MWSA Review
Missing
Author's Synopsis
Not found
Christmas Whistles, by Bonnie Bartel Latino
Not available for purchase
MWSA Review
Missing review
Author's Synopsis
This short story of around 1,400 words was written especially for those who have lost someone they deeply loved--especially during the month of December when it's difficult to generate JOY like everyone expects. It is a profoundly sad--but uplifting--true story.
CHRISTMAS WHISTLES won the Military Writers Society of America's 2011 William E. Mayer Award for Literary or Artistic Excellence.
Events detailed in the story also became the catalyst for the award-winning novel, YOUR GIFT TO ME by Bonnie Latino and Bob Vale.
Chitose Road, by Bob Ruehrdanz
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
Interesting look into a forgotten slice of history.
Robert Ruehrdanz’ novel, Chitose Road is hard to characterize. It’s historical fiction; but it’s also a love story. The book reads a lot like a memoir, and it certainly exudes authenticity based on the author’s past experiences in the Army and in Japan. The book takes place almost entirely in Japan in the early 1950s – during and after the Korean War. The novel’s main character, James Q. “Jim” Truax, is drawn into a crazy world of espionage, intelligence… all of which is leavened with Army incompetence, mishaps, bad weather, vindictive officers and Japanese culture.
Shortly after joining the Army in 1953, Truax is thrust into the arcane world of the Army Security Agency (precursor to the National Security Agency or “NSA”). Nothing goes as planned (as is often the case in the US military): his records are lost, he doesn’t get paid, and he fails to receive proper training… the list goes on and on. All the while, Truax attempts to cope with the curveballs life throws his way. He falls in love with his Japanese hosts, their habits, and the country’s beautiful scenery. The reader – like many of US personnel stationed there over the years – will be enthralled to learn about Japan and its people.
The book flows smoothly due to Ruehrdanz’ writing style and the book’s large text make it quite easy to read.
Reviewed by: John Cathcart (2011)
Author's Synopsis
Chitose Road is about a strange cast of Americans stationed on the Island of Hokkaido in the 1950s involving espionage, romance, and crowded living conditions, as they learned how to interact with the Japanese culture during and after the Korean War.
Eddie & Bingo, by Katherine and Kathleen Taylor
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
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)
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...
The Untold Experiences by C. Gilbert Lowery
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
This is a recounting of how C. Gilbert Lowery, a US Navy Hospital Corpsman, was assigned to a US Marine Corps Reconnaissance Patrol Team during covert missions in Korea. Pyonggang Airfield, Kaesong, Sariwon & more.
A formal & well told slice of military life out beyond the DMZ with plenty of technical, material & topographic details, & few philosophical detours or
anachronistic Monday morning quarterbacking. A look into other areas less known that those in the military perform regularly then and now. An engaging, gentlemanly read about brothers of a forgotten war.
Reviewed by: Dave Brown (2011)
Author's Synopsis
The Untold Experiences of a Navy Corpsman: A US Navy Hospital Corpsman with a US Marine Corps Reconnaissance Patrol Team in the 1950's on covert Korean missions.
War Remains by Jeffrey Miller
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
War Remains by Jeffrey Miller is an excellent read. Never having been a history buff due to teachers and professors who made it less than enjoyable for me, I am truly grateful for authors like Mr. Miller who can take me through the Korean War days in a way that attaches it to people and emotions and the reality of how it affected families.
When I think about the title War Remains I asked myself as I was reading it, just what the author had in mind. The title can certainly have multiple meanings. The obvious seems to be that many of our military were left behind in Korea and families were told they were MIA and unless their remains were to be found and identified, that would continue to be their classification. From my research, it appears that we have MIA status for approximately 10,000 of our military. One fifth of those are from Vietnam, and the other four-fifths from the Korean War. Have I ever once given thought about the family members that have been affected in this way? I’m ashamed to say that I don’t think so. War Remainshas touched me in a very special way.
This book led me to research what has been happening for these families. Hence, to me, the title can also mean that this war remains in the hearts of the survivors. Jeffrey Miller’s book will open the hearts and the eyes of those who have lived their lives unaffected by the Korean War. I thank him for that gift. It should also prove as a source of hope for families still waiting to have closure.
