The Other Side of War...Faces of Vietnam by Charlie Hughes

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MWSA Review

Charlie Hughes was drafted into the US Army in the spring of 1966 and trained as an artillery surveyor. A year later, he was stationed at a small airfield a few miles north of Saigon, where his civilian interests in photography led to his assignment as staff photographer for an artillery group commander. This job provided Charlie with the opportunity to travel extensively around the area, taking pictures everywhere he went.

He returned to the United States with a collection of negatives, color prints, and slides that eventually were stored away in his cellar, where, in his words, he “tried to bury the memories of the war.” More than half a century passed before a regional writers’ project encouraged Charlie to publish the handful of images that had survived the ravages of time as The Other Side of War – Faces of Vietnam.

Charlie’s stated purpose for publishing this book of original photographs is to provide “... a behind-the-scenes look at the people of South Vietnam, who lived with combat all around them, and the U.S. soldiers sent to help them.” Many of the images included deliver on this promise, offering sympathetic glimpses into daily life in wartime Vietnam, with a focus on the desperate, unposed expressions of children. Several photos of the daily routines of US soldiers show the mundane realities of rear-echelon duty in Vietnam.

Images of Vietnamese civilians—especially those of children—provide unique and compelling scenes of life in wartime South Vietnam. These represent the real value of this collection. Several are in color, their contrast and color balance reflecting the effects of age, but in some cases, these enhance their artistic impact.

Charlie Hughes is to be commended for his initial vision and perspective in capturing these images in the midst of war, and for preserving them for us to admire and ponder. Anyone looking for a glimpse into everyday life in war-torn Vietnam should overlook most of the photos of US soldiers and concentrate on those of the Vietnamese civilians—those on the “other side.”

You will be rewarded with these powerful and poignant pictures.

Review by Peter Young (June 2025)

Author's Synopsis

Author's Synopsis: Six months into my Army tour in Vietnam 1967-68 I was re-assigned to S-5 at Headquarters at 23rd Artillery Group in Phu Loi because of my abilities as a photographer and darkroom experience. I flew several times a week with Col. Robert Koch to base camps and fire support bases in III and IV Corps where units of the five battalions of artillery he commanded were located. While in Vietnam, because I was not assigned to the infantry, I also took many photos of US soldiers and the Vietnamese people in different settings. The photos in this book are among some of my favorites.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Other—Anthology/Collection

Number of Pages: 110

Word Count: 5,875

Finally Home by Cortney Cino

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MWSA Review

Finally Home follows a young family anticipating the return of their deployed father, told from the point of view of the daughter. It's a sweet story depicting the family's actions in preparing for the exciting homecoming celebration, using calendars, making posters, baking special treats, and arriving at the base for the special day. Illustrations are heartwarming and provide realistic scenery, military hardware, and characters. The scenes have an emotionally gentle sense, making the book perfect for a bedtime story as a present-day military family counts down the days until the return of their missing loved one.

Review by Betsy Beard (June 2025)

Author's Synopsis

FEEL THE ANTICIPATION AND JOY OF ONE INCREDIBLE DAY!

The butterflies in Sara's belly are fluttering fast. Her family is reuniting today after more than six months apart.

But the hours drag on, testing her patience. The crowds in the hangar finally learn that the planes will land soon.

Which one is Daddy's? Will I recognize him? Sara wonders as she watches the tiny gray dots finally come into view.

Sara chronicles the day's events, highlighting the unbreakable bonds of family. Military families, aviation lovers, and anyone interested in witnessing an incredible family reunion will enjoy this story.

Format(s) for review: Paper only

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 32

Word Count: 500

Finding His Own Way, A Marine Novel by Gerald Gillis

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MWSA Review

Gerald Gillis' Finding His Own Way is a bloody, realistic novel about a young Virginia boy who finds himself and his path in the Marine Corps.

A ne'er-do-well in high school, Dylan Rafferty didn't get along with rules or his father. After one too many run-ins with the law, a judge gives Dylan a choice: jail or the Marines. Though his USMC time got off to a rocky start, it wasn't too long before Dylan proved himself in combat and learned valuable life lessons. But would he survive the war and live long enough to use them?

The author captures Pacific Island combat in vivid detail and spares nothing when describing the horrors of combat against the Japanese. The conflict in Dylan as he struggles to maintain his humanity is interesting and treated very well, and the ending of the book ties things up nicely, leaving the reader wanting to hear more about a character they have grown to love.

Fans of military fiction, World War 2 stories, Marine stories, or just good historical fiction will appreciate this book.

Review by Rob Ballister (June 2025)

Author's Synopsis

On the eve of World War II, Dylan Rafferty is a troubled young man who runs afoul of the law and is given the choice of either the county jail or the U.S. Marine Corps. Dylan chooses the Marines, whereupon he begins a journey that will dramatically change the trajectory of his life. As the war unfolds, Dylan joins the 2nd Marine Division in time enough to participate in the invasion of Tarawa where, through the exigencies of war, he suddenly finds himself in a role as a small-unit leader.

Dylan also sees action in the battles at Saipan and Okinawa. He suffers wounds, loses buddies, and does his part in the brutal, bloody Pacific war.

Along the way, Dylan finds a Marine officer who takes an interest in him, and who mentors and challenges him into becoming a better Marine. That same officer convinces Dylan that he can grow and achieve far more than he otherwise thought possible.

Finding His Own Way, A Marine Novel, is an inspiring story of a young man who discovers much about himself in the dire circumstances of war, together with the support of his fellow Marines and a young lady back home. Dylan joins a long line of Rafferty men who have distinguished themselves in the service of their country.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 283

Word Count: 101,500

Task Force Hogan by William R Hogan

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MWSA Review

Task Force Hogan by William R. Hogan is a gripping account of the exploits of Task Force Hogan in World War II. From the early days just after the Normandy invasion on D-Day to V-E Day and post-war duties, author Hogan weaves a spell-binding tapestry of action, suspense, heart-felt joy, and heart-wrenching despair of the Third Battalion, Thirty-Third Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division as they make their way across France from Normandy on into Germany.

