The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts

Amazon.com

The Woman Warrior is a pungent, bitter, but beautifully written memoir of growing up Chinese American in Stockton, California. Maxine Hong Kingston (China Men) distills the dire lessons of her mother's mesmerizing "talk-story" tales of a China where girls are worthless, tradition is exalted and only a strong, wily woman can scratch her way upward. The author's America is a landscape of confounding white "ghosts"--the policeman ghost, the social worker ghost--with equally rigid, but very different rules. Like the woman warrior of the title, Kingston carries the crimes against her family carved into her back by her parents in testimony to and defiance of the pain.

Book Description

A Chinese American woman tells of the Chinese myths, family stories and events of her California childhood that have shaped her identity.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant!.......2007-08-25

An excellent book, funny, insightful, poignant. Ms. Kingston brilliantly conveys how cultures can clash within the minds of those who straddle them. After reading this book I bought half a dozen copies to give to close friends.

Prepare for the unexpected........2007-03-22

This is a tremendous novel. The author threads the stories her mother told her when she was a child, through the retelling of her own life, using them to draw you into her own imagination. As she grows up, living half immersed in traditional myth and half in gritty reality, where mothers and daughters are only human, the reader grows up with her. The first person telling of her childhhood stories puts the reader directly in the shoes of a child/young adult working through the stories she has been told, using them to form her hopes and dreams and her understanding of the world.

(N.B. You may not think that your childhood stories influenced the way you live, but if you think for a minute, I am certain some will come back to you and you'll realize that just the other day you did something based on or combatting that belief. Maybe you even still wish on stars?)

Interesting motive, fails to deliver.......2007-01-12

While the perspective and ideas of this novel are ones rarely seen in modern day literature, Maxine Hong Kingston fails to captivate a reader in a way that one would expect from a novel dealing with the difficulties of not only being a minority in the U.S., but for simply being female.

The story starts off with the tale of Kingston's deceased aunt, who brought shame to the family and was unmentionable due to the fact that she bore an illegitimate child. As she gets into the tale and finds a parallel between herself and her aunt, both not wanting to conform to societal expectations, the story quickly changes to a story of a legendary girl trained by two old people to battle evil. The narration is filled with melodramatic elements and disorganized and often random occurences that make no sense at all, thereby losing the reader's interest early on in the book. The story then changes a few more times to different events in her family occuring in different eras, making it hard to grasp the relationship between themand her purpose for doing so. As you can see, the organization in this novel seems to be its biggest flaw. Instead of focusing on one tale and going in depth about it, the fact that Kingston changes stories so frequently and often before they are fully developed is annoying and seems to be pointless. While the stories she includes share a common theme of decpicting independent and strong women, her melodramatic and ineffective ways of narrating not only loses the reader's interest but in the process, I think even Kingston got confused about what she was trying to say!

Interesting Perspective Rarely Seen.......2007-01-12

Kingston combines the use of allegory, fantasy, and real life elements of her childhood to explore the social status of Chinese American women from the 1940s to the present in The Woman Warrior. While at first all of her stories may seem random, they all connect to Kingston's point of view as to how not just being a minority but also being a female made life difficult for her in both cultures. Her interwoven stories were so fascinating, as she brilliantly compares what she truly wants and what society is willing to allow her to do. It is crucial that the reader pay close attention to when her stories shift. My one problem with her plot organization is that she focuses on one story, and then suddenly shifts to another story. I couldn't understand until I was at the middle of the plot to comprehend each story's purpose in the bigger picture. But once the reader succeeds in getting over that one flaw, the rest is amazing. Kingston develops a unique style all on her own as she somehow connects the fantastical parts of her dreams to what she is forced to experience in everyday reality. In the backdrop of her personal experience, Kingston describes America's problems with racism and sexism different women in her lives are hurt by this. Kingston needed to maintain her flow; but the intriguing connections involving fantasy and reality work effectively to enhance her purpose.

who's talking now.......2007-01-11

This book tries to do too much! and doesn't succeed.

Even though this book had a good story over all, the confusing narration completely distracts from the intended message.

The entire story is in first person, no matter who is talking. This gets very confusing when the story suddenly shifts to another woman's story and you still think you are reading about the previous person. Suddenly you are reading and you think that the same character has somehow appeared on the other side of the world having no idea how she got there.

You will end up spending the whole book just trying to figure out who is speaking that you will miss most of what the book tries to say.

This is supposed to show the reality of what it is like to be a chinese woman but this is too hard to see when everything else is in the way.

This book does do some things well like its clever incorporation of irony in the narrator's retelling of a story that she has been forbidden to tell. It also incorporates superstitious elements such as her mother's battle with ghosts while at college and the enticing tale of the woman warrior. There is more irony seen here when most women in the story are seen as being weak, yet the woman warrior is strong and represents all the women with its title.

Warriors Don't Cry: Searing Memoir of Battle to Integrate Little Rock

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I T CAME TO PASS
Repetition Galore
Warriors Don't Cry
"With All Deliberate Speed . . ."
Very good book

Warriors Don't Cry: Searing Memoir of Battle to Integrate Little Rock
Melba Pattillo Beals
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671866397

Book Description

You've gotta learn to defend yourself. Never let your enemy know what you are feeling.
-- The soldier assigned to protect Melba

Please, God, let me learn how to stop being a warrior. Sometimes I just need to be a girl.
-- Melba's diary, on her sixteenth birthday

In 1957 Melba Pattillo turned sixteen. That was also the year she became a warrior on the front lines of a civil rights firestorm. Following the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board Education, she was one of nine teenagers chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High School. This is her remarkable story.

