Military Books

The book written by the samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645 is considered a classic treatise on military strategy, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find its discussion of conflict and taking the advantage to be relevant to their work.

The term "Ichi School", which is referred to in the book, Go Rin No Sho, when referring to such books, refers to "Niten No Ichi Ryu", or "Ni Ten Ichi Ryu", which literally translated, means "Two Swords, one heaven".

Throughout the book it is clear: what is primary for Musashi is The Goal, while the means of achieving the goal are secondary. He wrote "According to this Ichi school, you can win with a long weapon, and yet you can also win with a short weapon. In short, the Way of the Ichi school is the spirit of winning, whatever the weapon and whatever its size."

The same is in business: the leaders who are attracted by the goal rather than by embellishments are the true leaders. For example, the dot-com bubble of 2000 was caused by the managers who forgot about the primary goal of the business: net income. Those who were obsessed by their stock prices regarding of massive losses and the lack of revenue became bankrupt. They put attention to the fancy office buildings and furniture rather than to the assets that generate earning. Musashi wrote about it: "Just as a horse must have endurance and no defects, so it is with weapons. Horses should walk strongly, and swords and companion swords should cut strongly. Spears and halberds must stand up to heavy use: bows and guns must be sturdy. Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative".

Musashi also encourages to maintain a balance of your skills throughout your life. This balance could be thought of as Yin and Yang. The balance is to be neither over-familiar with something nor under-familiar. The over-familiarity or over-use of one weapon is not recommended by Musashi, as it would be seen to reveal your spirituality to your enemy, and thus your boisterousness, or over-calm. The over-familiarity makes you stick to a conviction. This is a very important for the business. Take, for example, mr. Warren Buffet.

A quality standing out about Mr. Buffett is his ability to morph. If you read his materials from the 1960s, he said very different things than in the 1970s and early-1980s. Early on he was buying dirt-cheap stocks by simple statistical standards and typically smaller stocks (smallcap), later he bought "franchises", then he entered a period of buying great managements of big companies and being a long-term holder, then, amazingly, he was buying smaller things dirt cheap again just as value came back into play as the twenty-first century began. He tactically morphed steadily over the decades. Trying to freeze his tactics from any decade and replicate them in the next few would never have led you to his actual actions. Musashi wrote about that this way: "You should not have a favourite weapon. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troops to have likes and dislikes."

Haven't read it yet, but looking forward to reading both of the books within the text as it is. Thanks

The Book of Five Rings is similar to Sun Tzu Art of War in that is discusses strategy, fighting, and competition from a combat perspective. The book is small in size and easy for reading while traveling. While references can found that comment this is as a book for management, it is still very much a book about combat and the samurai warrior. Interesting nontheless.

Musashi, like every great warrior, knew that strategy was as important as tactics and techniques in combat. This book will teach you things that were learned in combat and will enhance your survival potential on the battlefield, street and life.

It is not the easiest book to interpret and understand, but that hardly matters, as for the information in this book is worth your time and effort. One good book is worth a hundred crummy ones, and this book is one outstanding book. This book is divided into various distinct sections, and the serious and professional warrior should extract as much information as possible from each section. Every time I pick this book up I learn something new. This is the warrior's bible.

I highly recommend this book to all readers.

This really is a great book. It contains a philosophical outlook on dealing with people and sword fighting/combat from hundreds of years ago, but it really translates very well into today's modern business world. Everyone could learn something from this old samurai who lived in 18th century. I highly recommend this book and the book Understanding: Train of Thought to everyone.

Awesome. Imagine trapped 200 miles in Iraq, pursued by the enemy and no place to hide. "Mcnabb" captures the true essence of combat mission accomplishment, even when things don't go as planned. It's written to make the reader feel like he is the 9th member of the team. Highly recommended!

RR

Bravo 20 was a British special forces unit sent deep into Iraq during Desert Storm. Compromised by faulty intelligence, faulty radios and an unexpected enemy force, they were forced to attempt an overland escape across Iraq in the middle of a war.


The author has done a great job of capturing the essence of the SAS, one of a few true elite combat units in the world. The fact that he can write the story in the first person adds to the tension. The adventure is a great story and a reality check for those who thought that the electronic age ended the fog of war. For those tired of a world where self esteem is taught in classes as a substitute for competence and performance this is the perfect cure.

I thought the book was much more infomative and dramatic than the movie.

Not a bad read at all... I enjoy a rough & tough action novel, fiction or factual, but this book was excellent, I found myself ingrossed in every turning page, would highly recommend this book along with such titles as 'The operators' & 'Bandit Country'... Keep it real!

A TRUE ACCOUNT OF SAS MEN DURING THE GULF WAR THE MISSION AND WHAT WENT WRONG TORTURE BY IRAQS SECRET POLICE SO MUCH FOR THE GENEVA CONVENTION DEEPLY SAD AND FUNNY LOOK OUT FOR A BBC VIDEO STARING SEAN BEAN

The start is a bit dry, but soon the action starts and never stops until the last page. You will never put it down until you are done, guaranteed. You want to know who the real heroes are, just read this book and you'll see. Its the men, and sometimes women, who put there lives on the line like these guys did and sometimes have there families and health ruined because of it. Start reading and I promise you won't be disappointed.