From their starting positions in the bocage-laden death traps of northern France, Hogan tells of Lieutenant Colonel Sam Hogan, the author’s father, as he commands his task force in a mad dash across France, through Belgium, into Germany, back into Belgium as they help defend against the German offensive leading to the Battle of the Bulge, and back into Germany to close out the war. The author meticulously details the unit’s valiant stand against the German offensive at Mortain, receiving a Presidential Unit Citation for these actions, as well as their subsequent non-stop advance.

While many books have been written about the 101st Airborne Division and their heroic deeds in holding out at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, less has been written about other such units involved in this battle. The author documents Task Force Hogan’s courageous stand against the opposing German forces. Surrounded by enemy troops and with their unit doctor running low on medical supplies, they were forced to attempt to replenish these supplies through the use of artillery shells filled with the necessary items. Neither this nor the attempt to use C-47 cargo planes for resupply was successful in its mission. In riveting detail, Hogan describes the retreat of the remaining 400 men of the task force through ten miles of enemy-held territory back to friendly forces. Hogan’s book is a welcome addition to the library of literature documenting these other unsung heroes of the Bulge. 

From start to finish, Task Force Hogan is well written and easy to read. This book would serve well as either a supplementary reading in a general World War II history class or as a resource for military scholars, offering an in-depth look at the personal aspects of the Greatest Generation as they dealt with the trauma of the Second World War. One cannot go wrong in purchasing this book.

Review by Daniel E. Long (June 2025)

Author's Synopsis

At 28, Samuel Hogan was the youngest tank battalion commander during WWII. He was responsible for the lives, welfare and mission accomplishment of his 500 soldiers riding to battle on Sherman and Stuart tanks. With courage and compassion, he led his troops in some of the toughest battles of the European Theater. They were the only tank battalion in the path of both major German offensives in the West: Mortain and the Battle of the Bulge. For their actions at Mortain, the unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation in March 2020. As part of the mighty 3rd Armored Division, the Task Force was one of the first units into Belgium, first to cross into Germany since Napoleon, first to capture a major German city (Aachen), and participated in the longest single-day advance against enemy resistance in military history (90 miles). They are best known for their part in the Bulge, where they rode back from their advance positions in Germany to meet the enemy counteroffensive. Arriving with fuel tanks half-empty, they fought a skilled delaying action against numerically superior forces until they were surrounded by enemy infantry infiltrated through the woods. Refusing an enemy surrender ultimatum, the under-strength battalion continued to harass the Germans by calling artillery and direct fire from their hilltop redoubt at Marcouray. On Christmas Day, short of fuel, ammunition and medical supplies, they were ordered to destroy their equipment and make their way back to friendly lines on foot. This was successfully accomplished and by early January they were rearmed and participated in the elimination of "the bulge." A rip-roaring ride, this is a human story written as a nonfiction narrative, impeccably researched. Ride with Task Force Hogan!

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 320

Word Count: 95,000

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Around the World in 80 Years by Jasmine Tritten and Jim Tritten

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MWSA Review

Around the World in 80 Years is a collection of fun explorations told mostly through the eyes of Danish adventurer Jasmine Tritten. Born with the travel bug, she prepared herself for the life she wanted by learning five languages. Beginning with the harrowing story of living as a small child during the Nazi occupation, the author brings the reader into her world. But she also tells warmer tales of Danish holiday traditions, painting clear pictures with her words and descriptions.

Following high school graduation, Jasmine fulfills her travel desires by becoming an au pair to families in England and France. She continues to improve his language skills in both countries while also becoming a young worldly woman, sharing humorous stories, and having the time of her life. That is, until her mother commands her to return to Copenhagen to study to become a medical laboratory technician, and she obeys.

She leaves Denmark, sailing for America at age twenty-one aboard a Norwegian ocean liner, and the adventure continues, falling in love with Carmel-by-the-Sea. Her story continues through family life, extended travel, jobs, moves, hobbies like belly dancing, divorce, a horrendous accident, and finally meeting the love of her life, Jim. Several of Jim’s stories are included in the collection, and the two perspectives and writing styles feel like a visit with the couple.

Lovely photographs and illustrations support the narrative, and the individual stories build a bigger story of a phenomenal life, seeing the world in 80 years. Highly recommended for those who like personalized stories and learning about different countries, cultures, and relationships.

Review by Valerie Ormond (June 2025)

Author's Synopsis

This book contains selected stories inspired by my travels worldwide and some of the two hundred thirty trips I have taken with my husband, Jim, during the last thirty-five years. I developed my interest in other cultures and languages as a little girl growing up in Denmark. Geography and English were my favorite subjects. I traveled with my parents around Europe and learned to speak five languages, Danish, English, German, French, and Swedish, in school. My thirst for travel and adventure escalated with age and continued throughout my life. Join Jasmine and Jim as they recount some of their travels and adventures during their journey Around the World in 80 Years.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 399

Word Count: 55,323

Chloe the "Military Brat" by A.L. Zeine

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MWSA Review

Chloe the Military Brat is a realistic look inside an eleven-year-old girl’s mind as she deals with not only a military PCS move and her parents’ divorced life but also the petty jealousies of tween girls.

As a military brat myself, and a mother to two of them, I think this book is a good stepping off point to starting a conversation with your child about a PCS or divorce. I appreciated that the adults in the book respected Chloe’s feelings, encouraged her to share them and validated that she had a right to experience them. I also appreciate the author showing the divorced parents as functioning co-parents.

