The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

Book Description

“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”

With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’s vulnerable invasion force were the Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history.

In the tradition of the #1 New York Times bestseller Flags of Our Fathers, James D. Hornfischer paints an unprecedented portrait of the Battle of Samar, a naval engagement unlike any other in U.S. history—and captures with unforgettable intensity the men, the strategies, and the sacrifices that turned certain defeat into a legendary victory.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

An extraordinary well done history.......2007-09-27

It is often said that teaching and learning in high school is a mile wide and an inch deep. All I ever heard and read in high school about WWII and the naval battles against the Japanese Navy in the Pacific is that the United States won the war! This book capably presents the truth that it was never quite a certainty as the battles unfolded. It is a wonderful thing to have a talented writer and researcher as Hornfischer dedicate his extraordinary talent in presenting this excellent well written definitive history of the US and Japanese naval battles near the Phillipines in October of 1944. This book is very highly recommended as an excellent and thought provoking history as well as a true testimonial to the bravery of U.S Navy personnel in battle.

Learned A Lot That Is New.......2007-09-16

I'm about two-thirds of the way through the book. Even at this point, I've learned a lot that I hadn't really appreciated before.

First of all, sometime back I read a book about the naval battle of Guadalcanal. In that battle, it seems as if all the Japanese had to do to sink one of our ships was to get just one hit on it. By the time of the Battle Off Samar, American ship building must have radically improved. Even the American ships that went down were hit literally dozens of times before finally succumbing to the inevitable. And lots of other American ships were hit but kept fighting and were still fighting at the end of the war.

Another realization was the awful damage 16-inch naval guns do to the human body when they hit a ship and explode. The mental picture I used to have of WW II naval warfare was antiseptic. Yes, guys died -- but I saw it as ever so much cleaner than the awfulness of land warfare. The author of the book has descriptions of what the results were. Naval guns were far bigger than anything in land warfare. The biggest shell for field artillery was about the size of a football. In the Navy, the plentiful six- and eight-inch guns had shells as big as a five footballs. And the 16" (or 18" for two of the Japanese Navy's "super" battleships") were as big as a garbage can and weighed as much as a Volkswagen. When they exploded, huge chunks of the sides of ships would be opened up like a tuna can even though it was inch-thick steel. The effect on the human body was even more devastating. Guys were literally ripped apart and sometimes whole compartments of guys were ripped apart so badly that one guy couldn't be identified from another. It was, literally, like an explosion in a meat locker. Never again will I think that naval warfare was antiseptic. (This is also something of a warning that if you read the book you're going to get all those descriptions too. If you don't think you can stomach it, then you'll either have to skip over those sections or skip the book.)

The book also follows the survivors of the ships that went down as they bobbed in the water waiting for rescue. Their time in the water was made more troubling by the fact that they were constantly being circled by sharks. It was their "good fortune" to be covered with bunker oil from the sunken ships that apparently acted both as a shark repellent and a sun block. But, unlike every other book I've read or movie I've seen, the whole story of a naval battle isn't over when the shooting stops. And, it isn't easy to spot guys in the water with a whole ocean to look at. It was also interesting how, despite the desperate situation they were all in, they all worked to help the wounded among them first. (Unlike the movie warriors who are all fight, the tenderness displayed to the worse off among them is remarkable.)

This is a great book for anyone wanting to know what World War II naval warfare was really like.

Also, there are a lot of maps that help to follow ship movements.

Great book, but..........2007-09-14

I enjoyed the book and the heroism of the sailors and airmen who fought the battle has seldom been equaled. However, the whole reason they were in this terrible position to begin with was poor decision making and poor communication from the higher levels, esp Halsey. I found that after a while that fact made the book a bit depressing for me. It seems obvious that such a powerful Japanese fleet should have been given more respect (watched closely, etc.) since Halsey knew it was in the area.

Gene's review of Tin Can Sailors.......2007-09-13

A very good narrative with human interest about an important naval engagement of the WWII. How the US Navy reacted to an almost impossible situation that seemed hopeless. Read his other book about the sailors of the USS Houston who sank and survived to help build the highway in the jungle which included the Bridge over the River Quai. He is a very good author!

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.......2007-09-13

Having served on 3 destroyers (Tin Cans) 1952-1965, two of the Fletchers, this book brought back many memories, both good and bad, of those years of service and sailing on those ships. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it difficlut to put down. There are so many heroic stories to be told that have not been revealed, and so many more that will never be told, but I thank this author for telling this one.
Kenneth E. Irons

Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time To De-junk Your Life!

Average customer rating:

It's About DeJunking--NOT About Organizing!
Clutter's Last Stand
Will Change the Way You Look at Your STUFF
Dumpster Approach
If you need to dejunk this is THE book.

Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time To De-junk Your Life!
Don Aslett
Manufacturer: Adams Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Personal Transformation | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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Is There Life After Housework?: A Revolutionary Approach to Cutting Your Cleaning Time 75%

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 1593373295

Book Description

"Lose Your Clutter, Change Your Life"-that's the promise Don Aslett makes to readers in this updated bestseller. And he keeps that promise-taking readers on a dejunking journey that transforms their lives as well as their homes and workspaces.

In Clutter's Last Stand, readers learn how to declutter from the master-sifting, sorting, and getting rid of anything and everything that's junking up their lives. The payoff? A serene and organized environment that fosters productivity, creativity, and even personal growth! This book is the first-and last-word on getting organized!

