Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America)

Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America)
Average customer rating:

Interesting Subject...

Analyzes the 'warrior' battle plan of the 1950's and 1960's

Good, but not great

Rhetorical, but ok

Absorbing,Thorough Analysis Of Neoconservative Ascent !

Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America)
Lisa McGirr
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | 20th Century | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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Federal Government | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Conservatism | Political Doctrines | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0691096112

Book Description

In the early 1960s, American conservatives seemed to have fallen on hard times. McCarthyism was on the run, and movements on the political left were grabbing headlines. The media lampooned John Birchers's accusations that Dwight Eisenhower was a communist puppet. Mainstream America snickered at warnings by California Congressman James B. Utt that "barefooted Africans" were training in Georgia to help the United Nations take over the country. Yet, in Utt's home district of Orange County, thousands of middle-class suburbanites proceeded to organize a powerful conservative movement that would land Ronald Reagan in the White House and redefine the spectrum of acceptable politics into the next century.

Suburban Warriors introduces us to these people: women hosting coffee klatches for Barry Goldwater in their tract houses; members of anticommunist reading groups organizing against sex education; pro-life Democrats gradually drawn into conservative circles; and new arrivals finding work in defense companies and a sense of community in Orange County's mushrooming evangelical churches. We learn what motivated them and how they interpreted their political activity. Lisa McGirr shows that their movement was not one of marginal people suffering from status anxiety, but rather one formed by successful entrepreneurial types with modern lifestyles and bright futures. She describes how these suburban pioneers created new political and social philosophies anchored in a fusion of Christian fundamentalism, xenophobic nationalism, and western libertarianism.

While introducing these rank-and-file activists, McGirr chronicles Orange County's rise from "nut country" to political vanguard. Through this history, she traces the evolution of the New Right from a virulent anticommunist, anti-establishment fringe to a broad national movement nourished by evangelical Protestantism. Her original contribution to the social history of politics broadens--and often upsets--our understanding of the deep and tenacious roots of popular conservatism in America.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Subject..........2006-03-09

I was assigned this book for class and therefore didn't have a huge interest in the subject before I read the book. I haven't finished it, but I also don't plan to finish it. The subject was interesting, but the book wasn't captivating.

I found that the author sometimes became overly concerned with statistical information and details which left me (as well as my classmates) confused and frustrated. When too many facts are thrown at you at once, you just want to skip it and move along.

If you actually know about the John Birch Society and are highly interested in the Conservative Right, I'm sure you will like the book, even in spite of those "factual" sections. Historically, it's very accurate and I know that those who were interested really enjoyed the author's style.

Analyzes the 'warrior' battle plan of the 1950's and 1960's.......2005-05-30

This book is neat precisely because it takes a scholarly approach to examining the new right. Instead of writing a frenzied treatise why the right is bad, Lisa McGirr lets readers draw conclusions from her fact-based historical analysis.

The suburban new right emerged in the 1950's and early 1960's out of a desire for self-preservation. People in these newly emergent suburbs were alternating between the 'self-reliant' model of conservative libertarianism and 'big-government' social conservatism which placed its premiums on social and political conformity as a tool for ensuring order in the community. The then cold war united the two periodically disparate strains of conservatism into a unified school of thought; conformity was good for national security.

Because it upheld the values which they supported (and felt were in the best benefit for America) the people who would become part of the New Right honestly did not mind when they and/or their companies received economic subsidies from the government. They had to defend the country against the reds after all. This was not mooching off the system, but ensuring the country would be able to produce the best resources and the brightest people to outmatch 'the reds'.

The 'red-baiting' and 'race-baiting' which I and other people have publicly and psychologically associated with the right only came into existence when the status quo was being threatened.

The same people who had not protested (and in fact welcomed) government benefits for themselves became genuinely anxious upon realizing that the civil rights movement was attempting to reconfigure the American state to offer more benefits to more groups of people. This exposed contradictions in the American state as it currently existed and hinted that a reconfigured American state would not provide exactly the same order of things as they had known it to exist.

Fearful of these 'other' people, some southern states undertook the-then shocking action of voting for Barry Goldwater in 1964, disrupting the solidly Democratic south. Prior to this time, a southerner voting Republican was unthinkable. The party of Lincoln after all was responsible for both emancipation and reconstruction.

