The Wicked Problem of Cultural Heritage and Conflict by Christopher Herndon and Joris Kila

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MWSA Review

Though only 134 pages long, "The Wicked Problem of Cultural Heritage and Conflict" is a surprisingly thorough examination of the reasons behind the destruction of culturally significant sites, artifacts, and living creatures in times of conflict and of the institutions and laws in place. The authors provide not only numerous examples, but also identify relevant institutions and international laws devoted to protecting them. They also examine the diverse motivations behind the devastation of looting, trafficking, and outright destruction, and how even the language used to describe such incidents has evolved and become a point of contention. The many recent examples mentioned in the book highlight the scope of the problem and how urgent is to find solutions to solve it. "The Wicked Problem of Cultural Heritage and Conflict" is a good primer for someone looking to better understand this international tragedy.

Review by Dwight Zimmerman (July 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

The Wicked Problem of Cultural Heritage and Conflict: Military involvement in the protection and devastation of Cultural Property.

The world’s cultural heritage is currently not only threatened by time, nature, and human development and also increasingly by armed conflicts. We see destructions caused by looting and illicit traffic but also iconoclasm and manipulations of cultural heritage for political, religious, economic, and propaganda reasons. Revenues derived from the illegal selling are often used to finance conflicts as illustrated in the Da’esh business model example in this publication. Cultural Property Protection (CPP), while legally mandatory under national and international law, are poorly implemented and sanctions are rarely enforced. There is however, a constant and international demand for education and outcomes of multidisciplinary research on the topic, especially in the context of conflict and crime.

Research must include military perspectives, and common mechanisms connected to abuse and protection. Outcomes should contain academic conceptualization, as well as practice based solutions to diminish and mitigate damage. To meet demands while expanding, and following up on their previous works, the authors wrote this publication. It contains a selection of case examples and incorporates recent developments and trends. All ingredients serve to feed research and dialogue about the use and abuse of cultural heritage especially in the event of conflict, with a focus on cooperation and coordination between civil stakeholders and military parties.

A selection of identified fundamental CPP problems is discussed as part of a comparative analysis with field examples such as the Dugong case, an illustration of overlap between cultural and natural heritage coined as hybrid heritage. Other cases include events in Libya, Estonia, Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Mali. All are weighed against Horst Rittel’s wicked problems theory and other concepts while involving new notions of securitization, politicization, memorialization and propagandization of cultural property. Last but not least, the authors signal within circles of IO’s, NGO’s and Governmental parties involved in the management and protection of heritage, an increase of bureaucratic behavior and political use of mankind’s cultural heritage contributing to the current deplorable situation.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-9994932-1-2, 978-0-9994932-2-9, 978-0-9994932-0-5
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Genre(s): Nonfiction, Creative Nonfiction, Reference
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference
Number of Pages: 134
 

Eddie and Bingo : Destination Christmas by Kathleen and Katherine Taylor

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MWSA Review

Eddie and Bingo: Destination Christmas by Kathleen Taylor and Katherine L. Taylor is a delightful children’s picture book based on the life of a U.S. Navy sailor. As a sequel to Eddie and Bingo: A Friendship Tale, this book explores the life of a naval combat photographer during the years of the Korean War. The book is a heartwarming tale of normal everyday ship life as well as time spent ashore. Eddie, our “hero” is a regular guy whose kindness and compassion shine through in all he does. After Christmas leave is cut short and Eddie is ordered to return to the ship, the sailors find a meaningful way to share Christmas where they are stationed. And what about Bingo, the dog Eddie discovered on board in the previous book? Rest assured he makes an appearance in this book too, bringing joy to children and sailors alike.

Eddie and Bingo is engagingly illustrated, and children will identify particularly with the facial expressions of the characters throughout the book. They will also find enough detail to capture their attention while someone reads the words of each spread.  A brief glossary of navy terms as well as some fun facts are found in the back, along with some of the actual photos taken by the Navy photographer who is the inspiration for this book.

For those who love the Navy or are interested in learning more about combat photographers, this book will provide exceptional conversations with your young ones.

Review by Betsy Beard (July 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Eddie's Christmas Destination is uncertain. Will he fly home to New York City for the holidays?Could he stay in Hawaii fulfilling the admiral's photo assignments? Would the Navy send him back to Japan to be reunited with his pup, Bingo? See what develops this Christmas?

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-62901-538-5
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Creative Nonfiction, History, Biography, Picture Book
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 48
 

Flowers from Afghanistan by Suzy Parish

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MWSA Review

In “Flowers from Afghanistan” by Suzy Parish, the narrator, Mac, grieving the death of his young son, leaves his wife of seven years at home to accept a year-long position in Afghanistan training police officers. Through his friendships with military and civilian Americans on base and a local contract worker, Gil, and his young son, Mac begins to understand that others’ lives are also filled with pain, and that his attempts to ignore or escape from suffering are fruitless. Although Mac resists Sophie and her faith in God for a long while, in the end he discovers the redemptive power of love.  