This book is infused with action. It is a very personal account of tank combat against superior machines and odds. The author is likable and sometimes humorous. I enjoyed his British figures of speech.

My only complaint is that the book is too short. That is a reader's highest compliment.

I recently finshed reading this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It provides a gripping, first hand account of just what it was like to be a member of a tank crew, during the early, confusing, and often deadly battles of the war in North Africa. This book provides the human view that is so often missing from the more conventional histories of armies or battles. Hightly recomended!

Going over my list Introduction to Tank Warfare list, I'm surprised I left this one off. This is one of the books I read as a kid that is partially responsible for me becoming a tanker myself.

Crisp gives a great first person account of being a tank commander during Operation Crusader in 1941. This book is great for the vivid descriptions of battles where he survived, though under-gunned and under-armored compared to his Panzer opponents, by using terrain and mobility to advantage. However it is also an accurate account of the mundane activities between battles without becoming boring in the process. All this is accomplished with Crisp's characteristically British flair where he continually relays how important was the need for British troopers to brew their regular pot of tea.

This is a short volume that gives an almost day by day account of the campaign in a very readable fashion. While detailed enough to keep any expert turning the pages, it is also basic enough for the casual reader who just wants a good 1st person account of the War in North Africa.

The limited scope is, of course, not the authors fault; he fought where he was assigned. If you just want some idea of what tank warfare was like in early WWII North Africa from someone who took part in no major armor engagements during the few weeks he was there, then get this book. However, if you want a book that tells about the battles and fighting vehicles used in the entire campaign or even a chunk of it, then Brazen Chariots is not for you. Major Crisp only commanded American made M3 Stuart light tanks with puny 37mm guns that couldn't stand up on equal terms against anything bigger than a Panzer Two, although Crisp's M3 was typically matched against a Panzer Three or Four. Of course, this wasn't his fault either, but I couldn't help wishing he would have at least served in a Crusader or Valentine at least from a British standpoint. In combat, he was luckiest when he could use his tank to sneak up on an anti-tank gun from behind. I also thought the writing to be a bit amateurish. This book also had the weirdest ending of any I have ever read. It leaves you not only wondering what ultimately happened to Major Crisp, but if some of the last pages of the book are missing. Seriously! I actually went to a book store to look at another copy, but it was just like mine. I grade a "C" on the book; and an "A" for the world's worst ending. My advice is: Only read this book if you have a lot of time on your hands or are desperate for something to read on this particular subject.

I read this book a long time ago and loved it. It was great to renew my aquaintance with it. Brazon Chariots is a very educational and entertaining view into what it was like to fight the tank battles of North Africa in the early days of WW II. The book is written from a first person perspective of a rank and file Tank Camandoer of the British Army. It is full of his personal impressions and helps me understand how a soldier must feel.

Brennan's war is one of the best books that I have ever read. It is such an amazing story that you occasionally think it is fictional. The military accomplishments of his unit are also impressive. It makes you wonder why the US leadership did not make these practices more widespread. I have read this several times and keep coming back to it.

This book is a good read. It's interesting and well-written. I also like the fact that events and people in the book are plausible and reflect my own experiences of the war and Vietnam. In short, the book is pretty good entertainment. On the other-hand I tend to be impatient with "Tortured Warriors" filled with angst about their experiences in the war, and Mr.Brennan treats us to a full ration of his angst and self-pity. Bucko? You volunteered for it 3 times! Edit out the whining and it's 5 stars.

The quintessential combat memoir of the Vietnam War. Brennan's book is well written and he succeeds in creating gripping and vivid descriptions of combat from a soldier's perspective. This superb narrative conveys the fear and horror of combat along with shared humor and love felt among comrades. Brennan's honesty prevents him from romanticizing either his fellow soldiers, or the Vietnamese they are ever wary of, but he is able to humanize those trapped in a dehumanizing crucible. His multiple tours in Vietnam bridge the time before and after the 1968 Tet offensive, which became a turning point in the War. Upon receiving a commission and returning to Vietnam he found that mostly unmotivated and apathetic draftees gradually replaced the highly motivated professional soldiers he served with in his first tour, mirroring the larger erosion of the American military in Vietnam. His weary realization that the War will be lost and that all the sacrifices he witnessed will be squandered is both sobering and tragic. Along with Goodbye Darkness, this is a classic American war memoir.

