My Story: Blogs by Four Military Teens by Michelle Sherman and Anne Sherman

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MWSA Review

My Story: Blogs by Four Military Teens is an informative glimpse in the minds of four teenage children of military parents.  Mariah, Adam, Meredith, and Carlos give the reader a "no holes barred" account of their most intimate thoughts and feelings by way of blogging.  Each teen exhibits his or her own unique way of coping with a deployed parent.  Some deal with it by sharing their fears with support groups, while others internalize their anger and pain.  
 
This book is fictional in nature, but realistic by design.  It is an excellent educational tool, which would benefit any military family.  It contains not only the blogs of the teens, but also coping tips and motivational suggestions at the end of each chapter that will help the military child come to terms with his or her feelings.  At the end of the book, there is a section for the readers to document their own story as well.  
 
My Story is an informative little book giving the reader a newfound comprehension of the often forgotten sacrifices made by the children of the American soldier. 
 
Authors Dr. Michelle Sherman, PhD, and Ms. DeAnne Sherman comprise a trained, experienced, and highly motivated writing team focused on helping military families cope (and thrive).  My Story can be purchased through www.SeedsofHopeBooks.com.

Reviewed by: Claudia Pemberton (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

My Story: Blogs by Four Military Teens is a series of blogs by four military teens that highlights their feelings and experiences before, during, and after parental deployment. It provides support and education for all military teens and pre-teens by honoring their unique joys and sacrifices, addressing their fears and hopes, and exploring how parental deployment affects their lives.

Tecumseh: Shooting Star of the Shawnee – Dwight J. Zimmerman

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MWSA Review

Intended for young readers, this is the story of Tecumseh (1768-1813), who rose to become the greatest Chief of the Shawnee. Tecumseh was the most effective Indian leader in regards to uniting other tribes in an effort to keep the United States from taking all of their land. A well thought of man even among whites he along with his brother Tenskwatawa (The Prophet) almost succeeded in their ambitions. Tecumseh was killed in the battle of the Thames in 1813; his British allies had run from the field of battle leaving him and his fellow warriors to continue the battle alone, an act typical of the relationship between Indian and non-Indian.

This textbook story brings out some of the issues that caused a majority of the violence and hatred between settlers and those indigenous to these lands.  Young readers will get a sense of the greatness that was Tecumseh, a leader of unbelievable skills in war and oratory.

This is worth reading to gain some insight into the times and goes further than most textbooks in describing both sides of a conflict that continues even today.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Tecumseh, a Shawnee chief, had a steadfast goal: protecting Native American rights. After the American Revolution and up through the War of 1812, Shawnee warriors fought alongside the British against the Americans. As a respected leader, Tecumseh attempted to form a pact with other Native Americans to protect their land from United States westward expansion. He became a hero even to his enemies after rescuing American prisoners from massacre. Caught up in a struggle for power, this defiant leader proved that he was also a man of courage and mercy.

Firefight on Brown Water by Lynn Salsi

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MWSA Review

Firefight on Vietnam Brown Water is war seen through the eyes of a scared young man. Al Lupo is a football star at a small college in Pennsylvania, and safe from the draft. But a paperwork error sees him drafted, so he opts for the Navy to avoid being a grunt. His first two years in service are spent in Florida working in air traffic control, but his life gets turned upside down when he receives orders to Vietnam and to SWIFT boats.  Having never seen more violence than a college football game, the young Lupo makes a vow to do whatever it takes to get home in one piece. Will it be enough?

This story is obviously well researched, and the author did an excellent job of putting experiences from several interviewed SWIFT veterans into the story (among the interviewed veterans was her husband). It portrays the rigors of combat and the rawness of being in a combat zone accurately, but without being overly gory or profane. It is a relatively easy read, and contains a helpful glossary and a short but well done picture section. I especially like the author's note at the end, where she explains her reasons for writing the book.  

Vietnam veterans in general and SWIFT or PBR veterans in particular will relate significantly to this book, but anyone who reads it will learn a lot about this little-known aspect of the Vietnam War.

Reviewed by: Rob Ballister (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Al Lupo, an 18 year old college freshman with a passion for football, lives in a small town near Pittsburgh. He is living his father's dream--playing football, when he is drafted. His world falls apart as he loses his girlfriend and is deprived of his chance to please his father. To avoid serving in Vietnam, Al joins the Navy. Yet, he is ordered to serve on a 50-foot SWIFT boat on the dangerous brown-water rivers of Vietnam, which puts him in the middle of war. He is faced with learning new skills, excelling despite the disdain of officers for enlisted men, living through daily uncertainties, and surviving the war. 
 