Although Goldwater would loose to Johnson, his candidacy and campaign positions (including against the civil rights act) further laid the foundations for the present day situation. Voting shifts in the 1964 presidential election ultimately encouraged the Reagan revolution of the 1980's and George W. Bush's promotion of faith based initiatives today.

Good, but not great.......2004-05-05

McGirr's book traces the rise of what I would call the (white, middle-class) suburban right and the Christian right, beginning in the early 60s. The new right coalesced around anti-Communism, laissez faire capitalism, states' rights and local government, the "traditional" family, Christian values, individual economic responsibility, and low taxes.

It was the suburban Christian right that first brought these views together. Barry Goldwater, who ran for President in 1964 against Johnson, was an early exemplar of new right views. However, his strong opposition to the Civil Rights acts won him the lower South and, along with his virulent anti-Communism, helped him lose the rest of the country.

The suburban Christian right shed the virulent and conspiratorial anti-Communism that they initially directed at domestic enemies; south-eastern politics moved away from the New Deal order and shed legal segregation and overt biological racism; they all joined their Christian and conservative forces and formed a conservative coalition behind Ronald Reagan.

McGirr's is a "bottom up" analysis that begins with the grass roots social base of the suburban Christian right, using Orange County as a prototypical case study. She also examines the interplay of grass roots leaders, rank and file members, regional business elites, and national intellectual and political leaders.

The book doesn't delve into how the suburban right teamed up with south-eastern conservatives, but their shared Christianity, shared social conservatism, and shared opposition to civil rights, busing, and affirmative action makes it fairly easy to guess what that part of the story in general looks like. However, McGirr's would be a better book if she examined some of these connections, at least briefly. This is what makes the book good but not great.

Post-script: Today, the Cold War is over, terrorism has replaced communism as America's global enemy, and George W. Bush has combined the Christian right with the post-Cold War, neo-conservative, neo-imperialist right. Bush has tried to combine anti-terrorism, neo-imperialism, and Christian conservativism without provoking Christian-Islamic antagonisms--antagonisms already strained by Christian conseravtive and neo-conservative support for Israel. These topics would make an interesting post-script to McGirr's book.

Rhetorical, but ok.......2004-05-01

I had to read this book for a history class. It provides enough incite on the origin of conservatism in Orange County, but to me, she overemphasizes her status as a historian. Instead of telling one point just once, she repeats it again in another segment, which, as a reader, I already knew because she said it before. She is non-biased in her approach of the conservative uprooting, yet she does seem to make them out to look like the enemy rather than a large group of people that were encouraging enrollment for causes they believed in. I recommend it to anyone who likes to read the word "Knott" over and over again.

Absorbing,Thorough Analysis Of Neoconservative Ascent !.......2002-04-27

This book represents both a fascinating study of the evolution of `60s politics as well as a historical attempt to document and explain the perplexing fact that a country flirting with the danger of a social and political revolution from the left suddenly veered so much farther to the right toward a broad-based popular conservatism. Herein Lisa McGirr, a gifted author and Harvard professor comes closer to making her prose swing than one would expect of a book of this type. Meanwhile, she also spins a convincing argument regarding the origins of the American neo-conservative revival in the late `60s and early `70s. At the time, domestic conservatism had been badly eclipsed by the burgeoning youth culture and their radical leftist notions. To her credit, the account rendered here is not only academically spirited, but is written in a way that makes this serious work of scholarship accessible to the general public.

She focuses meaningfully on the activities within a specific congressional district, in Orange County California, where, she argues quite persuasively, the seeds of the neo-conservative revival were most fruitfully planted and sown. Within this district, literally thousands of affluent and educated suburban "warriors" combined to launch a powerful movement destined less than a decade later to propel Ronald Reagan into the White House. In the process they also helped to chisel a new agenda into the granite pillars of the American pantheon, one that helped to define the very nature of domestic political battles for decades to come.

This book gives us a graphic and detail introduction to these hearty, healthy and enthusiastic warriors; housewives arguing political strategy over coffee and Danish, young and well-educated defense engineers arriving to live out the American dream, impressionable young religious workers convinced that the only way to save the country and themselves from Hellfire and brimstone was to work fervently against the designs of the "godless democrats". From this well-detailed work we begin to see how the movement came into being, how it organized itself, what motivated the individuals as well as what their evolving political agenda became and why.