I read this book at least once every year. My primary field of study is the history of the 1st and 2nd Indochina Wars, and I have read literally hundreds of books about those conflicts. "Brennan's War" is one of the three best (the others are Jim Morris' "War Story" and John Cook's "The Advisor"; incidentally, I would make it a four way tie with David Hackworth's "About Face", but the latter covers a much greater period of time- roughly 1946 to 1971- and therefore it is not an apt comparison.). A cousin of one of my friends served in the 1st Cav. Div. in 1970 or 1971, and he said that Brennan was essentially worshiped as a living legend by many soldiers then in the division. Without recourse to cliches like "gripping narrative" etc., let me just say that if you want to understand what it was like to serve as a combat infantryman in Viet Nam, "Brennan's War" is about as close as any of us who were not there are going to get...

Dimestore Liam

I have read this book at least 20 times. The story never fails to amaze me.

At first glance, one might get the impression that the focus of this book and the immense amount of detail that's gone into it would make it more of interest to the historian or researcher than to the casual reader. That's not the case, however. Bradley Gottfried has written such compelling accounts of each of the brigades present at Gettysburg that anyone with any sort of interest in the battle will find the book not only informative but fascinating reading as well. In fact, the more I read, the more engrossed I became. The book is not just about logistics and tactics but very much about the soldiers doing the fighting; the human element is strongly felt throughout the book. Not only are the official records consulted, but newspaper reports, letters, memoirs, and diaries are also cited. Nearly 20 maps are also included depicting all aspects of the 3-day battle. So many books have been written about Gettysburg, but this one is so fresh yet authoritative and comprehensive that it ranks among the very best among them all. Highly recommended. (Hopefully a paperback edition is published, too.)

My library contains a number of Gettysburg books but this is the one most used. In very clear writing, each brigade's history including losses is summarized. Summarized is not the best word for this concise brigade history. The book is organized by army, corps, division and brigade. This groups units together and allows us to easily follow the higher-level unit too.

An excellent book that while very useful as a reference is an enjoyable read too. Well worth having but be prepared for requests to loan it out.

Maybe one of the best accounts of tactical and unit action available on this important epic American battle. I recently used it to visit Gettysburg and walked the terrain that Kershaw's brigade charged across. With the book the terrain came alive and accounts clear. A must buy for the very serious American Civil War reader.

The last half dozen books on Civil War subjects that I've bought have been published by Da Capo press, and I'm impressed with their work. From a company who used to specialize in reprints only, they have come along nicely.

This particular book is an amazing piece of work. When you page through this one in a bookstore as I did recently, the feeling of "I've got to have this one" comes quickly through your mind.

Of recent time, I've been reading more and more on the battle of Gettysburg, and when a chance arises to have a book that lists and discusses both Union and Confederate Brigades at the battle of Gettysburg it is amazing.

Dr. Gottfried has apparently spent much of his learned life dwelling on this battle, and this book comes on the heels of a couple others of his concerning this battle.

I would posit that anyone having more than just a passing interest in Gettysburg must have this book. By buying this one you move from a position of mere interest to one of in depth knowledge.

Several members of my family fought and died for the Union in Ohio Volunteer (OVI) units, and with this book I can track down their action with ease.

Recommended.

Bradley Gottfried's book, Brigades of Gettysburg, would be a nice addition to a person's Civil War Library. This would be especially interesting for those who want to know about key battles in more detail than one would get in a standard rendering of the battle. This book is kin to Larry Tagg's The Generals of Gettysburg, a volume that discusses the role of general officers at Gettysburg, including Army leaders down to generals/colonels heading the Brigade level. As a result, there is much brigade level information.

However, Gottfried's book provides more detail (it is almost twice as long as Tagg's useful volume). While some brigade level histories exist and spell out actions of units at Gettysburg in some detail (e.g., Wert's A Brotherhood of Valor, Nolan's The Iron Brigade, Parsons' Put the Vermonters Ahead), coverage of many brigades is very brief in the standard works on Gettysburg (Coddington, Sears, Trudeau, for example).

Thus, this volume provides useful coverage of the various brigades involved at the battle, even those not heavily engaged. For instance, Sedgwick's large VIth Corps was much less hotly engaged than the other Union Corps. Nonetheless, this volume lays out what the components of this Corps actually did during the battle.

The coverage of both Confederate and Union units is nicely done and the interested reader will be well rewarded for perusing this book.

First published in 1976, this book remains THE definitive technical history of all RN battleship and battlecruiser classes from World War II, invaluable to historians and model-makers alike.

The book starts with comprehensive class-by-class reviews of the ships as first built, and then deals with subsequent alterations and additions. The subject is covered in immense detail, supported by numerous photographs and highly accurate constant-scale drawings. Though expensive, this book should be sought out by anyone with a detailed interest in British capital ships of the WWII era.

The authors also published an equally comprehensive study of the various RN cruiser classes of the same era - this, again, is an essential source for enthusiasts and model-makers.

Splendid book. Had it ever since it apeared on the market, and find it continuously useful. US Naval Institute SHOULD consider reprinting it with utmost despatch. In the plethora of their titles that border at times on nonsense, this one stands out as a book of value to professionals and amateurs alike, and remains among the outstanding issues on the subject. As per RN's pipe: "Wakey, wakey, USNI, rise and shine, the sun is scotching the eyes out of your head...etc."

