I Am My Brother's Keeper, Journal of a Gunny in Iraq

I Am My Brother's Keeper, Journal of a Gunny in Iraq
Average customer rating:

Not very good

SIMPLY THE TRUTH, UNEDITED

Simple but Clean and Crisp

Amazing

Awesome

I Am My Brother's Keeper, Journal of a Gunny in Iraq
Jason Doran , and J. K. Doran
Manufacturer: Caisson Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1928724051
Release Date: 2005-01-02

Book Description

This is one of the first books published that was written by a Camp Lejeune Marine who fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In this first hand graphic account, GySgt Jason K. Doran, a Silver Star recipient, shares his experiences of his tour of duty during the Iraqi War. The book covers the journey of 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, a part of Task Force Tarawa, from the ship ride over through the Suez Canal, to the bloody battle for the bridges at An Nasiriyah and then home again. This book allows the reader to share in the day-to-day experiences and personal account of a Marine's tour of duty. This is the real thing. Gunny Sergeant Doran was there.

Customer Reviews:

Not very good.......2006-02-12

The author is a real hero, but this is a mediocre book. Not reccomended.

SIMPLY THE TRUTH, UNEDITED.......2005-12-31

I wasn't even into the first chapter before I had tears in my eyes. This Gunny has it all right. He sees the military exactly as it is, and explains it perfectly. He has seen so much in his short 41 years, and it has effected him greatly in his personal life - yet he continued to ask for the tough assignments. ALL MILITARY MEMBERS WILL LAUGH at his picture perfect descriptions of military life. ALL CIVILIANS NEED TO READ this book to truly understand the War in Iraq.
Jason tells the sometimes gory truth, but it is a truth that more people should know. He paints a blow-by-blow, gunshot-by-gunshot picture of the war without losing the reader. It is captivating from the Foreward through to the last page. He is a Marine's Marine. One rough, tough, Texan who is still a caring, loving man and father. Buy the book.

Simple but Clean and Crisp.......2005-09-20

Writing was not the best but I enjoyed this story by a fellow Marine and praise him fr sitting down and knocking out this story of combat, something I hope to do in the future. Nice job mixing intr-unit relations with external threats.

Amazing.......2005-09-15

Why more out there don't know of this book is beyond me. Far surpasses even "Generation Kill" and, dare I say, "The March Up" simply on the fact that is a Gunny who knows where his heart, his head, and his loyalty is, without question. Inspiring and motivating, this is a book that I've given to my fellow Marines and that I continue to recommend at all times. Lets you know what it was, and is, really like...something even different than those of us who went over in 1991 saw. Get this, and realize that what you are seeing on your CNN and even your FOX, and reading about in your newspapers and magazines, is largely a ruse. I just can't recommend this enough and truly can't put into words the measure of this book (or for that matter, this Gunny). Semper Fi brothers.

Awesome.......2005-09-09

This was an awesome book! Very difficult to put down. Author writes as he speaks - unedited for profanity. When reading a book on the lastest war written by an Active Duty member you shouldn't expect sensorship and there is none in this book. If your delicate eyes can't handle profanity from someone getting shot at, don't read it!

The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier, Normandy, France, 1944 (My Name is America: A Dear America Book)

Average customer rating:

I dont know what to title this
I dont know what to title this
Scott Pendleton Collins
Yep...it's a keeper
The Journal of Scott Pendleton

The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier, Normandy, France, 1944 (My Name is America: A Dear America Book)
Walter Dean Myers
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0439050138

Customer Reviews:

I dont know what to title this.......2006-12-18

i read The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins,a world war two soldier.i really liked this book,i give it a 5 star rating, its an interesting historical fiction book,if you are gonna do a historical fiction book report i recommend this book. I only recommend this book to those who like reading about wars or reading about journals.when i picked this book i thought it was going to be another boring old book but it wasn't I just wanted to keep on reading this book, just to see what would happen to scott and all of the people in the war. In this book Scott tells of all his troubles while he is serving in the war. This book has some sad parts that make you want to cry and some happy parts that make you feal happy that he is alive.

I dont know what to title this.......2006-12-18

i read The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins,a world war two soldier.in this book Scott Collins goes through some tough times like seeing people die, being scared of dying and bomb shells and all those terible things that go on in war.When I picked this book I thought it was going to be another boring old book, but it wasn't. It was actually quite interesting.I usually dont like reading journals, because to me they are boring, but this book is far beyond boring(in my opinion.) some things they mentions in this book are interesting to do reaserch on, like battle of the bulge and when they mention D-day i was thinking what the heck is d-day so i did some reaserch on it and found out what it was, im not gonna tell you because you should do your own reaserch on it.I give this book a 5star rating because i liked this book. If you like reading journals and/or reading war stories then this is the book for you , if you dont like reading books on war and journals then i dont recommend this book for you.

Scott Pendleton Collins.......2006-12-12

The book was a great book and I wish Walter Dean Myers would make more books about war. My friend and I really like war books and it would great books like this. I have read The Journal of James Edmond Pease and The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty and they both are great books.

Yep...it's a keeper.......2006-11-21

I finally had to break down and buy this book when my 10 year-old son kept renewing it at the library at his school. He would mysteriously "forget" to take it on library day...he must have had that book for 6 straight weeks. He absolutely loved it...I will buy more in this series.