McGirr demonstrates that this was far from being a movement of marginalized or isolated extremists; on the contrary, from the beginning it was more accurately characterized as an intensely enthusiastic enterprise, one formed and energized by the social, economic, and political elite, people with both means and motive for becoming involved to better control their own futures as well as those of the country at large. In what is perhaps her best set of insights, she demonstrates how these young and innovative neo-conservatives established a new set of political philosophies and precepts, forged in a alloy of Christian fundamentalism, misguided nationalism, and more traditional true conservatism (i.e. an old-style libertine attitude).

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.

The Warriors of Poseidon (Atlantis Rising, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

Oh dear...
Enjoyable new Series!
Don't miss this great new series!
Atlantis Rising
EditorGal

The Warriors of Poseidon (Atlantis Rising, Book 1)
Alyssa Day
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0425214494

Book Description

Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlanteans, Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans in the new world. There was only one rule-desiring them was forbidden. But rules were made to be broken...

When she calls... Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She's blessed with a mind link that only Atlanteans have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an "empath" may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below...

He will come. Conlan, the High Prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon's stolen trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions-and desires-of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon's power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?

Customer Reviews:

Oh dear..........2007-10-13

Conlan is the high prince of Atlantis. After being tortured by Anubisa the vampire queen for seven years he has finally returned home. Only to find that Poseidon's Trident has been stolen and he must reclaim it. Riley Dawson (an empathic social worker) gets caught in between the vampires and Conlan's Atlantean Warriors. She and Conlan are drawn towards one another, but Conlan must remain loyal to Atlantis and Riley is human.

I've read the other reviews and can't help but wonder if I've read the same book. It's generally not a good sign when within the first two pages I am already mentally editing the text - and this continues throughout the book.

Riley is always speaking before she thinks, and worse sometimes acting before her brain is out of park. On p66 she's musing about how she and her sister Quinn are like twins - "ten months apart was close enough to be almost twins". Well no it's not, not unless your mother had the longest pregnancy on record. And once we meet Quinn it quickly becomes clear that Riley doesn't know her sister at all, which makes her 'twins' statement even more ridiculous.

Both she and Conlan are so two-dimensional, that you just don't care about them. Conlan has been viciously tortured for seven years by the vampire queen. But the only reason we're aware it's happened is because every so often he either tells someone, or somebody else mentions it. Because we have little emotional connection to the characters when horrific things happen to them it just doesn't horrify. Riley yelling "Stay away from my boyfriend!" along with Conlan's "Die you foul hellspawn!" just made me want to throw the book at the wall.

To go with our two-dimensional hero and heroine we have a 2-d villain. Anubisa chews the scenery, kills her minions and is appalling. But I don't care because I don't understand why she is that way - she just is.

After the other Warriors turn up there is an improvement in the storyline, mainly because the other Warriors are far more interesting than either Conlan or Riley. How I wish the book had been about them, with Riley and Conlan as a sub-plot.

The frustrating thing is that it isn't all bad. There are flashes of humour between the characters that made me smile. And some of the interactions between the Warriors are very well written - especially Denal, Bastien and Brennan. The problem is that Conlan and Riley should be the most interesting thing in the story and they aren't. There is a good story here, but you have to work hard to find it.

Consider it if you're really stuck for a new paranormal series.

Enjoyable new Series!.......2007-09-17

I enjoyed Alantis Rising and look forward to the next in the series. My only complaint is all the cussing and tuff act. I had to skim over those parts since I seen them as unnecessary to describe the emotions in the story. Other then that, I am eager to read the next. If you like paranormal romance, it might be interesting to see where this new series will go.