Chloe’s journal entries gave us insight into how she was feeling and were a good example of it being okay to be angry. The author showed Chloe’s range of emotions, but that she still functioned in the family units with respect and understanding. It modeled for the reader the resilience that military brats are so well known for.

The introduction of the best friend from another duty station is very true to real life, as was the awkwardness yet ease at which they became reacquainted. I’ll be interested to see the stories of the new friends introduced in the end, assuming they are the other Cul-de-sac kids books.

The book, by nature of length and character age, is intended for elementary or lower middle grade children. There wasn’t a conflict to solve other than Chloe not wanting the things she had no control over: the move or being the child of divorce. She just had to deal with them regardless of her opinion and feelings, which is the reality for military kids after all!

It is a cute story to show military kids that they are not alone. I would recommend it to military parents with elementary-aged children preparing for their first move or middle grade readers preparing to PCS. I’d also recommend it to civilian children who have military brat friends, to better understand their lifestyle and hardships.

Review by Rosalie Spielman (June 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis

Life isn’t easy for any eleven-year-old, but when your mom is an active-duty Army officer and your parents are divorced, it becomes so much worse. Chloe has had to move three times already and is devastated to learn it will happen again, forcing her to leave behind yet another best friend. Can their friendship survive this world-ending news? And how will Chloe explain to her parents just how hard it is being a military brat? So far, she’s only been able to pour her feelings into her journal. Life isn’t looking too great, then she gets some surprising, yet bittersweet news. This first installment in a new series follows Chloe as she tries to navigate her conflicting love and anger for her parents and ongoing struggles to maintain friendships throughout moves. Filled with the typical mix of fun and angst of tween daily life but set against the background of Chloe’s life as a military brat, readers are sure to find this a different, yet engaging tween series.

The Cul-de-sac Kids Chapter Book Series was designed to show Military Brats they are not alone. Every book in the series will follow Chloe and her friends as they work their way through the challenges all Military brats face.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Middle Grade Chapter Book

Number of Pages: 98

Word Count: 15,612

Sometimes Apart Always in My Heart by Tish Rabe

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MWSA Review

Sometimes Apart Always in My Heart is a well-illustrated and written children's picture book. Tish Rabe, the author, has written this book in the manner of a parent talking to a child back home while the parent is deployed away from the family. The book reassures the child that he/she is remembered and loved. Credit is also due to Gill Guile, the illustrator, for the outstanding illustrations throughout the book.

This is a short, easy read with pictures that will help keep a young child's interest. At the back of the book, the author lists suggestions for activities that will help the family whose parent is deployed as well as suggestions for non-military families to support military kids and families.

Review by Bob Doerr (June 2025)
 

Author's Synopsis

Sometimes Apart Always in My Heart- helping military families find love from far away was written by bestselling children's author Tish Rabe in partnership with United Through Reading, a nonprofit that helps service members around the world videotape themselves reading to their children then sends each child a copy of the book. The story follows the Bear Family, that is waiting at home while Daddy Bear is away on a military assignment. Everyone in the family is counting the days until Daddy comes safely home.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 24

Word Count: 970 words

Smoke on the Water by Jack Bartley

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MWSA Review

Jack Bartley’s Smoke on the Water offers a gripping and immersive look into naval service during the Vietnam War, blending historical authenticity with engaging storytelling. Following Jason Conley’s unexpected deployment aboard a warship, the novel presents a detailed portrayal of life at sea, showcasing shipboard operations, leadership challenges, and the dynamics of serving during a turbulent era.

Bartley’s meticulous attention to technical accuracy ensures a realistic depiction of naval procedures, making the novel an excellent choice for readers with an interest in military fiction and historical naval operations. His ability to capture ship maneuvering, command structures, and daily routines aboard a warship is impressive, lending the book a strong sense of realism and depth.

The novel’s pacing is well-structured, balancing tense action sequences with reflective moments that explore Conley’s internal struggles with duty, service, and personal growth. The camaraderie among the crew adds an optimistic tone, making the novel accessible even to readers unfamiliar with military life. The strong research, engaging characters, and historical accuracy make it a rewarding read for fans of military fiction.

Review by Bob Ritchie (June 2025)
 

Author's Synopsis

May 1971. Jason Conley, a recent college graduate, finds himself about to pay the price for his free university education. He could not afford college, so he had applied for and was awarded an NROTC scholarship. The scholarship had strings attached; he now owed the Navy four years of service. Not wanting to be engulfed in the Vietnam war, he devises a scenario in which he would serve on a ship converted to be an oceanographic research support vessel in Hawaii, thousands of miles from the battle zone. A brilliant plan, if it worked.

It did. Then, it didn’t. 

Through a series of events and miscues, some of his own making and some out of his control, Jason fails to negotiate life on board his first ship and is transferred to a new command, a ship that deploys on a WestPac tour to Vietnam the day he sets foot on board. He now faces new challenges. How does he avoid the same mistakes he made on the first ship? How does he reconcile his feelings about the Vietnam war while at the same time directing a destroyer escort on the gunline supporting U.S. and South Vietnamese troops? How does he stay alive?

“Smoke on the Water” is based on real life events. It is a coming-of-age tale that occurs in less than four years’ time, spanning events from the East Coast to Hawaii to Southeast Asia. It encompasses journeys and adventures in foreign lands, loves found and lost, humorous situations, and a maturation process within one man compressed in the pressure cooker of an unpopular war.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 316

Word Count: 96,000

Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet by Ryan McDermott

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MWSA Review

Ryan McDermott pulls no punches in detailing his struggles, failures, and the need for love that shaped him as a son, cadet, soldier, husband, and father. When he escapes his dysfunctional family to attend West Point, everything seems right—he graduates, marries, and becomes a father. Then he deploys with the Third Infantry Division to spearhead the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Through a series of counseling sessions and soul searching, McDermott exposes and examines the traumas that limited his ability to be a caring and present husband and father. His use of poetry, written over the years to express emotion and longing, sets McDermott’s heartfelt Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet apart as a true work of art.

