a book like this to go to press? It's absolutely amateurish, despite being driven by sincere emotions.

Several months ago while surfing the Internet, the name Dr. Davey popped up in association with "fluoride poisoning," the WWII "Manhattan Project," making of the "atomic bomb" and secret "human experimentation" in the 1940s. I am aware of my father's D-Day story but now, 60 years after his death, the final chapter of his life has been revealed in this incredible book. After further investigation and filling in between the lines, it is apparent that Navy Medicine, having seen X-ray reports of "fluoride poisoning" in the bones of American workers during WWII, refused to participate in a medical cover-up during the early Cold War years.

It was shocking to read "Chapter 8 - Robert Kehoe and the Kettering Laboratory" in The Fluoride Deception by Christopher Bryson. My father, LT. J. Russell Davey, Jr., MC, USNR, who died in 1948 (unknown to the author), is described on page 108 as "the offending radiologist" who inadvertently exposed Dr. Robert A. Kehoe's study regarding industrial fluoride exposure of workers at the Pennsylvania Salt Company in Easton, PA. Dr. Davey made a January 31, 1947 medical X-ray diagnosis of "fluoride poisoning" which became known to management and workers several miles away at the Pennsalt plant in Easton.

Bryson describes top officials at Pennsalt headquarters in Philadelphia as being "furious" with Drs. George Pillmore and Davey. The two Navy radiologists were not aware of Dr. Kehoe's Kettering Laboratory mission, to secretly collect medical data regarding poisoned American workers in order to protect the US government's bomb-related defense industry from potential lawsuits. The author brilliantly lays out Pennsalt's role in producing hydrofluoric acid (HF) for atomic bomb production and the resulting cover-up of workers suffering from fluoride poisoning.

Fluoride poisoning resulting in "crippling skeletal fluorosis" had been recognized in Europe since the late 1800s. In 1937, Danish scientist Kai Eli Roholm, MD, published "Fluorine Intoxication, an encyclopedic study of fluoride pollution and poisoning." Dr. Roholm reported that fluoride exposure produced a host of medical symptoms in factory workers. Most distinctly, fluoride could visibly disfigure a worker's bones, disabling them with a painful thickening and fusing of spinal vertebrae, a condition he called "crippling skeletal fluorosis."

In 1944, 26-year-old Lieutenant Davey, 6th Naval Beach Battalion, returned from the Normandy invasion and became a student and protégé of Captain George U. Pillmore, MC (S), USNR, Chief Radiologist at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital. During that period, the Philadelphia Navy Yard housed a super-secret facility using hot liquid fluoride and pressurized steam to enrich uranium for the atomic bomb. Although bomb making was an Army project, the purpose of the Philadelphia plant was to supply insurance against failure of the Army's "separation program" and provide the Naval Research Laboratory with materials for the study of atomic energy.

Bryson describes a serious accident at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in September 1944. There was a release of man-made radiation and perhaps the worst fluoride accident of WWII. "A giant white plume of uranium hexafluoride gas drifted over the dockyard." Twenty-six men were exposed, killing two and seriously injuring the remainder. The Philadelphia coroner was not told the "cause of death." Body organs of dead men were considered "classified" and stuffed into a briefcase becoming the property of the Manhattan Project Medical Department. Years later, a Navy doctor explained to injured nuclear scientist Arnold Kramish that when fluoride gets into your bones, it "stalks you the rest of your life."

The following year after the accident, Dr. Davey was ordered to a Naval Special Hospital, Camp Wallace, Texas to serve as Chief of the X-ray Department in a 1,000-bed-hospital. After retuning to Philadelphia in May 1946 and relieved from active duty, Drs. Davey and Pillmore teamed up in a radiology practice 65 miles north of Philadelphia in Easton, PA. Dr. Pillmore established a Naval reserve unit that included Dr. Davey and about 30 medical doctors in the Easton area.

Bomb making was under the purview of the US Army during WWII. The Army maintained that "fluoride poisoning does not occur in the United States." However, the Navy Medical Department Cold War position on "fluoride poisoning" contradicted the Army Manhattan Project Medical Department. In 1946, Captain George U. Pillmore published Clinical Radiology: A Correlation of Clinical and Roentgenological Findings, Volume I & II, with 1,558 pages. LT. Davey was a contributing author. Navy Surgeon General Ross T. McIntire, Vice Admiral, MC, wrote in the Forward that X-ray examinations are "often the magic key in diagnosis."