You will listen to the cruel taunts of her schoolmates and their parents. You will run with her from the threat of a lynch mob's rope. You will share her terror as she dodges lighted sticks of dynamite, and her pain as she washes away the acid sprayed into her eyes. But most of all you will share Melba's dignity and courage as she refuses to back down.

Customer Reviews:

I T CAME TO PASS.......2007-08-13

sO MUCH OUR RACE OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROUGH , AND THE BOOK TELLS A LOT OF THE TRIUMPHS WE WENT THROUGH, AND STILL SOME OF THOSE THINGS STILL ARE GOING ON TODAy. So the title it came to pass is the right title because god said in his word nothing but the rightous.

Repetition Galore.......2007-07-05

Melba Pattillo Beals' "Warriors Don't Cry" was amateur at best. While the purpose of the memoir is inspiring, Beals just appeared to be a broken record.

Upon reading other reviews, I thought this memoir was going to be heartbreaking and inspiring. Yet as I began to read, a pattern developed. The book dragged on and on yet there seemed to be no progression. I found myself void of emotion throughout the whole recount. Needless to say, this was a disappointment, and extremely poorly written.

Warriors Don't Cry.......2007-06-27

We are coming up on the 50th anniversary of the integration of Central High in Little Rock. This book is written by one of the courageous students who braved a racist mob to claim the equality and justice we are all promised in a democracy. The photographs of one student, Elizabeth Eckford, facing the abusive and threatening crowds became iconic, part of history and public memory. What is not as well known is what life was like for the nine students inside the school everyday. Everyday they were threatened, physically attacked, suffered abusive language and attitudes from the white, segregationist students. The author, Melba Patillo Beals, is an extraordinary writer, storyteller and she is blazingly honest. As a way of celebrating July 4th, read this book and give it to every young person over the age of 10 that you know.

"With All Deliberate Speed . . .".......2007-05-15

Melba Joy Pattillo Beals was at the heart of a vortex of history as one of the "Little Rock Nine" who integrated Arkansas' preeminent public school in 1957. In the wake of the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision, "Brown v. Board of Education," schools throughout the United States were ordered to integrate "with all deliberate speed."

Violent opposition to the integration of Central High led to the garrisoning of Little Rock by the 101st Airborne Division, the first (and thus far only) active-engagement use of Federal troops in the South since Reconstruction.

Ms. Beals (now a journalist) has a journalist's eye as she recalls her experiences at Central High that year. Drawing on her memories and on the copious and detailed diaries she kept, Ms. Beals puts us right into her well-shined saddle shoes, and right into the halls of Central.

At first glance, Melba Pattillo would have seemed to be the wrong sort of person to be on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement. At fifteen, she was a girl given to romantic daydreams, a girl seemingly perfectly content to listen to Buddy Holly on the radio while cuddling with her stuffed animal collection amidst her flouncy white comforter and matching pillows.

But deep inside, Melba Pattillo had a core of steel. Her mother held an advanced degree in Education, and her gentle, stern, and unyielding Grandmother India had an unshakeable faith both in God, and in Melba, a faith which she transmitted almost by osmosis to her granddaughter---"God's warriors don't cry, child."

If other members of Melba's family and community did not share these ideas, ideals, and values, at least they all understood that this remarkable young lady (and her eight fellow classmates) was doing something that needed to be done, something that portended a sea change in the world.

But for all the fine rhetoric, life at Central was a hell of crowded corridors, shadowy stairwells, and constant terror. From day one, avowed segregationists in the school, in the community, and in the government (including Governor Orval Faubus) tried to break the back of the integration by means foul and fouler. Adult members of Little Rock's White Citizens Council educated their charges at Central in the ways and means of torture.

Anyone stunned by the constant reports of current-day "violence in our schools" will be shattered by Ms. Beals' seemingly endless recitation of the horrors inflicted upon the Little Rock Nine in the halls of Central High. Being cursed at, spat upon, and called a "N****r" was nothing much; open threats with weapons, violent beatings and stompings, stabbings, scaldings with near-boiling hot water, dousings with unspeakable liquids, strangulations, attempts at immolation, and acid sprays in the eyes were commonplace. These were not just hurtful acts. They were often life-threatening, and the passivity (or even gleeful acquiescence) of most of the CHS school officials in the face of such ongoing abuse of these children put in their care is enough to enrage the reader.

The lack of direct adult interest in what the Little Rock Nine were going through is paralyzing to consider. Little was done to protect them, even by their supporters. The 101st was pulled out of Little Rock in a deal brokered by Beltway Bandits, and what was actually happening to the Little Rock Nine was abstract to the politicians. The price these nine black teens paid for our freedom is beyond valuation.