With historically accurate scenes and action, this is a different view of the Vietnam War. The story centers on one small crew of men fighting for their country on a small boat in a primitive wilderness environment where rivers are the only roads.  

Finding My Way: A Teenager's Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma by Michelle Sherman and DeAnne Sherman

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MWSA Review

This extremely well-written and helpful book offers enlightening guidance and resources for the teen that must face the issue of coping with a parent who has experienced trauma. Written in an easy to understand style, it directly tackles the tough issues that a teenager in this situation must face. Finding My Way offers teenagers many answers to their questions about why their parent acts or reacts in varying disturbing ways. Examples of actual PTSD-related situations and encouraging the teen to write their own experiences with a PTSD affected parent is unique and Finding My Way is a must-read for the teen looking for answers and resources. A wonderfully helpful resource for the teen desperately seeking understanding about this difficult situation.   

Reviewed by: E. Franklin Evans (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Finding My Way: A Teen's Guide to Living with a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma is a unique, award-winning three-part book that honestly and gently addresses key issues in dealing with a parent who has experienced trauma. An important resource for anyone working with teens, this interactive book includes clear information and opportunities for self-expression.

Kings of the Green Jelly Moon by Mike Mullins, James Jellerson, Lloyd, and jim greenwald

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MWSA Review

The title “Kings of the Green Jelly Moon” is reflective of the innocence of childhood. Back when children believed the moon to be made of green cheese. An innocence confronted by the reality of Nam. Vietnam cast a long shadow, this CD is our effort to place our emotions on view so hopefully others can gain some peace. We are not trying to justify Vietnam, a war that some believe we should never have been involved in. 

Available from: www.kimoproductions.com, and cdbaby at http://cdbaby.com/cd/gjkm , as well as from the authors.

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Author's Synopsis

The title “Kings of the Green Jelly Moon” is reflective of the innocence of childhood. Back when children believed the moon to be made of green cheese. An innocence confronted by the reality of Nam. Vietnam cast a long shadow, this CD is our effort to place our emotions on view so hopefully others can gain some peace. We are not trying to justify Vietnam, a war that some believe we should never have been involved in. 

Available from: www.kimoproductions.com, and cdbaby at http://cdbaby.com/cd/gjkm , as well as from the authors.

Lucky Enough by Eddie Beesley

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MWSA Review

The audio book Lucky Enough by Cpl. Eddie R. Beesley is a book that should be heard by everyone that wants to listen to a memoir of a very courageous person, who served his country well, but also who was brave enough to tell the story of just how the Viet Nam War affected him, in more ways than the obvious physical loss. If you have the opportunity to read this book or listen to the audio version consider yourself  "lucky enough" to have read a book that just may change your thinking about a time in history when there wasn't the troop support that there is in today's world.  
 
Cpl. Eddie R. Beesley is a hero in my book. The fact that he and his wife, Connie, did the narration for the CD makes it that much more special, in my opinion. Mr. Beesley shares about his life from his early days, how he ventured into the Marine Corps, and life beyond.  He takes his listeners through his life, but intersperses the narration with chapters telling the story about his visit to The Wall in Washington, D.C, which took place thirty years after the day that changed his life forever. Those of us who haven't served and/or sacrificed for our country can only know through a hero's story such as Lucky Enough the strength that it takes for a Viet Nam Veteran to face The Wall. It is a reminder to us about how many men and women have suffered so much.  
 
Mr. Beesley's journey is one of many hills and valleys and readers will travel with him all along the way. He is a Marine through and through and the comparison of who he is today to the young man who enlisted in the USMC at age seventeen reveals a lot about his inner strength.  Be sure to have your Kleenex close at hand when you are listening/reading. It is a touching book about a man who wouldn't let the loss of his legs keep him from moving forward. One would think that was enough to be able to overcome, but other struggles faced Eddie Beesley. Listen along and ask yourself where your inner strength comes from and learn from a man who is a true hero.

Reviewed by: Joyce Gilmour (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

In August, 1965, Marine Corporal Eddie Beesley stepped on a landmine near Chu Lai in Vietnam. The resulting explosion changes his life forever. Lucky Enough is the inspiring story of how Eddie dealt with the most terrible moment of his life. 