Set mainly in Afghanistan, the novel is filled with intriguing glimpses into life in an exotic, war-torn country. The author presents interesting details (many of which, the author acknowledges, come from her husband’s descriptions of his experiences as a police trainer in Afghanistan) of the Afghan countryside and customs as well as life on base. For example, Mac at one point notes that in Afghanistan “beards were honored as the sign of an elder.” At their best, the images reveal a character’s feelings or mindset, as when Mac compares the bright orange sky to “the color of ice cream on a stick I bought as a kid” or when he notes how Sophie, clearly disappointed in his lack of responsiveness, “unwrapped herself from my arm, like removing last year’s worn jacket.” While reading, I often found myself marveling at the strength of an image or a bit of dialogue, such as the time when Sophie asks Mac, who gives her so little emotional support, “Can’t you just pick me up some flowers?” 

“Flowers from Afghanistan,” directed at a Christian audience, is about redemption from suffering. Mac, despite his obtuseness, does grow in faith and ability to love. To me, however, despite the novel’s exemplary use of metaphorical language, Mac and the other characters remain essentially flat and one-dimensional, and the most crucial relationships lack development. Little Mac’s death and Mac’s flight to Afghanistan, for instance, both come too quickly in the book, so that we aren’t immediately drawn into the story and don’t really understand Mac’s motivations. While perhaps not sophisticated enough for a wide adult audience, with some revision “Flowers from Afghanistan” could appeal to YA readers.
 
MWSA Review by Nancy Arbuthnot (July 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Weighed down by guilt following the death of his two-year-old son, Mac McCann accepts a year-long position training police officers in Afghanistan. Leaving his wife Sophie to grieve alone, he hopes the life-or-death distractions of his self-imposed exile will build a wall between him and his pain.

As camaraderie builds between Mac and the men on base---including a local barber and his precocious little boy---Mac's heart becomes invested in stories beyond his own tragedy and he learns he is not the only one running from loss. But when the hour of attack arrives, will he be able to see past his guilt to believe there's still something---and someone---worth living for?

With touching details based on true events, Flowers from Afghanistan is a redemptive journey of healing, a chronicle of hope in crisis, and a testament to the faithfulness of God through it all.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 978-1-5223-0116-5  ASIN B07BZ2CWXQ
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Literary Fiction
Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 200
 

Jungle in Black by Steve Maguire

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MWSA Review

Brutal, compassionate... a soldier copes with blindness.

"Jungle in Black" is a raw-boned, "tell it as it is" book that takes a young Airborne Ranger officer from being injured on patrol in Vietnam to recovery in an Army field hospital to Japan,  and finally to Walter Reed Army Hospital in our nation's capital. 
Written in a vivid style that puts us in the shoes of the soldier, we experience the agony of a grenade exploding near our head, the terrifying blackness of a hospital, the hopes of seeing with one damaged eye dashed, and the realization that a cherished Army career is over.

Steve Maguire does not mire us in self-pity nor in the Pollyanna-ish euphoria of conquering blindness. Instead, he lays out a painful path of disappointment, void of a future in the Army, to a functioning man who can hold his own in a barroom brawl. Chock full of humorous incidents, such as wheelchair races down the hospital halls to profane escapades on frequent passes to the Goal Post, a neighborhood bar, one laughs and cries with the author. 

A college co-ed befriends him, helps turn his life around, and gives him purpose in life. They marry and have six children. He continues his studies and has a career with the Department of the Army as a civilian.

"Jungle in Black" is the tale of one soldier's long journey home from Vietnam. It is a true story of overcoming adversity. It is a story that falls into the "must read" category.

Review by Joe Epley (May 2018)

MWSA's evaluation of this book found a number of technical problems—including some combination of misspellings, grammar, punctuation, or capitalization errors—which indicate that further editing would lead to a much-improved final product.

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Author's Synopsis

The True Story of One Soldier's Long Journey Home from Vietnam

This is the memoir of Steve Maguire, a decorated young Airborne Ranger, infantry officer who commanded a 9th infantry Division battalion reconnaissance platoon in the Mekong Delta.  It was there in November 1969 while on am airmobile operation that an exploding Viet Cong mine blinded him for life.

He lost his sight but not his courage.

Jungle in Black is an honest first-person account that never wallows in self pity as the author reassembles his life in a country that had turned its back on the war. Set in Long An Province. Vietnam, Camp Zama. Japan, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC, this powerful yet often witty human drama details one man's successful struggle against the war's desolation.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-49230-332-9
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Nonfiction, Memoir
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 423
 

The Perfection of Valor by Bob Mustin

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MWSA Review

Bob Mustin has written another fine book in The Perfection of Valor. A quick and easy read, the author writes about the events of August 29, 2005, perhaps most notable to many for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina.