And if the constancy of the violence portrayed in the telling of the tale somewhat blunts the reader's emotions after a time, it is harder to feel blunted when Melba Beals talks about the wrenching changes that went on within herself. Her fame (or notoriety among segregationists) meant that her home became a fortress-prison from which she could rarely escape. Drive-by shootings and bomb threats kept most of the lifelong friends she had made among "our people" (as she calls the blacks in her community) far away, and she was not invited to parties and outings. Holidays passed without the usual gaggle of friends and relations. The sad retelling of her unattended Sweet Sixteen Party is a heartbreaking moment in time, and her sorrow still reaches across the years to touch the reader.

But there are the finer moments as well: Every day spent at Central is at the end a day of victory; her meetings with remarkable men such as Thurgood Marshall are treasured moments in her life; her gratitude to the brave men of the 101st Airborne and the task they undertook to uphold the law of the land just so a girl could go to school where she chose, is inspiring; her first few tentative friendships with some white Central High students gives us cause for hope. Melba Pattillo traded her childhood for adulthood too soon, and her innocence for a hard-honed survival instinct by force.

We live in a far different society today, and in part that is due to Melba Beals. We can thank whatever Spirit moves us that she was given the talent to write this incredible memoir. This is an essential read.

Very good book.......2007-03-30

I loved this book. It was very sad to hear about all the hardships that the 9 students had to endure to integrate Central High. I think it made them better people and I feel sorry that they had to go through those things. The description used by Melba Pattillo Beals was excellent and very useful when you were trying to get a feel for how they felt. You almost felt as if you were there with them and were going through the same things. I would definetly recommend this book to other readers. I would avise that the reader be a little bit older so that they can understand the things that the blacks were going through. Other than being a harsh book because of the things that needed to be describe it was an amazing book.

Sacred Hoops: SPIRITUAL LESSONS OF A HARDWOOD WARRIOR

Average customer rating:

The Warrior's Book!
Michael Jordan meets Zen
Not just for basketball fans
It brought me peace.
Brutally honest

Sacred Hoops: SPIRITUAL LESSONS OF A HARDWOOD WARRIOR
Phil Jackson
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Basketball | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1401308813
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Amazon.com

An inside look at the higher wisdom of teamwork from Chicago Bulls' head coach Phil Jackson. At the heart of the book is Jackson's philosophy of mindful basketball -- and his lifelong quest to bring enlightenment to the competitive world of professional sports, beginning with a focus on selfless team play rather than "winning through intimidation". Sacred Hoops is not just for sports fans, but for anyone interested in the potential of the human spirit.

Book Description

An inside look at the higher wisdom of teamwork from Chicago Bulls' head coach Phil Jackson.At the heart of the book is Jackson'sphilosophy of mindful basketball -- and his lifelong quest to bring enlightenment to the competitive world of professional sports, beginning with a focus on selfless team play rather than "winning through intimidation".Sacred Hoopsis not just for sports fans, but for anyone interested in the potential of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

The Warrior's Book!.......2007-05-07

This is one of the best books I have ever read! If you are competitive and like the bulls and have a strong sense of teamwork, this is the best book to read! All I wanted to do was watch the greatest seasons of the Bulls and those amazing playoffs and championships they won!

Michael Jordan meets Zen .......2007-01-04

If you are into spiritual exploration and you love watching basketball then you will find this an amazing book. This book captures beatutifully how you can apply Zen Buddhist philosophies to daily life (although maybe coaching Michael Jordan is not ordinary daily life ...). Especially interesting if you want to understand how you can use Zen Buddhism to stimulate teamwork. Sacred Hoops gave me many ideas on which to reflect. I highly recommend it.

Not just for basketball fans.......2006-08-15

As a yoga instructor and athletic trainer who works with professional athletes, I wish I had found this book sooner. I just read it and plan to reread it again. Amazing. Absolutely thought-provoking. You'll find yourself thinking about this one in the shower, just contemplating Phil's wisdom and how you can apply it to your own life. Anyone considering or presently on a path to spirituality and self awareness--no basketball interest or experience required--should read this book. If you want to gain a better understanding of the value of staying present in the moment, I urge you to pick up this book and let Phil Jackson enlighten you. If I ever decide to lead yoga teacher trainings in the future, this will be required reading! --Dana Edison, author and creator of "Dana Edison's Yoga Is Not One Size Fits All Custom Practice Journal" and audio instruction series.

It brought me peace........2006-03-18

When I was going through a very hard time in my life, my boxing trainer recommended I read this book. I'm not a basketball fan and am not normally into self-help books either. Phil Jackson takes the reader down a spiritual road that overlaps with his career as a professional basketball coach. I've found some of his techniques and philosophies have brought great mental peace to me, while the stories of the professional sports business were interesting and entertaining.

Brutally honest.......2006-03-16

If you like a teaspoon of New Age mumbo jumbo combined with a mustachioed author's psycho-babble, I suggest you check out Star Jones new book. Phil Jackson has had greatness thrust upon him. Michael Jordan, Stacey King, Kobe Bryant, and Shaq are the reason we know his name. Not his Jerry Garcia, Phoenix University degree, dimestore analysis of the spiritual side of coaching and people management. Make him the coach of the Trailblazers and see how great he is.

Average customer rating:

Truly Al!

