Military Books

Our book group was lucky to have Kari Grady Grossman attend our discussion of "Bones That Float."

Even though our group is known for our lively discussions, I have to say that the discussion of "Bones That Float" was probably the most passionate meeting we have ever had. She made us think and feel and examine our obligations as citizens of a world community and it was uncomfortable, revealing and empowering. For each one of us, this story brought out a myriad of powerful emotions and opinions that some of us have never expressed in public before. To my mind, that is the mark of a good book crafted by a good writer. Thank you, Kari.

-Paige

My husband and I have four beautiful children who joined our family through international adoption. One of our children is from Cambodia. I bought this book to learn more about Cambodian adoption, but came out learning a lot more.

I truly enjoyed this book on many different levels. Bones That Float is an amazing story of Kari Grossman's adoption experiences in Cambodia, and how she embraced the history and culture of her son's first country. The book really spoke to my heart. It is so important in our family for both parents and children to learn about the children's first countries (China and Cambodia) and to try to understand the circumstances that led to their adoptions. As an adoptive mom, I found this book invaluable. I also think it would be appropriate for parents of children of other countries - my friends with children from China are eager to read it too.

The book really has three stories - the adoption story, a story of how the Khmer Rouge harmed/hurt/almost destroyed a family in Cambodia (and their ultimate survival), and the story of Kari's driver, who yearns for a better life. Because of Kari's personal connection with the latter two stories, they are quite real and affecting.

Finally, Kari was able to establish a school in a rural mountainous area of Cambodia. This book is also about the ability for all of us to make a difference in this world.

I ordered this book because the author is going to visit our church for a discussion this Friday. It is moving, painful, and unbelievable and it will grab your heart. The simalarities of what happened in Cambodia to what the invasion of Iraq has started is startling.
I don't think I will be able to forget the people in this book.

With unflinching honesty and well-researched facts, Ms. Grossman details the plight of Cambodia's children as well as her personal story of advocacy for them. This book emphasizes that heartfelt, direct action addresses what meaningless political rhetoric cannot.

This book will prick your conscience and will have you asking "what's *my* Cambodia?"

Very highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed the individual stories woven throughout this book. The life stories of the main Cambodian characters were so powerful I couldn't stop reading about their lives. As a parent to children adopted transracially and internationally I could relate to many of the emotions and questions that Grossman raises. However, I do not believe this is a book that will resonate with most adoptees, birth/first parents or astute adoptive parents. Grossman takes liberties where she shouldn't frequently stating opinion as fact. There are no references listed or sources cited in this book. For example, she states that half of adoptees choose to search for birthparents and half do not. However, there are no references to back up that statement. Most troubling was the following on page 140 where she talks about the US ban on adoptions from Cambodia stating, "Yet after more than four years of State Department investigations and ample gossip of brokering stories, no birthmother has come back to reclaim an illicitly procured child. The women of Cambodia are poor, not stupid." Again, no citations or references are provided. As it turns out the first statement is not true, birthmothers did return to reclaim their children thankfully before they left Cambodia. Anyone can read about it in official public documents. The second statement is so offensive, Grossman owes an apology to all birthmothers globally who have been duped out of raising their children. One only need to attend a CUB meeting or with human rights organizations in countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, India and elsewhere to discover that intelligent women have in fact lost their children to adoption following empty promises from unscrupulous facilitators. While I enjoyed much of the story, in the end I was disappointed.

Gioacchino (Jack) Giampapa's Cherish The Magic: A Novel Of Uncompromising Honor is the engaging story of Gianni Giancarlo, a Fort Lauderdale teen who enlists in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, hoping that by doing so he can preempt being drafted into Army and thereby avoid worst of the bloodletting. His hopes are dashed as he must endure a terrifying ordeal of the brutal transition to manhood in this solidly written, attention gripping saga of survival against the background of grime war time realities.

