The Albatross; by Gerry Hawes

MWSA Review
Have you ever glanced at the open cockpit door of one of those giant passenger jets and wondered how on earth the pilot can find his way around that maze of dials and instruments? In his new book, The Albatross, author Gerry Hawes answers that question.  He takes us deep into the character of Jack Rheinstrom, an airline pilot, and an ordinary man. But he is much more than your usual nice guy.

He has a deep appreciation of the value of life and the beauty of the world around him. He can look at the stars in the sky or the earth stretched out below him and see the design of the universe. And he knows how lucky he is to be able to view the world from his cockpit. Even when it looks as if his life is about to end in a fiery crash, he can look back on his flying career and say, along with one of his crew members, “Lucky me. Lucky, lucky me.”

He has an abiding love for his fellow human beings, whether they be his crew members, his passengers, the ground personnel who support him, or the strangers waiting for him to deliver their loved ones. He cares about their needs and their safety. His compassion even extends to those his life does not touch. In one incident, he sees, but only from the back, a little girl staring longingly at a worn-out stuffed rabbit in a pawn shop window. He never sees her face, but he returns to the shop, pays for the rabbit, and asks the shopkeeper to give it to the little girl the next time she comes to visit.

He has an encyclopedic, almost photographic memory of every training manual he has read. He knows every inch of his plane. He has read the reports of dangerous incidents these planes have experienced so that he knows what to do in almost any emergency.

And last, he has an almost super-human ability to remain calm and detached in a disastrous event, even when everyone around him has given up or succumbed to fear. He is the voice of reason, the one who can access, from somewhere deep in his memory bank, the single detail that can save the lives of everyone involved. 

But such compelling character traits come at an enormous personal cost. His love for everyone around him keeps him from recognizing that one special person whom he could love more than all the rest. His ability to control his emotions keeps him from expressing what he feels. His gratitude for what he already has stops him for wishing for something more. Because he tries to protect the lives of everyone around him, he is in danger of losing his personal life. 

Mr. Hawes is, himself, such a pilot, and it shows. His vast knowledge and his attention to detail sometimes add so much information that his story slows. The voices in the cockpit ring absolutely true because they are word-for-word transcripts of what happens. The story is realistic because it is real. You’ll believe the story because the author makes you trust him. Read this book and be prepared to have your emotions wrenched. But don’t take it with you to pass the time on a long over-water flight. 
Review by Carolyn Schriber, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis
Jack Rheinstrom was the kind of guy that everyone liked. His graduating yearbook read like a Who's Who of high school students--leader, scholar, athlete. He was a special kid that shunned personal attention and cared passionately for others. He never appeared to be in a bad mood; just being around him made you feel  good inside. But there are no guarantees in life. There were two special events that occurred in his life, both having dramatic effects. You can be agile and you can be tough but sometimes that is just not enough. Jack Rheinstrom was an airline pilot. He was an ordinary man -- his life was not.

ISBN/ASIN: 13: 978-1-940244-73-0
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 285
 

Eternally at War; by Jeanette Vaughan

MWSA Review

Captain Robert Lathrop left behind more than just a manuscript—he left a detailed history of his wartime experiences in Vietnam and a good part of himself on its pages.  Struggling to cope with the  effects of PTSD, Lathrop wrote about his time in Vietnam and its aftermath as part of his therapy.  Lathrop’s musings might have languished unnoticed and unread if not for the efforts of co-author/editor Jeanette Vaughan, who organized and compiled Lathrop’s manuscript in this heart-wrenching memoir.  
 
Lathrop’s detailed description of his combat flying as a Marine A-4 pilot are quite detailed, believable, and are a valuable addition to the historical record. Lathrop’s short tour on the Battleship New Jersey was also quite interesting and informative, as were the details of his flying the C-117 in cargo and flare-dropping missions "on the side."
 
The first three quarters of the book deal quite effectively with Lathrop’s time in war-torn Vietnam.  The end of the book is a much more personal and harrowing look at the devastation caused by combat injuries that can’t be easily identified or treated.
 
Struggling to cope with his deteriorating mental state, he became caught up in a strange series of conspiracy theories—all the time pushing away family and friends—which contributed to the downward spiral into deep depression and drug dependence. Lathrop is lucid while describing his combat tour in Vietnam.  However, as the book progresses toward its devastating conclusion, the writing darkens and at times becomes almost impenetrable—deteriorating just like the mental state of the author.
 
Eternally at War is not an easy read.  It is, however, a necessary one for those interested in one Marine pilot’s experiences during combat in Vietnam and his continuing struggle to deal with the aftermath—of being “eternally at war.”
Review by John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director
 

Author’s Synopsis:
Vietnam. A USMC A-4 Skyhawk pilot. PTSD. He survived Vietnam, but would he survive its aftermath? The experiences of combat produce different memories by those whom have served. Some return as warriors, seemingly unscathed. With others, their life is never the same. The horrors of each mission come back to haunt them for years. Ten years after returning from Vietnam as a two time decorated A-4 Skyhawk pilot, Captain Robert “Gene” Lathrop described war as hell. Flying the scooter as a part of VMA-311, he completed over 275 missions. His squadron completed 54,625 sorties dropping over 9 million tons of bombs. That record will never be broken. But the bomb damage assessment was steep for Captain Lathrop. The nightmares and emotional rage he experienced threatened to tear apart his family. To keep from unraveling, he sought a voice in the written word. This memoir serves as part of his mission to honor the men and women of the military. He believed veterans who return to peacetime should never feel eternally at war.