Clinical Radiology states, "The source of fluorine intoxication include: (1) drinking water containing one part per million or more of fluorine, (2) fluorine compounds used as insecticidal sprays for fruits and vegetables (cryolite and barium fluosilicate), (3) the mining and conversion of phosphate rock to superphosphate which is used as fertilizer. (The fluorine content of phosphate rock is about 4 percent. During conversion to superphosphate, about 25 per cent of the fluorine present is volatilized.) (4) The fluorides used in the smelting of many metals, such as steel and aluminum, and in the production of glass, enamel, and brick....In 1932, Moller and Gudjonsson described a peculiar form of bone sclerosis in workers exposed to cryolite dust for a number of years. Since that time there have been many published reports of chronic fluorine intoxication and its effect on the osseous system."

Guided by a group of corporate attorneys known as the Fluorine Lawyers Committee, Dr. Kehoe's Kettering Laboratory conducted secret research in order to defend fluoride on behalf of a group of corporations that included Pennsalt, DuPont, Alcoa, and US Steel, all of which faced lawsuits for industrial fluoride pollution. Kehoe's aim was to block scientists from serving as effective witnesses in court cases. Manhattan Project Chief Leslie R. Groves wrote a February 28, 1946 memo to the Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Atomic Energy, advising that "the Department of Justice is cooperating in the defense of these suits."

Unfortunately for the plaintiffs, Dr. Kai Eli Roholm, the world's leading fluoride expert who visited this country just after WWII, died March 29, 1948. The brilliant Danish scientist was regarded highly by the medical profession but now would be unavailable to provide testimony in the fluoride lawsuits. Dr. Roholm's death was "a tragedy for all who rely on scientist to tell them the truth about chemicals they handle in the workplace and the risk from industrial pollution." The 46-year-old physician left a wife and two young children.

Dr. J. Russell Davey, Jr., the young Navy radiologist who exposed Dr. Robert Kehoe's scientific cover-up of fluoride poisoning, died suddenly June 5, 1948 of undetermined causes. The 30-year-old physician left a pregnant wife and three young children.

In 1949, US worker fluoride lawsuits resulted in no compensation. Former Manhattan Project toxicologist Harold C. Hodge, coordinator of the secret human radiation experiments at the University of Rochester and the nation's leading fluoride expert, wrote in 1965 that "crippling fluorosis has never been seen in the United States."

This book is far better researched than the material that consumer use of fluoride is based upon.

Very scary!

In easily readable style, investigative journalist Christopher Bryson reveals the appalling truth about how an industrial waste product with toxicity equal to that of lead has come to be dumped in our drinking water. Researching official documents from the years of World War II and the cold war of the 1940s, declassified in the 1990s after 50 years, Bryson tells of the lies and the cover-ups, names the multi-million dollar corporations and the people involved, and through rigorous footnoting, his source documents. This book is a must-read for all those wanting to know the shocking facts about how, through misrepresentation of the results of scientific research and skillful propaganda, unsuspecting communities have to been made to believe that a toxic industrial waste product is completely harmless and will prevent tooth decay.

It's all about a substance that has been placed in our municipal tap water for the last sixty years. It is classified as a non-approved drug, but is prescribed to everyone without our consent, without public debate, and without dosage instructions for each individual. It amounts to mass medication without consent. This is the main reason that 98 percent of Europe will not fluoridate. In fact, most of the industrialized countries of the world do not fluoridate. And, statistically, their oral health is just as good as in the U. S..
Extremely detailed and thoroughly researched, this book cannot be recommended more highly. Bryson spent ten years digging into the dark depths of government and industrial deception to produce an eye opening revelation concerning the health of everyone who is a victim of the risky practice of fluoridation.
Upon reading the information in this book, I personally visited the website, [...] to discover a treasure trove of detailed information, both scientific and popular about fluoride, its politics, and its adverse health effects, and how to reduce exposure to the substance (which proves to be quite difficult).
However, nothing convinced me more solidly than my personal experience. Once I had reduced my exposure to fluoride for only a week (by distilling our tap water and using "organic" foods when possible), twenty-five years worth of "mysterious" symptoms that had confounded my doctors simply went away, ..... vanished. My symptoms were diagnosed as depression, arthritic pains, muscle aches that really shouldn't have been there, cloudy thinking, and several other problems that came and went as drugs were prescribed to mask each new symptom. But, nothing worked as well as simply drinking clean, pure water. (I found out later that it is estimated that about five percent of the population is particularly sensitive to very low doses of fluoride. I can only guess that perhaps I am one of the five percent).
I have spoken with expert toxicologists both corporate and with the EPA. They have all confirmed what Bryson explains in this book. In fact, the union that represents the EPA's scientists and workers in Washington, D. C. continues to publicly recommend that all fluoridation of municipal water systems be stopped. This is in direct opposition to the stance taken by the administration of the EPA.
Despite being painted as crazies and loonies by the pro-fluoridation corporate and governmental lobby, I can tell you that all of the people I have met who are working against fluoridation are intelligent, forthright, and not willing to be led like sheep when they feel an injustice is being done to others. Rather than dedicating time to deriding the credentials of their opponents, they use logic and scientific evidence to patiently explain why fluoridation should be stopped. They really care.
I sincerely hope that Christopher Bryson's novel will find its place as one of America's finest exposures and examples of how science and the truth can be distorted and twisted by money and influence until even the experts are convinced that something inherently dangerous is safe for everyone, no matter what the dose.