It takes a lot to hook me on a book!!! When I read the cover, I wasn't overly excited but after the first page, I couldn't put the book down. It's a book about war that the average female can appreciate. Finally, a book was been written that helped me understand, and have true compassion for the struggles encountered during a war. This book opened many doors to understanding. It's like the first history book I've ever enjoyed reading. Jack opened my eyes to a world I did not know exhisted. Now, just 3 months after reading his book, we have another war on our hands. I'm sure glad I read CHERISH THE MAGIC because this time I'm more sympathetic to the struggles and pains of the people who are out there protecting our country.This book has definitely made a better American out of me!!!! I'd say it's a book for men that women will love as well.You will laugh and cry your way through it. Buy a box of kleenex before you ever start to read! It's wonderful!!!

I had the pleasure of reading this book. The writer takes you into a world unfamiliar to most of us, and shows it to us in a way we can understand. He gives us the life of this boy, Gianni Giancarlo, bringing him to life for us as he grows from boyhood to manhood in war. With Gianni we learn about the horrors of war, as well as the good things that can come from such an unforgivable situation, like lasting friendships.
The story takes you to Vietnam, and shows you the horrors our young children faced there. It gives you hope and takes it away as you experience first hand what it was like to walk through the jungles of Cambodia. It is an action packed, intense novel that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat with anticipation.
Then there is the dog, the unsung hero, showing us the true meaning behind the words `man's best friend'. This story gives us a new appreciation for search and rescue dogs. You'll care as much about the dog as you will the other members of `the squad'.
As a mother, this story gave me an insight into something very few mothers get to see. Through this story we learned what our young men face when they go to fight for our freedom. We learn why this is so important to many of our young men. It is more than a duty to them, it is an honour.
To use an old cliche' this is a must read book. It is gripping from the first page to the last. I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe others will too.

As a result of the 9-11-01 tradgedy I have just completed rereading Cherish The Magic. This book is probably the closest portrayal of what life was like for many of our combat troops,and what they went through during the Vietnam era. I served in the Combat Engineers in Korea during the capture of the Pueblo. Although I did not serve in Vietnam I worked with many of the troops who were wounded there and had to finish their 13 month hardship tour in Korea. I heard many recollections by these soldiers of the bravery and dedication of the handlers and their dogs. There were many military people besides flyers that were saved as a result of the efforts of these teams. This was an extraordinary mission accomplished with little knowledge or recognition by those stateside. Mr. Giampapa not only brings back vividly the trepidation we all felt during that terrible period ie; the worry of parents , leaving girl friends and especially the long airplane ride to a strange culture. Although Mr. Giampapa was a handler in the Air Force it is obvious that a great amount of research was done to so accuratly to desribe the conditions, army lingo, logistics, weaponry, and tactics used by the infantry soldier. Hats off to a superb book, and thank you Mr. Giampapa. This book needs to be on screen.
Gerry Pytko, formerly SGT E5, Camp Stanley,I Corps,Repulic Of Korea
.

"Cherish the Magic" is a vivid story of survival and canine companionship in the jungles of Vietnam. Giampapa brings alive the lost story of canines and their important role in small force combat during the Vietnam War. The book also delves into the psyche of a true patiot. We learn that there are some things out there that just need to be taken care of in order to complete one's path of destiny.

I think it is a great information guide to help people finding their Cherokee heritage. I discovered that I am related to the author.

If you're looking for your Cherokee roots, this concise and clear prose on how and where to do it is a vital tool. For anyone seeking a spiritual connection to the Cherokee soul I also recommend WALKING THE TRAIL by Jerry Ellis which chronicles his 900 mile walk along the Trail of Tears.

I think the title says it all... great book if you want to learn about your Cherokee past.