Don't miss this great new series!.......2007-07-27

I really enjoyed this read. The men in this book are all warriors from Atlantis, who have spent thousands of years protecting humans from evil (vamps, shapeshifters, etc). Note that I am not usually a fan of books that set vampires up as evil, bloodsucking baddies, but I'll make an exception in this case.
In this book, Conlan, the prince of Atlantis has just returned from 7 years of heinous torture and captivity at the hands of the queen of vampires, only to discover that in his absence, the trident of Atlantis has been stolen and taken ashore. In an attempt to recover it, Conlan encounters Riley. Riley is human, but also happens to be an empath with some impressive abilities of her own. Of course, Riley and Conlan are immediately drawn to each other and the reader is taken along for a great ride, as romance, adventure, and violence ensue.
While I really liked this book, and will most certainly be making a place for it on my keeper shelf, I should warn you that it felt a bit short, at only 280 pages, and I would have liked a bit more depth when it came to Conlan. There was so much opportunity for Ms. Day to explore when it came to her hero - I mean the dude just escaped from 7 years of hell and he seems to recover pretty fast. I hope she takes the time to explore her future heroes and heroines a bit more thoroughly in her upcoming books.
If you're interested in other paranormal romance book recommendations, check out my blog at http://theravenousreader.blogspot.com/

Atlantis Rising.......2007-07-08

Who wouldn't love a new paranormal romance with hunky, tall, beautiful men rising out of the ocean all primal and lusty? Hmmmm? I thought it was great and original (granted, having all those beautiful men seems to be a common concept with paranormal fiction writers, but, hey, who cares? This is FANTASY, remember? Might as well let your imagination go wild!) What I like about this series is that there is an actual plot going down. Trident stolen, prince released from a seven year torture chamber for some strange reason, weird empathic girl on the beach with a power that has not been seen in thousands of years, vampires and werewolves running amok). For the reviewer who trashed this novel because Day's vampires were deadly and evil and for the simple reason that she perfers a more romantic vampire character in the book--get real toots! Vampires were ALWAYS blood thirsty and gory(uh, duh, Dracula?), it's only recently that writers have turned them into big balls of fluff. I mean come onnnnn, they DRINK BLOOD--I mean, like, duh.

Ooops, sorry, got a little off track there. Back to the review. I'd definitely recommend Atlantis Rising. The action was kick-a**, the characters interesting, the men hot, and the story orginal. Happy Reading!

EditorGal.......2007-06-29

If you love books that combine fantasy, sci-fi and romance ... into a delicious treat ... you'll love this. I did! I read it in one night! I'm an editor/writer for a living, albeit for non-ficitional publication, so it takes a very talented, imaginative author to draw me and and this lady rocks! And no, this isn't your usual vampire romance, it's based on other very unique, almost mythical characters. It takes the Greek gods and spins off a whole new generation for us to love. Enough said. If you want the plot, read the back of the book, or better yet, buy it! ;-)

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

Average customer rating:

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

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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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.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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.

Parallel Seduction: A Novel of the Midnight Warriors, Book 3 (Signet Eclipse)

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Seduced Me!
The best Midnight Warriors book to date!
Parallel Seduction
Pure MAGIC!!! A Definite "MUST READ" For ALL!
Seduced by Parallel Seduction

Parallel Seduction: A Novel of the Midnight Warriors, Book 3 (Signet Eclipse)
Deidre Knight
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Parallel Heat: A Novel of the Midnight Warriors, Book 2 (Signet Eclipse)
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ASIN: 045122096X

Book Description

Warrior Jake Tierny travels back in time to stop a traitor in his beloved king's camp. But when a twist of fate proves the mission unnecessary, Jake is trapped in a time not his own, with friends who cannot learn his true identity. Scott Dillon may be the king's trusted lieutenant, but he is also a man at war with himself, a human hybrid who refuses to succumb to the Antousian nature he abhors-and that Jake Tierny embodies. FBI linguist Hope Harper refuses to let near-blindness keep her from joining the Refarians in their war to defend mankind. Her attraction to both Scott and Jake forces all three to question the core of their beliefs.And as their enemies surround them, Hope knows she must choose one man for all time.

Customer Reviews:

Seduced Me!.......2007-10-05

The third book in the Parallel Series, Parallel Seduction begins where the second book Parallel Heat ended. Hope Harper, an FBI linguist and Scott Dillon, 2nd in command to the King, Jared Bennett, met in book two and Hope jumped onto a transport to be with Scott. Hope and Scott share dreams of a future life together including a daughter. Enter Jake Tierney, a man from the future. He has come to try to stop the destruction of his planet, Refaria and Earth. Jake, too, shares a past with Hope. She is drawn to both men. Whom will she choose?