Al Mcguire: The Colorful Warrior
Roger Jaynes
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Basketball | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1582618429

Book Description

Al McGuire was not only one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history, but arguably, as this insightful memoir shows, the most colorful and unpredictable as well. During his 13 years at Marquette, the fiery coach guided his team to more than 20 victories 11 times, earning them 11 straight postseason bids. In 1970, angered that the NCAA wanted to send his 26-3 Warriors to another region, McGuire instead took his team to New York's Madison Square Garden and won the National Invitation Tournament. Seven years later, after announcing his retirement, the outspoken Irishman beat the odds and went out on top when Marquette defeated North Carolina to garner the school's first and only NCAA championship. From 1977 until shortly before his death in January 2001, McGuire remained in the national spotlight as a successful TV commentator for NBC, CBS, and ESPN. A recipient of numerous "Coach of the Year" awards during his career, McGuire was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. On the court. McGuire was not just a coach, but also a fighter who would do anything he felt necessary to gain an edge. His scrappy, dance-hall teams were a reflection of his street-smart Irish personality. His screaming tirades and zany stunts were all part of the show. Off the court, however, McGuire was a totally different person. What few fans saw was the "other" Al McGuire, the philosopher behind the showman who spoke softly of the deepest issues of life. Like all great men, he had singular demons that haunted him, not just about his coaching career, but also about his place in God's whole scheme of things. McGuire's superior coaching skills announcing talents made him unique,but so did his quick wit, remarkable intellect, and multifaceted personality. Over the years his entertaining and often controversial remarks and his altercations with fellow coaches, referees, and even the NCAA became legendary. Blessed with the gift of gab, he possessed a marvelous wit and an insightful mind. Depending on his mood or situation, he could be warm and friendly or cold and distant. In one moment of reflection he summed up in a sentence what he felt life was all about: "We reach for the stars as we rush towards our graves."

Customer Reviews:

Truly Al!.......2007-05-14

This is a great book with a lot of background. So many great "Alisms!"

The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography

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The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography
Excellent
Bridging two worlds.
The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography
sitting here with the author

The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography
Tepilit Ole Saitoti
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520063252

Customer Reviews:

The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography.......2006-11-07

Very interesting first person account of a Maasai man who becomes western educationed and gives insight to what growing up in a Maasai village was like. Quick read - powerful story. You must read this book if you plan on going to Kenya or Tanzania.

Excellent.......2006-03-23

After having just visited Africa, I wanted to get a better feel for what it's really like to be Maasai. This book is very real, and gives interesting insights from the "inside". I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Bridging two worlds........2002-09-29

There couldn't be two more different places than New York City and the lands of the Maasai in Tanzania. Tepilit Ole Saitoti's story of his journey in and between these two worlds is fascinating. I am looking forward to the update he is writing now that he is a Maasai Elder. This insight into another land and culture is a gift.

The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography.......2002-02-04

Excellent book, very accurate and really worth the money. It gives the picture of a boy growing up as a real Maasai and the new life in civilized world of Germany and USA - a man between two cultures and the difficult question to decide which way to go along. Makes yourself wondering about the way we Western people are living and gives a chance to see our world with other eyers.

After having visited the Maasai area some months ago a good opportunity to compare facts with my own experience and found it even more interesting. Go for it!

sitting here with the author.......2001-12-22

I read this book 12 years ago and was so moved that I wrote a letter to to the author - something I have never done before or since. I was so struck by his ability to navigate between two cultures that seemingly had little in common. His book is a testimonial to the flexibility of the human spirit and the power of education. Last week, out of the blue, I received a telephone call from the author. Apparently, he had saved my address all these years. Saitoti is currently in the US as a visiting scholar. He will be speaking in various institutions and he has just started writing a follow up to The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior (The Worlds of a Maasai Elder). I have just shown him these amazon reviews. He is sitting here beside me and
would like to take this opportunity to say: "Thank you to the reviewers of my book for such beautiful reviews and to amazon.com for posting such a wonderful display of my work."

Average customer rating:

Yeah, coolest book ever.
Books 1 & 2 are spectacular, but the rest are forgettable
Awesome!!! If you're into that sort of thing
I CANNOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!
Richard Marcinko is my hero!

Rogue Warrior
Richard Marcinko
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0671795937

Book Description

A brilliant virtuoso of violence, Richard Marcinko rose through Navy ranks to create and command one of this country's most elite and classified counterterrorist units, SEAL TEAM SIX. Now this thirty-year veteran recounts the secret missions and Special Warfare madness of his worldwide military career -- and the riveting truth about the top-secret Navy SEALs.

Marcinko was almost inhumanly tough, and proved it on hair-raising missions across Vietnam and a war-torn world: blowing up supply junks, charging through minefields, jumping at 19,000 feet with a chute that wouldn't open, fighting hand-to-hand in a hellhole

jungle. For the Pentagon, he organized the Navy's first counterterrorist unit: the legendary SEAL TEAM SIX, which went on classified missions from Central America to the Middle East, the North Sea, Africa and beyond.

Then Marcinko was tapped to create Red Cell, a dirty-dozen team of the military's most accomplished and decorated counterterrorists. Their unbelievable job was to test the defenses of the Navy's most secure facilities and installations. The result was predictable: all hell broke loose.

Here is the hero who saw beyond the blood to ultimate justice -- and the decorated warrior who became such a maverick that the Navy brass wanted his head on a pole, and for a time, got it. Richard Marcinko -- ROGUE WARRIOR.