I just rec'd the this book and after only flipping through just a few pages on my great grandmother's MCCLURE lines, I'm impressed! Not only am I looking forward to reading this book but I plan on using it for future reference, as I see a few made at the end of one of the chapters and I haven't even read thru it yet - and can not wait! Thank you Dr. Tony MCCLURE. You did your homework because you know your homework. Buy this book! You will not be disappointed!

Whether you are researching Cherokee lineages or just wanting to be well informed on Cherokee history and culture, you need this book! I found it not only informative but compelling to read and so hard to put down that I read it completely by flashlight one night at a boy scout campout after getting the book from Amazon that day. WaDo Tony!

Thankyou Mr. Mason for helping me understand the Vietnam war and it's impact on those who fought. I was born about the time that you were touching down at your first LZ, and only grew to know the war from television and from my uncle, who was a helecopter pilot as well in vietnam. This book is a must-read sequel that will also shed light on what soldiers returning from the Gulf area must be going through. Congratulations on such a contribution, and Jerry Fowler is right, God is working through you without a doubt. You're an inspiration, I am just sorry that you and your family had to suffer so much.

This is a great book, as you can see by the previous reviewers!

What I want to know is why this book has been out of print for so long?

This book was recommended to me by a veteran that flew with the First Air Cavalry. He commented, "This book described my life in Vietnam".

The book is vivid in it's descriptions and extremely well written. I have read the book twice and both times have been moved by the ending. If you enjoy reading about flying, the Vietnam conflict, and people, this book is for you.

I have read this book three times. I know what an extraordinary story this is and have tried to turn others on to it.
Bob Mason's transformation from eager pilot trainee to jaded combat veteran/burnout, while probably not anymore remarkable a story than any other pilot's is well written and that is what makes it great! After reading the book I felt as though I know Bob Mason. Not a bad thing.
When Mason describes the deck inside the chopper,covered in blood you can almost smell it.
Serious life and death stuff with some of the funniest stories of human screw ups wrapped up in a truly memorable account of one
helluva chopper pilots' experience in Vietnam.
It's like I say:" 'Chickenhawk' is the best damn war movie they never made!"

unless you stumbled onto this book somehow, you probably picked it up because you had been through the "chickenhawk" experience with him in his first book by that name. this book is the perfect sequel to his vietnam story. mason's deeds in the war were heroic, and yet,he ends up struggling for his life even more as soon as he is "home". he is brutally honest about his own misdeeds--to his wife and son, his friends and associates, and to himself.you feel that you are trying to claw your way upward with him, as his life spirals downward.his salvation lies in his ability to tell his story, and you become part of it as you read this book

I purchased this for my boyfriend upon him returning home from Fallujah. He didn't open it once. It's just not a book that a war veteran wants to read, or even be reminded of. He went through enough and all he really needed was professional help. Not a book that reiterates the pain and struggles that families endure.

My son suggested I read this before he comes home from his tour of duty in Iraq. It has been very helpful to understand what he has to deal with in terms of adjusting from daily combat and normal day to day life at home. Most people don't have a clue what these brave men and women have to deal with. They cannot just turn off their emotions just because they are back home.
Eveyone who has a loved one serving in a war zone should read this book.

It wasn't the war, it was when I returned home and could not function. I applaud this book for it's intent and gratitude that it gives to our young warriors. It is one of the few written for "our" generation. Thank you

-Timothy Kendrick author-PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door

I was skeptical when purchasing this book, but the topics are discussed in such a way that you do not feel like you're reading "self-help". The focus is not on PTSD (although that is one of the topics covered), but more on a healthy transition from a chaotic environment. I would recommend this to any serviceman, spouse, parent, or close friend.

As a disability service provider, I found this book particularly helpful. It is practical and to the point. Veterans can find tips on everything from how to sleep better to how to relax and cope with stressors. The triggers of anxiety are explained well, as are the ways veterans typically handle their pain. At the end of each chapter are helpful tips for family members. After I read it, I ordered ten copies of this book to give away to student veterans and their families.