I read this book as part of a book club and was absolutely amazed at the history of lies and chicanery associated with flouride in our water, toothpaste and dental use. If you want validation of what is in the book look no further than the January 2008 issue of Scientific American who interviews and quotes many of the scientists whose stories are found in this book.

I used to think that anti-flouridationist were cranks, based on the way they are characterized in the media and by folks in public health. Now I am seriously concerned about the level of flouride in my drinking water and trying to figure out how to protect myself and everyone else I can. Do yourself a favor and get educated. The public health implications, including the risk of neurological damage in the very young and arthritis and other unexplained disorders in adults is worthy of great concern. Especially when you realize that adding flouride to water was initially done to whitewash and to undermine concerns that this industrial pollutant (from coal mining and steel production among others)was poisoning communities and workers.

The Never War was better than the first two in the series put together. This book was much more realistic than the first two.

The Never War (Pendragon Series #3) This book came as part of a box set containing the first 3 books in the series. They are quality paper backs. They will probably stand up to a lot of re-reads. I had been in search of a series to fill in the void left from the conclusion of the Harry Potter series. I have found that D. J. MacHale's series about time travel by a teenager and his friends to be an excellent transition from Harry Potter. I am currently finishing up book 8 in the series. I have purchased 7 of the books from Amazon and will buy books 8 and 9 when they come out in paper back. I would highly recommend this series to fans of Harry Potter. Trust me, you won't be disappointed and you will love the adventure.

The Never War is the third book in the Pendragon series. I thought this book was amazing this book I think was the best of all of the pendragons. This book brings back the characters Mark, Courtney, Spader, and Bobby and a new traveler Gunny. This book brings you back into 1937 on first earth. At the start of world war two and ends with a big ending that may shock you.
I would totally recommend this book because it envolve your own world and it makes you brush up on your history. This book is definitely the greatest sci-fi I have read. The Never War is a book that you never want to stop reading it keeps you on the edge of your seat through out the whole story and this book always has you thinking of what could happen next.

This is a really interesting book for probably one reason: the historical fiction.
This book takes you to First Earth, where life is eternally 40 yeaers behind our Second Earth. The plot of this story is where Saint Dane is trying to alter things that have already happened to cause chaos throughout Halla. This is about the Hindenburg. Saint Dane offers Bobby a chance to save the Hindenburg from crashing but what will happen if he doesn't?
This is book is chalk full of good historical fiction. I liked it, A LOT!

D. J. MacHale wrote for television for years before turning his attention to novels. He created ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, a long-running series on Nickelodeon in the United States, but it also showed in Canada on YTV and Cinar.

For the last few years, he's been writing the adventures of Bobby Pendragon, a boy who's destined - hopefully - to save the world. Several worlds, actually. Bobby is a Traveler, one of those who have the power to "flume" from world to world. He's brought into the adventure by his Uncle Press. As Bobby was growing up, Uncle Press also took Bobby scuba diving, mountain climbing, to martial arts, driving, and several other things that gave him skills he needs to survive against enemies he encounters. All during that time, Uncle Press was training Bobby to be a Traveler.

Bobby's greatest foe is a villain called Saint Dane. Saint Dane has the ability to change his appearance at will and constantly hides in different worlds while working his nefarious plans.