Customer Reviews:

Yeah, coolest book ever........2007-10-03

Rogue Warrior is by far one of the best auto-biographies I have ever read, Commander Richard Marcinko is a hero, and a patriot by any definition of either word. He is the reason our enemies fear us. Once you read this book you will be wondering why our government doesn't have him as the commander of the joint cheifs of staff.

Books 1 & 2 are spectacular, but the rest are forgettable.......2007-08-20

Series review: Rogue Warrior [Written Mar 2005]

Last I checked, there are 9 books in this series:

1. Rogue Warrior (Autobiography)
2. Rogue Warrior: Red Cell (Autobiography)
3. Rogue Warrior: Green Team (Fiction)
4. Rogue Warrior: Task Force Blue (Fiction)
5. Rogue Warrior: Designation Gold (Fiction)
6. Rogue Warrior: Seal Force Alpha (Fiction)
7. Rogue Warrior: The Real Team (Quasi-Fiction)
8. Rogue Warrior: Option Delta (Fiction)
9. Rogue Warrior: Echo Platoon (Fiction)

Books one and two are autobiographical (about Richard Marcinko's career as commander of a US Navy Seal Team). Book 1 details his transformation of Seal 6 into an elite counter-terrorist unit. Book 2 details his formation of "Red Cell", which was used (in real life) to test the security at various US Military installations. Red Cell was a smashing success, but it was a pyrrhic victory that ultimately resulted in total failure ... mostly because Marcinko was his own worst enemy. He did his job too well, and (unwisely) took unholy glee in flouting authority and humiliating upper brass in the process ... and he paid the price for it ... and we, as a nation, paid the price for ignoring the results of Operation Red Cell, when terrorists, using exactly the sort of unconventional tactics Marcinko used, destroyed the WTC on 9/11. In hind sight, it's one big, fat, ugly "I TOLD YO SO", written before the actual fact.

Ok, moving right along. In book 3, the co-authors (and co-author) suddenly switch gears to FICTION, and stay there for the rest of the series.

My impression: Books 1 and 2 are excellent, high-intensity reading ... offering an insider's look into how Marcinko transformed Seal 6 into one of the most elite counter terrorist units in the world, and how he later was tasked with forming Red Cell, to test US Military Security at installations around the world. His findings at the time, many of which were not acted on by the higher ups in the pentagon, later became prophetic on Sept 11, 2001, when terrorists using exactly the sort of unconventional tactics Marcinko wrote about, destroyed the WTC.

As for books 3-9 ... MEDIOCRE PAP. Marcinko's autobiographical books are spectacular, but his fiction offerings rapidly parachute into a trite, repetative and self-hyping free fire zone. If you read one, you've read them all.

My advice is to read the first 2 books, and then resist the overpowering urge to buy more ... you're not really missing anything, because the author (after leaving his autobiographical home turf) quickly transforms himself from a decorated, innovative and truly scary ex-commando who served his nation well into a hack writer, relying on past glories for creative fictional fodder.

Books 1 & 2 are highly recommended, but the rest of the series is entirely forgettable.

Awesome!!! If you're into that sort of thing.......2007-08-18

Rogue Warrior is an amazing account of the physical and mental toughness of Navy SEALs. I read the book in less than 2 days and was upset when I finished. If you are in the mood for a fast paced, action packed black ops story, this is the book for you.

However...

If you would like to read an excellent piece of literature, please look some place else. Rogue Warrior is the equivalent of a Danielle Steele novel for men. Dick Marcinko brags incessantly about his military and romantic conquests, which becomes tiresome (no matter how well deserved it is). This is a fun read, no more, no less.

WARNING!

Steer clear of the other novels in the Rogue Warrior series! Marcinko found success with this edition and simply repeated the formula time and time again. If you continue with the books, it will get old and sour you on Demo Dick.

I CANNOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!.......2007-07-22

This is one of the most captivating books I have ever read. From the very beginning to the very end I was hooked. I could not wait to come home from work just so that i can keep reading and find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in Military, SpecOps. A "must have" for any military book collection.

As for those who comment on how macho and egotistical Marcinko is... They have never been in the Military. If they were they were probably had a desk job. As a former Marine myself, I can tell you that most infantry units are just like Marcinko. They have huge egos. They have to! Im just glad Marcinko is on our side!!

GET THIS BOOK!!!!!

Richard Marcinko is my hero!.......2007-05-21

If you like real combat reading then you'll love this book. This is the first book in a long line of the Rogue Warrior series. You must start with this book, then you'll read the rest as fast as you get them. I couldn't put the book down. I have read all his books in sequential order and they are by-far the best written of this genre. He writes from real experience and real situations. The names and places have been changed for obvious reasons, but its REAL. I HIGHLY recommend this book and the rest of the series!!!

American Warrior: A Combat Memoir of Vietnam

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A Combat Memoir of Vietnam
The Ultimate Warrior
Meeting a Warrior
An Army Legend's Own Vietnam Story
Outstanding personal history

American Warrior: A Combat Memoir of Vietnam
John C. "Doc" Bahnsen Jr.
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0806528060

Customer Reviews:

A Combat Memoir of Vietnam.......2007-07-19

A sobering and provocative account of a difficult time in American History, where unparalled valor and dedication were the norm. American soldiers rose valiantly once again to our Nation's defense, but failed to receive the recognition and appreciation they deserved. The writer has captured that sacrifice and dedication in vivid detail reflecting that teamwork and courage are paramount in combat, whatever theater, whatever war, whatever cost. Well led, well trained and well equipped, the American soldier is "Army strong".