After many years, I recently had the opportunity and aquired this book. Simply stated - what a treasure!!!!

This work is the most outstanding & comprehensive work on Royal Navy battleship development from the Queen Elizabeth class to HMS Vanguard published IMHO.

This work has many pictures and line drawings I have never seen before. Additionally, it covers the refits and rebuilds of each class of ship from world war 1 through when Vanguard was ultimately scrapped (1960).

If you have a chance to obtain one, get it!!

For each class of ships covered, has extensive discussion of design evolution. Ship modification history is well treated - modifications are grouped into decade-long periods, in which ships got refreshed with bulges, AA armament, better rangefinders etc.

There is much discussion of the advancing naval technologies, and their impact on the fighting value of the ships. This kind of treatment, written in a single volume comparing apples to apples, is of great background value to wargamers and those interested in game design.

There are other books available that more thoroughly cover the WW1 period of some of these ships.

A more thorough set of photos and drawings accompany the text in the Anatomy series, but these books cover only one vessel each, and not all these classes are represented in that series.

Compared with "Allied Battleships" by Garzke and Dulin, they intersect on coverage only with the KGVs and the Vanguard, so a buyer would choose on the basis of interest in British ships only vs French, Russian and Dutch ships.

FIRST THOUGHTS: THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 1st EDITION - VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED [THANK GOODNESS]

Everything I wanted to see on the subject is covered, and quite well. True, this isn't a reader or an operational history of any one ship, but there are plenty of good reads on those subjects. This book stays very focused on its mission.

IN A NUTSHELL - WHAT IS THIS BOOK'S MISSION?

Starting with the Queen Elizabeth Class of 1912 and terminating with the Vanguard of 1946, every British Battleship that participated in, or was built during, World War 2 is given a comprehensive review. Each class of Battleship represents a chapter, and each of these chapters covers [AT LEAST] the following topics;

--* The original configuration and refits as well as developments in weapons/ordnance, gunnery, fire control, radar, stability, armored protection [including underwater] and propulsion.

BUT IT IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A MULTIPLE ANATOMY OF A SHIP --

The impact of the Washington and London treaties were examined from the perspective of their effect on Battleship designs, strategies and efficiencies. Also, the effect of what other countries were reported to be doing or planning in the field of Battleship development was shown to have altered the evolution of the late treaty designed Battleships. All of this was very concisely examined with great detail. Naturally this neatly leads to an examination of the political and naval considerations that led to the King George the 5th design. Quite a trick to have done it so well!

The modernization of the battlefleet is a also examined and we get a close view of to what extent ships were rebuilt in the 1920s and 1930s. The Warspite, of the Queen Elizabeth class is one such example, but the refits and modernizations of every ship was detailed.

The last chapter on Battleship 'types' was devoted to the last British Battleship; THE VANGUARD [CHAPTER 15]. A very interesting ship that unfortunately was not finished until 1946. Nevertheless, studying and then comparing this ship to the earlier 'Queen Elizabeth" types gives a vivid and understandable evolution of Battleship design and theory.

MORE THAN JUST THE SHIPS 'AS BUILT' -

In each chapter's discussion, many alternative designs, as well as, the reasons for choicing one design over another is lucidly explored. Some people may feel this is extraneous, however, this excercise gives the reader a better grasp of what determines how well a Battleship will function according to both its anticipated roles, and reality. For instance, the requirement for air-defences was something that was indeed planned for on an ongoing and increasing basis since before world war 1 in the original 'Royal Sovereign' designs. However, until the second world war demonstrated the actual requirements, air-defense system designs were inadequate, having designs based on earlier assumptions that continuously underestimated the effectiveness of aircraft against heavy ships.



THE LAST 3 CHAPTERS [BELOW] DEAL WITH THE OUTCOME OF BATTLESHIP EVOLUTION


"THE WAR" [CHAPTER 16]: BRITISH 'BATTLESHIP SPECIFIC' ACTIONS IN WORLD WAR 2

These include actions in the following theatres;

-* "HOME WATERS & THE ATLANTIC - 1939-1944"

-* "THE MEDITERRANEAN - 1939-1943"

-* "THE FAR EAST - 1941-1942"

-* "SHORE SUPPORT - 1940-1945"


"CAUSE & EFFECT" [CHAPTER 17]

-* "HEAVY ORDNANCE"
-* "LONG RANGE ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENCE"
-* "CLOSE RANGE ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENCE"
-* "RADAR"
-* "RADAR DEVELOPMENTS FROM 1942"
-* "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN RADAR"
-* "DIRECTION FINDING EQUIPMENT"
-* "CAMOUFLAGE"
-* "AIRCRAFT"
-* "MACHINERY"
-* "ELECTRICAL SUPPLY AND FITTINGS"
-* "DAMAGE-CONTROL"
-* "WEATHER DAMAGE"