ISBN/ASIN: 0989207870
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 332

The Last Road Home; by Danny Johnson

MWSA Review
Danny Johnson may have done himself a disservice in writing The Last Road Home, as he has set the bar exceedingly high for himself in all future work. Masterfully crafted and beautifully executed, this book draws readers right in and holds them close for the entire journey. Johnson tackles sensitive issues like interracial relationships, family tragedies, and the brutality of combat and its aftermath with an unapologetic yet tactful tone. Those prone to displaying their emotions may want to read this book in private, as the author leaves no emotion untapped. You will laugh, and tear up, and become enraged, and worry right along with these characters.

It takes supreme skill and a hefty dose of talent to break out of the gate in full stride and never miss a step. Johnson makes it look easy as he sets one scene after another, following Junebug from childhood to the jungles of Vietnam with just the right blend of detail to bring it all to life. Each leg of Junebug’s journey adds another layer of richness to the tale, right up until the last page. There is something here for readers of all genres. 
Review by Barbara Allen, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Summary:
From Pushcart Prize nominee Danny Johnson comes a powerful novel that explores race relations, first love, and coming-of-age in North Carolina in the 1950s and ‘60s. At eight years old, Raeford “Junebug” Hurley has known more than his share of hard lessons. After the sudden death of his parents, he goes to live with his grandparents on a farm surrounded by tobacco fields and lonesome woods. There he meets Fancy Stroud and her twin brother, Lightning, the children of black sharecroppers on a neighboring farm. As years pass, the friendship be- tween Junebug and bright, compassionate Fancy takes on a deeper intensity. Junebug, aware of all the ways in which he and Fancy are more alike than different, habitually bucks against the casual bigotry that surrounds them—dangerous in a community ruled by the Klan. On the brink of adulthood, Junebug is drawn into a moneymaking scheme that goes awry—and leaves him with a dark secret he must keep from those he loves. And as Fancy, tired of saying yes’um and living scared, tries to find her place in the world, Junebug embarks on a journey that will take him through loss and war toward a hard-won understanding. At once tender and unflinching, The Last Road Home delves deep into the gritty, violent realities of the South’s turbulent past, yet evokes the universal hunger for belonging.

ISBN/ASIN: 13L 978-1-4967-0249-4
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 312

Clear To Lift; by Anne A. Wilson

MWSA Review
Clear to Lift by Anne Wilson can best be described as an action novel with a side of romance. From the first page to the last we are swept into the world of search and rescue in the mountains of Nevada. Alison Malone, recently stationed at Naval Air Station Fallon, feels that her career in the Navy has stagnated. Desperate to get her career back on track, she resolutely pushes for a transfer away from a duty station she considers to be a step in the wrong direction. But as she learns new skills and builds relationships within both the military and civilian communities, her resolve wavers. And her desire to be stationed near her corporate-investor fiancé in San Diego begins to crumble.

Clear to Lift follows in the footsteps of Wilson’s first novel, Hover, in that both feature a strong female protagonist making her way in the military. It’s clear that Wilson writes what she knows. Her time as a Navy helicopter pilot shines through in the action sequences and the plot details. Her writing is engaging and complex. The characters, especially those in the military, have a ring of truth.

Wilson’s bio will tell you that she graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served for nine years as a helicopter pilot. After that she worked in the semiconductor industry before owning a triathlon coaching company with her husband. Although her career to date has focused on outdoor ventures and high-altitude rescue specialties, I believe that Wilson is first and foremost a writer. Rather than thinking of her as an adventurous pilot who enjoys writing, I think of her as a writer who happens to have amassed an amazing skill set, one that allows her to share with her readers a world that most people only dream of. 
Review by Betsy Beard, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
Navy helicopter pilot Lt. Alison Malone has been assigned to a search and rescue team based at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, near the rugged peaks of the Sierra Nevada, and far from her former elite H-60 squadron. A rule follower by nature, Alison is exasperated and outraged every time she flies with her mission commander, "Boomer" Marks, for whom military procedures are merely a suggestion. Alison is desperate to be transferred out of the boonies, where careers stagnate, and back to her life and fiancé in San Diego.

Alison's defenses start to slip when she meets mountain guide Will Cavanaugh during a particularly dicey mission. Will introduces her to a wild, beautiful world of adventure that she has never known before. Stranded on a mountain during a sudden dangerous blizzard, Alison questions every truth she thought she knew about herself. When Will braves the storm to save her life, she must confront the fact that she has been living a lie. But is it too late to change course?

Full of action and adventure, dangerous and heart-stopping rescues, blizzards and floods, family secrets and second chances, Clear to Lift by Anne A. Wilson is a thrilling woman's journey as she finds confidence, truth, love, and herself against the majestic backdrop of the Sierra Nevada.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0765378514
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Genre(s): Fiction, Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 320