The Ultimate Warrior.......2007-05-01

Most war stories aren't as graphic but Doc Bahnsen holds nothing back. War is not a business for the untrained and it is well documented that Doc trained by example. Sissies need not apply. We could certainly use more no-nonsense men of this caliber in the 21st century. I have learned a lot from reading this excellent documentary and am proud to be able to say "I knew him when".....he was a cadet at West Point.
J. C. Foote, Boynton Beach, FL

Meeting a Warrior.......2007-04-24

Doc Bahnsen is undoubtedly a hero in the history of the United States and of the Free World. He has all the credentials to document it. Yet there is another plane of magnificance in the manner and deportment of this retired officer and gentleman. I met him by chance and immediately sensed that I was honored to be in the presence of a great man.
I read his book and it confirmed my impression. Well written and organized in a clear and concise format,this work puts the reader in the fight with "Doc" and with those soldiers at his side whose comments and narration give the reader a 360 degree view of the action.In the the thick of the battle, in mid 60's Viet Nam,you're taking "point" with a man who placed himself in harm's way in front of his troops--he never asked anything he wouldn't do himself.His decorations are countless and his units had the highest proficiency ratings "in Country". This is the story of how he did it.A great read,a great account of one of the Army's awesome men,and a great lesson about things that matter in life.
To his credit ,General Bahnsen also shares his flaws and shortcomings. His willingness to expose himself to honest criticism is refreshing in today's cloying atmosphere of political correctness.Even these failings are shared and interpreted by those who were his partners in battle and R&R. How about stealing Col.George Patton Jr's two "holer" outhouse?
Buy the book,read the book,give it to your grown up and not so grown up children for a lesson in life!You won't be sorry.

An Army Legend's Own Vietnam Story.......2007-04-12

There have been hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of books written on the Vietnam War; however, all of them fail to make the deep historic impact that "American Warrior" does. I think the biggest reason for this book rising so far above the rest is Brig. Gen. John C. "Doc" Bahnsen, Jr. who along with his writing partner Wess Roberts give us a astounding personal account of Doc's two tours of duty in Vietnam (1965-66 & 1968-69).

Now the non-military public will also learn about this most remarkable man who is truly one of this nation's greatest warriors. The book moves like a man on a mission "walking point"! The reader will have no trouble becoming absorbed in Doc's combat experiences. If this were a novel no one would believe it! The man is one of those rare leaders much like General Patton was for WWII. He is bigger than life but ever so human.

The book tells it like was and the General holds little back. This is a bold accounting of a time long gone by when men who were great heroes were forgotten and ignored by our nation. Now they can read about one of those who honors the rest of us Vietnam Veterans!

This book is given The Military Writer's Society of America it highest rating of FIVE STARS! The story is a must read! I personal recommend this book! It is a nominee for the MWSA Founder's Award for 2007! Truly one of the best books ever written about Vietnam War! They just do not come much better!

Outstanding personal history.......2007-03-31

This is a well written and detailed personal memoir of the author's two tours in Viet Nam. The format - personal recollections by identified persons - interspersed with the author's first person narrative draws the reader into the action. Doc is a true warrior and, based on his actions, one of the luckiest SOBs on the planet. I consider myself fortunate to be one of Doc's classmates.

Average customer rating:

Complete Story from Beginning to End
History Repeats Itself
Great Memoir
This guy has the Warrior Soul
Exciting, sad and frustrating

Warrior Soul: The Memoir of a Navy Seal
Chuck Pfarrer
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0891418636
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Book Description

“Since the first navy frogmen crawled onto the beaches of Normandy, no SEAL has ever surrendered,” writes Chuck Pfarrer. “No SEAL has ever been captured, and not one teammate or body has ever been left in the field. This legacy of valor is unmatched in modern warfare.”

Warrior Soul is a book about the warrior spirit, and it takes the reader all over the world. Former Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer recounts some of his most dangerous assignments: On a clandestine reconnaissance mission on the Mosquito Coast, his recon team plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with a Nicaraguan patrol boat. Cut off on the streets of Beirut, the author’s SEAL detachment must battle snipers on the Green Line. In the mid-Atlantic, Pfarrer’s unit attempts to retrieve—or destroy—the booster section of a Trident ballistic missile before it can be recovered by a Russian spy trawler. On a runway in Sicily, his assault element surrounds an Egyptian airliner carrying the Achille Lauro hijackers.

These are only a few of the riveting stories of combat patrol, reconnaissance missions, counter-terrorist operations, tragedies, and victories in Warrior Soul that illustrate the SEAL maxim “The person who will not be defeated cannot be defeated.”

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Complete Story from Beginning to End.......2007-09-09

This is probably the most complete book I have ever read on the SEALS, out of many (the only exception is Lone Survivor below---it was as good or better in some ways----read them both). I find a LOT more facination with a book that is non-fiction, because these are events we can all relate to-----and this book is autobiographical in a true sense---as is Lone Survivor.
The tales in this book reflect major international events that have affected the U.S. in the reasonably recent past. The author was/is cleary a very hard man with his life----and the lives of others----on the line as is described in this book in enough detail to make it hard to put down.