Mr. Miller begins his book with the discovery of a footlocker in an attic. This footlocker then finds its way to the son of Sgt. First Class Robert (Bobby) Francis Washkowiak, Ronnie Washkowiak. It contains many letters from Bobby to his wife, Mary, and their infant son, Ronnie. When Bobby heads off to war, it is his small beloved family that keeps him going through his time in Korea. The book uses his many letters, which are then read by Ronnie, and his son, Michael to take us to the time and place when Bobby is writing the letters to his beloved wife. In this way, we see the side of war from the Korean War happenings which the author does a superb job of writing, telling readers about what the GIs in Korea were facing and about the many battles and the fact that the Korean War is called a “forgotten war.” Then we move back to present day, when Bobby’s family is always wondering what happened to their father, grandfather, and husband. Just how long should a young woman with a young son hold out hope for her loved one to return? How long should one wait to accept that your husband has probably been killed? Mr. Miller does a superb job of transitioning back and forth between time frames.
Mr. Miller has very successfully written a story that shines light onto what many American families have experienced. It is a beautiful love story, shown through the many letters from Bobby to Mary. It is a war story, in that we see the Korean War up close and personal, through Bobby and his GI buddies. We see our military heroes returning to the States never knowing what happened to buddies that they had gotten close to during their service to our country. It is not always easy reading when you encounter the Chinese in the rice paddies in the deep of night. But it is encouraging to know that some families have received closure when DNA has been matched to the remains of their loved one.
I highly recommend War Remains to readers…this book has touched me deeply and is sticking with me both in my mind and my heart days after completing it. War Remains is a very impressive first novel for Jeffrey Miller.
Reviewed by: Joyce Gilmour (2011)
Author's Synopsis
Robert "Bobby" Washkowiak battles his way through the bitter first winter of the Korean War, longing for home, his wife, and newborn son. Fifty years later, his son and grandson come across his wartime letters and together, they try to find out what really happened to him on one of the battlefields of that "forgotten war."
Truman and MacArthur by Don Farinacci
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
One of the Best Books on Truman & MacArthur. The younger American generation has little clue as to what actually happened in the Korean War--it is truly a lost history. Author Donald Farinacci puts together a largely unknown and misunderstood part of that era with his revealing book about the relationship between two of the giants of that period of our history--President Truman and General MacArthur.
There are still many historians that feel General Macarthur was right. The debate still rages on because of the present day world problems with both China and North Korea. Farinacci chronicles past events and brings them alive. He skillfully documents events while weaving in brilliant his narratives.
"Truman and MacArthur: Adversaries for a Common Cause" is one of the best books I have ever read on this subject matter. If you were only going to read one book about the Korean War and the politics of this time period, then this would be the book that you must read first to gain a better understanding of what happened and why.
I highly recommend this book for those interested in history, politics and war. It is informative and actually entertaining. I would rank this book right up there as one of the top 25 books ever written on that time of our history.
Reviewed by: Bill McDonald (2010)
Author's Synopsis
The author's purpose in writing this book was to tell a story of events which occurred during a brief but momentous period in American history, involving two extraordinary men, President Harry S. Truman and General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur. The story tells of their interaction during a time of grave national crisis, how they veered badly off course and ultimately collided head-on. It was a collision which both altered the course of history and irreparably changed their personal destinies.
What is related here is first and foremost a human story, but one that plays out against the panorama of the Korean War--a nasty, brutish and fearsome slice of hell where what was at stake was nothing less than the determination of whether the Communist Sino-Soviet alliance would gain dominion by force over large regions of the continent of Asia or be contained and held in check by a coalition of United Nations Forces led by the United States.
As the drama unfolded during a critical period of approximately ten months in 1950 and 1951, the all-pervasive tension holding the principal players in its grip was the ever-present threat of nuclear war looming over all of humankind.
Other larger-than-life personalities also emerge in this epic tale and are interspersed with the two main characters. They include Eighth Army Commander Matthew B. Ridgway, Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall, South Korean President Syngman Rhee, NATO Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ambassador Averell Harriman, Army General Walton W. Walker, Marine General O.P. Smith, Army Chief of Staff J. Lawton Collins, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Omar Bradley, and Marine Colonel "Chesty" Puller. Every one of them played an integral role in the drama and some of them such as Ridgway, Acheson, Marshall and Eisenhower actually changed the course of history. But, the overarching giants of this tale are Truman and MacArthur. Their saga of 1950-1951 underscores the fact that no matter what the magnitude of events, history is still primarily a collection of stories about people.