Vietnam in Verse – Mike Mullins

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MWSA Review

Vietnam War Poetry That Bares The Human Soul.  Author Mike Mullins states in his book, “It is what it is; a number of poems inviting people to experience what an average soldier felt during a time of war!” “It”, of course, refers to his book of poems about war. The ‘people’ the author refers to are those ‘people’ who have not experienced the wrath of war or felt the incredible affects that combat has on the human psyche … affects a soldier carries with him for the rest of his life … affects that many soldiers can’t cope with … affects that many soldiers can’t or won’t talk about … affects that scarred the minds of many soldiers similar to the physical scars caused by hot shrapnel, bullets, mortars, and rockets that the author talks about in his poem, Hey Medic.

Mike bares his soul in a unique way so others will experience the intangibles of war and thus be able to feel, live, smell, and taste what he did, what others did, what others can’t, don’t, and won’t talk about but are grateful to Mike for being their voice. Mike reveals many facets of war that most ‘people’ never read about or think about … inner consternations that are intense, intimate, and oft times incredibly private. Mike weaves his poetic stories on a literary loom with yarns that expose the inner sanctity, silence, and agonies of war that until now were harbored within his soul much the same as an artist’s brush paints intimate visions on an otherwise blank canvas. Mike’s words leave little doubt that war is a personal hell and that each soldier wages many separate wars within their souls.

Reviewed by: Lloyd A. King (2007)

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Author's Synopsis

I am Michael D. Mullins. I have written a book of poetry, telling my story when I was a grunt in Vietnam. I served there from March 1968 until March 1969. My unit was Delta Company, 3rd Battalion of the 7th Infantry in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. Our motto was “Light, swift and accurate.” It could have easily been “light, sweaty and persistent.” We were mobile and proved it every day.

The stories I tell are about friends, vets I have met in various situations and my own experiences in the rice paddies of Southeast Asia. I continue to seek stories that inspire, concern, and delight me. They make me thoughtful, proud, and committed to their telling.

I have more to write and will continue to listen to the veterans I encounter on life’s road. There are 8.2 million of us, so I am sure I will not get to everyone, but to those from whom I have already learned and those in my future I offer my gratitude, my respect, and my thanks.

Sailing Away – James Jellerson

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MWSA Review

Not available

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Author's Synopsis

Way Back Home – Jeff Senour & CTS

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MWSA Review

Thumbs up and a star rating to CTS's CD No Turning Back.  Sixteen tracks of modern rock music featuring talent over volume, no matter what age this music will get you out of your chair and on your feet.  This Phoenix based group consisting of; Jeff Senour (Lead Vocals & Guitar), Dave Legassey (Bass Guitar & Vocals), Steve Howes (Lead Guitar & Vocals), and Joe McGinnity (Drums), bring a freshness to good old rock'n-roll.

Deserving of the National acclaim they have received and for their performances before and for the troops here and abroad, having worked with Gary Sinisi and groups like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Molly Hatchett and Petra.

The CD is a great listen, not the cookie cutter rock heard too often today, they are unique in their diversity, ambition and direction as demonstrated on track after track.  Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy, you will not be disappointed, I recommend this CD to all.

A special thanks for their work in helping and supporting our Veterans!  Looking forward to the next CD.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2010)

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Author's Synopsis

Earning My Wings by Shirley Dobbins Forgan

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MWSA Review

Life travels faster than her husband’s air force fighter jets in this thirty-one year reflection of constant movement over the globe. Shirley Dobbins Forgan meets a young pilot and they begin their ride in his ’56 Corvette. Two boys and twenty-two moves later, she retires with her Major General. Whether in McAlester, Yugoslavia, or countless other locations, the author meets royalty and reality with the same graceful energy. I wondered if I could do laundry and get a bag packed in the time it took Shirley Forgan to set up a new home, move according to regulations, and set up again in another location somewhere across the world. She juggles the multiple challenges thrown her way with admirable determination. To compact her personal roles and social obligations together reveals a steady hand and strong heart. I can relate to raising two boys. But it’s hard to imagine how Shirley moved her two through nine schools before graduation! Earning My Wings had me reconsider if my own schedules were really that hectic and the author’s world travels never ceased to fascinate me. I recommend this book for anyone thinking they’ve got too much on their plate. The reader will appreciate the gamut of challenges well handled.