However, in The Perfection of Valor, Mustin uses Katrina as one of his many subplots to pile on the stress affecting Cary Fletcher as August 29 is also the day Cary is supposed to be getting married. While the approaching storm indirectly has its affect on Cary, he is living upstate in Louisiana, and his concern is for his bride's sister still in New Orleans. The larger scenario affecting Cary is one he's had to endure since childhood, his relationship with his father, a highly decorated Marine now suffering from dementia and living in a nursing home. On the morning of the day he is to be married, Cary introduces Cornelia, his fiancé, to his father, only to have his father insult Cornelia and display his racial prejudice.  On top of this, Cary discovers that his father may have hit his mother, bruising and cutting her face. The author has tossed all this on his protagonist on the day of his planned wedding.  I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys literary fiction, and especially to those who might want to discover how this book ends. 

MWSA Review by Bob Doerr (July 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Colonel Fletcher Hinton, USMC, retired, has had a storied career, but one aspect of his life remains wanting as his end approaches: family. Son Cary, a former Marine and now a college professor, is about to marry outside his race, and the old man, suffering a bout of dementia, insults Cary's fiancee. Too, Cary has moved his mother away from Fletcher, fearing the old man has hit her. This then is Fletcher Hinton's final contest – proving himself a good father and husband as he battles dementia and the stain that seems to tarnish his name and, through him, the Corps.

ISBN/ASIN: 987-1642556889/B07BPDRQ7S
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Literary Fiction, History
Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 208
 

War in the Company of Medics: Poems of the 45th Surgical Hospital in Vietnam by John J. Candelaria

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MWSA Review

War in the Company of Medics, by John J. Candelaria, uses short narrative and imagistic poems to present a tale of war from the perspective of the executive officer of a MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) unit in Vietnam in 1969-70. Taken together, Candelaria’s thirty poems, offering vivid images of blood-soaked hands, a severely wounded commander promising “I’ll walk again,” the body of an enemy combatant caught in concertina wire, and spring rain falling amid bombs, ponder the consequences of a politically questionable war.

Most of the poems are composed in free verse lines, but several use rhyme or poetic forms such as the villanelle, haiku, and what Candelaria calls a “found poem in a Sijo sequence,” in which the titles of all the poems are included in the last poem to help create an overview of the entire poetic sequence. Most of the poems employ an objective, almost anonymous narrative voice that is quite effective.  The poems reach their best, I think, when they are most abstract and cryptic, creating scenes that could be overwhelming if relayed in a more subjective, personal manner: “Scissors cut uniforms, wounds/ pressed to keep life in”; “Blades slice the morning calm./ Dustoff arrives”; “Again, the body shudders,/ the boot strikes/ as if to wake the sleep of death.” 

Although the author occasionally concludes a poem by repeating a phrase or otherwise interpreting the scene that do not enhance the already powerful vignettes (as, for example, in “Slice of Time,” which ends with the comment “I left the morgue never/ to forget that slice of time”), overall these poems are memorable and striking. The “calm expertise” and “relentless sense of urgency” that Candelaria ascribes to the members of his surgical unit describe as well the driving tone of this work. This is a strong and significant collection.

Review by Nancy Arbuthnot (June 27, 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

During the Vietnam War, MAJ John J. Candelaria served as Executive Officer of the 45th Surgical Hospital. The poems and photographs in this collection reflect the anguish resulting from soldiers wounded and killed in the line of duty. John's tribute poems to the 45th Surgical Hospital are expressions that embrace in words the courage, duty, and valor of those who served with distinction at the 45th MASH.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-9861604-1-7
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Poetry Book
Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book
Number of Pages: 52
 

Two Stars: Reflections of a Military Wife and Mother by Victoria Ventura

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MWSA Review

If you want to know more about life in a military family, do not ask the soldier, the sailor, the airman. They will give you the standard government-issued picture—the “Gung-Ho” version. No, ask the parents who raised a fine, upstanding child, a scholar, a model citizen, the helper of small children and hobbling old ladies. Ask the mother who watched that son  go off to fulfill his patriotic duty by serving his country, only to return as a grown man but wounded in mind or body.

Ask the wife who marries her prince charming only to discover that his white horse is more likely to be an Army tank or a Marine helicopter. Ask her about missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and graduations. Ask her about the sleepless nights and the stomach-churning fear each time she sees a military staff car on her street. Ask her about the man who replaced the charming boy she married—the one who must always sit with his back to a wall, the one who dives under the nearest table if a waiter drops a tray of dishes, the one who cannot awaken from his PTSD-inspired nightmares.