This is one of those stories--one that is part of the larger framework of the forty-five year-long Cold War, but one that is surpassed in importance by none other in that singularly perilous epoch of world history.
Tiger Bravo's War by Rick St John
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
If you have never read a book about the Vietnam War, I recommend that you read this one. For that matter, if you’ve read fifty books about Vietnam, I still suggest that you read Tiger Bravo's War by Rick St John. Engagingly written, Tiger Bravo's War draws you into the maelstrom of war, one step at a time. It provides context and understanding of a divisive time in our nation’s history. It honors the men who lived and loved; laughed and cried; sacrificed and bled or died.
Civilians like me who have never experienced military life will be led through one company’s train-up to deployment, in-country training, year-long deployment, and homecoming without feeling disenfranchised by their lack of knowledge of military terms, acronyms, and special jargon. (Veterans will likely find enjoyment in the way that St John is able to define the experiences and vocabulary without condescending or over-explaining.)
Tiger Bravo is nonfiction military history covering a year in the lives of the soldiers of B Company, 2/506 of the 101st Airborne Division. It recounts the life and death struggles, the battles, the strategies, the humor, the horror, the victories, the defeats, the gains, and the losses during the company’s 1968 combat tour in Vietnam. St John allows us to see and feel what is going on through his superb writing, meticulously researched details, and seamlessly transitioned first-hand accounts of soldiers who were there. The numerous maps of battle plans allow us to understand how it went down from a bird’s-eye view. And the photos help us to realize that these were real people, not statistics—fellow citizens who were part of the Tiger Bravo company that year.
This is not an easy book to read. But it’s important. There were several times I had to put the book down, just to take some time off to absorb the difficulty and the horror of what our fighting men endured. And there were a couple times I just wanted it to end; the book seemed too long. However, I felt compelled to continue reading in honor of those who actually lived through the experience. If they could persevere and endure for a full year, I reasoned that I could continue reading for a few hours. No doubt they would have liked the luxury of time off to absorb the difficulty and horror. And no doubt they just wanted it to end. But they soldiered on. I could do no less.
MWSA Reviewer: Betsy Beard (March 2018)
Author's Synopsis
Tiger Bravo’s War is an extensively researched, nonfiction account of a company of young paratroopers (B Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry), from the very same battalion in the 101st Airborne Division as portrayed in Stephen Ambrose’s World War II best-seller Band of Brothers, during their first year of combat in the Vietnam War - - - from a bayonet charge in a legendary VC stronghold and street fighting during the Tet Offensive of 1968, to a rescue mission to save a surrounded platoon and rock and roll in the company mess hall, and much more. Thirty of its soldiers would be killed in action, and collectively it would amass 150 Purple Hearts.
It is also a soldier’s tale of the young men of Tiger Bravo - - - the son of a World War II Japanese fighter pilot, who wins a Silver Star fighting as an American infantryman; the tough kid from rural Texas, who leaves a job cleaning astronaut offices in Houston to volunteer to be a paratrooper; the medic, abandoned by his mother, who would find in Tiger Bravo the family he never had, and over a dozen more with their own unique stories.
“If anyone wants to feel the fast-paced tempo and dangers of combat, read Tiger Bravo’s War. The vivid descriptions of the soldier’s daily struggle for survival and love for each other . . . is a must read for anyone who wants to understand combat at its most fundamental level.” Lieutenant General David E Grange Jr (US Army, retired).
ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 13:9780998854205, ISBN 13:9780998854229 (ASIN:B075LZ3L83), ISBN 13:9780998854236
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 331
Saga of the Sioux, by Dwight Jon Zimmerman
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
This adaption of "Saga of the Sioux" by Zimmerman is an excellent book for young adults and children. Marvelously written and containing maps and pictures to keep their interest. Clearly a book that belongs in history classes as it tells a story more to the truth than is found in most history taught in schools today.
Reviewed by:Dick Geschke (2013)
Author's Synopsis
This new adaptation of Dee Brown's multi-million copy bestseller, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, is filled with photographs and maps to bring alive the tragic saga of Native Americans for middle grade readers. Focusing on the Sioux nation as representative of the entire Native American story, this meticulously researched account allows the great chiefs and warriors to speak for themselves about what happened to the Sioux from 1860 to the Massacre of Wounded Knee in 1891. This dramatic story is essential reading for every student of U.S. history.