History Repeats Itself.......2007-08-31

I was able to read this book in one sitting. I really enjoyed Mr. Pfarrer's writing style and humor...yes humor was acheived in this special operations memoir.
What was most compelling to me was his description of Lebanon in 1983. It gives a vivid picture of what we're embroiled in right now in Iraq.
Thank you Mr. Pfarrer for the history lesson and I hope you're doing well after your bout with colon cancer.

Great Memoir.......2007-05-18

The title is the key to really "getting" this book. It is a memoir and not intended to be an action thriller about SEAL missions. That said, there are some tense moments that really make you feel the stress of being there. Pfarrer is an excellent writer so the book flows well. He is also quite honest throughout and that makes his toughness easier to take. I felt like I was getting to know the real guy, not just the tough guy he was some of the time.

This guy has the Warrior Soul.......2006-12-07

The Warrior Soul is a great read on many levels. Although I believe he was somewhat reserved from describing the "real" missions of his time in the military, I still found Chuck Pfarrer's writing to be open and honest. He details a few of his most important missions and brings the reader along as if they were on his SEAL team. He interjects bits about his personal life and creates a smooth storyline that will keep you interested until the end.

I am fascinated by the rigors of being a SEAL, so it's safe to say that I'm a sucker for this book. If you are hard-core military, then you'll be left hungry for the deeper layers (actually, the juicy details) that he assuredly experienced in his missions. But even without them, you'll enjoy learning about his life's path as a Navy SEAL.

Have fun,

David Tobias
Redondo Beach, CA

Exciting, sad and frustrating.......2006-06-11

This book takes you where no one will go and where few have been; the past of a SEAL and the men whom he knew. It does so in a way that is exciting and at the same time sad and frustrating. Here I saw how politicians keep this elite members from doing their job the way they learned; with accurate effectivennes. It also shows the personal sacrifice these men go so we can sleep well. Wanna be Special Forces, Delta, SEAL's and politicians must read this.

Silent Warrior: The Marine Sniper's Story Vietnam Continues

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Something that must be said
Honor; Duty; Country ...
Silent Warrior
Solid Writing, Exceptional Story, Enough Said
Henderson goes back to the well

Silent Warrior: The Marine Sniper's Story Vietnam Continues
Charles W. Henderson
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425188647
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Book Description

In 1986, Charles Henderson first published Marine Sniper-the incredible story of Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, whose 93 confirmed kills in Vietnam have never been matched by any sniper before or since.

Now, the incredible story of a remarkable Marine continues-with harrowing, never-before-published accounts of courage and perseverance. These are the powerful stories of a man who rose to greatness not for personal gain or glory, but for duty and honor. A rare inside look at the U.S. Marine's most challenging missions-and the one man who made military history.

Download Description

In the United States Marine Corps, the most dangerous job in combat is that of the sniper. With no backup and little communication with the outside world, these men disappeared for weeks on end in the wilderness with nothing but intellect and iron will to protect them--as they would watch, wait, and finally strike. But of

Customer Reviews:

Something that must be said.......2007-09-26

This is a book that tells a story that is little known beyond the ranks of the military. It should be known by all as it is one of the things that has maintained our freedom thru the years. The book is well written and to the point.

Honor; Duty; Country ..........2007-08-05

I believe the following quote best speaks to Carlos Hathcock; the Marine; the man.
" The only guide to a man is his conscience; the only shield to his memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions. It is very imprudent to walk through like without this shield, because we are so often mocked by the failure of our calculation; but with this shield, however the fates may play, we march always in the ranks of honor".

I felt compelled to write the above after reading the dual 1-star posts from "a reader" who basically called Mr. Hathcock a liar, fraud and phony.
He starts out with one line of praise then basically says Mr. Hathcock was a phony and his story a con job.
Of course he offers no facts or evidence to support his claims.
Just another who disrespects and spits on those who have served; are serving and will serve.
He should be ashamed.
You sir/"a reader", will never walk among the ranks of honor.

Silent Warrior.......2007-01-09

Fills in lots of the details the Marine Sniper leaves out. Read Marine Sniper first then this and you will have to complete story. There is some repition but not enough to bore you.

Solid Writing, Exceptional Story, Enough Said.......2005-07-06

I purchased this book as I have always been interested in the stories behind war. I am not very interested in the war itself, but rather the stories of the people who fight the wars.

This book is a biography of Carlos Hathcock. Being born after the Vietnam War, the name typically would have meant nothing to me except I ran into the son of one of Hathcock's "trainees" and Hathcock's name always stuck with me.

Hathcock was just another Marine in Vietnam. He was an elite marksman with a rifle, yet this was ignored and upon arriving in Vietnam, Hathcock was assigned to a desk job in an MP battalion as a watch commander. After serving as an MP for a while, a "freak" occurrence required Hathcock to use his marksmanship skills to take out an enemy shooter who had attacked the base. The enemy solider was to be taken out at his village. From there, Hathcock's career rapidly progresses into becoming a sniper. The book covers Hathcock's legendary career as a sniper. During two tours of duty, Hathcock racked up almost 100 confirmed kills and numerous other unconfirmed kills. Hathcock became so good at what he did, the enemy offered a $20,000 bounty to the person who killed Hathcock or his partner. The enemy formulated several special groups and executed some brilliant strategies to try and take out the "white feather".