"Dawn of a Thousand Nights" intrigued me about the WWII time period of our American history. This is a story about two pilots in Hawaii. Libby and Dan met in Hawaii before America was attacked. They fell in love and then Dan was sent out to the Philippines. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Libby joined the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, a civil service unit. The WAFS were used to ferry planes inside of the country. The Philippines was also attacked with thousands of troops being captured. Libby didn't hear from Dan but she never gave up hope on being with her beloved. Will their love survive Dan's captivity and their separation? Read "Dawn of a Thousand Nights" and you won't be disappointed. ~Shelly of Chadron MOPS

"Dawn of a Thousand Nights" is a touching story of new love and the war that threatens to tear that love appart. The main characters, both pilots, are separated by the war just as they decide to give their hearts to each other. The book follows the trials and truimphs of each person as they struggle to find their way back to each other and end up finding a part of themselves in the process. I found "Dawn..." a fantastic story of love, heartache, dedication and finding the way back to God.

This is a wonderful book. I couldn't put it down. The story woven in with the history was perfect. It couldn't have been better. I loved it so much I ordered a copy for my husband's grandfather who was in the pacific during WWII.

Tricia Goyer touches the heart of every reader who was in WWII or had a family member involved. I read this with my heart remembering my uncle who was a POW, and what he gave for each one of us to have the freedoms we enjoy today. This is a precious book that is exciting and breathtaking at the same time.

I've always been fascinated by stories about World War II, and this one is great. Libby Conners, pilot trainer and Don Luken, hotshot pursuit pilot, meet on a beach outside of Honolulu. Although it's June, 1941, and the U.S. is sending scores of pilots to Hawaii and the Phillippines, they are young and unafraid. They're in love and for them nothing can change. Then Don is transferred to the Phillipines, leaving Libby behind. On December 7, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and launched a similar attack on the Phillipines, and now nothing will ever be the same. This book is an honest, gripping portrayal of one of our country's darkest times. The research is accurate and incredible. The reader has a strong sense of place, whether in a plane, on a beach, or in a prison camp. You'll come away with a greater appreciation of the men and women in the military who risk their lives daily in the service of their country. I had never read anything by Tricia Goyer before, but I'm looking forward to the next one. She's an excellent writer.

love this book broke down many times on some of the letters great book!!

This marvelous little book offers a parallel and human voice to the more academic books about Vietnam.
There is no "agenda", here just a selection of moving, articulate, impassioned voices talking about their experiences and feelings at the time they were there. Some of the most moving, of course, being those from young people who would die shortly thereafter. We see through the letters in the book that even on the front lines this "war" was seen through a wide diversity of opinions, from those that were totally committed to it, and why (though they tend to become less prevalent as the years pass), to those who came to believe it was not a worthy effort to justify the consequences. And the majority, just confused. A must read.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who wants to see the Vietnam war from the eyes of those who were there. The book is a collection of writings from Vietnam veterans that were written during there time in country. This book shows the War as more than casualty numbers and battle field dates. A good read for everyone.

This book captivated me so that i could not put it down, untill i had finished. It touches your heart and soul. Wonderful read!! Please put it on DVD!!! Thank you :-)

After the amazing documentary about Vietnam that solely exists of actor voice overs of funny, goofy, anxious and heartbreaking letters home from soldiers at the battlefront in Vietnam, accompanied by graphic footage of the war itself, this book came out. It contains the letters read out in the movie, and additionally has some more background information about the soldiers who wrote the letters.

Even without the trained actor voices reading the letters out loud to you, and without the grim and realistic war images, this book is a pageburner. Heart-wrenching accounts of the legacy of war written by the soldiers that fought it, as well as by the people they left behind.