The author of this book is the wife of a Vietnam veteran, dead too soon thanks to Agent Orange, and the mother of two children who followed their father’s shining example. The son is a reluctant hero, a pilot who saved 84 wounded soldiers in Afghanistan. The daughter  defied all odds (and the traditional sexual harrasssment of the military old guard) to become a top-rated Navy pilot. Victoria Ventura understands their stories all too well. Her poems portray ttheir experiences with unflinching honesty. She probes the sore places and lifts the veil that usually hides the grief from public view. Reading her words will hurt.

Approach the poems of “Two Stars: Reflections of a Military Wife and Mother” without judgment. The reader’s task is not to critique the unskilled poetic forms but to feel the pain they describe. Read these unedited words for their brutal honesty. And keep the tissues handy.

Review by Carolyn Schriber (July 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

This book was written to give a deeper understanding about the military because words can paint pictures that come alive of past experiences. They are like movies of the mind, the scenes that portray soldiers and their families in real life experiences whether at home, protecting foreign countries to establish a democracy, flying combat missions and being in combat on the ground. The idea of the cute Vietnam young lady twirling a flag that covers her from all the elements of war, to a Firefight pinning down Army Rangers on a hill by the Taliban and then being protected by “Big Bird’(an AC-130 Specter Gunship), gives us visions of being safe while being pinned down in a dangerous crossfire. You can feel the sadness and hear the tears and the tension in Arlington’s slow and methodical parade to the last resting sight of a soldier’s
graveside. This is followed by the bursting of explosive laughter at the simplicity of the horses’ antics at such a serious event. I hope that these experiences will give a deeper understanding to the military life of soldiers and their families as they live day to day at home, overseas deployed in foreign countries or in dangerous war zone.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-10 0-9988249-3-3                    ISBN 13 978-0-9988249-3-2
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Collections, Memoir, Poetry Book
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 76
 

The Luckiest Guy in Vietnam by James A. Lockhart

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MWSA Review

James Lockhart’s combat memoir The Luckiest Guy in Vietnam, is a two-for-one surprise.  In one book we hear about both his tours as an infantry officer in Vietnam.  He first details his initial deployment, where he served as a mortar platoon and recon platoon leader in the famous “Americal” Division.  Second he delves into his second, significantly different deployment, this time as a Special Forces captain training Cambodian battalions in a little known and seldom publicized mission.

 His central theme to both deployments, as can be guessed from the title, is luck.  Lockhart is humble throughout; he doesn’t think he’s any better than any other officer; he does his homework, and works hard, just like everyone else.  He tries his best to use common sense to keep him and his men alive, but others did that as well.  Yet,  time after time, death or serious injury just misses him.  Lockhart seems to be the Vietnam embodiment of Napolean’s quote, “I know he's a good general, but is he lucky?”

 The author finds humor and teaching points in his everyday infantry life.  He recounts several anecdotes and incidents from his career, along with what he learned from them and how he used that lesson to improve the chances for success on the next go around.   The writing is clear and easy to understand; but the book would benefit from some editing work to address some technical problems.  Still, the book moves quickly, and the readers learn a lot about the author and a typical day in the life of an infantry officer.  Fans of writings about Vietnam, infantry life, or Special Forces will all find something to enjoy in this book.

Review by Rob Ballister (June 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

This book describes two unique tours of duty in Vietnam by a U.S. Army officer. In the first, after two assignments in Infantry platoons, he is given command of a rifle company while still a lieutenant.  The daily life of infantrymen, with all of its quirks and surprises, is recounted as he lived it. He returns for a second tour as a Special Forces-trained captain to participate in a secret mission.  This program has received little attention and some previously unpublished events are revealed here.  Most readers should find the actions recounted herein differ from the widely held concepts based on news coverage or even personal experience in the war.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-54392-812-9
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Memoir
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 363
 

Sebastian's Tale by Dylan Weiss

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MWSA Review

In Sebastian's Tale, author Dylan Weiss has written an entertaining story about a young skunk, Sebastian, and his weasel friend during their first year after leaving home. Sebastian was born without his stripes and his friend has an overweight issue. Both are bullied by their peers, but despite these factors, Sebastian learns that an ancient family prophecy claims that he will do great things to save the skunks and weasels. In doing so, he will grow his stripes and become a leader among skunks. When it comes time to leave their family homes, the two have several misadventures, and it's not until they meet a human who has the ability to communicate with all animals that things start to make sense to them. 

This book is an easy read. Sebastian's Tale reinforces the need for humans to take care of the environment and to remember that our encroachment into forest lands impacts the wildlife that is already there.  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy stories about animals and nature.