Customer Reviews:

It's About DeJunking--NOT About Organizing!.......2007-09-05

I've read this book & a few others that Aslett has written. This is my favorite by far. It is motivational & always makes me want to jump up & dejunk my house. I have a short list of books that are so good that I try to re-read them every year--this book is on that list! If you ever find that you can't easily put things away because your cupboards, drawers or closets are too crowded, or you ever feel like you "should" keep something (gift, belonged to someone dear to you, could be worth something, someone might be able to use it, etc.) then this is the book for you! Don Aslett has a good sense of humor & writes in an easy-to-read manner. It doesn't take a long time or a lot of concentration to read his books, plus you actually want to get up & simplify your life before you've even finished the book! Highly recommend this book for pretty much anyone to read! :-)

Clutter's Last Stand.......2007-07-05

The reviews of this book were so good that I guess I was expecting the definitive book on decluttering. While the author makes me smile, admits he has a tendency to be somewhat of a packrat, and is easily understood, something seems to be missing. I want motivation, but find that I can receive more motivation on various websites on the net. As I declutter my bookshelves, this book will be one that goes in the 'donate' box. Mr. Aslett knows his subject though, and I'm looking forward to receiving his book, Is There Life After Housework? I have high hopes for time-saving tips from that book.

Will Change the Way You Look at Your STUFF.......2007-05-05

All of this man's books are wonderful, but this one is must reading. I kept jumping around this book looking for the quick tips for organizing, but there were none. I finally settled down and read the book from beginning to the end.

It was enjoyable and funny, but most importantly, it changed the way I looked at what I owned. The unexpected side effect was that it changed my buying habits (I stopped buying what I didn't need).

Dumpster Approach.......2007-02-26

I would recommend this book to read from a clutter standpoint but not as a book on dealing with Chronic Disorganization. I found this book," Clutters Last Stand", is not as easy to read as it may appear at first glance. I feel the author has the information presented in choppy portions throughout the book it did not always flow together. Reading this book was similar to reading a newspaper. The authors attitude is to get rid of everything and that is not the approach to have with many clients that have difficult organizing situations. This book is worth reading but not to get information on working with clients with Chronic Disorganization. The author has a get a dumpster approach to everthing and that is not always the best approach and will not work with everyone.

If you need to dejunk this is THE book........2007-01-26

If you have read any books on organization they all say get rid of your clutter. Reading this book is like having a coach to help you. I bought this book in 1984. This is probably the only book that I haven't got rid of. I have read most organizing books and this beats them all and it's not really a book about oranization.

Little Bighorn Remembered: The Untold Indian Story of Custer's Last Stand

Average customer rating:

Interesting, but. . .
The best book I've ever read!!
A major work.
Crow accounts are valuable
A Pretty book but flawed

Little Bighorn Remembered: The Untold Indian Story of Custer's Last Stand
Herman J. Viola
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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They Died With Custer: Soldiers' Bones from the Battle of the Little Bighorn

ASIN: 0812932560
Release Date: 1999-10-11

Book Description

On the morning of June 25, 1876,  soldiers of the elite U.S. Seventh Cavalry led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer attacked a large Indian encampment on the banks of the Little Bighorn River. By day's end, Custer and more than two hundred of his men lay dead. It was a shocking defeat--or magnificent victory, depending on your point of view--and more than a century later it is still the object of controversy, debate, and fascination.

What really happened on that fateful day? Now, thanks to the work of Herman J. Viola, Curator Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution, we are much closer to answering that question. Dr. Viola, a leader in the preservation of Native American culture and history, has collected here dozens of dramatic, never-before-published accounts by Indians who participated in the battle--accounts that have been handed down to the present day, often secretly and accompanied by oaths of silence, from one generation to the next. These remarkable eyewitness recollections provide a direct link to that day's events; together they constitute an unprecedented oral history of the battle from the Native American point of view and the most comprehensive eyewitness description of Little Bighorn we have ever had.

Here are the dramatic stories of the Cheyenne and Lakota warriors who rode into battle against Custer, the yellow-haired Son of the Morning Star, an adversary whose valor they admired--but who became a mortal enemy after breaking his peace-pipe oath, a scene described vividly in these pages. Here in their own words are the stories of the Crow scouts, allies of Custer, who advised against attacking Sitting Bull's village on the Little Bighorn. Here are tales of valor told by the Arikara scouts who fought side by side with Custer's men against the Lakota and Cheyenne; although the Great Father in Washington rewarded their heroism with silence, it is celebrated to this day in tribal stories and songs that come to us from beyond the grave with hair-raising immediacy and power.

Lavishly illustrated with more than two hundred maps, photographs, reproductions, and drawings, this remarkable book also includes:

   An account of the battle, including startling descriptions of Custer's conduct, collected from the Crow scouts by the famed photographer Edward S. Curtis in 1908. Curtis never published this report--President Theodore Roosevelt advised him not to--and it remained a secret until his ninety-year-old son recently gave the material to the Smithsonian.

  New archaeological evidence from the battlefield that casts fresh light on the Seventh Cavalry's movements, along with discoveries from the site of Sitting Bull's village--including the complete skeleton of a cavalry horse with its rider's well-
preserved saddlebags and personal items.

  A series of illustrations made soon after the battle by Red Horse, a remarkable tableau that is reproduced here in its entirety for the first time.

  Three letters written by Lieutenant William Van Wyck Reily just days before he died at Little Bighorn that provide key and potentially controversial insights into the conduct of the cavalry under Custer's command.


In short, this landmark book takes us much closer to knowing what really happened on that June day in 1876 when Custer died and a legend was born.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, but. . ........2007-01-18

I wished I had known (should have read the reviews!) that this is a coffee table attempt to deal with an extremely complicated subject. The pretty pictures and artwork were fine, but the book claims to have important historical information from the Crow scouts. When I read (reread and reread) the accounts, I was no closer to understanding what happened. Indeed, one descendant of the Crow scouts admitted that the versions of the events told to him by the scouts were not the same.

The book's strength is in its modern work at the site. The articles about what items were found at both sites with metal detectors (a whole horse!) was fascinating and worth the purchase price. For instance, that bullets with the same rifling were found all over the Custer battle site is fascinating. I hope more metal detector search can be done.

