Europe Books

The Millionaires' Unit is a very good book with a great story to tell: an elite group of Yale students took it upon themselves to prepare as pilots for the United States' entry into World War I. Not only is the story remarkable, it is remarkable that it hasn't been told before, (except in a privately published history in 1925). Starting as a privately funded militia, the First Yale Unit trained as pilots without recognition from the Navy until the U. S. officially entered the War. The young pilots were then among the first aviators flying for America to see combat over Europe.

The book is very good at setting the tone and profile of upper class Americans before the Great War, then shattering the romantic ideas of our isolated country about industrialized warfare as the young men struggle to uphold the highest ideals of duty and honor. The book evocatively portrays Yale as more of a social club than an academic institution, the difficulty of maintaining and flying primitive aircraft, and the nascent attempts of the Navy to come to grips with the importance of aviation.

Above all, The Millionaires' Unit is a human story told mostly through the correspondence of these erudite, passionate, and committed pioneer pilots. Those that survived went on to serve the country at the top of their fields in politics, finance, and aviation. Those that died elicit some of the most heartbreaking reactions from friends and families in wartime literature. It's a well-rounded book, touching on social, aviation, and military history as it delves into the personal reactions of a young America coming of age at the dawn of the 20th century. I found it a great read.

Darroch Greer

As a kid, my favorite book was, "Iron Men with Wooden Wings" by Lou Cameron. Stories of World War I pilots doing battle in the skies over France and Germany in primitive, cloth covered biplanes ignited my imagination. Years later, I earned a pilot's license and have enjoyed flying my own cloth covered plane.

Recently, I was delighted to learn about and read Marc Wortman's title, "The "Millionaires' Unit", which documents the grass-roots formation of a flying squadron of fresh-faced Yale boys almost a hundred years ago. A war was raging in Europe and America was decidedly unprepared for their eventual involvement. Their experiences together at Yale gave them a deep sense of duty to a greater cause. Their privileged upbringing and family connections gave them access to the money to fund their own military flight school and to the captains of industry and state to endorse and champion their mission. Millionaires' Unit is not simply a tale of "iron men with wooden wings", although we certainly grow with each of them from boys to men.

Much less a documentary and much more a narrative, Wortman weaves their personal ambitions and flaws together with their collective mission to fly and to serve. Not since "The Blue Max" has such a complex story of class, ambition, romance and defiance - set against the exhilarating and dangerous backdrop of the pioneering age of aviation - been told.

I purchased this book as a gift for my husband for Christmas. He is interested in Military History from the French and Indian Wars down to the present. He is also a military collector. He has read it and enjoyed it! For those who are interested in Military History - this book will make a nice addition to your collection.

The Millionaires' Unit recapitulates in beautiful prose the story I first learned about as a child. It was the story, in part, of my grandfather, Erl Gould whom I called Grandfeathers, as he was Naval Aviator #68.

Marc Wortman has combed historical and private records to harvest the best picture of Trubee Davison and his family, flying boats, 1916 and Great World War, and these intrepid young men from Yale. It is simply a terrific read but also an inspiration at a time when few Americans rise above the fray and dedicate themselves to something larger than their own self-interest. As a former Naval Aviator myself, I wore Grandfeather's wings of gold with an inexpressible pride and humility.

Marc Wortman should be congratulated on this fine piece.

It walks the line between history and adventure and achieves a tremendous blend in the process. Not only does it recall the origins of a fledgling form of warfare, but it also provides a tremendous insight into the world of Yale and American aristocracy as it existed in the early twentieth century.

Highly recommended.

Owen Zupp
Author of 'Down to Earth'. (www.owenzupp.com)

"If faith can make you feel a part of something bigger than yourself, so, too can an Italian family bearing the love of the ages."

This line from My Cousin the Saint pretty much sums up the central theme of this riveting memoir of sorts about the author's discovery that he has saintly bloodlines.

When Justin Catanoso, a Pulitzer-nominated journalist, learned that his grandfather's late cousin, Padre Gaetano Catanoso was a saint in the making, he becomes driven to get the facts straight. He decides to travel to Italy to interview Vatican officials about the beatification and canonization process and to meet some of his long-lost Italian relatives.

As the book progresses, it becomes clear that Catanoso's fact-finding mission evolves into something more. The author finds himself on a personal journey of faith exploration that inspires him, if nothing more, to pay homage to his cousin, who like so many saints before him was simply an ordinary man with an extraordinary faith.