"AT WHAT PRICE" [CHAPTER 18]

-* "GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS"

-* "COMPARISON WITH FOREIGN SHIPS"

-* "ULTIMATE FATES OF BRITISH BATTLESHIPS"


BOTTOM LINE: THE VERY BEST BOOK ON SHIP DESIGN I HAVE EVER READ

The most fitting thing I can say about this text, is simply this: "BRITISH BATTLESHIPS OF WORLD WAR 2" is detailed enough for anyone yet, written in such an organized and coherent manner that anyone with ample reading comprehension can draw a great deal of insight from it, without having previous experience in military history or warships. The "Appendices" and "Explanatory Notes" at the beginning and end of the book provide much of the needed background info and explainations of jargon that many readers might need to enhance their comprehension.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: ALL OF THEIR BOOKS ARE QUITE GOOD

Alan Raven and John Roberts have written some of the most awesome naval history books separately and together including; "BATTLESHIP DREADNOUGHT : Revised Edition "Anatomy of the Ship", "Die britischen Schlachtschiffe des Zweiten Weltkrieges", "Aircraft Carrier 'Intrepid'", "Battlecruisers", "Essex-Class Carriers (Warship Design Histories)". This book, however, is by far their best and is similar in scope and quality to Norman Friedman's "U.S. BATTLESHIPS, AN ILLUSTRATED DESIGN HISTORY", which Alan Raven contributed 'ship plans' to!

ALSO RECOMMENDED:

-* "U.S. BATTLESHIPS, AN ILLUSTRATED DESIGN HISTORY", NORMAN FRIEDMAN with 'Ship Plans' by Alan Raven.

-* "THE BATTLESHIP DREADNOUGHT [ANATOMY OF THE SHIP], John Roberts

Break right! Break right! No better way to start a noval about the C130A Missions up North and over Trail during the Vietnam War. The author brings back a lot of memories, mixing fact, the Blind Bat / Lamplighter mission and fiction, the exploits of his young hero, Toby Carter. An exciting noval, one you will not want to put down and leaves you waiting for the next episode.

A must read for anyone who served or has an interest in the secret air war over the Trail.

Great job Sam!

Great job, very realistic, an outstanding tribute to the Loadmasters who got very little recognition, who without them many a C-130 mission would have never got off the ground. Hang in there Sam, do another one, Loads Clear.

This book brought back a lot of memories of my days over the trail.Not only that but as a boy from West Va ,I found the cave portion realistic,for as a boy I too used a carbide lantern in some underground exploring.I loaned my copy to Son in Law,so he could get a feel for The "Trail" Ken C

Having flown similar type missions over the same territory, I find the author's grasp of the subject excellent. He tells a great story, too. His characters are believable and likeable.
For a first novel it is extraordinary.
Try it!

Being a former C-130 B/E Loadmaster,The Cave brought back many memories. I would highly recommend this book for former Loadmasters, Air Force and general military enthusiast. It was great reading. I had a trip to Minneaoplis and read the book during the trip. I did not want to put the book down, because I wanted to see what was in the next chapter. Sam, keep up the good work, you do have the gift.

Bailey provides a compact and highly competent study of the post Atlanta campaign with Hood sparing well with Sherman initially then turning north in his great desperate gamble while Sherman marches through the heart of Georgia virtually unopposed except for Wheeler's undermanned cavalry. Bailey captures the strategy and politics very well with a big picture view of the situation. She captures the odd situation of Hood going in one direction with Sherman in the other. Hood, the great fighter seemingly moves without consultation although Beauregard is placed as the department commander by Davis, which had as much control as Johnson had of Vicksburg in that campaign. Bailey captures the desperation of Hoods movement with failed logistics, supplies and a virtual mythical expectation of troops from the TransMississippi. Bailey covers the hopes and political implications of a Lincoln re-election that is fascinating. She also details, with his movements, Sherman's desire to subjugate the south along with his views on black troops and the infamous desertion of black followers by union Jefferson C. Davis. The controversial failure to close the trap at Spring Hill is well discussed as well as the tragic battle of Franklin and the battles of Nashville where the outnumbered Confederates put up a desperate fight to total collapse redeeming General Thomas. The Nashville desciption of battle is economically told but captures the main aspects particularly recognizing the first use of black union troops in battle who fought bravely but were initially sacraficed in a desperate ill perceived frontal attack. A very well written book that gives a highly competent overview of the final campaign of Hood, Thomas, Sherman and President Davis as far as a real confederate threat in the west. In her efficient writing style, Bailey closes with a very good but brief study of the post war controversies between the generals and politicians.