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

When Shirley said 'I will' at her wedding to Dave Forgan, she should have added 'I'll move.' At the age of twenty-three, Shirley Dobbins married an air force jet fighter pilot and took off on a globetrotting adventure, from being a first lieutenant's girlfriend to general's wife. Shirley traveled with Dave, all while raising two boys and fulfilling all the duties of a military wife with a sense of humor and dedication. Readers will discover the life of a military wife, a lifestyle certainly not for sissies. It takes a special woman, willing to make sacrifices, but the rewards are remarkable. There are happy occasions, exciting travels, sad times, hilarious incidents, proud moments, and lifelong friends to be made. Military wives and mothers will find comfort and joy in these pages, and civilian women will gain insight into this exclusive world. Join Shirley as she wings her way on this journey in Earning My Wings. It's an unforgettable ride and delight.

Targeted Killing by Thomas B. Hunter

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MWSA Review

World-wide terrorism has created an environment where it has become necessary for nations to target individuals known to be a present or future threat to those nations' safety and security. This action, known as targeted killing, is distinguished from assassination in that assassination is committed for political or ideological reasons.

Targeted killing, therefore, can be said to be an act of self-defense by a nation; it has no regard for politics or ideology, while assassination is an act that is committed for purely political or ideological reasons.

The reader is lead through a definition of both terms, then presented with state studies, involving targeted killing, of three prominent nations. These state studies provide the reader with an objective look at why targeted killing is sometimes necessary. It also has examples of failed attempts at targeted killing, and the consequences of failed or incomplete targeted killing missions. These consequences can include collateral damage, like the unintentional killing of civilians, or the martyrdom of the terrorist.

Targeted Killing was originally published as a paper that appeared in Henley-Putnam University's Journal of Strategic Security. Its bibliography is extensive and detailed, and it is to be recommended for anyone who has an interest in global terrorism and how it relates to safety and security.

Reviewed by: Larry Wikoff (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

Targeted Killing: Self-Defense, Preemption, and the War on Terrorism by Thomas Hunter presents a reasoned, impeccably researched, and multi-faceted analysis of the tactic of targeted killing assessing its role, efficacy, and appropriateness in the current world political and military climate. Target killing is just one available option to national governments in their varied arsenals of state-sponsored strategies and tactics for fighting terrorism. Nevertheless, it is one of the most controversial and logistically dangerous options a government can exercise in preemptive strikes against real and current threats to national security. Author Hunter skillfully maneuvers through the moral, military, political, and tactical issues that can both cloud and clarify a government’s implementation of state-sponsored targeted killing. Written with an expert and precise understanding of the issue, Targeted Killing offers an objective and indispensable perspective on a contentious and timely debate.

Project Dragonslayers by Kathy Rowe

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MWSA Review

Terrorism and discrimination rolled into one interesting and very tangled story. Ms. Rowe weaves the two seemingly unrelated subjects into an excellent story, filled with suspense that leaves the reader anxiously looking forward to turning the page.

The premise is an Air Force (female) Lt. Colonel who runs into problems with a Navy Rear Admiral in her efforts to start an elite Special Forces Unit. Between events with the Admiral, terrorists, gang members, ptsd and one's own personal demons the action and interaction will keep you in your seat.

That issues of discrimination exist one should have no doubts, thankfully they are not prevalent in the armed forces, but that does not imply they do not exist as Tryggvessons story unfolds within this story.

This book will interest males and females and all branches of the military as it will be easy to see the story as something that may have or could have in some way existed for each of them. Lots of toys (weapons) involved to grab the interest of action fans and an equal amount of human interest and interaction.

It is a long book, 578 pages, but one the reader will not put down until finished. For first time author Rowe this is an excellent effort, the first of a trilogy I know I will read.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

US Air Force Lt. Col. Eagle Tryggvesson got more than she bargained for when she tangled with Navy Rear Admiral Richard Westland over a proposal for an elite Special Forces unit. Eventually losing the battle, Westland swore that she would fail- he would make certain of that. Eagle must fight against discrimination and corruption to put her highly unorthodox team together. She arrives at China Lake Naval Weapons Station to find the beginnings of Westland's sabotage. It would be up to her and the members of her team to beat the deck that had been stacked against them. 