The book opens with a captivating prologue that recounts one of St. Gaetano's miracles (I don't want to be a story spoiler, so that's all I say). Then the reader is thrust into the life of Padre Gaetano "the little donkey of Christ" and "a tireless advocate of the poor." Catanoso juxtaposes details of Padre Gaetano's life with that of his immigrant grandfather (Catanos's dad's father), who was busy pursuing the American dream and making a life for his family as an Italian grocer in New Jersey far away from his homeland. Catanoso manages to tie the two vast story's threads together for the reader - even though the men lived wildly different lives on separate continents.

Both of the stories are firmly rooted in historical facts, but Catanoso does a brilliant job of writing in a lyrical, compelling way - so much so that you have to remind yourself you're reading about real people, not characters in a gripping, plot-driven historical novel.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book, especially learning about Padre Gaetno's path to sainthood, the second half of the book where Catanoso not only begins connecting with his Italian ancestry but also with his faith was the highlight of the book for me.

Catanoso describes himself as a "mostly lapsed, mostly doubtful Catholic" and considers his spiritual life as little more than an afterthought. He remembers the "forced march to Mass every Sunday." He questions some of the Church's teachings and in fact does indulge in a bit of rationalization by citing Garry Willis's Why I Am a Catholic, a book that criticizes some of the core beliefs of Catholicism.

At first, I admit I "tsked, tsked" at the few passages that seemed to trivialize some of the Church's teachings.

But then I stopped myself and realized I had no grounds to scorn this seeker. Really, who am I to judge? Haven't I, like Catanoso, been Catholic in name only during parts of my life? Sure, I've always gone to Mass. But have I always really believed? Perhaps more importantly, have I always lived my faith even when my belief was strong?

The truth is I have my own share of spiritual shortcomings. I suspect most of the faithful do in one way or another. Earlier in my life, I even remember asking "Why should I believe?" when considering certain tenets of the faith.

Instead of finding criticism in his dubiety, I came to admire Catanoso's raw honesty about his incertitude, about his often tenuous faith, and this humanness is perhaps what inspired me the most - even more than St. Gaetano's documented miracles. Because Catanoso seems real. He is still seeking even as the book comes to a conclusion and isn't that what we all must do - to not rest on our laurels and to continue to grow in our faith, no matter how small it may be at the present moment?

As a professional journalist, Catanoso admits his entire adult life has been about "asking questions and gathering details: evidence." Ironically, it was his own saintly relative who believed you must illuminate the mind for the heart to follow. So, Catanoso, like so many fallen away Catholics is working on the illumination of the mind. This is a good start. May the heart follow... Because that's what it ultimately takes: A faithful heart.

I only say this as someone who has, at times, also sought proof, certitude, and a more solid understanding in things pertaining to my faith. Throughout my spiritual life, I've often had to remind myself of the words of St. Augustine:

"Since it is God we are speaking of, we do not understand it. If we could not understand it, it would not be God."

These same words are aptly included in Catanoso's book.

I recommend My Cousin the Saint. It's a good read and from a more pragmatic standpoint, the book enlightened me about what it means to be a saint (both according to Vatican standards and in God's eyes) as well as prodded me to reexamine what it means to be a faithful Catholic. It is a book for the faithful, the doubtful, and everyone in between.

As someone who loves religious memoir, particularly religious memoir in the Catholic tradition, I often approach new titles with both excitement and trepidation. Most religious memoirs, at least in the Catholic tradition, are loosely based retellings of classics such as St. Augustine's CONFESSIONS or Thomas Merton's THE SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN--a person has some or little religious training, lives a self centered life, finds something missing and the missing element is God. Some titles revive this age old tale and show the new and different ways that God works. Others can be the same old, same old. Of course you don't know which category the title belongs in until after reading. So I read away, often hoping to be surprised. Justin Catanoso's MY COUSIN THE SAINT did surprise me and was well worth reading.