Believing in Horses, by Valerie Ormond
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
Believing in Horses holds more than one lesson for readers. One held within the other. Sadie the focus of the story has to deal with and cope with her Dad’s deployment to Afghanistan, a difficult event for families in general, more so for children. The overarching story is one of change and how a young girl rises above hardship to help horses.
Today far too much is in the media about how “kids” are just not responsible, to interested in themselves, music and cell phones. Sadie takes on a job that many adults would walk away from and many horse owners would run from and do. Overcoming the hardships, roadblocks, bad people and even good meaning people, she moves forward with her goal of helping horses.
There is a less publicized story of what happens to unwanted and poorly cared for pets. Ormond has spun a story that inspires. This is a book that all school age children should read and in light of the economic situation in this country shows what dedication and determination can accomplish. If a twelve year old can do this each of us could.
Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2012)
Author's Synopsis
Horse-crazy Sadie Navarro moves for the sixth time to Bowie, Maryland, only to find out her Navy dad is deploying to Afghanistan for a year. To ease the transition, Sadie's parents reward her with her dream of a lifetime, her own horse. “Lucky,” her beautiful tri-color pinto, quickly becomes her best friend and equine learning partner. Via the internet, Lucky and Sadie come across ten horses in a holding pen waiting to be sold at auction, and Sadie commits to saving them before harm comes to them.
With the help of her new teacher and classmates, a Maryland State Delegate, a local Washington TV reporter, a mounted policeman, her family and other colorful characters, she pursues her mission and faces unexpected roadblocks, some very dangerous for both her and her horse. Sadie faces head-on the challenges experienced by military families and demonstrates how young people can act to bring about change if they believe in what they are doing. In just a few short months, Sadie meets both good and bad people, and experiences joy, fear, disappointment, self-doubt, lost horses, and a level of responsibility she has never known before.
When Grandma’s False Teeth Fly, by Mary Lee
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
Being picked on seems to have become a common practice today and none suffer more from it than young children. When Grandma’s False Teeth Fly is a life lesson written for those children. Coping skills are often overlooked by parents and teachers alike. The lack of those skills can and does cause lifetime issues for those children into adulthood.
Mary Lee has put a simple to understand message out there for all children and it would go even further if the adults in the child’s life read them.
Reviewed by: Greenwald, Jim (2012)
Author's Synopsis
Katie is not a little girl anymore--she is six years old! But some mean girls at school still tease her about her chipped baby tooth. Katies seeks advice from her grandma, who will tell her a hilarious story that encourages her to use humor instead of anger or sadness to solve her problems. Join Katie and Grandma for a touching, funny, and inspiring story about...
Jack & the Dragon, by Lynn Salsi
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
Lynn Salsi's book, Jack and the Dragon is a clever re-telling of an old, much-loved, classic fairytale. Jack's hard work and with the help of a damsel in distress outsmarts the voracious dragon, and the true villains of the story - his rascally brothers.
This action-packed picture book weaves a dragon-tail of adventure; James Young's bright and engaging illustrations add texture to Lynn's colorful words.
Jack and the Dragon is a fun and exciting read. The southern-flavored language lends itself to any adult reading aloud to a child, with voice and action to make the book come alive as Jack conquers his fears, stands up to, and outwits his foes. A must-have for every adventurous child’s bookshelf!
Reviewed by: Sandra Linhart (2012)
Author's Synopsis
This is a 32-page picture book (less than 2,000 words). This is an adaptation of an ancient traditional story. Jack, the youngest brother of three, learns how to over-come the bullying ways of his older brothers. At the same time, with the help of magic gifts, he is able to best the Dragon who steals from the brothers. This is a lesson in learning how to overcome life's little (and big) problems.
Deeper Into the Pond, by Carolyn Howard-Johnson & M. Ball
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
In their book, Deeper into the Pond; a Celebration of Femininity, Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball have once again rewarded their fans with an eclectic selection of verse, sure to enchant the feminine facet of any soul.
Reviewed by: Sandra Linhart (2012)
Author's Synopsis
Part of the award winning Celebration Series, Deeper into the Pond celebrates, supports, and inspires women. "Vivid images...will speak to you of times to look forward to or to remember. These are not poems to read once. They will stay with you forever."
Emotional Mélange, by jim greenwald
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
jim greenwald has given us complicated, intimate visions of the emotional roller-coaster called love; its euphoria, loneliness, and void. Memories, crisp on paper, recall the first breathtaking moment of soul's discovery and then pour bittersweet between the covers like tears from a broken heart. If you've ever been in love, or long to be, these poems will tenderly touch, and then rip out your heart - just like life itself.