Her second in command is the handsome and brilliant Maj. D.M. Elliott who falls in love with her despite their difference in rank and the prohibitive chain of command. They must work together to keep their team and their love alive. The team battles terrorists, violent gang members, and their own personal demons along with the frightening bouts of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that haunt many warriors.

Look Long Into the Abyss by A.R. Homer

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MWSA Review

Look Long into the Abyss by A.R. Homer is a gripping novel set as Nazi Germany disintegrates at the end of World War II in Europe. The book is an Odyssey-like story of a quest to arrive at Alt Aussee, where Hitler intends to make the last stand of the Third Reich; and where, in a salt mine, are stored thousands of stolen art masterpieces that represent Hitler’s private collection.

Heading for Alt Aussee SS Brigadefuhrer Reinhard Hofmann, who has been personally ordered by Hitler to establish the final fortress of Nazi Germany. Failing that, he has been ordered to destroy the entire collection of masterpieces to keep them from falling into allied hands. Also racing for Alt Aussee are Americans Lt.Gina Cortazzo and Sgt. Bill Terrill, closely trailing the allied forces as they crush the remaining Nazi resistance.  Hofmann is driven by fanaticism for the Nazi cause, Gina is driven by idealism to save the art, and the war weary Bill only wants to see the war end so he can go home.

Also in the mix of this finely crafted novel are Frieda, the mother of a young daughter and a son, Wolfgang, who has gone over to the Hitler Youth and is now racing toward Alt Aussee with Hofmann. The family harbors a secret related to the death of Frieda’s husband, deadly to both Frieda and Wolfgang. Add in the mix Stanislaus, a Polish forced labor slave with a priceless piece of art in his possession, who joins forces with Frieda; and Father Hieronymus, an abbot whose monastery exists only at the indulgence of the local Gestapo, and harbors dangerous secrets.  

The lives of these characters intersect and interact in the dangerous environment of Nazi Germany collapsing. The characters are vividly drawn, the book is historically accurate, and the climax is breathtaking.  It is a novel that is impossible to put down as it speeds toward the denouement. This book is highly recommended to anyone interested in military and in particular World War II novels.

Reviewed by: Weymouth Symmes (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

The Third Reich is collapsing.  The rules have changed.
There are no rules.
 
Nazi Germany, 1945. Hitler Youth on suicide missions…old men hanged for desertion …marauding slave laborers…homeless Germans clogging roads…and looted art hidden all over.

As Hitler’s Germany thrashes in its death throes, Lt. Gina Cortazzo follows close behind the American front to rescue art stolen by the Nazis.  Her success awaits the capture of Alt Aussee, the salt mine where the thousands of stolen masterpieces in Hitler’s private collection are hidden.

But SS Brigadeführer Reinhard Hofmann is also heading there with his crack forces, on his way to establish a final fortress where Nazism can hold out.  And he is ready to carry out the Führer’s final order: destroy the entire collection, should it be in danger of falling into enemy hands.

Look Long into the Abyss paints a chilling and vivid picture of the last days of World War II.  The cast of characters includes Sgt. Bill Terrill, who saves Gina’s life as they cross paths with suicidal Hitlerjugend; Frieda, the mother of a Hitler Youth fighting with Hofmann; Stanislaus, the Polish slave laborer with whom Frieda and her daughter form an unlikely alliance; and Father Hieronymus, the abbot whose monastery harbors more than one dangerous secret.

Throughout the chaos, Raphael’s Portrait of a Young Man weaves a spell. Thieved from thieves, lost then found, the priceless work alters the lives of Frieda, Stanislaus, and Gina…and others caught in the maelstrom.

MWSA Library

This is a listing of all books submitted by MWSA members.

Books will appear in the order of entry--not by chronological by awards and review season.  Since we're in the process of transferring old books from prior websites, this means you may find older books near the top of this page.

To browse books by season, please return to our main library page. 

The Adventures of Brisky Bear by Steve Bolt

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MWSA Review

Once again Briskey Bear & Trooper Dog convey their message to children in an age appropriate manner that children will find easy to understand. Today’s fast paced society too often neglects the emotional needs of its children. In this book as in “Be Kind, Be Friendly, Be Thankful parents are given a necessary tool that is a quick read and easy to understand that will have a positive and lasting effect on tier children regarding situations of separation.