MWSA Review by Bob Doerr (June 2018)

Author's Synopsis

Sebastian’s Tale is a fast paced, allegorical coming of age adventure.  As the story develops, readers discover, along with our hero, a lovable stripeless skunk, and his sidekick, a clever but oft misguided weasel,
exactly what is destroying Penn’s Woods.

Together Sebastian and Willie learn how to battle this menacing new enemy threatening life as we know it on earth. Although the telling is a fantasy, in reality the author hopes that lessons learned by Sebastian
and his woodland friends are embraced by children and young adults who choose to protect our environment against the degradation brought on by present day pollution.

ISBN/ASIN: B01LWHXS5B
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fantasy/Sci Fi, Young Adult
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)
Number of Pages: 197
 

Vietnam Voices by Michael Lepore

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MWSA Review

Vietnam Voices by Michael F. Lepore is an excellent collection of the author's poetry.  Subtitled Echoes of the Vietnam Experience, the twenty eight poems in the book bring home to the reader the thoughts and emotions of those affected by the war, and it does so in a way that you can feel those emotions. Whether it's the thoughts and feelings of a parent approaching the Vietnam Memorial wall for the first time, or the thoughts of a young woman in Vietnam longing to go to the U.S. to find a father she has never known, Lepore has the ability of "getting under the reader's skin." In each poem, I could feel the simple truth that the author presented. This is not a political read, nor is it anti-military. It's simply a reflection of the harsh realities of war.

The poetry is thought provoking, yet it is easy to read.  My hats off to this author and to his work.  I recommend this book to all readers of poetry, those interested in books about the Vietnam War, and to anyone who simply wants a fast, well written book!

Review by Bob Doerr (July 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Vietnam Voices employs in poetic verse the harsh realities of the Vietnam War as felt by those who fought it, those who anxiously waited at home, and those children born of American G.I.’s and Vietnamese women—innocent victims scorned for life. This book presents in all its complexity the bravado, agony and loss of those affected by combat and is as resonant with the issues that face our fighting men and women today as fifty years ago.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-9913861-3-0
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Poetry Book
Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book
Number of Pages: 60
 

The Whisperwood Books & Bakery by Mary Lee

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Author's Synopsis

What can be a more delightful way to pass the day than a good book and a sweet treat! Come! Visit Granny Sue and see what wonders you'll discover! Hurry ~ she's waiting just for you!!

Genre(s): Picture Book
Format(s): Soft cover
ISBN/ASIN: 9781545276068

My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere by Jesse Franklin

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MWSA Review

On any given day, thousands of US military servicemen and women are deployed around the globe.  Over two million have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan over the last decade, and about half of those have deployed more than once.  That equates to countless days and nights spent away from home—often more than a year at a time.  Inevitably, the repeated and prolonged absences of so many fathers and mothers leads to stress, anxiety, and a feeling of loss at home.  Although they don't fully understand what's going on, the youngest members of these military families are still very much aware that there has been a dramatic change in their lives.

It is for this reason that author Jesse Franklin and illustrator Tahna Desmond Fox's My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere is so timely. Using a series of short declarative sentences and a matching set of well-executed drawings of military fathers in various locales and settings, the book allows young children to imagine where their daddies might be sleeping on any particular night.  Each drawing includes a black and white cutout of the sleeping father, so that children can put their own father "in the picture." 

During these early, formative years, these young ones aren't yet ready to understand—much less worry about—what Daddy's work might entail.  But by concentrating on where he might be sleeping (instead of what he's doing), the parent can share a comforting look at the varied locations where Daddy might be laying his head at night.  In the end, they'll appreciate that, of all the places where he might be sleeping while he's away, his favorite is at home with his family. 

My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere will appeal to military families with children one-to-five years old having a father who spends large stretches of time away from home on deployment.

Review by John Cathcart (April 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

As military families tuck in for the night, their thoughts often turn to daddies who can’t always be home. This children’s military deployment book shows some of the many places daddy sleeps while he is away. In this wonderful story, daddy travels to every clime and place including the mountains, the prairie, the jungle, and everywhere in between. Though daddy’s particular location and sleeping arrangements are constantly changing, one thing never does. No matter how far daddy is from home, home is never far from his mind.
 

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-938505-25-6
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover
Genre(s): Picture Book
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40

Blades of Thunder by W. Larry Dandridge

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MWSA Review

A realistic and accurate depiction of the life a young helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Dandridge shares his experiences and those of his helicopter classmates, unit members and friends to paint a picture of camaraderie and patriotism while fighting one of the most vicious military conflicts in US history. Using his own personal account and those of his fellow troops, Dandridge unfolds the heartache, pain and triumphs of young soldiers who bravely flew “slicks” and “gunships” in an unforgiving war with unforgiving consequences. This book successfully serves as a living tribute to them.