Review by Brad Huestis (June 2025)

Author's Synopsis

A leader forged in combat. A soul tested by loss. A journey back to what matters most. Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet follows Ryan McDermott from the front lines of the 2003 Iraq invasion-where he led an armored platoon into Baghdad under fire-to the heart of the 2008 financial crisis on Wall Street. In gripping, fast-paced scenes, McDermott reveals the intensity of modern warfare, the weight of leadership, and the hidden battles that follow soldiers home. But this isn't just a war story. It's about what happens after the mission-when the uniforms are packed away, the adrenaline fades, and a man is left to face the fractures within. As McDermott confronts the collapse of his marriage, the burden of trauma, and the search for meaning beyond achievement, he shares a deeply personal story of rebuilding, resilience, and redemption. Interwoven with battlefield-born poetry and raw reflection, Downriver is a memoir for anyone who has fought for their identity-on the battlefield or in their own life. It speaks to veterans, families, and readers who understand that the hardest part of war is often coming home.

Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 294

Word Count: 80000

Elements of War by Gray Rinehart

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MWSA Review

Elements of War by Gray Rinehart is a comprehensive exploration of the theories and principles of war, and the evolution of various theories of war, from Sun Tzu to von Clausewitz to Mahan. The book is very technical in and in-depth, using the various traditional, established methods to develop strategies in war to build towards an encompassing comprehensive theory of war. Unless you are a senior military officer or academic steeped in the study of military history, theory, and grand strategy, this is not a casual read. Fortunately, in-depth, detailed concepts are introduced in short chapters. At the same time, continuous references to past or future chapters can be distracting at times, an unavoidable dilemma given the nature of this subject.

The author states the book is based on a previous thesis and several professional papers. Although published in 2019, with some material probably originating earlier, the amount of attention and detail paid to the emerging and merging challenges of both cyber and space elements into modern warfare is noteworthy. There are also specific discussions of both naval and air warfare. This book will be of interest to career military officers, academics and those that work in military-industrial research and “think-tank” enterprises.

Review by Terry Lloyd (May 2025) 

Author's Synopsis

ELEMENTS OF WAR examines war and warfare in ways that challenge some of the most deeply held conceptions of armed conflict.

War involves myriad violent actions against often intractable foes, across varied and difficult environments, in pursuit of broad strategic aims, making it perhaps the most complex and consequential of all human activities. This volume presents nontraditional and even innovative ways of thinking about war and its constituent elements, and suggests that we may comprehend war better if we study it through the lens of theory of knowledge.

Is it possible to understand war in its totality? Perhaps not, but it does us well to try--even if we never approach any sort of unified theory to guide our strategic and tactical aims.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 357

Word Count: 85,000

Berkshire Heroes in WWII: With Courage and Honor by Dennis G. Pregent

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MWSA Review

Berkshire Heroes in WWII: with Courage and Honor by Dennis G. Pregent tells the stories of 26 men and 2 women who all are associated with 3 Berkshire towns at some point in their lives. All played significant roles in various branches of the service during WWII and were involved with most of the major WWII battles. Each story begins with the hero’s family, then describes their military service as well as details about their specialties. For example, communication specialists who support artillery units used sound ranging to figure out where the shelling was coming from. Then each story describes the hero’s life after military service. In most cases, they contributed significantly to their communities. In one case. A Seabee machinist’s mate who was quite an entrepreneur built a retirement village in the 1950s with “a giant water display … featuring over two hundred colored lights and hundreds of water jets that shot water ten stories in the air.” (pp 281-2). This over 40 years before Bellagio in Las Vega.

Each of the 28 stories is told separately and divided by the three towns: Adams/Chesire, North Adams, and Williamstown. Each section has its heroes listed alphabetically by last name. In the cases of brothers or a married couple, their stories are in the same “chapter” but the people are listed individually. So, for example, Charles and George Haley are listed separately in the Table of Contents, but both are covered in the same story.

There is a wide range of positions in these stories: artilleryman, bombardier, communications, fighter pilot, gunner, infantryman, machinist mate, navigator, nurse, paratrooper, radar operator, radioman, rifleman, tail gunner, truck driver. One of the nurses was a combat nurse who also had training in neurosurgery; the other was a psychiatric charge nurse. There is also a wide range of geography: Africa, Sicily, over the Himalayas, across the Pacific. They were involved in battles of Normandy, the Bulge, Okinawa, and Peleliu. There are many personal photos included.

This book is best read over a period of time so that each story can be savored. The book is rich in details and will not disappoint those interested in the reality of WWII. The author’s summary states it well: “… it is a testimony to the uncommon valor of ordinary men and women responding to their country’s call – with courage and honor.”

Review by Nancy Kauffman (May 2025)
 

Author's Synopsis

Berkshire Heroes in WWII- With Courage and Honor chronicles the harrowing stories of twenty-eight men and women who endured some of World War II's most dire conditions. They served from Africa to Sicily, over the Himalayas, and across the vast expanse of the Pacific and found themselves in the consequential battles of Normandy, the Bulge, Okinawa, and Peleliu.

The reader will meet a paratrooper, a PT boat radioman, combat nurses, bombardiers, artillerymen, a tail gunner, and others.

The book is a testimony to the uncommon valor of ordinary men and women who answered their country's call.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 392

Word Count: 104,000

F4U Corsair by Ernest M. Snowden

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MWSA Review

In F4U Corsair, Ernest Snowden provides a comprehensive account of the development, deployment, and historical impact of the instantly recognizable American fighter plane. Rich in photos, maps, and charts, the book delves into the technical specifications of the aircraft, its role in World War II and the Korean War, and the experiences of the pilots who flew it.