Anne J. Bailey's The Chessboard of War doesn't break any new ground on the subject that it covers, nor at only 181 pages does it make any attempt at being a comprehensive and detailed campaign study. Joseph T. Glatthaar and Burke Davis have written defining books on Sherman's March to the Sea, and Wiley Sword's The Confederacy's Last Hurrah is the definitive volume on Hood's 1864 fall campaign in Tennessee. So why read this book? In a word: perspective. Bailey has grasped the direct connection of Sherman's historic march through Georgia and Hood's desperate last ditch gamble offensive campaign in Tennessee, and has written about them together, as part of the same piece. Sending General Thomas and a portion of his army back to Tennessee to take care of Hood was a crucial element of Sherman's plan to march on Savannah. Bailey puts the pieces together, and assesses the success and failure of the players involved.
Bailey writes well and her book is a quick and easy read. While Chessboard does not cover its subject in great depth or provide any startling or controversial new takes on any of the commanders involved, it does serve as an excellent introduction to this material. It also provides continuity, allowing the reader to keep track of the two mighty armies that struggled for months over Atlanta, and see how their fates were still connected even after disentangling from each other and moving in separate directions.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in how the Civil War was won in the West. For the novice, it is a quick yet accurate introduction to the subject of Sherman's and Hood's 1864 Autumn campaigns, and for the more serious student it provides an excellent perspective that has not been much explored elsewhere.

Theo Logos

Bailey's Chessboard of War is the best accounting I have read of Sherman and Hood. The book is balanced, well written and objective. Its inclusion of the participation of black soldiers and the Sherman's slave camp followers was particularly welcomed. Although Bailey is from Cleburne TX and is an admirer of Patrick Cleburne she also gives George Thomas his due. Rarely is that done. An impressive piece of work.

A gem -- no other word for it. In more than six decades of Civil War "buffdom," I've never seen a clearer, more complete, more reader-friendly book on any segment of that war. There is not an unnecessary word in it, but it leaves nothing unsaid. Truly a small masterpiece.

This book is a very thorough and detailed account of two of the Civil Wars' most important and consequential campaigns, but sadly two campaigns about which relatively little has been written. Sherman's march to the sea and Hood's campaign into Tennessee destroyed the last hope for the Confederacy in the Deep South, and did much to undermine the confidence of Lee's army. Without Sherman's psychological victory over the Southern psyche, and without Hood's rash attacks on Franklin and Nashville, the war, at least in that theater, would probably have been prolonged for at least another year. Both men, in their own way, contributed to the war's ending, and this is one of Bailey's main focuses.

This book provides a detailed narrative of the operations of both generals, and discusses how the actions of each affected the other, as well as the ramifications of Hood and Sherman's respective movements. Sherman comes off looking quite well, though not perfect, while Hood comes across as a tragic sort of hero who was too impetuous for his own good. Through it all Bailey remains objective and fair, and provides the reader with a very good look at the "chessboard" of the late Civil War.

I have read this book in Albanian and English, and it is excellent. Obviously through translation some is lost, but this book is truly a gem. It is well written, funny, and smart...I highly recomend it

When I found this book on my aunt's bedside table, I didn't know anything about it and the cover and inside cover gave no clues. I am only 13, so I immediately figured that the book would be a tough read. But I was amazed to find that it was fairly understandable and the way Kadare wove the child's thoughts, I was charmed and drawn in, reading the book in a record 2 hours. It was great to learn about how World War II affected this boy, and his slow growth into a man in his city was fascinating. I would love to visit this town, but for now I will have to make do with this book! I'd definately recommend it.

Throughout the Cold War era, the Albanian People's Republic was ruled with an iron hand for nearly fifty years by Enver Hoxha, a man virtually unknown to the West. Thus, it is certainly by no means accidental that Ismail Kadare sets his wry, satirical novel, CHRONICLE IN STONE, in Hoxha's (and, remarkably, Kadare's) hometown of Gjirokaster, an ancient stone town not far from the Greek border. Hoxha actually appears as a marginal character in the story as a Communist partisan sought by the invading German army. In addition, and presumably biographically, the author at one point mentions in passing that among those lost to a recent aerial bombardment was one L. Kadare.

In the early years of World War II, Gjirokaster suffers the travails of an essentially defenseless city, overrun first by the Italian Army, then the Greeks with the assistance of the British Royal Air Force, and eventually the Nazis before finally succumbing to the oppressive thumb of Stalinist Russia. The uneducated townfolk, still heavily prone to superstition and fantastical beliefs, exchange rumors of a red-bearded man, Yusuf Stalin, who will drive out the unwelcome invaders. "Is he a Muslim?" one character asks another. After a moment's hesitation, the other replies confidently, "Yes. A Muslim." "That's a good start," the first answers. Later, it is the infamously sun-glassed Hoxha who is believed to have started a new kind of war, the one that brings the Germans to Gjirokaster.

Kadare hilariously personifies the absurd effect of this constant changing of hands. Albanians leks become Greek drachmas, then Italian lire, then back to leks again. At one point, a plane drops leaflets on the town that begin, "Dear citizens of Hamburg." When the Italians first arrive, a lesser resident named Gjergj Pulo changes his name to Giorgio Pulo, then to Yiorgos Poulos when the Greeks take over. He dies under the German occupation just after having applied for another name change, this time to Jurgen Pulen. The townswoman whose business it is to prepare the make-up for brides on their wedding day is given to repeating the phrase, "It's the end of the world," at every news event and new revelation.