Review by Mick Simonelli (June 2018)

Author's Synopsis

Blades of Thunder (book One) is a non-fiction, action packed, and Vietnam War history book that tells the story of six young Army aviators, flight school classmates, who go to Vietnam in the fall of 1968 and are forever changed.  Some died, some were wounded.  All those who returned brought back emotional scars that will never really go away.  Blades of Thunder is more than a story about Vietnam.  It combines a realistic narrative of combat operations with a human dimension, the physical and psychological toll imposed on those who survived. While learning about their experiences, this all five-star reviewed paperback or hard cover book gives you a window into the lives of crew chiefs and door gunners whose job extends beyond flight when the aircraft is once again safely tucked into its revetment, the battery switch is off and the blades are tied down.  Timeless lessons on leadership abound.  •    The author takes the reader into the details of the Army Aviation business.  46 annotated photos and generous, informative appendices provide an informal class on the tools of our trade: the components of a UH-1B rocket pod and machine gun assembly; the essential elements of an OH-6A “Loach” to include cyclic, collective, armored seats, grenades and mini-gun; and a host of other switches, gauges, etc., to include the hook over the pilot’s door in a Huey on which to hang your helmet.  Blades of Thunder (Book One) even offers an appendix of over 24 mini-biographies of the key characters in the book, showing that, if they survived, they each became successful family men and leaders in every field of business and government. Nothing is left out.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-578-15637-8 Paperback and 978-0-692-78369-6 Hard Cover
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Biography, Picture Book
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 411

Medallion by Richard Barnes

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MWSA Review

Medallion by Richard Whitten Barnes is a historical novel set in Norway and Great Britain during World War II. Karin Hansen, an American pilot of Norwegian descent, travels to Great Britain in 1940 to take part in the British Air Transport Auxiliary. There she meets Arne Solberg, a personal guard to Norway’s exiled royal family, which has narrowly escaped Oslo on the eve of German occupation. In Germany, Oberleutnant Horst von Prohn has been assigned to a civilian posting under a Nazi appointee tasked with occupying Norway. The paths of these three main characters cross sporadically over the next several years. Karin and Arne begin to fall in love. Arne carries out missions with Norway’s resistance fighters under Horst’s nose.

Eventually the strands of the three divergent plot lines weave themselves into a Gordian knot in which Karin and Arne must escape Horst’s detection while working for him and concurrently devising a plot for rescuing Norway’s national treasure of historically minted gold coins—all 2500 kilograms of it.

Other characters enter and exit, lending charm, courage, expertise, and sometimes comic relief. Of particular note (and possibly my favorite character) is Iver Lindahl, a teenage Norwegian who gains Horst’s trust by helping to track down Norwegian resistance fighters. Or does he? Cameo appearances by well-known historical figures such as Jacqueline Cochran and Vidkun Quisling add to the believability of the plot.

The structure of alternating the story line among the three main characters challenges the reader to keep pace. While the multiple views increase the staccato effect of the action, they leave less room for character development. Overall, Medallion is an appealing wartime story, and it is especially satisfying that the author focused on the little known women civilian aviators, all volunteers, who wore uniforms and flew aircraft during World War II, freeing up male pilots for combat duty.

Review by Betsy Beard (May 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

In April 1940 Nazi Germany makes a surprise attack on the major ports and airfields of Norway for control of the North Sea and the precious ore deposits of northern Sweden.
The attack is a stunning success, except for the Capital city. The defense of Oslo stalls the Germans for 24 hours--enough time for the Royal Family, members of the cabinet, and the entire treasury to escape, ultimately to England. Subsequently, Nazi aggression overruns most of Europe, looting its treasuries and treasures.

Karin Hansen, a young American fresh from a summer of barnstorming and air shows in her uncle’s biplane, has joined the British Air Transport Auxiliary--a civilian service organized to free up pilots for the war effort.  She advances from single-engine trainers to sophisticated warplanes, delivering them from factories to strategic RAF airfields.

By chance, her path crosses with that of Arne Solberg, a young Norwegian commando in the employ of the Royal Family-in-exile, who has been charged with rescuing one of Norway’s most cherished treasures from being stolen back to Nazi Germany.

Medallion is the story of two young lovers and the treachery of occupied Norway. A story you won’t forget.

ISBN/ASIN: B07B5W3FRX
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 237
 

CIA Super Pilot Spills the Beans, Flying Helicopters in Laos for Air America by Captain Bill Collier

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MWSA Review
Bill Collier’s account of his time flying for Air America is an insider’s account of the day-to-day life of a helicopter pilot flying covert missions in Laos. Danger, booze and sex punctuate an accurate historical record of a critical period and operation in world history.