The book details the challenges and innovations involved in designing the F4U Corsair. It covers the Corsair's deployment in World War II’s Pacific Theater, highlighting its effectiveness as both a carrier-based and land-based fighter. Snowden also examines the aircraft's role in the Korean War, where it excelled in ground-attack missions. The book includes numerous accounts from pilots, providing firsthand perspectives on flying and fighting in the Corsair.

Although this book includes outstanding visual aspects (making it suitable as a coffee table book), given its detailed research and the level of detail it contains, F4U Corsair could also be considered a reference book. Chock-full of interesting details, Snowden manages to explain relatively complex engineering and tactical concepts without overwhelming the average reader. The narrative is engaging, blending historical facts with personal anecdotes from pilots, engineers, and military planners to create a vivid portrayal of the Corsair's legacy.

Overall, F4U Corsair by Ernest Snowden is a must-read for aviation enthusiasts and history buffs. Its thorough research, engaging narrative, and personal accounts make it an excellent resource for understanding the significance of this iconic aircraft.

Review by John Cathcart (June 2025)

Author's Synopsis

F4U Corsair is published by Naval Institute Press as the first aircraft history in a series they title Special Editions. Special Editions are designed to offer a deeper look at iconic naval aircraft using an image-heavy, magazine-style format in a coffee table book layout. Special Editions are intended to appeal to scholars, enthusiasts, and general readers alike.  

Rarely is an aircraft design so inspired that it brings forth near-universal recognition and acclaim. In more than 110 years of naval aviation history and more than 50 years of Vought Corsairs in active-duty squadrons, one Corsair model, the F4U, stands alone. In that time, only a few naval aircraft have been acknowledged as game changers that singularly tipped the balance in air combat. The Vought F4U Corsair heads a short list of such aircraft by dint of its supremely efficient lines—a melding of the highly developed Double Wasp powerplant, the outsized Hydromatic propeller that it drove, and the finely tuned airframe that wrapped it.   

Navy and Marine Corps aviators held the Corsair in high esteem for its ruggedness, speed, and adaptability as a fighter and a bomber, long after its first appearance in the South Pacific during World War II, through the closing weeks of the Korean War. The Corsair’s potency made it sought after by allied air forces long after its final days in U.S. inventory, rendering vital service in French livery at Dien Bien Phu and, finally, with South American air forces in the so-called  “Soccer War” of the late 1960s.  Here is the complete history of this storied aircraft, from early design through the legendary dogfights of Maj. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington’s Black Sheep Squadron over the Pacific, and in operations in Korea.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Artistic—Pictorial/Coffee Table

Number of Pages: 126

Word Count: 40,000

Murder Comes Home by Rosalie Spielman

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MWSA Review

Murder Comes Home by Rosalie Spielman is a cozy mystery with all the elements required to fit the subgenre of crime fiction. Spielman’s story is characterized by a focus on suspense, misdirection, and an intriguing plot. She avoids graphic violence and profanity while setting the stage with two amateur sleuths, Aunt Edna and her niece, Army retiree Tessa Treslow.

The story takes place in the small, close-knit community of New Oslo, Idaho complete with quirky characters, including two elderly sisters, Ginny and Olive Prunn, who are good at local historical genealogies as well as noticing everything that goes on in New Oslo from their storefront windows.

As with most cozy mysteries, this one also has an underlying humorous tone that made me chuckle occasionally. The victim of the crime is not particularly likable, and many have a motive to want him out of the picture. Tessa and Edna focus on the complicated puzzle of solving the mystery and begin to uncover a tortured family history of the previous occupants of their home.

As the story unravels, author Spielman deftly intersperses believable red herrings to keep the reader guessing who the real culprit is. As with most cozy mysteries, this one is solved by Tessa and Edna in a satisfying and happy ending, restoring order and peace to New Oslo, Idaho. I enjoyed following the amateur sleuths on their journey to solve this crime.

Review by Nancy Panko (May 2025)

 

Author's Synopsis

Army retiree Tessa Treslow is as excited as the other residents of New Oslo, Idaho, when the cast and crew of the TV show Picks with Ricks comes to town! Tessa and her Aunt Edna put their car restoration business on hold to let the celebrity antique hunters pick through their old garage, hoping the trash contains a treasure that will help fund their new business. But it turns out that the pickers come with TV cameras, likeable stars, a stressed-out producer—and a murderer!

The show’s lead makes an insistent offer on one of Aunt Edna’s renovation projects and won’t take no for an answer. And when Tessa finds the show's cameraman dead in the restored 1965 Mustang, Tessa knows murder has come home yet again. And the mystery takes a very personal turn when the dead man is found with an antique inscribed pocket watch connected to the former owners of Aunt Edna's farmhouse. As Tessa digs into the history surrounding the pocket watch and the relationships of the TV crew, shocking details—both old and new—arise. Will Tessa be able to catch a killer...before they return for a repeat performance?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime

Number of Pages: 283

Word Count: 76,000

In Harm's Way by Thomas W. Wing

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MWSA Review

Author Thomas Wing has given us an exciting story in his book In Harm's Way. Set during the Revolutionary War, Jonas Hawke, our protagonist, has his commercial ship carrying legal cargo seized by the British Royal Navy. Although not originally disloyal to the king and unwilling to join the rebellion, the British seizure of his ship, brutal treatment of his men, and the British Navy’s subsequent firing cannons into the town where he lives pushes him to join the rebellion.  His only skill is that of a ship's captain, so Hawke soon finds himself a privateer in the open seas. Despite the lack of any combat experience, his skill as a ship's captain soon enables him to become effective in capturing British ships and seizing both the ships and their cargo. The British take notice and send warships to safeguard British trade routes.