My meager words could never do justice to the author. Reading the book is like watching a poetic war drama. The eloquence the author uses in this book is mesmerizing. The scenes are described in such vivid detail, I felt like I was there, hearing bullets buzz above my head, listening to my heart pounding, watching the blood of an unfortunate soldier soak into the earth, as I see the person next to me squeeze the trigger to silence the enemy soldier's rifle. The stories in the book range from humorous, victorious, heroic, then to disheartening. To the people who are unfamiliar with Hathcock's story, the end of Hathcock's days in Vietnam is shocking, but not surprising. I was most impressed by the humanity Hathcock expressed. He never looked at it as killing an enemy solder, rather he saw his job as saving the lives of American soldiers. I also found some of the stories in the book familiar, as I recognized bits and pieces I've seen in movies over the years (probably the most well-known being the "scope" episode, which is in the movie "Saving Private Ryan". I'm guessing this is based on Hathcock's story).

This is by far one of the best books I have read that cover the life of a soldier. I would highly recommend this book to people interested in the life of a sniper or are interested in soldiers of the Vietnam War.

Henderson goes back to the well.......2004-08-07

And well done, Charles Henderson! They say that one's first book is always going to be a preparation for the second, and the book, Marine Sniper, that I read about Carlos Hathcock, just warmed me up for this second go-round of Hathcock adventures. In a way the two books were very similar, since it says in the introduction that they were carved out of the same UR-manuscript and written before Carlos' death five years ago.

SILENT WARRIOR gives a deeper perspective on some of the events and personalities depicted in MS93CK. The drawback for me is that I think to give the book more weight, Henderson resorts to some dubious devices to pump up the volume, including imagining what Carlos was thinking at such and such a time, and also frankly the worst offenders of the story, APACHE and PHILIP METZ, are turned into super-villainous caricatures that Ian Fleming might have dreamed up to torture James Bond. If they really existed, and Carlos killed them, good for him. But the writing is so over the top it's hard to be sure.

This would be a good introduction to the life and death of a great Marine, but we already had the other book which is also a good introduction, so it's a draw.

Wildlife Warrior: Steve Irwin: 1962 - 2006, a Man Who Changed the World

Average customer rating:

This book should be RATED R, not for Christians or kids
An Honest and Fair Read
Could have been a little better, but hey
Steve Irwin, a Man Who Changed the World
Gone but never forgotten

Wildlife Warrior: Steve Irwin: 1962 - 2006, a Man Who Changed the World
Richard Shears
Manufacturer: New Holland Australia
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1741105528

Book Description

Steve Irwin's sudden and tragic death made headline news around the world. Shock and grief followed. He was a giant and the world has lost a man of heroic proportions: the Crocodile Hunter touched and change lives everywhere. Wildlife Warrior charts Steve Irwin's amazing life - from his childhood in Victoria, Australia, through his work in the wilderness and his zoo. It follows his story into marriage and his fame on the world stage as he took every opportunity to spread the word about wildife conservation. He was a natural historian, whose passion will be remembered long after the world has paid its final respects. A percentage of the proceeds of this book will be directed to ensuring the survival of wildlife around the world.

Customer Reviews:

This book should be RATED R, not for Christians or kids.......2007-09-27

Steve Irwin was a great man. This book has language in it that could have been left out. I wish I could return the book because I couldn't read all of it and it is something that I can never share for the language. There was no warning of this so beware.

An Honest and Fair Read.......2007-08-24

While I agree the book was written in a bit of a disorganized style, and some wording in sentences made me have to re read some to get the sense of it, I am Thoroughly enjoying the read, I'm almost done with it. Its Fair, esp. the part about Steve supposedly putting his baby in danger nearly feeding him to the crocs as so many put it.. I am a huge fan of Steve and Terri, and I KNOW how much he loves his family, I NEVER was worried or shocked, as I understand him and his thinking.. he'd NEVER take a chance of any kind with his children, family, friends, co-workers. Richard wrote about all of it fairly and honestly, which I appreciated, and felt he is also a fan too with a fondness for the man. Richard is an award winning writer, so I did enjoy the book. Some nice pictures in it.
First time using Product link, its for the new book by Terri Irwin herself, titled "Steve and Me" - not sure I did it right.Steve and Me: Life with the Crocodile Hunter

Could have been a little better, but hey.......2007-07-03

This book is mainly clips based on articles/personal opinions from many 3rd hand sources, and did seem maybe just a little disorganized, but not bad at all. I would still recommend this book highly for the mere fact that you get a good look into the life and chronicles of Steve Irwin. Sadly the book also discusses what his future plans were, and how tragic it was he died before he could finish them. His death was a terrible loss to the world.

Steve Irwin, a Man Who Changed the World.......2007-02-09

A wonderful look at the life of a truly great man.

Gone but never forgotten.......2007-01-16

A wonderful account of Steve's life from someone that dearly loved the man and his work. We should never forget Steve and what he stood for and continue caring and believing in what he did.

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