The best book I've ever read!!.......2004-05-01

This book is so ground-breaking and thorough and clever that I'll read it again as soon as I get time. The narratives and recollections of native Americans combined with the most up-to-date scholarship make this book a small masterpiece. Our view of the battle was so slanted and biased, generally without intention, because of an overemphasis on the records of European participants, etc. This book gives another view, and thus B-A-L-A-N-C-E.!!

A major work........2001-05-28

In general I'm not really big on modern history (my notion of "modern" being everything after 1200 BC!), but Viola's book "Little Bighorn Remembered," featured as it was as the "untold Indian story of Custer's last stand," intrigued me. I have to admit to having had to take a second run at it before I really got into the subject. It isn't that the work is poorly written; it isn't. I think that the up front and in your face brutality of the 19th Century US government in dealing with the Native American population was just hard to deal with for me. It`s not that I am myself Native American; I just have a strong sense of fairness and fairness had no part in it. When I finally did settle into the material, however, it read rapidly. In fact it probably classifies highly with some of those I-couldn't-put-it-down novels over which people burn the midnight oil. (In my case I should have been getting a quick nap between patients while I was on-call for the OR on a night shift).

The first two chapters of the book concern the antecedents leading up to the Indian confrontation with Custer and the 7th Cavalry. These included Custer's own pre-dawn attack on a sleeping Cheyenne village under the leadership of Chief Black Kettle on the Washita River in 1868 and an earlier similar attack on Plains Tribes camping at Sand Creek in 1864. In both instances dozens of men, women, and children were hunted down and shot and their bodies butchered. In the 1868 attack even the Cheyenne pony herd, some 900 animals, was also killed, severely crippling the people's ability to pursue their traditional lifestyle. The narrative of these two chapters is filled with unfulfilled promises and broken treaties with Native Americans in the furtherance of US territorial expansion during the 19th Century. Certainly anyone familiar with the attitudes of Europeans toward technologically less advanced populations world wide in areas they wished to exploit will recognize the pattern.

The remainder of the book is divided into chapters each dealing with various perspectives on the battle of the Little Bighorn. Here is where the book rises above others on the subject, for Viola makes use of very diverse sources in his effort to thoroughly and fairly cover the subject .

Included are the oral histories passed on by the Indian participants, stories from the Cheyenne and the Dakota on one side and from the Crow and Arikara scouts with Custer on the other. Probably the most interesting part of this material is the fact that not all Plains Indians felt the same about the coming of the army into the area. In fact the imperialism of the US government was actually superimposed upon on-going events among traditional enemies within the community of local people. The long standing enmity of certain groups actually facilitated the ultimate defeat of the Plains Indians. Even allies weren't necessarily of one mind and still are not. A popular saying among the modern Cheyenne is that "The Sioux got the glory, the Crows got the land, but the Cheyennes did the fighting(p. 27)."

Also among the narratives are notes left by Edward S. Curtis who undertook the mission of creating a photographic preservation of Native American Indian lifestyles before they disappeared. During the pursuit of this work Curtis took the opportunity of covering the battle site in the company of three of Custer's Crow scouts. From information about events provided by these individuals he came to the conclusion that the battle had not proceeded as recorded thirty years previously. His intent to publish his conclusions in his project was discouraged by President Theodore Roosevelt, primarily because the latter was concerned that pro-Custer factions would ruin Curtis. The information was preserved and given over to the National Museum of American History by his son Harold just prior to Harold's death at the age of 95 in 1988.

Among the "documents" preserving the Battle at Little Bighorn are the Indian drawings of the event of which Viola includes illustrations of many. Though simple line drawings they give every bit as clear an image of the violence and carnage of the battle field as do the photo images of the Civil War. Included are drawings by the Dakota, Red Horse, and some etched drawings by an unknown artists on flattened metal from trade kettles. Also presented, many for the first time, are some of the victory memorabilia collected from the battlefield and preserved by family members of the Indian participants through the generations.

A fire across the battlefield in 1983 made an archaeological examination of the site possible and almost imperative. Application of modern techniques to the charting, recovery and analysis of the material remains on the site by professionals and trained volunteers in the decade between 1985 and 1995 have allowed a reinterpretation of what occurred and an external verification of the stories of various participants. (For a more in-depth account of which see my review of "They Died With Custer : Soldiers' Bones from the Battle of the Little Bighorn.")

Among the most amazing reports of the battle and its events is that of the contribution of suicide to the death toll. Apparently the notion of torture at the hands of Indian combatants, fostered in part by the tradition of post mortem mutilation of enemy bodies (to prevent their full enjoyment of the afterlife) produced a "save the last bullet for yourself" mentality that led to a far higher mortality than might have occurred. One Indian witness reported having seen a man "murder" a compatriot and than shoot himself. Apparently he was not the only individual to have seen this puzzling behavior either.

Probably the most arresting facets of Viola's book, and certainly the ones I found most enjoyable, were the many rotogravure/tintype portraits of the various American Indian personalities involved in the drama of the Plains. The faces are filled with dignity, composure, and intelligence. It leaves the viewer with a sense of compassion and loss. One wonders what the country might have been like had the two worlds learned to coexist more peacefully and to learn from one another.

Crow accounts are valuable.......2000-03-04

I found this book to be fascinating pictorially and in its presentation of Indian viewpoints of Little Bighorn.

Some other reviewers have criticized Herman Viola's inclusion of the accounts of Custer's Crow scouts, as if Viola is somehow doing a disservice to scholarship. However, I don't think he is necessarily presenting these accounts as gospel. Viola acknowledges the inconsistencies between witnesses' stories, but he gives the Crow a chance to speak for themselves, which seems like a good thing to me.

Perhaps by publishing these little-known testimonies, Viola will encourage other Indian sources to share their knowledge of Little Bighorn while that knowledge still exists.