This is a good start for a soon-to-be series. Anyone with an interest in Revolutionary War sea battles should like this book. Those who enjoy a good adventure with a little suspense should find this book appealing, too.

Review by Bob Doerr (May 2025)

 

Author's Synopsis

The man who fights for his family is far more dangerous than the one who fights for his king.

Colonial sea captain Jonas Hawke returns home to Norfolk after a year-long voyage only to have his ship and its valuable cargo seized by the British Royal Navy. As the royal governor further tightens the noose on trade, Jonas is thrust into the chaos of a growing rebellion. Desperate to support his family, he sets out to find work. When he is denied a commission with the newly formed Continental Navy, he outfits his own vessel as a private ship-of-war and voyages to the Caribbean in search of enemy merchant ships he can capture and friends he can trust.

But dangers multiply on the unforgiving sea. The Royal Navy reacts mercilessly to the threat posed by privateers like Jonas. How will Jonas fare now that he has boldly defied the king of Britain to preserve his family? And what will happen to his loved ones while he is away, engulfed in a war to oppose tyranny in the name of freedom?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 324

Word Count: 95000

Inshallah (God Willing) by Dana Catoe

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MWSA Review

Author Dana Catoe in his book Inshallah provides us with a fascinating, in-depth insight into life as an American contractor in Baghdad in 2003 and 2004. The Iraqi government with our encouragement attempted to transition to a democracy after Saddam Hussein was ousted by US Forces. As the head of security for the Interim Iraqi government, Catoe had a front row seat and describes to us the dangers and difficulties that faced both Iraqi citizens and US soldiers and civilians assigned to Iraq at the time. Saddam Hussein was no longer in power, but substantial sporadic fighting was still occurring. The various Iraqi religious and political factions were still killing each other in Baghdad and the rest of Iraq. Even working for the Americans could be dangerous. Mortar rounds were routinely fired into the American Green and Red Zones and improvised explosive devices were commonplace. Author Catoe tells us like it was. This is a very interesting read.

Review by Bob Doerr (May 2025) 

Author's Synopsis

Chaos and hope collide in this unforgettable book on the horrors of war, cultural tensions, and the development of a fledgling democracy during Bush-era Iraq. Authored by Interim Iraqi Head of Security Dana Catoe.

Step inside a tumultuous era of global history in this powerful memoir where Iraq’s former head of security, tells the true story of the Iraq War. As a pivotal player in Iraq’s interim democratic government from its inception in 2003 through the nation’s first free elections, Dana Catoe was tasked with protecting government officials, Iraqi employees, and civilians during a time of terror attacks and raging conflict. Catoe provides a rare, unfiltered perspective on the challenges of rebuilding a nation in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion.

Catoe draws on an extensive military background as a U.S. Marine, exposing us to the daily realities of life in the upper echelons of a provisional government—a perspective few have been privileged to experience. Beyond the halls of government, he also shares the struggles of ordinary Iraqi citizens caught in the tumult of change, terror threats, and political upheaval.

With vivid storytelling and an insider’s view on Bush-era Iraq, Inshallah: (God Willing) is a book of tremendous importance for history, offering a one-of-a-kind, behind-the-scenes look at the successes and failures of America’s intervention in the Middle East. For fans of military memoirs, political history, and stories of human courage, or for students studying this defining era of world history, it is a can’t-miss. Both harrowing and inspiring, Catoe’s story illuminates the complexities of global conflict, the painful realities of war, and the fragile hope of democracy.

Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 200

Word Count: 48,000

Chasing Money: A Marty and Bo Thriller by Michael Balter

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MWSA Review

Chasing Money: A Marty and Bo Thriller is a twisting mystery romp, a mixture of satire and dark humor that keeps readers hooked from the first page.

Marty and Bo are struggling entrepreneurs, always chasing money to fund their struggling new business. When they connect with Nico Scava, he seems to be the perfect angel investor: the answer to their prayers, with connections in the art world and a creative idea. But instead, Nico proves the adage, “Be careful what you wish for.”

The plot involves the Russian mob, faked artwork, a bogus baron, violent murders, and a frantic chase from a cabin on Mount Hood to a Portland strip club.  Debut author Michael Balter’s wry humor, clear writing style, and knowledge of art history make this a captivating story.  

Balter has teamed up with Mission Point Press, a publishing firm with a history of transforming first-time authors into success stories.  Chasing Money, published in 2023, has already garnered an impressive roster of literary awards. This is the first of two Marty and Bo thrillers, with a sequel eagerly anticipated.  

Review by James Elsener (May 2025)

 

Author's Synopsis

Most investor pitch meetings don’t end in murder - but then Marty and Bo haven’t had a lot of luck lately. They’ve been struggling to keep their startup business alive. It’s not high-tech, it’s not highly successful and the pressure to find capital has strained their bank accounts and Marty’s marriage.

So when Nico Scava offered to invest they eagerly accepted. He had money, connections in the art world, and a creative idea, but maybe they should have asked more questions. Now Nico’s dead and they’re on the hook for whatever scheme he was running. The Russian mob is after them, and if they don’t find $10 million and a mysterious missing painting in the next few days they’ll be dead too.

Their frantic chase will lead them from a cabin in the Oregon woods to a Portland strip club, from an aging artist to a bogus baron, and deep into the history of a missing masterpiece that someone is willing to kill to obtain. As the bodies pile up, Marty and Bo will have some tough choices to make about how far they’ll go to protect their families, their company, and themselves.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime

Number of Pages: 286

Word Count: 79000

Keeping it Lively: The Hunt for Edie Lama by Michael Lund

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MWSA Review

Thomas J. Bragg’s memoir, Keeping It Lively: The Hunt for Eddie Lama is the story of two men and the unbreakable bond they formed during combat, resulting in a legacy left for future generations. They were as different as they could be: a white man from suburban Chicago and a black man from rural Virginia. Together in D Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry in South Vietnam, these two decided to make the most of their situation, vowing to always “keep it lively.” They shared a love of photography and optimism within the ranks. Morale was high for the men serving with Eddie and Thomas. While serving together in the jungles of Vietnam, Eddie Lama once saved Thomas Bragg’s life. Then one day, Eddie, with only a short time to go before the end of his tour, volunteered for a mission.