Having just finished the novel "Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel" I can honestly say that I enjoyed the book very much. I would recommend it highly to anyone who is interested in the history of WW2 and particularly to the sons and daughters of the American soldiers who participated during the last couple of years in the fighting in Europe during WW2. There is a bit of locker room talk in the dialogue sometimes but that is exactly how the GI's talked to each other when they discussed their personal interests like girls, sport, music and dancing. Those of us who were there at this horrible time will experience the athmosphere all over again. The history background is well researched and free of errors. The book also makes clear to everyone how similar the situation was for the civilian population regardless in what country they happen to live. At the end of the day it was the US Air Force which won the war and got rid of the insane and evil government which had taken hold of Germany at that time.

A beautifully written story, Dear Mom, Dad and Ethel shows us how, in the face of war's uncertainty, man naturally seeks to form and sustain relationships, and savors them all the more. A timely piece.

This book is a treasure. With the numbers of this generation (my parent's generation) dwindling before our eyes, the importance of books such as this which capture the mind set and feelings of this era cannot be over-emphasized. A special thank you to the author and to Mom, Dad and Ethel! Read it, you will not be disappointed!!!

I am the surviving co-author of Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel: World War II through the Eyes of a Radio Man. Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel combines wartime letters, a love story, and six years of historical research. It is based on the experiences of my late father and co-author, Eli Ellison, who was an air corps radio truck operator in the 327th Fighter Control Squadron in Western Europe from 1943 to 1945.

A previously posted review, subsequently deleted for other reasons, indicated that the reviewer thought Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel was non-fiction. It's hard to see how she could have reached that conclusion. The cover image at the top of the main page clearly indicates that it is "a novel." A review posted by Midwest Book Review says that Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel "blends fiction and history." An endorsement by Belgian historian Jacques Wynants in the Editorial Reviews Section notes that Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel "mixes fiction and history." Finally, the word "Fiction" prominently appears on the back cover of Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel.

That being said, Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel is about 90 percent true. The wartime correspondence in Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel was transcribed from original V-mail letters written by my father to his parents and sister Ethel while he was overseas. Most of the remaining text is a synthesis of my father's strongest memories, library research, research of trusted historical websites, and considerable material provided by Mr. Wynants and other authorities. Additional sources and consultants are given due credit in the Preface. Over 35 pages of endnotes and references appear after the main text. In addition, there are nine pages of wartime photographs provided by my father, The Imperial War Museum in London, and Belgian sources. Two images of original V-mail letters in my father's handwriting, with army censor's stamp visible, are included in the book's photographic section.

Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel could not be told as non-fiction because there were some factual gaps in my father's memories, and we wanted to protect the anonymity of certain people. Some names, ranks, and/or physical descriptions were changed. However, the overwhelming majority of events depicted in Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel actually occurred.

The plot summary of Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel appears below. The real-life Eli Ellison was the model for the Don Quix character.

PLOT SUMMARY

On October 7, l942, Don Quix enlists in the Air Corps. He's slated to be an aerial gunner, but his flying dreams are shattered when he's caught AWOL with buddy Ken Jackson. Don manages to become a radio truck supervisor in a fighter control squadron while Ken goes to a demolition unit.

As an army engineer, Ken barely survives D-Day on Normandy's "Bloody Omaha." During a baseball game in a French forest, Don moves his head slightly, saving himself from a sniper's bullet.

Arriving in Verviers, Belgium in September 1944, Don and his fellow radio men endure frequent buzz bomb attacks. Due to a miscalculation in army strategy, they find themselves on the front lines during the Battle of the Bulge.

Don's reunion with Ken, now a tech sergeant with a bomb disposal outfit, is marred by tragedy, dampening Don's torrid love affair with beautiful seamstress Denise Vervier. Denise's husband, sent to a forced labor camp in 1940, is presumed dead. When he unexpectedly returns, Don and Denise face a heartbreaking choice.

Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel: World War II through the Eyes of a Radio Man is a novel that blends fiction and history. Set during the deadly battles near the end of World War II, it follows a would-be air gunner as his hopes are broken one by one. When caught AWOL with a friend, his military ambitions are reduced to being a radio truck driver. In Belgium of 1944, he experiences tragedy, and falls in love with a beautiful seamstress whose husband was sent to a forced labor camp in 1940 and presumed dead - then unexpectedly returns alive, forcing a heartbreaking choice. A handful of black-and-white photographs enhance the vivid story, brought to realistic life through the memories of veteran and co-author Eli Ellison, and collaboratively enhanced with the skills of his son, attorney, reporter, and co-author Mark Stuart Ellison.

This is an excellent and much needed book. Gray Lynch courageaously takes on the JFK apologists and lays it all out so folks can see what really happened at the Bay of Pigs. His front-line service with the Brigade during the invasion gives the account credibility. As a CIA operative attached to the exiles he had first-hand knowledge of the planning and decison making that led to its failure. Lynch doesn't mince words either, he clearly articulates where the blame lies - at the feet of JFK and his administration. The account is from his actions during the initial landings and later while running operations from one of the transport ships that made up the exile force. Consequently, you won't get much coverage of the battles on the ground. However, he does an excellent job of giving the reader the overall picture and all the events that led to the failure. He also provides some interesting observations about the battle and some of its participants that I had not seen before. In the final couple of chapters he superbly blows away all the people that cast the blame on the CIA or the exiles in an attempt to cover up the true culprits. You'll come to realize how politicized the whole project became once Kennedy and the Democrats took over in 1960 and how their cowardly approach to foreign policy finally led to the betrayal of Brigade 2506. This is a quick, easy, yet powerful read that helps to dispel the conventional wisdom that has been developed about the incident. Basically, a well-planned opportunity to remove Castro from power was squandered due to politics, cowardice, and betrayal.

Grayston Lynch was one of two American "advisors" who stormed the Bay of Pigs with the 2506 Assault Brigade on April 17, 1961. In Decision for Disaster, Lynch attempts to set the record straight on what caused the mission to fail. He offers a unique perspective in that his position privileged him to the inner happenings of CIA and White House planning, yet he can also give a firsthand account of the battle itself, having fired the first shots of the invasion himself. Lynch is clearly not content in the contemporary historical account of the Bay of Pigs, proclaiming in the preface that "the true story has never been told, until now." Lynch goes on to tell his story with reasoned contempt for Castro and Camelot, and a deep reverence for the 2506 Assault Brigade.

Lynch became a player in the Bay of Pigs in December 1960. The Texan had just retired from a 22 year career with the US Army, most recently as the captain of a US Army Special Forces A-Team in Laos. He had seen combat and was wounded at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge and Heartbreak Ridge in Korea. He was awarded two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star with Valor. The Cuban cause was something that Lynch took to heart; even after the Bay of Pigs he continued to play a major role in anti-Castro commando raids. His decision to write this book now came from the recent passing away of his fellow "advisor" William "Rip" Robertson and the declassification of items essential to the telling of the story. Besides using his first-hand account, Lynch enlisted the knowledge of commanding officers and 2506 Assault Brigade survivors in writing this book.

Lynch had his book published by Potomac Books which was founded in 1983 as a part of British publishing house Brassey's. Since this books publishing, Potomac was purchased by American book distributor Books International. Potomac has strong roots in military history, but has broadened its range to include general history, world affairs, foreign policy, intelligence, memoirs, biographies, and even sports. Its most successful book to date was Michael Scheuer's American Hubris. Potomac's usual offerings come with a strong dose of realism backed with a healthy dose of knowledge and first hand experience; Decision for Disaster is no exception.

Lynch gets off to a rough start in his account. He attempts to weave together several concurrent stories that will eventually lead to the invasion. A difficult enough task by itself, he attempts to do it as a flashback story while on his voyage to invade Cuba. This continued flashback-fastforward-recollection-juxtaposition can give the reader a mild case of mental whiplash. His constant foreshadowing and alluding to the invasion gave me a strong case of deja vu by the time he was invading in real time. However, whatever Lynch lacks in authorship, he makes up for in laying out an intriguing fact-laden journey through all relevant events leading up to the invasion.