This story is a continuation of Briskey Bear & Trooper Dog: Be Kind, Be Friendly, Be Thankful. In this book titled “Back Home Again”, the reunion of Briskey Bear and Trooper Dog and their friend’s shows how hard readjusting can be. It continues in the same teaching style (age appropriate) while it demonstrates the positive side of new outlooks, new hobbies and new friends. Everything comes together to make the reunion a joyous one. While not dwelling on the negative side of the issues that had arose in the first book.

The book like the former explains by in easy to understand language ways to deal with issues of separation and readjustment. Like the first book “Home Again” is a good children’s book. The illustrations are eye catching and as with the first book it also hash its own CD. Parents I dare say may benefit from reading it before reading it to their children.

Reviewed by: Jim Greenwald, MWSA Lead Reviewer (January 2011)

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Author's Synopsis

Be Kind, Be Friendly, Be Thankful address the issues of separation, loneliness, sadness, anger and frustration.  In the book Brisky Bear, the adult figure, has to go away to work on a farm.  The young pup Trooper Dog, who is the child figure, wrestles through his feelings of separation while Brisky is away.  The book shows how hard deployment can be, but demonstrates healthy ways for children to respond to the deployment of their parents.  The book teaches children how to be heroes at home by being Kind, Friendly and Thankful.

Life Interrupted by War Thomas van Hees

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MWSA Review

Beginning as a seventeen-year old Marine, Thomas van Hees presents a sobering account of a common man's journey through Vietnam, mainly serving as an M60 machine gunner. The author interestingly portrays the uneventful, but then in a split-second, bullets zip through him and his platoon. Life altering chaos adds to the story and to the complexity of young van Hees. He and his Marines carry on, but there are fewer as time passes. The author details many experiences - guard duty at the wire, walking patrol, and flying onboard a medevac chopper enroute to a hospital ship for a long stay. I hoped the author's duty was over by then ... but he returned, exactly where a sniper shot him months before. I wonder how and why he and other men gave and lost so much in Vietnam. Thomas van Hees relates that many didn't care about the returning soldier's suffering, sacrifice, or acts of heroism. I recommend his book to those who would care to learn.

Reviewed by: Hodge Wood (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

Beginning as a seventeen-year old Marine, Thomas van Hees presents a sobering account of a common man's journey through Vietnam, mainly serving as an M60 machine gunner. The author interestingly portrays the uneventful, but then in a split-second, bullets zip through him and his platoon. Life altering chaos adds to the story and to the complexity of young van Hees. He and his Marines carry on, but there are fewer as time passes. The author details many experiences - guard duty at the wire, walking patrol, and flying onboard a medevac chopper enroute to a hospital ship for a long stay. I hoped the author's duty was over by then ... but he returned, exactly where a sniper shot him months before. I wonder how and why he and other men gave and lost so much in Vietnam. Thomas van Hees relates that many didn't care about the returning soldier's suffering, sacrifice, or acts of heroism. I recommend his book to those who would care to learn. 

Eisenhower & Montgomery by William Weidner

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MWSA Review

William Weidner (who is an obvious historian) takes the reader back in time to WWII in his fully documented and well researched book, "Eisenhower & Montgomery at the Falaise Gap". The footnotes and extra information truly supports the author's contentions of the stress and issues between Allied Supreme Commander, General Eisenhower and British General Montgomery. We learn how politics and other side issues took the place at times, of good military planning and strategies. 

I came away realizing just how good of a true diplomat Eisenhower was. He had to pull the allies together and that was no small matter. He had to deal with the super egos of his own American military forces like General George Patton and some even bigger allied egos that had far less military leadership skills. General Montgomery was one of those that Ike had to get motivated. This book exposes that underbelly that caused more than just concern but perhaps many American lives as well. 

The book is not light reading - but is worth the effort. For those who love WWII books and history this is must reading! Put this book on your short list of informative history books! The author has done an outstanding job of capturing the events and the essence of these historic figures. It is an impressive work of capturing real history!

Reviewed by: Bill McDonald (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

Hoping to avoid an unfavorable comparison with the much larger United States Army in France, British leaders sometimes played politics with Allied strategy. The trouble began at a small town in Normandy named Falaise. The fourteen (14) miles between Falaise and Argentan have come down through history as the Falaise Gap. Between August 8 and August 21, 1944, the Allies won a great victory in France. But it was not as complete as it might have been and over 100,000 German soldiers used this gap as their escape route out of France. The Supreme Allied Commander, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was not able to keep his generals focused on their enemy. As historian Russell F. Weigley observed, 'The Allied armies in Europe simply lacked one of the prerequisites of military success, unity of command.' After the Battle of the Falaise Gap, Allied decisions appeared to be more the result of partisan political bickering than sound military strategy. By September 1944, the Anglo-American military alliance was dead and it required every ounce of General Eisenhower's considerable political skill to keep this secret from the public. 