A Pretty book but flawed.......2000-02-19

Read without knowledge of the other Indian based accounts available; this is an interesting book. There are other books available also which are based on Indian accounts and seem more coherent. This book is pretty and interesting but adds very little to a serious student of the event. Some of the vignettes are interesting when compared with other indian accounts and blended with them. The story of Custer sitting around at Weir point while Reno's battalion was being routed is not well placed in time or detail. In short, the book is a quick and easy read. It is an interesting contrast to the "old" accounts of the Little Big Horn saga. In light of other recent works on the subject; it is a lightweight.

Last Stand at Majuba Hill (Simon Fonthill Series)

Average customer rating:

I cudda been a contender

Last Stand at Majuba Hill (Simon Fonthill Series)
John Wilcox
Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0755327187

Book Description

In the fight for South Africa, who will be the first to fall? The year is 1881, and General George Pomeroy-Colley, commander of the British forces in Natal, is planning to halt a rebellion. He's convinced the Transvaal Boers—mere farmers—can pose no serious threat, but before he can advance into unknown terrain, he needs reliable information. He calls on former army captain Simon Fonthill. A veteran of the Zulu and Sekukuni campaigns, Fonthill knows the Boers should not be underestimated. After narrowly surviving a scouting mission into hostile territory, Fonthill and his servant, "352" Jenkins, are given an urgent diplomatic assignment where further danger awaits them. But the greatest test is yet to come. As the Queen's men and the sharp-shooting Boers converge on Majuba Hill, Fonthill and Jenkins are the first into the fray. If they are to break the enemy, Colley's men must hold the summit at all costs….

Customer Reviews:

I cudda been a contender.......2007-07-05

This book had some good characters except for the wild west character, whom I found to be a little far fetched. The Hero was far too soft and kind to his enemies to have been a captain in Her Majesties forces and his batman partner a little confused about directions to be a scout. The historical battle settings and descriptions were very good.

Little Big Horn 1876: Custer's Last Stand (Campaign)

Average customer rating:

Very Well Done
Excellent review of the Little Big Horn
Condensed but Accurate History But Maps Are Killer: 3-D
A Fine Overview
Good Overview of the Little Big Horn Campaign

Little Big Horn 1876: Custer's Last Stand (Campaign)
Peter Panzeri
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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They Died With Custer: Soldiers' Bones from the Battle of the Little Bighorn

ASIN: 185532458X
Release Date: 1995-09-11

Book Description

The death of George Armstrong Custer, and over half of his 7th Cavalry Regiment in the valley of the Little Big Horn on 25 July 1876, has become the most celebrated battle of the Indian wars. It was the greatest, and the last, victory of the Native Americans over the United States military. Disobeying orders, Custer followed a trail to a large encampment of Indians and, without determining the numbers he faced split his command into three groups and attacked. In the resulting chaos Custer and more than half the troops under his command were killed.

Customer Reviews:

Very Well Done.......2007-09-07

This is a series book from a collection outlining famous battles through history. Little Big Horn 1876...by Peter Panzeri delivers a thorough, well illustrated and tight description of what was known as Custer's Last Stand (before the PC police got a hold of this piece of the American experience).

This book was written after wildfires burned the brush at Little Big Horn National Military Park. This is important to understand because the denudation of the landscape led to the exposure of many battle-era artifacts. The resulting archaeological work led to a better understanding of the battle and troop movements and dispositions. This book takes advantage of the new information.

The author lays out very concisely the campaign plan, battle movements and likely (based on evidence) final disposition of Custer's troopers on and in the vicinity of Last Stand Hill. The full battle is portrayed with equal relevance given to the Reno/Benteen fight and defense five miles away from Custer. The splitting of Benteen and Reno's troopers as well as personality conflicts and vignettes on the major players on both the Indian and Cavalry sides are provided. The Indian side is well covered and I learned a lot about how and why the tribes gathered there as well as their war fighting tactics and practices that gave me a much fuller understanding of the battle than I had before.

The 3-D maps showing troop movements are very well rendered. Having visited the battlefield, the 3-D presentation is important to understanding the battlefield. It is a very hilly area with major views obscured at many points and battle sounds cordoned off by hills and obstructions. The geography had a major impact on the fighting and outcome of this battle.

This is a thin book, but well worth the cost. Its value is in a thorough rendering and illustration of the essentials of the battle. A great start to understanding "Custer's Last Stand."

Excellent review of the Little Big Horn.......2005-07-22

The maps, narrative and pictures provide a concise outline of the battle. It does not provide much detail, however, as to how the authors reached the conclusions they did regarding the movements of and how the battle unfolded for the regiments that were completely wiped out (ie. it does not address battlefield archeology to any degree). Nonetheless, it is an excellent overview and should be read in conjunction with books that do address the archeology.

Condensed but Accurate History But Maps Are Killer: 3-D.......2003-12-14

I spotted Panzieri's book while on a tour of the Little Big Horn in the hands of a tour attendee and I had to have a copy. The best and most unique thing about this book are the maps. Large color overall campaign maps in several stages but the ultimate are the 3 dimensional maps of different phases of the Little Big Horn battle. These color topographical maps not only give you positions of the combatants with time interval notations but the terrain features are excellent. If you have never been there, you will now appreciate the difficulty of the terrian, the high bluffs, the coulees (large drainages) Weir Point etc. which contributed to the difficulty in communications, the effects it had on visualizing the village and the advantages it gave the Native Americans. You can hold the several 2 page maps in your hands at the battlefield and have one of the best guides literally in hand. Also, the condensed history is excellent with a wealth of pictures and it pretty much follows Fox's theory as well as heavy contribution apparently by Gray's time sequence estimates. Fox's theory that Custer was still in the offensive mode which was why his battalion was split with one wing waiting for Benteen when all hell breaks loose does make sense. This is the best condensed version of the campaign but it's all about the maps, they are the best, particularly the 3-D battle maps. The maps alone are worth the purchase.