Perhaps one reason the book fascinated me is that it does not retell the same story of losing and coming to faith as so many other titles do. Prior to his discovering that Padre Gaetano Catanoso, a cousin of the grandfather he never knew, was in the process of becoming an officially recognized Catholic saint, Justin Catanoso was living a relatively happy and normal life. He was a respected contributor to National Public Radio, had a happy marriage to a wonderful woman and enjoyed being a husband and father. The same remains true today as well. The discovery of this cousin's canonization fascinated him not as a believer as much as a journalist. As he researched his cousin, he reconnected with relatives in Italy he never knew but as soon as he met felt a connection. He also examined the process of canonization in the Roman Catholic Church which in and of itself is fascinating. It also caused him to reexamine his own faith. Like many people, he was raised Catholic but in adulthood drifted from regular religious practice. Discovering Padre Gaetano's genuine goodness and generosity inspired him, but it also challenged him to look at life's difficult questions, including why his brother, a good and faith filled man, died at a young age leaving behind a wife and family who loved him. In the end, he does find himself back in Church but we get a sense it is not a journey ended as much as one that is just beginning.

The book's second greatest strength, the greatest being a fascinating topic, is Catanoso's ability as a writer. As a journalist he tells the story with clarity and detail. He is also a likeable narrator. We get a sense of his struggles and perhaps have shared them as well. He also does an excellent job at articulating the role of saints as role models and as an evangelistic tool in the papacy of Pope John Paul II. Though the current Pope elevated Padre Gaetano to sainthood, the process started during Pope John Paul II's reign. Pope John Paul wanted saints who mirrored the faithful and this humble Catholic priest certainly had the qualities of a beloved Catholic priest in a parish. This book reminds us of the importance of family, the difference faith can play in our lives, and that holiness is not something that is found in far off places--it can often can be found in ordinary people who try their best.

Justin Catanoso's discovery that he is actually related to an honest-to-goodness, canonized Catholic saint begins a journey that takes him not only to a discovery of family and heritage, but also on the exploration of a faith that had long fallen by the wayside.

In some ways, Catanoso's story is the dream of every American whose family lost their roots when they came to this country. He receives an email one day from a woman who wonders if they might be related. It turns out that the American branch of the family has long been missing a deep heritage rooted in the Italian countryside. As well, Catanoso discovers that his grandfather's cousin, Padre Gaetano Catanoso, is being considered for canonization. This unbelievable news, prompts a family visit to Italy where they are lovingly embraced by their newly found relatives and where they begin hearing stories about "the saint."

Catanoso tells the parallel stories of his immigrant grandfather and his saintly cousin vividly and honestly. In so doing, he skillfully pulls us into the uniquely American immigrant experience of his grandfather finding his vocation as an Italian grocer in New Jersey. We see Padre Gaetano tirelessly work to improve Italian peasant life at a time when it often meant a brutish existence of ignorance and want simply because there were no other options. As Catanoso's Uncle Tony fought in World War II he wound up in Italy and that portion of the American experience is also conveyed skillfully while weaving in Tony's AWOL search for family roots.

This would be enough for most memoirs but it is merely a portion of Catanoso's story. The discovery of extended family and his saintly relative comes at a crucial time for his family as his brother, Alan, begins waging a grim fight against cancer. The many devout Catanosos begin praying to "Uncle Gaetano" for a miracle. We become just as engrossed in the fight for Alan's health. Will a miracle save him?

It is at this point that Justin Catanoso begins grappling with his faith. Raised Catholic, he had fallen away from his faith and did not know what to believe any more. Again, in many ways this parallels many Americans' struggles with faith and with the Catholic Church in particular. What are miracles? What does it mean to be a saint? What does it mean to be related to a saint, if anything? A typically pragmatic and independently minded American, Catanoso honestly recounts his struggles, questions, and doubts. In the process, he interviews Vatican officials, recipients of Padre Gaetano's miracles, believers, and skeptics. As Catanoso uncovers facts and explanations, will he be able to find for himself a real and lasting faith?

We become equally engrossed in the search to discover just what a saint shows us as believers. Catanoso's quest becomes ours and, if we are honest, we must contemplate our own faith, belief, and the reality that we are all called to be saints.

On a side note, I found it quite interesting that he got a certain measure of reassurance about the Church from reading "Why I am Catholic" by Garry Wills, since that is a book that many faithful Catholics including myself would avoid due to Wills' criticism of certain tenents of the faith. It is a good lesson that an honest and tenacious seeker can ferret out the information they need in many more places than we could predict.

This is an absolutely fantastic book by a talented, honest, and compelling writer. It is going to be on my list of top books of 2008. Highly recommended.

This review originally was posted at
This is an absolutely fantastic book by a talented, honest, and compelling writer. It is going to be on my list of top books of 2008. Highly recommended. (Originally posted including book excerpts at [...]