Review by Mick Simonelli (June 2018)

Author's Synopsis

Death defying adventure, big money, world travel, sex, booze: this true tale has it all. In 1967, after surviving 13 months, of combat flying in H-34 helicopters in Vietnam for the United States Marine Corps, Captain Collier wanted nothing more to do with that war. Somehow, 34 months later he found himself flying for Air America, the air arm of the CIA, on (not for) the other side of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

He teamed up with his best Vietnam helicopter pilot buddy, Gary, and the two rascals shared true adventure enough to make any novel seem lame. In many ways it was a much better job than flying for the USMC, but it also had many exciting and interesting times. Flying in mountainous and weather-hostile Laos was some of the most challenging ever experienced by any pilot, any time, any war. He flew 3100 hours more of combat for a total of 3850. He came a whisker from death several times and a few times actually tweaked the devil’s nose, daring the devil to take him! 

Making fabulous money and having airline benefits allowed them to live an exotic lifestyle, to travel the world on their monthly R&Rs and to chase and catch more than a few stewardesses from several different airlines around the world.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1547225323
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Memoir
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 364
 

The Adventures of a Helicopter Pilot, Flying the H-34 in Vietnam for the United States Marine Corps by Captain Bill Collier

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MWSA Review

Bill Collier’s book The Adventures of a Helicopter Pilot, Flying the H-34 in Vietnam for the United States Marine Corps is a rough-and-tumble journey through initial training to combat flying in the jungles of Vietnam.  It is at times gritty, at times funny, and always very, very real.  I found myself almost reflecting constantly on the way he described the losses of some of his friends in combat in such a down-to-earth "here one minute, gone the next," sort of fashion.
 
Through it all, the author cheats death in the air and on the ground, and yet always manages to keep his wits and sense of humor about him.  I particularly enjoyed the way he was able to switch quickly between a humorous anecdote and a terrifying flying event, giving the reader some understanding of what it must be like to be scared to death in one moment and then relatively safe thirty minutes later, beer in hand and skin fully intact.
 
I also enjoyed the way he spoke of the times he was afraid, or of how he dealt (or for a while ignored) his PTSD upon his return.  This made the author and the book seem much more real, and he does his fellow vets a service by describing how he eventually discovered that he needed some help.
 
Vietnam vets, helicopter pilots, and anyone with an interest in military aviation will enjoy this book.

MWSA Review by Rob Ballister (June 2018)

Author's Synopsis

This is a spell-binding, first-hand account of what it was like to pilot a Marine Corps H-34 helicopter in combat during "The Helicopter War" in Vietnam. As a brand-new United States Naval Aviator, Second Lieutenant Bill Collier had many exciting adventures - some exciting, some horrific and some terrifying. This is the true story of his experiences during his 13 months in the war. Bill watched friends die violently and stood many times eye-to-eye and toe-to-toe with Death itself. Each time, Death flinched first.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-500936-13-6
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Memoir
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 351
 

Homeland Burning by Brinn Colenda

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MWSA Review

Tom Callahan, along with family and friends—and their determined and lethal foes—are at it again.  The good guys are brave, cultured, quick-witted and lethal… and so are the women.

Brinn Collenda’s second novel in the Callahan series, Homeland Burning, is a terrifyingly believable thriller.  Taking over where the last installment ended, the main players in this saga have moved away from South America, but they haven’t moved away from danger.    Seemingly grabbed right out of current news headlines, the deadly scenario that unfolds in the course of this novel isn’t a stretch—especially given the still-raging battle to control various wildfires in America’s west.  The life-and-death struggle facing all those who battle a raging fire is deftly conveyed in Collenda’s exciting yarn.  

This fast-paced, exciting story will have you begging for more... and the book’s ending leaves no doubt that there’ll be plenty of work for the Callahans in the future! 

Review by John Cathcart (July 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Spring of 2000: Wildfires destroy mountain watersheds and municipal water systems, breached dams release tidal waves of water to obliterate farms and towns, and stone-cold shooters target helpless civilians. USAF Colonel Tom Callahan struggles to convince a skeptical U.S. intelligence community that enemy attacks on American soil are not only possible, but inevitable.

Kurt Wallerein, the world’s foremost terrorist-for-hire, feared, hated and hunted by every intelligence service in the West, has unleashed a terrifying campaign against the American Heartland to undermine the legitimacy of the United States government.

Callahan has to rally support to stop the attacks, but his political enemies in Washington conspire to distract the President and ridicule evidence. He’ll need all the help he can get from aviators of the New Mexico National Guard, the Civil Air Patrol and the Ninety-Nines.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-10: 1596161035 ISBN-13: 978-1596161030
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 300
 

Settling Up by Phil Keith

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Author's Synopsis

A Vietnam Veteran, poisoned by Agent Orange, has decided that, with the time he has left, he is going to wage a one-man war on those who must "settle up" for the misdeeds they committed during the war. As the bodies pile up, he leaves, at each scene, a particular calling card, which every Vietnam Veteran will understand. The FBI is finally assigned to the case, and one particular Agent figures it out: will she bring her target to justice? Does she really want to?