THE NEVER WAR is the third book in this exciting series. In it, Bobby travels to First Earth, which takes place in the year 1937. The gangster era isn't new by any means, and I was slightly let down when I discovered I wasn't being taken to a new world. I especially loved Cloral, the world Bobby went to in the second book, THE LOST CITY OF FAAR, and I look forward to returning there hopefully in one of the later books.

Still, I'm older than the average Pendragon reader. The 1930s and the Hindenburg are familiar to me through several other books I've read as well as history I've researched.

For all the familiarity with the time period, though, MacHale tells a fascinating and fast-paced tale. Bobby and his new best friend Spader land in the 1930s while pursuing Saint Dane. They're immediately met by machine-gun toting thugs that try to kill them. Bobby figures out how to escape and gets Spader out as well. Spader is way out of his depth because he's never seen anything as "technologically advanced" as the 1930s.

One of the best things about the Pendragon books is that Bobby usually gets to save the day in a down-to-earth manner. He doesn't have any really special skills or powers that help him. At this point, he's fourteen years old and can do what most kids that age can. This makes the series more believable in some ways, and I think it draws the Pendragon audience in a little closer.

MacHale's sense of timing and pacing is excellent. The story moves quickly, and I got a real sense of urgency throughout the book as Bobby tries to figure out what Saint Dane is really doing. Many of the chapters end up on cliffhangers that will draw you rapidly into the next chapter. The dialogue is fantastic and sounds real.

One of the other facets of the series that I really enjoy is Bobby's friendship with Mark Dimond and Courtney Chetwynde. The closeness they share, even through Bobby's journals, feels real.

MacHale also mixes in adult heroes with his young champion. Vincent "Gunny" Van Dyke was an excellent grown Traveler in this novel. He was kind and gentle, and guided Bobby and Spader throughout the adventure.

I did miss the world-building in this novel, but I know MacHale gets back to it in later volumes of the series. But for kids who haven't researched the 1930s much, this should be a fun book and on equal footing with fans of Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider.

I enjoyed this book because I am a cancer survivor. Mr. Jordan also
discussed and gave an inside look into political events that happened
events over 2 decades ago, which I found to be interesting.

I read this book years ago and never forgot this brave uplifting man as he fought his battle with cancer. I am greatly saddened to hear of his passing today. His words will live on for anyone facing life's greatest challenges.

Hamilton Jordan tells of his inspiring victory over the deadly disease that affects us all in one way or another - cancer. He also tells the intriguing and compelling history of his brief tenure in the White House under Jimmy Carter as well as the inspiring story of his uncle, who fought racism in rural Georgia ahead of his time.

But above all, this book provided me with a shot in the arm while I was in the hospital for over a month with pneumonia. Feeling somewhat down, this book really lifted my spirits.
Jordan proves that a positive outlook and one deeply rooted in prayer and faith in God immensely helps those in dire medical circumstances. I am a walking monument and a true believer of the power of prayer and faith in God.

I highly recommend this book to everyone - whether you're sick or not. It is ineffably a book that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling after you put it down. A great gift to someone you love - including yourself.

I have several relatives with cancer,including my son who is a childhood leukemia surviver. I bought this book expecting to learn more about dealing with the diagnosis of the "Big C". I got that and much, much more.

This book is an inspiration for those touched by cancer, but also an inspiration to see how seemingly small decisions or details in life can a have huge impact. It also is an insider's view of what life in the Deep South was like in the mid-19th century.

Whether you read this book to better understand how to deal with cancer, how to face difficult circumstances in general, or how how a single person can make a huge difference in the lives of others, or just an interesting read you will not be disappointed.

Not many books kept me up past my bedtime but this ranks as one of them. Jordan is frank, lucid and at times funny but I would prefer if he elaborates on his tenure as chief of staff further. I'm sure the conversation he had with Carter in his old car campaining for this little known person then would interest a lot of people...well he left that part out.
This book is about hope and doing something about it.

I'm so glad I bought this book! It's a great insight on the music business and personal observations.

Loved reading this book! He is a unique person - not afraid to say anything. I'm sharing this book with many friends who all have enjoyed it as well. He is a fascinating person - wish he had email so I could write him a note.....He says what he thinks and lives it as well. Good read. Way to go Trace!

A very well written book by a down to earth country boy made good. He cut no corners and did not wash over his faults. We would have a much better democratically elected republic if more people thought about life the way this man does.