Reviewed by: Linhart, Sandra (2012)
Author's Synopsis
The poet distills words into emotional textures that weave themselves into and through our lives.
Lyrical in ways, covering the gamut of emotions, this his tenth book of poetry tugs at the heart strings, and illuminates the dark corridors of love.
This is a journey of life’s experiences. Sit back, relax and enter this reading journey with tissues in hand.
Depictions, by Chuck Habermehl
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
Novels and memoirs have the advantage of a wealth of words to tell a story, but the ability to boil down and capture the true essence of that story in a few stanzas of poetry is by far a greater art.
Author Chuck Habermehl’s book Depictions, Poems about Warriors and War, is such art. A decorated Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, his poetry describes with knowing insight the horror, camaraderie, misery, pride and commitment of men in battle that is unknown to us who are safe on the home front.
The book made me think of the great line in Anthony Swofford’s book, Jarhead: A Marine’s Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles. All wars are different, he wrote, and all wars are the same. Indeed, technology may change but the universal human experience of combat never does.
Habermehl is deft at describing that reality in his poems whether they are about the Indian Wars, Civil War, World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and or current conflicts. His poems are insightful, honest and make you think…which is always a good thing.
One poem has stayed with me. Its opening line, “IED has changed me,” grabbed me and in 18 lines changed me as well. When a poem can do that, well, it’s art.
Reviewed by: Gail Chatfield (August 2011)
Author's Synopsis
For the first time, close quarters battle expert Chuck Habermehl, author of Combat Proven Tactic: Small Unit Urban Warfare and other tactical-training materials, delves into poetic writing - the content of which is not for the weak at heart. In Depictions: Poems about warriors and war, Habermehl puts the reader right there - you see the tactical and violent reality of war and the grievous effects on the warrior. Battles from the Civil War to modern war are detailed, as are the segregation of the American Indian, the devastation of the wounded warrior and the travesty of the missing soldier. As expected from a tactician, Habermehl's style is blunt and unceremonious, as seen in the poem Victory released on YouTube. The visual elements created from his writing, together with illustrations, reminds the reader that the price of freedom is tremendous and the ravages of war everlasting. Depictions has over 30 poems and is 78 pages. (Net proceeds from the sales of the book go to help American wounded warriors and their families.)
Walking the Tiger’s Path, by Paul Kendel
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
Kendel’s story is beyond unique. How can one “kill and pray” and maintain one’s own sanity and humanity. War is not glorious, rewarding or any other upbeat metaphor, war is truly “Hell.”
Rarely do civilians have an opportunity to see the true nature of war. Not the five o’clock version, but the reality. Take the time and read his story and you will understand a number of things, but PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), is my focus.
A Chef’s Cauldron! Place anyone in an unfamiliar environment throw in a dash of uncertainty, fear, and enormous stress, a pinch of unknown good and bad guys that are armed, and you have a real live stew of danger. This danger is both physical and mental. Society seems to feel a soldier can return from war and simply turn that “engine” off. He/she is not a car or television. Watching the evening news does not make you a combat veteran.
That he was able to maintain some compassion amid this quagmire speaks well of his inner self. Is Kendel a hero? Perhaps not in the sense one might identify with an Audie Murphy, but heroic to be sure in how he came to deal with all that was going on within and around him.
A soldier with conviction amid the brutality of war is worth the read. Walking the Tiger’s Path is such a story.
Reviewed by: jim greenwald (August 2011)
Author's Synopsis
Paul M. Kendel (SSG Ret.) deployed with his National Guard unit out of Georgia to Iraq in 2005 hoping to use his knowledge of that land to bridge the gap between American soldiers and Iraqi civilians. However, the realities of war crushed his idealism when his buddies began dying at the hands of the enemy six weeks after their arrival. Eventually, his ongoing concern for the Iraqi people alienated some of his comrades, and he felt the sting of growing conflict within himself.
Turning to the books on Buddhist teachings he had brought with him, he found solace in the written words, but he longed for more. On a whim, he emailed Shambhala International and requested assistance. An unexpected response and ongoing support from Buddhist teacher and meditation instructor Margot Neuman helped him to retain a sane and humble humanity in a situation that often plummeted into lethal insanity.