More people should be reading this series. It has wonderful stories, time travel, and heart stopping romance. These books are unique in the paranormal romance genre.

The best Midnight Warriors book to date!.......2007-09-04

Deidre Knight just keeps getting better with her twisty plots and intense relationships. This book is a don't miss!

Parallel Seduction .......2007-08-13

Jake Tierny is a soldier fighting to save the world. His mission is to follow a man named Marco McKinley back in time to prevent him from carrying out a plan that will devastate the human race.

Hope Harper is an FBI linguist and one of the very few humans on a military base populated by Refarian's. Hope often dreams of Scott Dillon, a lieutenant in the Refarian army. Her dreams are sexual and romantic. Although she suffers from degenerative retinopathy which makes seeing very difficult, in her dreams Hope sees Scott very clearly. During a dream one night, Jakob Tierny appears and Scott tells her to follow him when he comes for her.

Hope and Scott seem destined to be together but their future as well as the future of the world is precarious at best.

Parallel Seduction's storyline is quite ingenious. The characters are interesting and the sex is hot and romantic as well. I think reading the previous Parallel is a must though to make the story more engaging

Nannette reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Pure MAGIC!!! A Definite "MUST READ" For ALL!.......2007-05-28

I've been a fan of Ms. Knight's books since the first moment I read her fascinating books! Not many authors can juggle romance, time travel, aliens, suspense, and humor...but let me assure you that Deidre Knight does and does it wonderfully! Please, if you wish to read a compelling and thouroughly entertaining series of books, then definitely grab the Parallel series today!

Seduced by Parallel Seduction.......2007-05-27

As a follower of Deidre Knights Midnight Warrior series, this is currently my personal favorite. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment of the series.

Deidre Knight has created strong, compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. Her characterization is amazing. As a person dealing with disabilities Ms. Knight has written the heroine, Hope Harper with strength, dignity and humor.

The heroes are truly heroic. A man you'd love to take to bed and be proud to have stand by your side. It doesnt' get any better than that.

Parallel Seduction touched my heart and has special place on my keeper shelf.
I highly recommend this book to readers of science fiction romance. Come and let Deidre Knight seduce you with her Midnight Warriors.

Pollyanna Williamson

The Worst Person in the World: And 202 Strong Contenders

Average customer rating:

A moron - 'nuff said.
Don't Bother, unless you are small minded also
Not Surprising At All
Thought it was an auto-biography
The spirit of Edward R. Murrow is alive & well

The Worst Person in the World: And 202 Strong Contenders
Keith Olbermann
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0470044950

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Amazon.com Exclusive Video

The stinkers, the rascals, the reprobates. . . and the just plain dumb.

(Yes, Bill, he's talking about you.)

Now, he brings all his bronze, silver, and gold medalists together in this wildly entertaining collection that reveals just how twisted people can be—and how much fun it is to call them out on it.

From tongue-in-cheek observations to truly horrific accounts, Olbermann skewers both the mighty and the meek, the well-known and the anonymous for their misdeeds, including:

Ann Coulter, for, among other things, calling Muslims "ragheads" in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington

Barbara Bush, for making a generous donation to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund earmarked exclusively for the purchase of computer software . . . software sold by her son, Neil

The staff of Your World with Neil Cavuto, for the story about the murders of Iraqi civilians that was accompanied by the on-screen graphic: "All-out Civil War in Iraq: Could It Be a Good Thing?"

Olbermann also reports on some of the recent fallout from his awards, such as the controversy with John Gibson and the mysterious disappearance of remarks about Cindy Sheehan on Rush Limbaugh's Web site. Plus, he reveals the winner of the most coveted award of all: "Worst in Show."

Book Description

The stinkers, the rascals, the reprobates. . . and the just plain dumb.

(Yes, Bill, he's talking about you.)

Geraldo Rivera. The Coca-Cola Company. Victoria Gotti. Tom Cruise. Various members of the Bush administration. All have earned the dishonor of "Worst Person in the World," awarded by MSNBC's witty and controversial reporter Keith Olbermann on his nightly MSNBC show Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Now, he brings all his bronze, silver, and gold medalists together in this wildly entertaining collection that reveals just how twisted people can be—and how much fun it is to call them out on it.