One of the stories Lynch tells exceedingly well in the build up to the invasion is Castro's initial revolutionary undertakings in Cuba. Lynch robs any Bolivarian Romanticism from Castro's invasion, likening him and his cohorts more to a buffoonish F-Troop, who shortly after arriving are gunned down from eighty-three men to twelve. What is especially amazing is that through some perfect storm of idiot journalism, Congressional nativity, and Batista's yellow belliedness, Castro still somehow manages to seize power in two years time. This is something that the US backed 2506 Assault Brigade would fail to do.

When all members of the invasion force meet in Nicaragua, Decision for Disaster takes off. From here Lynch takes command of the story and tells it with an earnestness and humorous wit that allows the reader to experience a real empathy for him and the 2506 Assault Brigade. The story that follows is so outlandish and multi-dimensional that it left me wondering why fictional war stories exist. The politicking, bravery, cowardice, mutiny, and chance that make up the Bay of Pigs invasion is mind numbing. There is no way an academic or bureaucrat could deliver a better synopsis of the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

All good stories have a villain, and Decision for Disaster's is not who you might think. Though Lynch makes no doubt about his contempt of Castro, he dismisses him as a thuggish opportunist who only reigns due to the failing of our true villain: JFK. Lynch begins his case against Kennedy during his presidential race with Nixon. He quotes Kennedy arguing with Nixon, "If you can't stand up to Castro, how can you stand up to Khrushchev?" Kennedy played this weakness card throughout the election, and was befuddled to learn of the extensive invasion plan already in place when he arrived in office. From here, Lynch documents action after action that Kennedy takes to push the project closer and closer to failure. Against the heeds of all military advisors, Kennedy relocates the invasion spot, restricts Air Force use, and delays the project enough to allow Castro to receive his first shipment of Soviet tanks and arms.

What is especially frustrating about Kennedy's actions is that not only did they doom the invasion, but they did absolutely nothing to meet his misguided intention of hiding the obvious US involvement. Kennedy's inexcusable pussyfooting around the invasion offers a case example of what happens when the US tries to placate international concerns. A more Machiavellian approach, using overwhelming power to achieve decisive victory, would have brought success and avoided the missile crises that followed due to its failure. Lynch succeeds in painting Kennedy as an incompetent boob, who should be held ultimately responsible for the deaths and loss of American respect that resulted from the Bay of Pigs fiasco. For those who would like to place blame elsewhere, Lynch starts his book with the following quote, "For the greatest enemy of truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, pervasive, and unrealistic". This is quoted from none other than JFK himself.

Decision for Disaster is an excellent book that succeeds in telling the story in a believable manner. There is no circular logic or excuses made in Lynch's book. His humbleness while telling the story makes it clear that he has no agenda outside of relating the story as it should be told. Though Lynch occasionally stumbles to tell his story coherently in the beginning, he builds enough momentum through humor and insightfulness that it is easily overlooked. With Decision for Disaster, Lynch offers a great opportunity to relive the macrocosm of the Bay of Pigs with a genuine and witty tour guide, highly recommended.

I share the author Lynch's disgust for the attitude of John F. Kennedy and how he treated the Cuban exiles. In his campaign, Kennedy stated he would pay any price for freedom. He also chided Nixon about being tough on Castro. When it gets his turn to decide, he waffles on how to deal with Castro. He dumps the 2506 brigade on the beach and then refuses them air support either from the exile aircraft or U.S. aircraft. He states it would give a bad impression in the world.

Fortunately Kennedy toughened up in a year and faced down the Soviets and Cubans. He would not have had to if he would have supported the Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs. Lynch details his work in the Cuban exiles training. He also details the exploits of the brave 2506 Brigade and their heroic defense. The U.S. should have supported these people more forcefully.