This book addresses the horrors of war from an extraordinary human perspective. SSG. Kendel did not lose his compassion in the face of grave risk, nor did he endanger fellow soldiers while he remained true to himself--rare feats in our violent world.
In the Shadow of a Badge, by Lillie Leonardi
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
The plot is clear. The characterization is believable. The author intended to tell the story of how she has been dealing with PTSD by describing past incidents that caused her stress. The book is very readable, she speaks of spiritual experiences and angels being present and talking to her when she was on duty as a police officer and FBI agent. The story line is well laid out in sequential events in a narrative form.
Though action incidents are mentioned, she doesn't describe the scenes in detail because of FBI information restrictions but the reader can clearly identify with what is being said. The cover shows an angel hovering over a badge sending an instant message to the person who picks the book up.
The story is about one individuals experience in dealing with one portion of the events which occurred on Sep 11, 2001, in Somerset, PA and how her life has been forever altered from that experience.
Reviewed by: Dick Hrebik (2012)
Author's Synopsis
It is a narrative non-fiction, first-hand account of the spiritual experience
Lillie encountered while serving in her professional capacity as the
Community Outreach Specialist with the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
Pittsburgh Division.
The book reflects her story of the visitation of Angels in the initial
moments at the Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania and her personal interpretation of the historic facts leading up to and following the
events of September 11, 2001.
Lillie's memoir also details her subsequent diagnosis of Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) and her on-going journey to heal and recover from its
effects. Through the reconciliation of heart, mind, body and soul, her
trauma ultimately led to triumph by providing the catalyst needed to regain
her voice through writing.
Missing Max, by Julie Burget Schrock
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
In war there is death! The loss of even one life is tragic, the loss of one’s child rips at the very soul of the parent(s). None more so than the Mother who brought the child into the world and is now faced with their leaving. I remember when very young my Grandmother at my one Uncles funeral saying “no Mother should have to witness the death of their child.” Even at that age I understood on one level what she meant and what she felt.
Missing Max is one Mother’s story of the loss of her Marine son. This is not a professional counselors book, it is not a guide or instruction manual written by one to help others. Each word written in ink is the pain this Mother felt and will live with for the rest of her life. It is about how she made it to where she is today, no heroics, no special words or tricks, just one foot in front of the other. It is a great example of something most know and many ignore. Life is filled with choices and those choices determine the person we are or become. Julie Schrock decided to live and in so doing will help others who experience the same loss through her book Missing Max.
One part of the book stood just a little higher than the rest, coming from a Mom who has had the message and experienced the cost of freedom brought home and takes a moment to express her feelings as follows; “It certainly does not feel as though Americans appreciate the cost of their freedom when the pledge of allegiance no longer begins each school day, or standing for the flag is no longer standard practice.”
Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2012)
Author's Synopsis
Missing Max is a compelling story of one mother's journey as she recalls the extraordinary events surrounding the death of her Marine son, Corporal Max W. Donahue. On August 4, 2010, Max lost both legs and his right arm after being hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device), and later succumbed to his wounds on August 7. Julie takes us with her as she first gets word of Max's injuries received while he was a working dog handler in Afghanistan. You will share her despair, fears, tears and finally, her hope as she moves through the days, weeks and months following word of Max' injury, and then his death.
God in the Trenches, by Larkin Spivey
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
“This book is written for the skeptical reader.” In the first sentence in God in the Trenches, the author acknowledges that readers will question his work. Author Larkin Spivey discusses his own faith and doubts and offers thought-provoking questions for those who have walked the same path.
“It is obviously not easy to discern how God works in the world... I believe that it is possible to find some events in history where we can see God’s hand at work and even the fulfillment of his purpose.”
Author Larkin Spivey delves deep into both his faith and his knowledge of history to discover God’s intervention in our wars. In each case, an unexplained event changed the course of the war.
Through extensive and meticulous research, Spivey found historical incidents that prove to him that God did indeed guide America to victory. He presents his theories by studying game-changing events in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWII and the Cold War. Did God intervene in the course of each war with the purpose of helping America achieve victory?
Spivey bases his premise on his belief that God made man and woman in His image and gave them free will. When our Founding Fathers dedicated our new country to freedom for all, God chose to interact with mankind when this freedom has been challenged.
“I believe that freedom has been an important underlying theme in God’s relationship with mankind and in his purpose for America.” Spivey’s work reaches Americans at a time of political disillusionment, unrest and polarizing views on religion.