ISBN/ASIN: ASIN: B074P9SWMD ISBN: 978-1974333417
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 447

Tested by Connie Cockrell

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MWSA Review

The author develops the mystery and challenges of main characters, and their adventure, where you are eager to read further. The story is exceptionally well written with language appropriate for the age group of young adults. The initial chapters leave you a bit confused; however, the author quickly advances the scene to provide a clear understanding of the lead character’s Gift. Both main characters show great strength and determination to accomplish their goal. Each having different strengths and weaknesses which complement each other, creating a durable and capable team. 

It appears the author intentionally left the conclusion open as to what caused the catastrophic event creating challenges to survive in a world seemingly totally destroyed. The main character, Alyssa, has a healing gift she attained at birth, yet is never fully clarified. Kyra, on the other hand, has a physical gift well described. In both cases, the author leaves the story open to future developments and mysteries to keep the reader wanting more. 

The interactions of the individuals in the story shares many good and bad characteristics of humanity, teaching the readers some imperative lessons about mankind and how taxing situations breakdown society. The author develops the importance of self-sacrifice for the betterment of humanity as one of the most important lesson for young readers. Additionally, the author’s female characters deliver well developed heroism for young women to follow in their own future development in society.  Well done!

MWSA Review by Tom Criser (June 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

With winter over, Alyssa and Kyra move on to Harrisburg. They soon find the community they are seeking: A conclave of scientists using their knowledge to assist in their survival. They find much to learn and contribute, and perhaps even finding new love. However, shadows lurk even here. They quickly find that the community is not all that it seems.

Will Kyra and Alyssa be able to stand against the dark side of scientific inquiry? Or will they be tested to failure?

ISBN/ASIN: B079GFDSCD
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy/Sci Fi, Young Adult
Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 122
 

Heroes to the End by Jim Smith

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MWSA Review

In his book Heroes to the End, author Jim Smith provides us an excellent perspective of the waning days of U.S involvement in the Vietnam War. As a young man employed as a Newsday reporter, the author received a very low draft number ensuring he'd be picked up in the next draft, he took the initiative and enlisted for three years.  This kept him from going straight into the infantry and on to Vietnam. At least this was his plan and it did work, somewhat. He enlisted and became an admin clerk, but the army still sent him to Vietnam at the end of July 1971.

Smith provides some insight from his experiences as an admin clerk at Cam Ranh Bay, but the meat of the book comes after the author volunteers for and got accepted into the correspondent's pool with Stars and Stripes. In his position with the press, Smith was allowed to travel throughout Vietnam and conduct a variety of interviews. He captured the essence of these interviews, along with his own observations, in articles he wrote back then and republished in this book.

I found the first hand accounts refreshing as they provide a real time picture of events, individual's thoughts and emotions.  The vast collection of articles give us a much better picture of what was happening in Vietnam from late 1971 to mid 1972, than someone's recollections recorded some forty plus years after the war.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in military history and especially to those with an interest in the Vietnam war.  I found it an interesting read and am certain you will too.

MWSA Review by Bob Doerr (June 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

"Heroes to the End" is my memoir of my 1971-72 Vietnam tour as a clerk in Cam Ranh Bay and a as a reporter for Stars and Stripes. Its most compelling chapters deal with combat heroes during the final days of U.S. involvement in an unpopular war. The premise is that Americans were doing good things, heroic things, right up until the war's final days. That included civic action projects, serving as MPs, driving in convoys, working to improve relations between races, patrolling the bush, building fire bases, and calling in air strikes under fire.

I wore civilian clothes at times, grew my hair long, blended in with civilian journalists and learned from some of the best, such as Peter Arnett and Malcolm Browne. I walked with grunts in the bush, had more than 200 hours aloft in helicopters, flew on hunter-killer missions, interviewed Rangers, advisers on hilltops, door gunners, aircraft pilots, chaplains and Vietnamese soldiers, pilots and refugees. Six men I knew were killed during my tour, including Alec Shimkin of Newsweek and III Corps senior adviser John Paul Vann.

The book was a labor of love because I donated $12,000 to United Veterans Beacon House, which runs homeless shelters for veterans, from speaking fees and book sales proceeds over the past two years. I am working with an agent to transform the book into a Netflix screenplay and have been connecting with veterans, history professors, advocates and military buffs on Facebook and LinkedIn, in order to raise my visibility and lay the groundwork for submitting a screenplay.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-4917-6812-9, B014ZX51S8
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 354