A Fine Overview.......2003-09-14

Peter Panzeri's "Little Big Horn 1876 " presents a good solid portrayal of Custer's Last Stand. There are several high points to the author's work: The background to that fateful day is ably drawn indeed. We know why both sides met in Southeast Montana when they did. The replay of troop movements on both sides is presented well without losing the reader in detail. There are several good photos of the main characters, personalizing them. Most significantly, the MAPS are excellent. So many military books pay little or no heed to them. The maps here are of first rate full color quality. They are so good that LBH warrants 5 stars on this aspect alone! If LBH has a weak spot, it lies in the absence of any after the battle analysis. A chapter of Monday morning quarterbacking would have been the perfect complement to Mr. Panzeri's efforts. Since we now know that there were survivors from this battle, at least from Major Reno's and Captain Benteen's commands, opinions must abound on the engagement. This omission is insufficient to lowering the ranking of LBH. The maps save the day! REVIEWER'S NOTE: Since submitting this review to amazon, I have gone to Montana and visited the scene. It's impressive! The key point is to underscore the sheer size of the battle area.It's big!! One can quickly appreciate how hard it could have been for Benteen and Reno to come to Custer's aide. With the rolling hills,maybe they did not even see him. In any event the site is right off I 90 and close to the pleasant town of Billings, MT. Now I'm searching for another Custer story. A visit to LBH definitely enhances the printed word!

Good Overview of the Little Big Horn Campaign.......2002-08-02

Little Big Horn 1876: Custer's Last Stand by Peter F. Panzeri is a good overview of the Little Big Horn Campaign. It is written in the traditional Osprey style and in addition has excellent maps showing the troop movements.

The theme of the book appears to be the multiple mistakes made by Custer and his men, espically Major Reno, that led to the destruction of his cammand. The chief among these was over confidence. In this vien, the book is very good. This is a worthwhile read for one who wants to know the basics of an American battle where it is often times difficult to seperate fact from folklore.

Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock'N'Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood
Average customer rating:

Re-live the fabulous hey days of the Sunset Strip

Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand?

Great Read, Coulda Been Shorter

Great book

The cover is deceiving. If you were a teen in 1965, you need to see this book!

Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock'N'Roll's Last Stand in Hollywood
Domenic Priore
Manufacturer: Jawbone Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus

Eye Mind: The Saga of Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators, The Pioneers of Psychedelic Sound

Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector

ASIN: 1906002045

Book Description

On the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in 1965 and 1966, an electrifying scene appeared out of nowhere, exploded into creativity, and then suddenly vanished. From the moment The Byrds debuted at Ciro's in March of '65 - with Dylan joining them onstage - up to the demonstrations of 1966, clubs on the Strip nurtured and broke The Doors, Love, Buffalo Springfield, The Standells, The Mamas and The Papas, and many others. This book captures the excitement of this great artistic awakening and explains its tragic disappearance.

Customer Reviews:

Re-live the fabulous hey days of the Sunset Strip.......2007-09-24

This book is a great in-depth tribute to the people,places and atmosphere
that made the Sunset Strip the 'place to see and be seen' Great photos..and tid-bits about all the clubs..who played there and how the local Government felt and acted upon the whole scene..also provides a list of all the clubs and their addresses..Don't pass this book up!

Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand?.......2007-09-12

Priore's book on the Strip isn't bad at all. Highly entertaining in fact. As long as you're on board with his agenda of everything from L.A. in the mid '60s was brilliant and everything from San Francisco was crapola then you're in for a treat as his research was extensive. The garage rock chapter unearthed tons 'O bands I'd never heard of and even if he doesn't really tell you anything you didn't already know about The Beach Boys, Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Doors, etc he still puts you right in the center of all the action in Hollywood circa '66-'67. Rock 'n' roll may not have died after that but he convinces you that his rock 'n' roll did.

Great Read, Coulda Been Shorter.......2007-09-10

I loved this book because of the way it put me right on the Sunset Strip in the mid 60s, making me feel like I was sitting at Canter's Deli with Gene Clark and then dancing to The Byrds at Ciro's later that same evening. I also love the argument it makes about San Francisco's elitist attitude about its own 60s bands, versus those of L.A. Ask me to choose between The Grateful Dead and Love, between Moby Grape and The Byrds, between any SF garage band and The Seeds or The Music Machine, and I'm going with the Hollywood "cream puff" act every time. The book also makes you feel the tragedy of the collapse of the Sunset Strip nightclub scene, after the police effectively shut it down because some influential people in town didn't like the idea of the Strip being a place for teenagers to hang out and dance to groovy music. You get to know what a magical time and place the Strip was in 65-66, and it makes you want to be there. The only complaint I have is that at times Priore is too expansive, too exhaustive - it's hard to care after a while when he gives you countless details about every band who happened to be around the Strip through the mid-60s. That's a minor quibble, though, because if you don't want to read all that detail, you can skip over those sections. Otherwise, this is a great book which definitely and delightfully puts you in a cool time and place. And I love the Sunset Strip mid-60s street map at the beginning of the book.

Great book.......2007-08-08

A few mistakes in the photo captions but the author's heart is in the right place and the text is scholarly and quite engaging. Loved it!

The cover is deceiving. If you were a teen in 1965, you need to see this book!.......2007-07-30

It's amazing how many music styles melded on one stretch of road in one city during just a two-year period! This is not an ordinary road but the main one - Sunset Strip (actually Sunset Boulvard) - and not just any city. It's HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA!

Sure there were hard rock bands - the image you get from both the title and the cover photo of this fascinating book - but there were also the Beach Boys, The Mamas and Papas, Petula Clark and lots of small comedy and folk clubs. This was the music I gravitated to during 1965 and 1966 and I found lots to reminisce about on as I read and looked through this book. Of particular interest to me was the section on Teen TV shows which emanated from the LA scene. Though, growing up in the Philadelphia area, I was more of an American Bandstand viewer, we did get Lloyd Thaxton in the afternoon and, of course, Shindig! in the evening. Then there was the T.A.M.I. Show film - which still has never been legitimately been released on home video - and it was filmed there. Fiore devotes a large section to this and I learned things we "kids" on the East Coast never knew. Just looking at the picture, and reading the captions, was an experience.