CHRONICLE IN STONE is narrated through the eyes of an impressionable young boy, perhaps eleven or twelve years old. In the first third of the book, events are seen almost entirely through the boy's impressionable and naïve eyes. After he discovers a book by Jung and reads "Macbeth," however, those eyes seem to take a gradually maturing and more jaundiced look at his surroundings. In fact, Kadare uses multiple references to sight and blindness throughout much of the book. Early on, his boy narrator even likens blindness to a stopped up toilet, where the many sights a person has taken in have somehow formed a blockage that prevents new ones from passing through.

Kadare revels in the boy's sense of wonder, his susceptibility to superstition and magical occurrences, and his lack of appreciation (and fear) over the true horrors of war. Gjirokaster takes an a dreamlike impossibility, like one of Escher's impossible prints, where "...if you slipped and fell on the street, you might well land on the roof of a house..." Water collected into a cistern from a heavy storm becomes in the boy's imagination individual, personified droplets, the new ones joining uncomfortably with the older ones already there. Mice skittering about the attic at night become Genghis Khan's Mongol hordes. After watching ants scurry about the ground, the boy asks if his grandfather can "read" ants, since their random movements look to the boy like Turkish characters forming and reforming.

Not that the town's adults are much more modern. Gjirokaster is still a land of crones and witches, prophecies and superstitions. Airplanes are fantastic flying machines, taking off and landing from a newly built airfield whose paving seemed little more than an unreasonable deprivation of the cows from their usual grazing. A local townsman plans to build a flying machine powered by a perpetual motion engine to defend the town from invaders and bring honor as well for its wondrous invention. An English airman's severed arm takes on such an iconic, almost mystical significance that it ends up in a museum and is attributed as the source of miracles.

CHRONICLE IN STONE stands magnificently with so many of Kadare's works as a darkly humorous but fully humanistic tale of life under the most strained of circumstances. Cross Franz Kafka with Garcia Marquez, and Kadare is what you get. He is a writer far too little known as yet to Americans - he deserves better.

Ismail Kadare's "Chronicle in Stone" is a window into the world of World War Two Albania. The trials and times of a small Illyrian town as it weathers yet another occupation by foreign soldiers and yet more war are put to paper in this magical recount of the author's own experiences as a child. The extraordinary feature is that the reader sees into this window through the eyes of a young boy, and the descriptions of this town of stone, Gjirokaster, are what make the book so prominent. Kadare gives this ancient city a life all its own both as a whole and among its elements in his tale. When the boy narrator coos into his house's water cistern, it isn't an echo that replies but the cistern itself, and he ponders the feelings of an old and lone(ly) anti-aircraft gun that guards over the city.

The author in this work has given the reader several themes in this one novel of a city and its boy. We see post-Ottoman, post-Great War and post-independence Albania as it sits under Italian occupation, which never figures much in the boy's or the other residents' minds much until the city becomes a battleground for Italians and Greek armies. We see the new modern generation taking shape, in the form of two youths--one of whom causes an uproar by donning glasses to correct his vision, glasses being an eternal metaphor for the educated intelligentsia--who speak Latin to each other as a secret code and a rebellious young aunt who runs off to join the partisans. We see the richness and complexity of the simple lives played out in this ancient city, despite the hardships caused by Allied bombing. Finally, we see the convulsion of a world gone mad as the city is emptied of its inhabitants and then overrun by "the men with yellow hair," the Teutons from the north. Throughout it all the boy relays this enormous world as he sees it through his young eyes.

"Chronicle in Stone" brings a deeply rich Albania to life.

Ismail Kadare's Chronicle in Stone is the tragic story of a city steeped in history and Old World traditions that is forced to change or be destroyed by the madness and brutality of twentieth-century warfare. The story is told through the eyes of a child, and just as the narrator's innocence and sense of wonder are lost forever as he comes to understand the violent nature of all that is happening around him, so it goes with the city as a whole, which also loses something irrevocable as it is wrenched from its sleepy, timeless existence into the chaotic modern world.

The choice to use a child narrator heightens the sense of immense change that the city is undergoing, for this child sees the city's buildings, streets, and bridges as living entities which shift and move and change their mood from day to day, one day seeming to offer firm comfort and shelter, and the next seeming menacing and hazardous, depending on the weather, the attitude of the people around him, the relative brutality of the occupying army, and the intensity and closeness of the bombing campaign. In the stone facades, steep winding streets, and rain-streaked rooftops of the city, the narrator personifies the desires and sufferings of his people, but he does so unselfconsciously, for he is merely reporting what he sees and feels, because for him the city really is alive.