This book was excellent. I couldn't put it down. His ideas are exactly what I've been thinking and wish the Presidential Candidates would talk about. Trace proves that country people AREN'T ignorant and that hard work pays off in the end. This book is refreshing since the media and the Candidates avoid the truth of our nation.

Trace is a true man. Works hard for his family, stands by his beliefs (even when they aren't popular), and has values that make America BETTER. This book gives us an excellent glimpse into the music business. Plus, it is an inspiration for those who work hard despite the challenges and ups and downs of life.

He has some good ideas and points in the book. A guy who actually tells the truth and stands by his beliefs, that is the kind of President we need. Americans should be demanding this but we aren't. We just believe what the Candidates say instead of questioning them when they keep flip-flopping on the issues. Trace will you run for President?

Plus, his focus is his family. Who can argue with that!! I would recommend this book to anyone, even if you don't agree with all of his political views.

I stumbled across this book while looking for Trace's music. I had no idea he had written a book. Based on the summary and excerpts on the main Amazon page, I was intrigued enough that I had to read it. I was pleasantly surprised! No one likes to be underestimated, but I'm sure Trace is always hearing people say that they're surprised at how well-spoken and smart he is. He's a self-proclaimed history buff and he seems to really keep up on current affairs, too.
Though Trace is a conservative and I'm pretty liberal, I still respect the opinions he expresses because they seem to be well researched. He's wise enough to know that his party, the Republican party, has serious issues. The subject of the war in Iraq comes up frequently throughout the book, and Trace has strong opinions about what has been done wrong in the way we've handled it so far.
Though the book doesn't really claim to be an autobiography, rather a collection of Trace's observations and opinions, I really liked the little stories about his life. Those were my favorite part. If you love Trace's music and want to learn how his music career progressed, that is covered in here, too. And if you're like me, you won't even mind if his opinions and yours don't always gel.

I recently visited the Hawaiian Islands. The moment I stepped off the aircraft and the air hit my face I felt the magic. I started researching and reading everything I could get my hands on to discover the secrets of the islands. Pila's book was the most helpful in explaining the incredible energy of Hawaii. His book is not only a guide to the magical places you can visit, it is also a guide to connecting with spirit and healing your life. A wonderful book that I highly recommend. Although it was written over ten years ago, it is even more relevent as we watch our world rapidly changing. Mahalo Pila!

There are a couple of places where the author veers off a bit but for the most part he draws the reader into the mystical side of Hawaii that captivates the imagination and adds a new layer of "must do" items for ones next visit to the big island.

I particularly enjoyed the parts where he explores the subtleties expressed in the Hawaiian language and how they relate to place names and metaphysical practices and experiences. I think the author does a good job of connecting modern places and practices to traditional Hawaiian belief and faith practices. His chapter on the Big Island's place of refuge is exceptional in this regard.

The book is written in an easy to read fashion... But don't be fooled! Even if you gobble the words down like a good meal.. there is much more you will me digesting...
The essence remembering Joy is something that will forever remain in my heart..!

Pila of Hawaii takes you on a journey through paradise, all around the Big Island, but also through paradiscal realms within us all, while also sharing with us some of his own amazing journey. Pila opens the door to the little known esoteric world of Hawaiian spirituality, making it accessible to anyone willing to take to look and to open themselves. And he does all this in a style that is easy and fun to read. He leads the way joyously with a descriptive style that has you humming along as you follow his courageous. Thanks Pila. Whenever I get homesick for the islands, I just pick of the "red book" and I am back home again.

After reading many amazing books on Hawaiian Philosophy and more specifically Huna and Kahuna teachings, I must say - this is one of my favourite books. This book is so much fun to read and has many, many secrets to share.

These stories are about people that had a gun when they needed one. You don't hear about these in the paper. You only hear about the ones (Usually DEAD) that didn't have one. Good read!

"Thank God I Had a Gun" by Chris Bird

This is a book of stunning accounts wherein ordinary people protected themselves from assault, for the simple reason that they had a firearm on hand with which to defend themsevles.

Stories such as these, wherein ordinary people defend themselves against criminal violence do not receive much attention in the media. Their stories do not always appear in print or in news accounts. Nonetheless, many Americans do protect themselves and their loved ones on a regular basis. Ordinary people, in their homes and places of business, subjected to criminal attacks, do not always suffer injury and death, if they have the will to survive, and a firearm in their grasp. The unarmed however, are not so fortunate. They become statistics, and end up in the morgue or the hospital on many occasions.