From tongue-in-cheek observations to truly horrific accounts, Olbermann skewers both the mighty and the meek, the well-known and the anonymous for their misdeeds, including:

Ann Coulter, for, among other things, calling Muslims "ragheads" in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington

Barbara Bush, for making a generous donation to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund earmarked exclusively for the purchase of computer software . . . software sold by her son, Neil

The staff of Your World with Neil Cavuto, for the story about the murders of Iraqi civilians that was accompanied by the on-screen graphic: "All-out Civil War in Iraq: Could It Be a Good Thing?"

Customer Reviews:

A moron - 'nuff said........2007-10-08

Olbermann is second-rate hack that can ONLY get a talk show on MSNBC. A network that is wildly out-rated by Telemundo and other much larger and more impactful networks.

Liberals wonder why they are so hated and it is because people like this guy focus on negativity 24 hours a day. All they do is hate. They don't know any other way.

Kind of sad in a way.

Don't Bother, unless you are small minded also.......2007-10-02

This is the ramblings of a very small minded man, that once could give sports commentary but not anything that resembles news. He uses his platform to lie and exercise his revenge on persons who don't agree with his political views. He has no low. He will go where ever he must, it is just shameful.This book and his program upset me because he must feel that his viewers are without a brain. That they would not check out his out right lying on persons. Don't we have enough hate out there? If you read this book, do yourself a favor, don't take his word for anything, do some research and you will be outraged!!!

Not Surprising At All.......2007-10-01

Keith Olbermann's attempt at writing a book is a joke. This piece isn't even worth the cost of the paper it took to make it. His show on MSNBC is pathetic, and he actually thinks someone would be interested in his thoughts on who is the "worst person in the world"! If this were his life story, it would make sense, but as it is, there is no sense here at all. The book is poorly written and one well worth skipping over for something else. If you want to read about the worst person in the world, read Ann Coulter's book, "High Crimes & Misdemeanors". At least then you will get your money's worth on the book.

Thought it was an auto-biography.......2007-09-29

You know out of all the real monsters that exist in our world Bill O' Reilly is not one of them. Perhaps Mr. Olbermann thinks so because his ratings are so pathetic compared to O'Reilly.

This was a painful book from a guy whose show is bankrupting MSNBC.

The spirit of Edward R. Murrow is alive & well.......2007-09-14

In a broadcast world full of talking heads who parrot Big Brother's doublespeak for fear of being branded unpatriotic, there is Keith Olbermann. A cutting wit wielding the sword of Truth, Olbermann slices through the fog that eminates from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Who'd have thought that America's best newsman would be a former sportscaster.

American Warrior: A Combat Memoir of Vietnam

Average customer rating:

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

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Vietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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Seawolf28: Branded a Maverick as a Junior Officer this is a true account of naval aviation as seen through the eyes of one of the most decorated Navy pilots of the Vietnam era

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:

Kyle's Book Review
BOOK REWVIEW
The Warriors
The Warriors
The Warriors

The Warriors
Joseph Bruchac
Manufacturer: Darby Creek Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581960220

Customer Reviews:

Kyle's Book Review.......2006-12-01

Kyle's Book Review *****
LA 2

By: Joeseph Bruchac

I read a great book titled the warriors.

The main characters in this story were, Jake, his mom, Thomas, Molly, Willtomore, Grandpa Sky, coach scott, Marshall, Dr carlland.

The main problem of the book occurs when, Jake tries to run home to the rez. But he cant get past the school gate only because it is only open when the busses and cars come in and the other is that there are 3 guards and wiltomore.

My favorite part of the book is the end of the book.

This was my favorite part because that is when I made all the connections.

I would recommend this book to people who like sports fiction.

I really like this book because it is about sports

I would recamend this book to people who like reading fiction sports.

BOOK REWVIEW.......2006-11-22

I read a fiction book titled The Warriors by Joseph Bruchac. It is a terrific book. It was set between the Native American reservation and Weltimore School.

The three main characters were Jake, his mom and Coach Scott. Jake is a nice boy who is Native American. He loves to play lacrosse he goes threw a lot of events in the story. His mom his women that works a lot and doesn't get to see Jake as much as she wants to so she pops up in the story in the important events. Coach Scott he is the lacrosse coach and he is a teacher. He reads to his students about Indians and things Jake dose not like because it talks about bad stuff about his culture.