As a child, he is also able to report what he sees with a peculiar mix of detachment and awe that would not be possible from an adult. When the city is bombed, the emotion he feels above any other is pride in the fact that his house, as one of the biggest and strongest in his neighborhood, is chosen as a bomb shelter. For him, the bombings, as well as the occupation of the city by the Italian army, are simply facts of life - just the way things are and always have been for him - and he doesn't always understand the anger and bitterness of the adults around him.

There are many things to admire in this novel, but what I admire most, I think, is the way Kadare unfolds the story and conveys the grand scale of the tragedy but manages to do so in a way that is very personal and easy to connect to. He conveys character very effectively and economically-- with a few sentences of dialog, he gives us a very clear picture of the family and neighbors of the narrator, their individual quirks of personality and beliefs, as well as what the narrator thinks of them. He also disperses throughout the narrative brief fragments of a chronicle of the city, as written by one of its eccentric residents, and this interwoven chronicle lends a greater sense of the historical context of the events as they unfold. As the chronicle gradually becomes less and less coherent, we become aware of the effects of the chaotic violence on the mind of the chronicler, and by extension, the minds and hearts of everyone in the city.

By the end of the narrative, the child has seen many horrific things, but has also known many small joys and wonders. This story reminds us of the incredible brutality that humans are capable of, as well as the openness and compassion to which we should aspire.

I shared the book with my mother(Usha) and my daughter(Arathi). All three of us found the plot very engaging and could not put the book down till we finished it. Each of us could identify with Vidya in different ways. The author's narration is so vivid and spontaneous that the characters come to life. The experience of growing up in a 'joint family' is described most realistically. It brought back memories, good and not-so-good, of summer vacations when a whole host of cousins, uncles, aunts would descend on us. The covert hierarchy that exists in extended Indian families is also portrayed very well. In my own family, the more 'successful' and prosperous members were accorded more respect and treated better than the others. They also tended to be about as nasty as Vidya's periamma.
I look forward to reading more books by Padma.

A family tragedy gives Climbing the Stairs its running start. Vidya is a thoughtful and intelligent fifteen-year-old girl growing up in colonial India who dreams of a college education until her father is so badly beaten by British soldiers during a peaceful demonstration that he is brain damaged. She and her mother and brother must then go live in her grandfather's home, where she has to play the Cinderella to her nasty, domineering aunt. Only by "climbing the stairs" from the first floor, the women's quarters, to the library in the second floor, the men's quarters, can Vidya find sanctuary and the books she craves.

Venkatraman writes vividly and with great authenticity about the mood of the times. Indian life, with this Brahmin family's practice of Hinduism, its holidays, prescribed customs and rigid class structure, is portrayed particularly well and she highlights the spiritual struggles of her characters in a way not usually featured in young adult novels. The account of young Vidya's time spent in isolation from the rest of the family in the "outhouse" set aside for menstruating women is worth the price of the book.

The author has based this serious novel on the life of her mother, who grew up in India during that period. Her writing is clear and elegant, and perhaps her story might have been a little more illuminating if she had been able to tell it outside the box of her mother's voice. Nonetheless, there is enough household drama in the lives of Brahmins living on the brink of an India about to change forever to rush the plot forward to Vidya's double happy ending.

Padma Venkatraman artfully weaves the large issues of freedom (and the vigilence it requires), monotheism, gender, self-possession, pacifism, and the deep well of literacy into a charged narrative of a young woman's coming to terms with her changing world and her distinct inner laws. The novel takes place in the early years of WWII when Japan was pressing India. A terrific book for anyone interested in the domestic Indian landscape; for anyone interested in a young woman's rise to self-possession. Hopefully this is the first of others!

Vidya dreams about going to college. She likes to read and enjoys school, and unlike other girls around her she doesn't want to get married. Vidya isn't a typical Indian woman.

Everything is going well for her, until the day her father is brutally beaten by an English soldier. With her father unable to work she must move into her grandfather's house which is occupied by an interesting cast of characters. Vidya's life is miserable and the only solace she finds is going upstairs to the library where she reads for hours. But going upstairs into the men's quarters is forbidden.

While in the library Vidya meets a young man named Raman. He's unlike the others in the household because he treats her like an equal and encourages her to read. As time goes on Vidya begins to develop feelings for Raman but she doesn't know if she is willing to give up college for a man.

What was different about this book compared to so many that I read set during World War II was this book took place in India. Ms. Venkatraman does an excellent of immersing the reader in Indian culture. She explains the foods, festivals and different customs. The caste system is explored in this book as well as the gender roles.

The only drawback to this book is there was no glossary. The author uses so many Indian words, which is wonderful, but I think the addition of a glossary would have helped students.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and I think it would be an excellent book for a social studies teacher to use. So many topics are coved in this book that it would be an excellent teaching too. Teens who want to read about history, politics and other cultures will enjoy this novel.

In this multi-layered novel, Padma Venkatraman weaves together the themes of colonialism, feminism and pacifism without sacrificing story or character. Young adults will read it and understand it; adults will find the story line entertaining as well as thought-provoking. This would be a great book club selection and is sure to inspire spirited discussion.