I can certainly recommend this - as a memory jogger - to anyone who was a teen in 1965-66 and it'll definitely be a must for anyone who watch Rock and Roll television in Southern California in the 1960s.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

Last Stand on Jabiim (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 3)

Average customer rating:

Great Art, Great Action
Great comic book!!
Jabba-sized hole in an otherwise excellent book
Can't wait to turn the next page...
The second best of the first 4

Last Stand on Jabiim (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 3)
Haden Blackman , Brian Ching , John Ostrander , and Jan Duursema
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Victories and Sacrifices (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 2)
Light and Dark (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 4)
The Best Blades (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 5)
The Defense of Kamino and Other Tales (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 1)
On the Fields of Battle (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 6)

ASIN: 1593070063

Book Description

General Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker find themselves in command of a regiment of Clone Troopers on the muddy battlefields of the rain world of Jabiim. With their supply lines stretched thin and reinforcements unable to land due to the perpetual storms, the Jedi and their army have become easy targets for the rebel Alto Stratus and his elite Nimbus warriors. The situation goes from bad to worse when General Kenobi is listed missing in action, and Anakin is teamed with a group of other masterless young Jedi on a doomed mission to hold the last line in the Republic's defense!

Customer Reviews:

Great Art, Great Action.......2007-09-24

Jedis are great and all, but I really enjoy the war aspect of this series. Vol 1 was good, Vol 2 started really picking up in the last section, and Vol 3 really gets to it--War! Its the volumes like this one that make me wish they had a series devoted to Clone Troopers, Republic Commandos, and ARCs (esp Alpha). Good inking and artwork. Straight-forward plot, almost near constant action, and it was good to see the Republic actually defeated here. Nice character development for Anakin. This volume has been my favorite so far...looking forward to getting Vol 4.

Great comic book!!.......2007-05-14

This is a great series! Absolutely worth to begin an excellent Star Wars series! The art is great and there are a lot of details and things to watch in these magazines.

Jabba-sized hole in an otherwise excellent book.......2006-05-14

This would have been a very good book if not for one very large blunder on the part of the editors at Dark Horse, who should have sent the script back to writer Haden Blackman with the following written on the cover page in red ink: Why doesn't Anakin feel Obi-Wan die in the Force?

There's a scene here where Obi-Wan is caught in a missile barrage and in the ensuing confusion of battle is never heard from again. He is presumed dead, a quite obvious conclusion under most circumstances. But as we are dealing with beings capable of "feeling" the presence of others in the Force; as we are dealing with Anakin Skywalker, the most powerful Force user in the living memory of the Jedi (which is quite long, as Yoda has lived for nearly a millennia); when we are dealing with two individuals tightly bonded as master and apprentice, and when these two are located only a short physical distance from each other, then the idea that Anakin accepts Obi-Wan's death so quickly and so easily is quite frankly ridiculous. At first I thought perhaps the pair had concocted a ruse enabling Obi-Wan to go underground on some secret mission. That seemed much more likely as we are never shown Anakin mourning the loss of Obi-Wan, even when we get plenty of scenes with other Padawan mourning the death of their masters and pondering on the meaning of life and sacrifice as they prepare to face the next battle in this long-running war.

Obi-Wan's supposed death turns out to be a lazy solution to a plotting problem - how to get rid of the master so that the student can take the lead. On the rain-soaked planet of Jabiim, the inhabitants have divided into factions supporting Republic and Separatist forces, and as the battle drags on the only Jedi left standing are the Padawan. Trained to accept orders from the Jedi, the Republic clone army must follow these apprentices into a last battle against a numerically superior enemy. But rather than waste their forces on Jabiim, Chancellor Palpatine orders a last minute retreat, leaving Anakin in the position of choosing to stay and support the Jabiimi loyal to the Republic, or leave them to be slaughtered by an army of droids.

How much more poignant the decision would have been if Anakin knew Obi-wan was alive in the Force, but missing in action, that when giving the order to evacuate the troops he would be abandoning not only the Jabiimi but his master as well.

As it stands, we're left with a huge whole in the plot that is never adequately explained, in this book or any of the Clone Wars stories that follow. Fortunately, the tale is not an entire waste. Brian Ching is on hand to provide some of the best artwork of the entire Clone Wars series, illustration that is realistic, fluid and cinematic. Where Haden stumbles, Ching soars and the book is almost worth getting for the artwork alone.

For those interested in a follow-up, there is a Second Battle of Jabiim, published as "In The Footsteps Of Their Fathers," which sees Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance visiting the planet many years later to support the Jabiimi resistance against the Empire. See my review of that book on the "In the Shadows of Their Fathers" page.

Can't wait to turn the next page..........2006-03-07

Overall I really enjoyed this one. It moved as one story throughout the whole thing which I enjoy much more than a bunch of stories that are cut way too short. It concentrated more on Anakin and his mindset and actions, which I enjoyed. The artwork was done extremely well also. My only complaints that kept it from getting five stars, are that the main villain is way to powerful for a non-jedi, (he carries a regular sword, which should be the equivalent of carrying a fork into battle, give me a break), and that on a few instances, the jedi seem to die way too easily.

The second best of the first 4.......2005-12-01

A great Clone Wars novel which a much darker version of the war. Several battles on a muddy, rainy, planet with every Jedi master dead (or thought to be) and only Padawans and clones left to fight an enemy that has almost every advantage. This would get 5 stars if the short "Catspaw" wasn't included. This short was definitely one of the worst Star Wars issues ever. Apart from that, a very good TPB with lots of action. Also, good cliffhanger at the end.