Readers will bring to the book their own beliefs. Spivey offers plenty of food for thought. He is a Vietnam combat veteran trained in submarine, parachute and Special Forces operations. He took part in the Cuban Missile Crisis and served President Nixon in the White House. He taught military history at The Citadel. His previous books explore the role God plays in the lives of soldiers.
Reviewed by: Pat Avery (2012)
Author's Synopsis
In God in the Trenches, Larkin Spivey shows that when the nation s survival seemed uncertain, even doubtful, fate seemed to turn America s way, giving way to mysterious if not miraculous events. These events altered the course of history, leading to victory for the American military and enduring freedom for America s citizens
Faith Deployed…Again, by Jocelyn Green
Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
“Semper Paratus!” which translates to “Always Prepared,” is the motto of the U.S. Coast Guard. When Jocelyn Green married a man in the Coast Guard, she found herself married to the military. The military family is blessed to have Mrs. Green on search and rescue for people floating on the tumultuous waters of military life. When her husband deploys again, she deploys...again! Jocelyn takes her unshakable faith on every deployment and devotional. She chooses to include the 29 other writers wisely. As a Christian, she lives and believes that life without faith in Jesus Christ is an impending catastrophic collision at sea, which of course could ruin anyone’s day! The devotionals address the common denominator of everyday prayer life and faith of all Christian women regardless of denomination.
Faith Deployed...Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives explores how the Bible relates to a variety of topics and issues - including those that arise with post-deployment – encountered in a military marriage. Each devotional is based on the unchanging character of God and the anchor we have in Jesus Christ offering encouragement, strength, community, and hope to the heroes at home.
With the help of over 25 contributing women authors from every branch of the U.S. military, the book is unabashed in addressing the issues that test a Christian woman married to a military man. There are 112 two-page devotionals that comprehensively tackle a multitude of real challenges and issues facing military spouses. Each devotional economically addresses the various authors’ own challenges without blaming her spouse or others. This book is not just for military wives. It is a powerful and encouraging help for Blue Star parents also.
All of us could benefit from the wisdom imbedded in the pages. The faith displayed is not sugarcoated, but it is based on real issues and real consequences. How different my life would have been if I could have gifted this book to every member of my parish when I was deployed to Fallujah Iraq in 2004. These women helped me to understand that my deployment to Iraq and years of reserve duty had a more profound impact on my parish community than I realized. The faith and practical sharing in these devotionals could help “save” marriages, heal families and restore church communities. This book has strengthened my faith.
The book is about love, forgiveness, reunion, growth through suffering, learning to complain less, grief and loss, addressing shattered expectations, thriving from reluctant deployments, networking, surviving frequent moves and mostly learning to pray well. All of this could be hitting us when it seems that our prayer to God is simply shouting into a tin can attached to a string. The women encourage us to never go alone. There is always someone to help you through the tough times.
The book seems to invite husbands into a deeper and richer relationship with their Christian wives and with their God. Most comforting was that it was neither preachy nor caught up in religiosity. Faith Deployed…Again seems to be “Always Prepared” to throw out the Life Savior to those who have ever had a loved one deployed. Catch it and hold on!
Faith Deployed...Again includes a bonus section of devotions written by and for Blue Star Moms. To read this book is to be aware of an incredible support system based on faith. A free online study guide is available at FaithDeployed.com.
Reviewed by: Ron Camarda (2011)
Author's Synopsis
The highly anticipated sequel to award-winning Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives is here! Regardless of whether their husbands are currently deployed, military wives need spiritual reinforcements and biblical ammunition against the enemy's attacks on her faith and hope. Faith Deployed Again is for every military wife who wants more encouragement, who wants to deploy her faith¿put it into action¿again. Faith Deployed...Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives is filled with wisdom and insight from more than twenty-five Christian wives, representing every branch of the military. It explores how the Bible relates to a variety of topics including marriage, deployments, self-care and care-giving, reintegration, combat trauma, parenting, frequently moving, daily perseverance, prayer, spiritual warfare, serving the Lord, and more. Each devotional is based on the unchanging character of God and the anchor we have in Jesus Christ offering encouragement, strength, community, and hope to the heroes at home. Faith Deployed...Again: More Daily Encouragement for Military Wives includes a bonus section of devotions written by and for Blue Star Moms. And a free online study guide is available at FaithDeployed.com.