Thomas’s and Eddie’s platoon leader was seriously injured in the fighting in which Eddie died. John Hodge, Lt. Retired, remembers the mission and when he was shot in a firefight by a sniper and had to be lifted out of the jungle to a field hospital. As the chopper left, the platoon provided cover fire. During that time, Eddie Lama was struck by a single rifle shot. Back at camp, Thomas heard about his friend’s death over the radio minutes later, but didn’t know the details until 2015.

Forty-six years after being discharged, Thomas sought to somehow commemorate Edward Bartholomew Lama, KIA, 31 March 1969. Thomas participated in a free writer’s workshop for military vets and their family members at the Blackstone Conference and Retreat Center. The professor, Michael Lund, was willing to help Thomas write about Eddie and how they and others stayed strong in combat. In 2015, Military Experience and the Arts and Thomas were able to contact alumni association officers for Eddie’s high school in Mundelein, Illinois, learning that Eddie had younger siblings.

Thomas contacted Eddie’s surviving relatives and carried the book, The Hunt for Eddie Lama, to a reunion of their company at the grave of their fallen comrade. The story was featured in local newspapers and on television, promoting the writing program for veterans and their families.

Author Thomas Bragg died on September 13, 2020, at his home in Blackstone, Virginia. His story is only part of his legacy. While The Hunt for Eddie Lama: Keeping it Lively may never win a Pulitzer Prize, the story behind it will warm your heart.

Review by Nancy Panko (May 2025)
 

Author's Synopsis

In 2015 Vietnam Army veteran Thomas Bragg wrote in his memoirs about the death of his friend and fellow platoon member, Eddie Lama, in South Vietnam. This was a project he’d always hoped to complete; but he had to wait for retirement to find the time. And the story didn’t stop there: two and a half years after he completed his memoir, his platoon leader from 50 years earlier sought him out, saying that he had visited the grave of their fallen comrade. That led to connections with the Lama family in Mundelein, Illinois, a moving unit reunion, and this revised edition of Keeping it Lively: The Hunt for Eddie Lama.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 55

Word Count: 8263

Nothing Here Worth Dying For: Task Force Lion in Iraq by Col Seth W.B. Folsom, USMC (Ret)

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MWSA Review

Nothing Here Worth Dying For is an impressive, in-depth account of a role of a combined-arms task force supporting Iraqi armed forces in their extended war against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq. The author, at the time a US Marine Corps colonel, writes from his perspective as the task force commander.

The narrative covers an eighteen-month period centered around a campaign to liberate a major area of western Iraq from the control of ISIS forces, beginning with the author’s assignment to build a team from scratch and prepare for deployment to Iraq. The team’s mission was explicitly defined—to provide command and logistics support to the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) who would be responsible for engaging and defeating the ISIS enemy. As the author makes clear, the role of the American sailors and Marines was as backup for the native military: “We weren’t there to do the fighting for them.”

While the account provides plenty of details about the daily challenges of modern combined-arms warfare, the author pulls the reader into the intensity of life in a combat zone. He artfully describes the oppressive heat, dust, and other discomforts that defined the warfighters’ daily lives. Interpersonal conflicts and collaboration are often conveyed as dialogue. Key characters are brought to life with descriptive details—physical appearance, behaviors, qualities and faults. Combat action is described vividly.

Three underlying themes dominate throughout the memoir. First, the author points out that traditionally US Marines accept orders with minimum guidance and work to accomplish their mission with a bias for action. The basic priority for this task force, however, was strictly limited to a non-combat support role. Despite the ability to monitor the ISF combat operations from the rear, he and his troops could not take an active part. Second, the incredibly complex international operating environment in Iraq generated multiple, often conflicting sources of guidance. The result was a constant state of shifting priorities and timelines. A third factor was the source of the author’s primary frustration—the pervasive risk-averse policies and directives of his superiors and Iraqi allies. These mindsets were a constant threat to the morale of his troops and his own confidence and determination.

From the outset of his assignment, he sensed that the Marine Corps senior leadership was distancing itself from the conflict in Iraq. He was repeatedly warned about the need for minimizing risk when executing his assignment. A telling blow came when the Commandant of the Marine Corps made a personal tour of the combat zone and expressed his lack of appreciation for the task force’s mission and accomplishments, stating “[N]othing we do here is gonna make any difference; nothing is gonna change.”

Despite frustrations and disappointments, however, the author was able to salvage a sense of satisfaction, knowing that he had done his utmost to lead his troops in achieving their mission. His own words belied the negative aspects of his experience: “[T]here are some things worth the risk. There are some things worth dying for.”

Any reader with an interest in the complexity of our nation’s recent military international expeditionary forays will find this book engaging, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding.

Review by Peter Young (May 2025) 

Author's Synopsis

In this sharp, challenging memoir, Col Seth Folsom lays bare the complexities of modern military combat advisor missions at the twilight of America’s longest war. "Nothing Here Worth Dying For" tells the story of his command of Task Force Lion — a “purpose-built” combat advisor team — and his frenetic 2017 deployment to Iraq’s Al Anbar Province. Charged with the daunting task of advising, assisting, and enabling the Iraqi Security Forces in their fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Folsom and his team of Marines and sailors struggled to support their Iraqi partners in the Jazeera Operations Command while simultaneously grappling with their own leadership for their relevance on the battlefield.