Tucker's Last Stand: A Blackford Oakes Novel

Average customer rating:

Fictional Footnote to the Vietnam War
Superb storytelling!
Toilet this book

Tucker's Last Stand: A Blackford Oakes Novel
William F. Buckley Jr.
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

A Very Private Plot: A Blackford Oakes Novel
Operation Mongoose
Last Call for Blackford Oakes (Blackford Oakes Novel)
Who's on First
High Jinx

ASIN: 0394576756
Release Date: 1990-12-26

Book Description

The year is 1964. Faced with a tough presidential campaign and a deteriorating situation in Vietnam, Lyndon Johnson dispatches superagent Blackford Oakes on a mission to Southeast Asia. With him goes Tucker Montana, a character as colorful as his background is shady.

They have two goals: Tucker to plot interdiction on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Oakes to oversee a secret operation in the Tonkin Gulf--an operation that will give Johnson the excuse he needs for a greater U.S. military role in Vietnam.

"Tense, chilling, unflaggingly lively...a romp and something more." (The Wall Street Journal)

Customer Reviews:

Fictional Footnote to the Vietnam War.......2007-02-05

Buckley gives us an interesting snapshot of one aspect of the Vietnam War -- namely, a high-tech attempt to interdict movement down the fabled Ho Chi Minh Trail. Although fictional, it deals with a lot of fact and brings back searing memories of those days in the early 1960s before the U.S. became so fully immersed in the Vietnam War. Though an interesting period piece, the book fails to excite the reader. In typical Buckley style, "Tucker's Last Stand" moves deliberately but lacks compelling moments. You won't stay awake reading this book. The best part of the book is the glimpse it gives of some real, historic people (LBJ, Goldwater, MacNamara). A fictional footnote it is. A thriller it aint.

Superb storytelling!.......1999-08-13

Bill Buckley took a break from Blackford Oakes to give us this exciting Vietnam-era war novel, and I'm glad he did. Tucker is an excellent protagonist in the vein of Clancy's "Mr. Clark".

Toilet this book.......1999-05-30

I found that this novel had more viewpoints than an actual story. And just what was the story? It seemed that ten pages could have been enough. Stupid, stupid, and more stupid!

Marvel Knights Spider-Man Vol. 3: The Last Stand

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
Where did it go?
It all comes to an end...
Rhyme & Reason
Mark Millar's stunning conclusion

Marvel Knights Spider-Man Vol. 3: The Last Stand
Mark Millar , and Terry Dodson
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Marvel Knights Spider-Man Vol. 2: Venomous
Marvel Knights Spider-Man Vol. 1: Down Among the Dead Men
Marvel Knights Spider-Man Volume 4: Wild Blue Yonder Tpb (Spider-Man (Graphic Novels))
Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 10: New Avengers
Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2: Revelations

ASIN: 0785116761

Book Description

In the conclusion to the Marvel Knights Spider-Man super-story, the identity of Aunt May's abductor is finally revealed. But is that the villain who really pulls the strings? Things heat up as Spidey and the Black Cat face off against the might of the Sinister Twelve. Holy cow, True Believers! Did we say twelve? Even with the tough-as-nails Black Cat by his side, how can the web-slinger possibly defeat twelve of the most powerful super-villains on the planet? The roller-coaster ride that is Marvel Knights Spider-Man picks up speed, riding a corkscrew to its conclusion! Collects Marvel Knights Spider-Man #9-12.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

This is reasonable, apart from The Scorpion is the new Venom? The Green Goblin is treating his relationship with Spider-Man as a series of battles, done to his twisted code. His problem is that he is about to be assassinated in prison, and only Spider-Man can get him out. Mostly due to the fact he is going to murder his hostage Aunt. Images of well built girlfriends and other relatives, friends and associates of the pushing up the daisies varieties haunt Spider-Man throughout. Much of the story is internal to the wallcrawler here, not really any of the usual battles with quippage.

Where did it go?.......2007-01-12

After reading the first volume and being impressed by both the artwork and the writing I decided to spend my hard earned money on the next two volumes to find out what happened to Aunt May. Wow was I left disappointed. While the artwork is still phenomenal, I really felt that this final arc was just a 'cram in all the characters you can' deal. Yes, there is no doubt that the Green Goblin is an evil, evil man, but there was a lack of something in this story that I got in 'Down Among the Dead Men'.

It all comes to an end..........2005-11-21

This third act of the year-long story arc is unbelievable. Although the whole set-up reminded me a bit of Batman: Hush with the manipulation of Spideman's villians, it was still amazing. There's a reason why the Green Goblin is Peter's worst foe -- because he's one bad-a$$! And in this book, he is in full form.

Also, very interesting is Millar's idea of super villians. Ponder this one over. It's very, very cool!

Rhyme & Reason.......2005-07-28

The highly successful combination Millar and Dodson bring to a close the last arc in their Marvel Knights Spider-Man series with "The Last Stand." Millar's story injects each character - hero or villian - with a captivating sense of realism, humanity, and heart. Early on I felt the Spider-Man stories were driven by Peter Parker's challanges while growing up and balancing his "life" apart from the mask. Most of the villans and obstacles thrown at him were just reflections of his problems and were never flushed out. Now the characters have real motivations and real problems that lead them to their confrontations with the Wallcrawler. All of this is amazingly complimented by the Dodson-Duo's art. Both Dodson's bring their unique style to their work, but overall the splashes, panels, and pacing throughout pages feel consistent. Do yourself a favor if your a Spider-Fan and pick a copy of this as well as the first installments "Down Among the Dead Men" and "Venomous."