This book is definitely an eye opener. I remember as a child my father telling me of the cover-ups and distortions created by the Kennedy administration. The real truth about what happened at the Bay of Pigs is finally out. JFK's mistake caused untold missery to millions of people. Not just Cubans, but also Nicaraguans, Guatemalans, Colombians, and now Venezuelans. Cubans, and Americans as a whole, should be extemely grateful to Mr. Grayston Lynch for writing this book. I know I am. Thank you, thank you Mr. Lynch.

This is an excellent book. Finally an author speaks out against "Camelot." America's love affair with the Kennedys is sickening. The CIA has gotten a bum rep because of the Bay of Pigs and this book finally points the finger in the right direction

A Dedication is the story of Quinnlan Marshall (Quinn). Quinn is like any normal teenager. He thinks school is a waste of time that takes him away from more important things (his computer, his music, and his photography). He thinks his parents are completely unreasonable and are more interested in his grades than in his dreams. Like most teenagers, Quinn feels like he is an endless battle of wills with his parents and with his teachers that no one can actually win.

Quinn doesn't know it yet but his constant lack of effort and overall rebellious attitude is about to catch up to him in ways that he would never have imagined. Who would have thought that a simple trip to take pictures at Hideaway Lake and a run in with retired plumber and ex marine Joe Toscano would change Quinn's life so much? Who would have even guessed the effect their unique friendship would have on so many others?

A Dedication is a delightful, enchanting story. I saw myself in Quinn and thought a good deal about my own teenage experiences. I also saw parts of myself in Quinn's parents in the way I sometimes react to my own teenagers. Sometimes we all get so caught up in being right and doing the right thing that we forget the original reasoning and purpose behind our intentions. Maybe we could all use a Joe Toscano in our lives. Maybe we could all learn a few more of those life lessons that Joe had to learn the hard way. Grab yourself a slice or two of cream pie and prepare to be forever changed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from cover to cover. I could relate to certain aspects of every character in the book and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. John Zaiss did a masterful job of creating characters that the reader wanted to get to know and find out what happened next. I locked myself in my bedroom on a Sunday afternoon and did not come out until I had finished the book. I look forward to reading his next book!

I was delighted and inspired by reading this beautiful story of a young man struggling to find his way in life through a beautiful relationship with a man he met via a chance meeting that forever changed his life.

The lessons learned through this story are ones that can benefit young and old and put an inspiring perspective on life through relationships. An excellent story that teaches us that even the most difficult experiences life has for us can be the most inspiring and life altering. It is not in the mistakes we make but what we learn from them and what we do from there. As a single parent messsages so beautifully shared are ones I will share with my daughter.

Highly entertaining as well as moving and have recommended The Dedication to everyone. I laughed and cried and as I read the final words and closed the cover I knew the experience of reading Mr. Zaiss's novel has changed my outlook on life and death forever.

This was not the type of story I am normally drawn to but I was hooked almost from the start. The characters seemed like people we all have known. Quinn was someone who I could relate to, someone who could only be reached by an extraordinary person. We find that person in Joe, a hard edged ex-warrior with many levels under the surface.

A DEDICATION was one of those books that stayed with me when I wasn't reading it. I finished it quickly because it was difficult to put down. Not a false note to be found. It was real and engaging and, at times, profound.

This heartwarming novel by John Zaiss introduces and connects two generations through friendship, love and spirit. Quinn, as a typical teenager finds and accepts himself by learning to accept those around him. Joe, the elder, is a man we probably all knew growing up somewhere in our life; either a parent, grandparent, neighbor, or teacher. Whoever he was in our lives he taught us, he opened our eyes...Quinn grows through these lessons. This novel is tender, heartfelt and left me with a feeling of true love its rewards and its regrets. A Dedication is a good read for all generations.