The Corydon Snow by Richard Whitten Barnes

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MWSA Review

This a fast-paced yet intimate look at WWII's Merchant Marine crews engaged in fierce combat against the Japanese. A freighter carrying high explosive fuel is the setting for this gripping tale of courage and leadership, ill will and revenge. Barnes clearly knows his military history and expertly explores the psychological dramas of men isolated for months at a time in the most dangerous waters of the Pacific. Unforgettable characters are expertly developed and no reader can resist having opinions early in this story about some of America's bravest fighters. And, just when you think you know it all, the book ends with a surprising twist that is both stunning and believable. Well done, Barnes.

Reviewed by: Carmen Stenholm (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

The white hot story of a WWII freighter, loaded with high explosive fuel, its heroic crew and navy gunners drawn face to face with the most dangerous battle areas of the Pacific. A young Japanese Naval Air cadet trains for a mission that will bring him to in direct conflict with the star-crossed SS Corydon Snow. 

Belle of the Brawl by Gary A. Best

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MWSA Review

Gary A. Best's Belle of the Brawl is a wonderful portrait of the relationship between a boy and his mother, told through the letters of young Fred Lull as he writes home during his training and deployment as a B-17 bombardier. It describes a warm, emotional relationship, where a young man in harm's way continuously works to reassure his worried mother that he is just fine and plenty safe, even when the horrors of war surround him.

Best does a great job of interspersing the letters from Fred with notes,comments, and news clippings about the war at that time. This serves to both allow the reader to fix in history when the story occurred and also to contrast the harsh realities of war with the boy's club picture that Fred paints for his mother.

In addition to developing the picture of the relationship, the book does a wonderful job of painting a picture of what life was like in America during World War II. The reader learns about rationing, traveling in the United States, and how Americans worked to make ends meet in the 1940's.

This book is an excellent addition to any library, but will be especially enjoyed by military aviation buffs and World War II veterans.

Reviewed by: Rob Ballister (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

Belle of the Brawl chronicles the WW II experiences of a B-17 bombardier through the Plexiglas nose of his B-17. Based on the 150 letters the airman wrote home to his mom, much of the horrors of what he experienced off the wing of his plane, aircraft destroyed, dismemberment by flak, go unshared. He didn't want her to worry so he couldn't tell her, "I noticed some movement and a flash of light out of the corner of my right eye . . . the plane that had been flying right next to us had exploded and simply disappeared." Using the bombardier's combat flight record, research data, and interviews of former B-17 crewmembers, Belle of the Brawl unfolds, breaking through the barrier of an unwillingness and inability to tell loved ones of the smell and taste of the war. He and others wrote home in generalities but remembered something quite different. Flying over Berlin, circled with more than 700 antiaircraft cannons, the massive air armada of D-Day and the horrendous air battle over Brux are revealed and remembered long after the struggles of combat - After I got home, "I'd wake up screaming and the same FW would be coming after me."

Eddie & Bingo: A Friendship Tale by Katherine & Kathleen L. Taylor

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MWSA Review

Eddie and Bingo are the kind of heroes children will love and parents will want to be part of their family's life. This book is wonderful for many reasons and one of the most profound is the sense of normalcy the authors give to basic human kindness. There are no super-heroes, only young American sailors who lived a challenging chapter in American history with kindness and a sense of duty to even the smallest of "friends". Bingo is more than a puppy; he is a means for profound values to find expression in the unlikely setting of an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Fleet of 1951. "Eddie and Bingo" is a story that will become a treasure for its simple but profound lessons in history and its glimpse into compassion among military personnel.

Reviewed by: Carmen Stenholm (2011)

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Author's Synopsis

Eddie and his buddies embark upon the journey of their lives aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.  As they cruise the Pacific Ocean they learn how important teamwork and friendships really are.  Then something happens aboard ship that changes their lives and sets them off on a new course they hadn't counted on!  Join Eddie and the rest of the crew to find out what happens next...