Mark Millar's stunning conclusion.......2005-06-10

Mark Millar's year long arc on Marvel Knights Spider-Man comes to a stunner of a conclusion as he ties up all the loose ends he's set up the past year while revealing who kidnapped Peter Parker's beloved Aunt May and just who was behind it. Who did it and why isn't really much of a surprise here, but the culmination of which is, as Spidey faces off against the newly formed Sinister Twelve, led by the Green Goblin and the Scorpion, who has now come into posession of Eddie Brock's auctioned off Venom symbiote costume. Everything else, such as who is controling Doctor Octopus and why is revealed, along with which side is the Black Cat really on. Ending in a last battle with the Green Goblin with odes to the classic death of Gwen Stacy tale, Millar brings his year long run to a close in style, and once again the art of his Trouble team of Terry and Rachel Dodson is superb. All in all, this final chapter of one of the best Spider-Man stories to be told in the last few years is completely satisfying, and the splash page featuring the Green Goblin with Mary Jane as a hostage in a very chilling and familiar looking scene is worth the price of admission alone.

Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup #2: Escape from Five Shadows, Last Stand at Saber River, and the Law at Randado (Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup)

Average customer rating:

A great Leonard Western
Western fiction may be out of style, but not Elmore Leonard.

Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup #2: Escape from Five Shadows, Last Stand at Saber River, and the Law at Randado (Elmore Leonard's Western Roundup)
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Forty Lashes Less One
The Complete Western Stories Of Elmore Leonard
The Hot Kid : A Novel
Valdez Is Coming
The Tonto Woman and Other Western Stories

ASIN: 0385333234
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Amazon.com

Escape from Five Shadows is another great Elmore Leonard prison-break novel set in the Old West, with Corey Bowen as an innocent man looking to escape from a work camp run by a sadistic embezzler willing to kill to keep his scheme running. As always with Leonard, there are no throwaway lines, and success comes to those who act with competence and conviction. In Last Stand at Saber River, a Confederate veteran returns to his Arizona homestead to find that Yankee mercenaries are occupying his home. That situation's bound to change, and not peacefully. In The Law at Randado, a young deputy must prove himself to a rich man who represents the legal authority in their community. These three short novels from the early stages of Leonard's career are like blueprints for the crime fiction he would come to master in the 1980s and '90s, and will prove a delightful surprise to any of his fans. If you don't think you like Westerns, read any of these stories and you may find yourself reconsidering your taste for the genre. --Ron Hogan

Book Description

Escape From Five Shadows: It was supposed to be impossible. No man could break out of the brutal convict labor camp at Five Shadows. Until they locked up Bowen. He was like dynamite--charged to go off, to explode out of that desert hell so he could clear his name. Already the deadly trackers have caught him, dragged him back through the mesquite and rocks, beat him and left him to rot in the punishment cell. But they can't stop Bowen. He's a different breed, a man who will go to any extreme to escape. Any extreme.

Last Stand at Saber River: A one-armed man stood before Denaman's store, and the girl named Luz was scared. Paul Cable could see that from the rise two hundred yards away, just as he could see that everything had changed while he was away fighting for the Confederacy. He just didn't know how much. Cable and his family rode down to Denaman's store and faced the one-armed man. Then they heard the story, about the Union Army and two brothers--and a beautiful woman--who had taken over Cable's spread and weren't going to give it back. For Paul Cable the war hadn't ended at all. Among the men at Saber River, some would be his enemies, some might have been his friends, but no one was going to take his future away--not with words, not with treachery, and not with guns

The Law at Randado: Kirby Frye was a local boy come home again--with a badge and a reputation in some circles. But to the men with money in Randado, Kirby Frye meant nothing. Twelve upstanding citizens, prompted by a hard-drinking, free-spending cattleman, hanged two of Kirby's prisoners behind his back. Then they laughed in his face. Frye was young, but he was no fool. He took their taunts, took their hired men's blows, and waited. For with a hotheaded sheriff from Tucson and a breed tracker on Kirby's side, it would be three men against many. And what they didn't know about Kirby Frye was that three against many was good enough for him--good enough to go up against their guns, good enough to bring the law back to Randado, and good enough to drive a rich man to his knees.

Customer Reviews:

A great Leonard Western.......2004-09-23

In the course of the last month, I've become a big fan of Elmore Leonard's Westerns. I'm new to the Western, late in the game. After a few L'Amour's, a friend put me on to Leonard. He's the very top of the genre, in my view. The dialogue and the action tell the story and make the points about toughness and character, not the sentimental interior thought process of the hero, so common in this genre; at least what I've seen thus far.
In The Law at Randado (one of the titles in this collection), Kirby Frye is young and green (as a deputy), but he stands up to the townsmen and Phil Sundeen, the bad cattle baron, much to their surprise. He reminds me a lot of the implacable Roberto Valdez in "Valdez is Coming" (I think Leonard's greatest Western), and there are similar qualities to the story. But this is early Leonard (1954), and he only gets better as time goes on.
We again meet the scoundrel Sundeen and see his fate in Gunsights, a much later book (1979).
It's going to be hard to go back to other Western authors having been introduced to Elmore Leonard this early on!

Western fiction may be out of style, but not Elmore Leonard........1998-09-21

Although the author has tended to underrate his earliest work in the Western genre, later Elmore Leonard crime novels like CITY PRIMEVAL, KILLSHOT (a corker, by the way) and OUT OF SIGHT are certainly influenced by earlier books such as VALDEZ IS COMING. He will often include references to the movie Westerns that were made from his stories in the novels. The famous restaurant confrontation between Chili Palmer and a stuntman-bodyguard in GET SHORTY imitates a similiar scene in the Leonard-written Clint Eastwood movie JOE KIDD (which Chili, a true movie buff, remembers vividly). The very funny novel PRONTO gets even funnier when you realize that Leonard is, to a great degree, satirizing traditional Western heroics and the conventions of a genre that he truly understands and loves. I can't imagine any fan of Elmore Leonard's - or the American Western - being disappointed in THE LAW AT RANDADO (my personal favorite), HOMBRE (which won the Golden Spur Award for the 100 best Western novels of all time) or VALDEZ IS COMING. It's great to have these books back in print in any form (as well as the new set of Western shorts THE TONTO WOMAN) and collectors should move fast - these tend to be taken out of print very quickly. Don't buy one - buy all three!!

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