The main problem in this story occurs. When Jake tries to tell every one that what they are saying in the books Coach Scott reads to them in class about the Indians being bad people and doing bad things to other American is not true. When nobody listens to him he fells bad about his culture.

My favorite part of the book was when Jake moved in to the worries rooms because his mom could not have him stay alone at home. This was my favorite part because it had Jake make knew friends and more people to talk to.

I really liked this book because it shows you that all people are equal in different ways. I would recommend it to because it tells you that Indians.
How they used to play lacrosse and shows you that words can heart other people .
The book is a terrific book. If I could I would give it 4 stars.

The Warriors.......2006-11-21

The book I read was called The Warriors by Joseph Bruchac. The beginning takes place at a Native American reserve. Then, there is a bit where the main character is at his mom's house in Maryland. Most of the story takes place at Weltimore and on lacrosse fields.

The main character is Jake, an Iroquois boy who becomes a boarding student at Weltimore after leaving the reserve Jake grew up on. The other characters at the reserve are Frank Tarbell, Rick Jamieson (both are on Jake's lacrosse team), Irwin Printup (an Iroquois Faith Keeper, someone who keeps the Iroquois tradition alive), and other Iroquois people. At Weltimore, the characters are Coach Scott (Jake's history teacher and lacrosse coach), Mr. Culet (the headmaster), Kofi (a West African boy, Jake's roommate), Muhammad (a Pakistani boy, Jake's other roommate), and many, many more people who work and go to school at Weltimore. One special character is someone Jake calls Grandpa Sky, and he mostly is in the book in Jake's thoughts of the stories Grandpa Sky tells Jake. The only time he is actually in the story in the same time the book takes place is in the reserve.

There really is no problem in the story, but Jake is constantly wanting to go home. I think this is a story about a period in Jake's life where he has to face the hardship of leaving the place he grew up in and going to a new place he knows very little about. Jake also has to go to a new school and make new friends. It can be hard leaving a place you love, especially when you grow up there. I kind of know what it is like, I had to move when I was in the summer before I went to 1st grade. A short while after school started, I had already made a friend. I have a friend where I used to live and I sometimes visit, but it is never the same as when I lived there. I think the same goes for Jake, he can still visit his friends on the reserve, but not as often as when Jake lived on the reserve.

My favorite part in the book is the part where Jake and his roommate Kofi share their secrets, sort of. This is my favorite part in the book because the characters get to learn a little bit about each other.

I would give this book 3 stars because it shows examples of friendship and teamwork and it includes some life lessons. It isn't really interesting at the beginning, but to understand the most interesting parts, the parts beforehand must be read. I would recommend this book to someone who likes lacrosse (the main sport in the book), and/or someone who likes a realistic fiction books about kids in early high school or late middle school (possibly late elementary school, most likely not). When the book is completely read, it turns out to be a really good book.

The Warriors.......2006-11-21

I read a ok book with the title being THE WARRIORS by Joseph Bruchac. It is a historical fiction the book is in the present time. The main charters in the story are Jake and his lacrosse team friends. The main problem occurs in the book when he gets mad at the sport of lacrosse and himself because he keeps getting hurt and he can't make the team. My favorite part is when Jake finely gets better at lacrosse and he is getting to play more! It was my favorite part because he finely reached his goal. I really didn't like this book as much I thought I would because I would like more action. I would recommend this book to someone who doesn't like books with action.

The Warriors.......2006-11-21

I read an ok book titled The Warriors by Joseph Bruchac. It is a historical fiction book set in America, in the present time period.
The main characters in this story were Jake and his fellow team members. The book is about boy named Jake and he gets mad at the Iroquois people because they call the sport lacrosse and that means something different in America. Finally, he realizes the sport is fun.
The main problem of the book occurs when he gets mad at the sport because he keeps getting hurt and the name of lacrosse means something different in America.
My favorite part of the book was when Jake finally plays in a game. This is my favorite part because Jake showed courage, teamwork and he reached his goal, I really didn't like this book because I'm more of a football guy and also there not to much action in this book. I wouldn't recommend this book to my friend Andy because he likes pretty much the same books as me.

My rate for this book is ***

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