The author is very experienced in the use of handguns and makes his living as a shooting instructor.

Most people, with no criminal background, can purchase a firearm for self defense. The background check takes between 20 minutes to 1 hour generally. After which time, you can leave the store with the means to protect yourself. That, and some affordable self-defense classes in firearms saftey and uses, can make the difference between living and dying, or going through life with nightmares for memories.

A very good and informative read for those who desire to educate themselves regarding the facts of firearms possession. Whether renter, housewife and mother, businessman, or just plain folks, this book is very useful.

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Of course you will not be able to put down the book because you are on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next in each story. Chris Bird doesn't just focus on the story itself like a cheap Hollywood film. Details of each victims personality, what led to the incident, how the police responded and the aftermath (how people who defend themselves feel afterward) gives you a lot of food for thought. There is probably someone who was involved in defending themselves that you can relate to. I bought this and the The Best Defense by Waters, read them in a few days each, and passed them among girlfriends. They make great conversation; we consider the possibility of an earthquake putting us in a situation like the Katrina chapter. Or what gun control means to an older woman who lives alone. Also, knowing what really happens when gunfire is exchanged, you will never look at an action adventure movie or police drama the same again!

I was very pleased that I learned so much from this book. I am an advocate of personal responsibility and self defense is a part of that. I try to think of ways to keep myself from ever having a confrontation and ways to remove myself from one if it were to happen. This book gives accurate descriptions of how people behaved in these times of stress, and while reading them I automatically inserted myself into the situation and noted how I "think" I would behaved differently were it me. At the conclusion of each story, I was able to compare what actually happened to what may have happened had it been me and I found some of my decisions to be in error. Hopefully I'll never have to be in one of those stories, but if I am, hopefully I'll be able to apply the knowledge gained from this book.

this book needs to be read by people that are not total anti-gun but think the police can "save" them. Learn that the gun is just a tool with a job to do,learn to use it like you would any other tool.

There are letters from `very' different types of people such as George W. Bush (after he was shot down) and from George McGovern (who was a bomber pilot). I really don't care whose side (politically speaking) the authors of the various letters represent as long as it deals with the stated topic (WAR LETTERS). This is why I only gave the book 3 stars. What in the blue blazes are letters from Helen Keller (who is writing about a friend she once knew who is now in jail for being an American commie) & a letter from the American commie traitor Alger Hiss doing in the book? Neither of these letters even remotely have anything to do with an American War.
There are other letters which also have very little to do with a U.S. war but I looked over these as they `sort of' and that is a stretch - were leading up to a war. I do not know for sure - but I believe the author is a left of center sort of guy and it comes through in the letters he chose.

This book is a great read. It is refeshing to be able to read words, thoughts and dreams from people as they perform such honorable duty overseas. This book is powerful and should be required reading for all, especially Americans.

Some anti-war activist may think it is "pro-war" but it isn't just that. This book reveals personal thoughts and challenges faced by American military personnel in wars from the Civil War until the later conflicts in the 20th century. It is pro-war, anti-war and everything in between.

This book reminds me of the sacrifice that so many make for their country. It is a great tribute for those who have served.

I actually read a review about this book and gave it as a gift to my sister-in-law who teaches high school history. She LOVES it and told me it was an amazing collection of actual letters. She said all of the teachers that she works with have been borrowing it!!

I received this book as a gift because my family knows I love reading personal histories from those who lived it and "War Letters" seemed perfect for that. I enjoy learning what life was like for the average citizen in an era, whether its someone riding the Erie Canal in 1840, a foot soldier in the American revolution, or a journal from the Civil War.

This is a remarkable book and taken individually there are many, many heart-rending emotional stories that probably need to be read by many people. It does in fact put a personal face on war. Because it is a collection of letters, the book is easily read in short spurts; you don't want (and shouldn't) read this book quickly.

I only gave the book 4 stars because I actually found it hard to read. While the personal letters (the spelling, mannerisms of the authors) help tell their stories, it also keeps the book from developing any flow. Some letters are agonzingly slow to read and understand. I'm certainly not faulting the authors or their stories; but if you're looking for a great, well-written, smooth-flowing story that you can't put down, this isn't it.

i only gave it three stars because many of the stories were more about patriotism than about the war themselves. Of course every book has its bias so its still a useful and moving read when taken with this grain of salt.