 "Nothing Here Worth Dying For" is the jarring coda to Folsom’s nearly thirty years in uniform — the last twenty of which he spent deploying to the long war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Far from a jingoistic tale that celebrates Corps and Country, this work challenges many of the popular assumptions about military command, leadership, loyalty, and teamwork.

As with the author’s previous books, "Nothing Here Worth Dying For" focuses on individual Marine actions at the tactical and operational levels while also addressing regional events that contributed to the overall narrative of the U.S. war in Iraq. Folsom describes his unpopular decision to prioritize his team members and their mission to support the Iraqi army above the desires of his own military service branch. As the final operation against ISIS in western Al Anbar gained steam, he questioned the wisdom of the military leadership to which he had dedicated his entire adult life. Despite his disillusionment, he committed himself to the men and women under his command who fought against the odds to accomplish a crucial mission. At its core, this is a story about teamwork and the bonds that develop when men and women risk their lives and reputations together. As the United States struggles once more to extricate itself from Iraq, this book will be a timely addition to the existing body of work about the war.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 336

Word Count: 100,795

The Very Last War by WH Hawthorne

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MWSA Review

W.H. Hawthorne’s The Very Last War is a believable techno-thriller that combines plausible weapons tech with American fighting spirit.
After a disastrous presidential administration ruins America’s reputation and causes her allies to turn against her, the United States leaves the UN and finds herself without international friends. The world, sensing the weakness of its once greatest superpower, plots to destroy her once and for all. However, two factors arise which stand in their way.
First, America’s new president, Jake O’Connor, believes in returning America to the people, and soon the country is rallying around his simple message. America’s spirit is reborn. Second, this president believes in restoring America’s military dominance and gives free reign to young technological minds to push the limits of technology on the battlefield. They soon come up with what may be a “wonder weapon.” America’s arsenal is ready.
The now hostile UN plans a two-prong invasion of the United States, with Germany pushing through Canada and China attacking via Mexico. Friendless, America is left only with her rebuilding military, its new techno-toy, and the spirit of her citizens. Will it be enough?
Fans of Tom Clancy, Harold Coyle, and Dale Brown will love this book. The science is sound, the characters colorful, and ending more than satisfying.
Review by Rob Ballister (May 2025) 

Author's Synopsis

#1 Amazon Bestseller, Political Fiction

A pivotal election revives freedom and self-governance in America, sending shockwaves across the globe and rattling four rival powers—European socialists, Chinese communists, Islamic radicals, and avaricious Russian leaders.

With dreams of world domination fading, they set aside differences and forge an alliance. Not to simply defeat America, but—with the help of a devastating new weapon—to erase it from the earth.

Outnumbered and alone, America answers with its own revolutionary weapon. But machines, no matter how intelligent, won’t be enough. Once again, survival will depend on something older. Something deeper.

The unbreakable American spirit.

In dimly lit halls of power, shadowy intrigues unfold. On sunlit battlefields, selfless heroism burns bright. Across North America, war rages from the frozen tundra of Alaska to the red clay of Alabama, from the mountains of Montana to the scorching deserts of Mexico.

If America falls, the free world falls with her.

A great generation will be needed. But can America still produce greatness?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime

Number of Pages: 543

Word Count: 153,790

Note: Audiobook version coming out by April 2025

Unknowable Minds: Philosophical Insights on AI and Autonomous Weapons by Mark Bailey

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MWSA Review

Unknowable Minds: Philosophical Insights on AI and Autonomous Weapons is written by Mark Bailey. Although the author has chosen not to list his academic credentials, he describes himself as an academic researcher who explores the impact of technology on national security at a university that serves the United States Intelligence Community. This is an academic piece written “to help people who may not be AI practitioners better understand how AI works and the risks that AI poses from a complex system perspective.” (P 15)

With extensive endnotes and bibliography, Bailey expresses his concerns through AI theory, philosophy, and mathematics, focusing on large-scale national security implications of AI. He clearly explains the differences between fully autonomous (no human intervention) and semi autonomous systems, with the latter broken further into those with a human IN the loop and those with a supervisor who can intervene, known as being ON the loop. A human in the loop is a gatekeeper who must make a positive decision in order for the system to act. Bailey then applies these lessons to warfare and global dynamics.

He has a simple message: It’s impossible to know how advanced autonomous AI will make decisions, and it’s unlikely to make decisions that humans would make. Therefore, we should “abandon our inclination to seek greater technology simply for its own sake, as well as our tendency to succumb to the pressures of global competition.” (p 155)

Review by Nancy Kauffman (April 2025)

 

Author's Synopsis

Imagine that in the cold heart of a secret military facility, a new form of intelligence awakens. It is a synthetic mind born from intricate algorithms and complex computations, operating in ways unfathomable to its human creators. Charged with safeguarding national security, this intelligence orchestrates strategies that defy human ethics and laws of war, leaving its creators both awed and unnerved. Unknowable Minds delves into the unsettling reality of entrusting our safety to an intelligence that lacks human essence. As we navigate the Age of Artificial Intelligence, these systems - powering everything from our smartphones to military defenses - remain inherently opaque and unpredictable. The book explores how AI differs from any technology we've ever developed, its inherent complexities, and the profound risks it poses to our future. Drawing on philosophy, AI theory, and national security insights, this book offers a thought-provoking examination of AI's potential and peril. From the complexities of neural networks to the unpredictable nature of emergent behaviors, Unknowable Minds challenges us to rethink our relationship with AI and its role in the theater of global security. Can we control an unknowable intellect, or will it redefine human existence? As we stand on the precipice of unprecedented technological advancement, understanding and navigating the unknowable minds of artificial intelligences become a quest fraught with extraordinary challenges and existential questions.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference

Number of Pages: 236

Word Count: 50,000