The Journal of Scott Pendleton.......2006-04-24

I read the book The Journal of Scott Pendleton. This book is depressing.Scott has to expierience death. The book is depressing because how the way the Germans treat people. Also
how the Nazis treat people.
I learned some interesting facts. I learned that Hitler was part of the Nazis. I also learned that mine fields are bombs. At the end I learned that the Nazis commited suicide on April,1945.
I would recommend this book for three reasons. First it tells you about World War II. Also the book tells you about the Germans. Finally the book teaches you about the Nazis. The Journal of Scott Pendleton is an exciting book.

All for the Union: The Civil War Diary & Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes

Average customer rating:

Only A Boy
Following the footsteps
Excellent diary of a Civil War Soldier
One of the best
A Civil War Classic

All for the Union: The Civil War Diary & Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes
Elisha Hunt Rhodes
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0679738282
Release Date: 1992-07-28

Book Description

All for the Union is the eloquent and moving diary of Elisha Hunt Rhodes, who enlisted into the Union Army as a private in 1861 and left it four years later as a 23-year-old lieutenant colonel after fighting hard and honorably in battles from Bull Run to Appomattox. Anyone who heard these diaries excerpted on the PBS-TV series The Civil War will recognize his accounts of those campaigns, which remain outstanding for their clarity and detail. Most of all, Rhodes's words reveal the motivation of a common Yankee foot soldier, an otherwise ordinary young man who endured the rigors of combat and exhausting marches, short rations, fear, and homesickness for a salary of $13 a month and the satisfaction of giving "all for the union."

Customer Reviews:

Only A Boy.......2007-03-01

If you are interested in more than big names and big battles this book is well worth reading. Elisha Hunt Rhodes shares his experiences from his enlistment as a boy having never been away from home until his mustering out as a man having earned the rank of Col. He writes in an honest straight forward manner about every aspect of daily life. His strong belief in duty, sense of right and wrong and his ever important sense of humor show in everything he writes. He's an optimist that made it through the war with all these attributes intact. Thankfully for us he kept this diary so that we can understand a little more about life during the Civil War.

Following the footsteps.......2004-11-25

It isn't easy to find quality diaries written so well from the Civil War sometimes; although this book will rank with in the top 10. Popularized and quoted often in Ken Burn's Civil War series on PBS, Rhodes' book about his life as a soldier come to life. Rhodes brings the excitement and patriotic fervor of being a new recruit in the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry early in the war. This patriotic spirit never dies through out his writing. Many times he writes about the daily hardships such as bad weather, sickness and death while always falling back on the duty to ones country and the saving of the union. Rhodes' duty carries him many engagements where death lingers around every corner. Battles such as Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg are just a few that this man witnessed and wrote about firsthand. Rhodes' was really an ideal soldier and loved the life. He started the war as a private and by the end of it was a colonel. Many people would benefit from reading this book be it a historian or beginner looking to further understand soldier life in the Civil War.

Excellent diary of a Civil War Soldier.......2004-07-01

This is a very well written diary of a Civil War Soldier that enlisted as a private and ended the war as a Col. He does not go into great detail about battles but, he does go into detail about the daily life of a soldier. E.H. Rhodes writes a very easy to follow text. I highly recommend this book!!!!

One of the best.......2004-06-09

I have an extensive Civil War Library,and, once in a while, read a book that stands out alone. I postponed things I needed to do in order to finish this as close to one setting as possible.
Elisha Hunt Rhodes was a 'soldier's soldier, and a patriot's patriot. His diary will take you through the hum drum of camp life and the heat of battle. It takes you through the good times as well as the bad times. Your emotions will swing with his. Through all, Rhodes was "All for the Union."
As I finished this book, I realized this must be the best eye witness account ever written.

A Civil War Classic.......2004-04-11

I purchased this book more than a decade ago after Ken Burns' series on the Civil War "discovered" Elisha Hunt Rhodes. I find the his words so compelling that I re-read this book at least once a year. As a self-professed Civil War buff, it continually amazes me that Elisha survived the carnage of four years of an absolutely brutal conflict with his optimism and values intact. Some angel was definitely looking out for him. Today, as America finds itself embroiled in another war, I take more than a little comfort in Elisha Hunt Rhodes' spirit and resilience.

War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars

Average customer rating:

An incredibly profound book!
A useful read
A wonderful, different type of war book, but . . .
Great book for history buffs and teachers too
TearJerker

War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars
Andrew Carroll
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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ASIN: 0743202945
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Amazon.com

"I've cast out my razor, divorced my soap, buried my manners, signed my socks to a two-year contract, and proved that you don't have to come in out of the rain." So wrote Corporal Thomas P. Noonan from Vietnam, proving that humor doesn't fail even in war. Noonan's letter is just one of over 50,000 that letter-enthusiast Andrew Carroll (Letters of a Nation) received after Abigail Van Buren publicized his Legacy Project in her Dear Abby column. Out of this treasure trove he selected 150, spanning 130 years of warfare from the Civil War to Bosnia. While there are letters from such notables as General William Tecumseh Sherman and even Julia Childs, most were written by uncelebrated but dearly loved soldiers from barracks, trenches, and flooded foxholes and by combat journalists, nurses, and family members on the home front.

While the letters are not unrelentingly grim, there is ample description of the rending agonies of war and the pain of separation. For instance, a recounting of horrors found in a Nazi concentration camp, or a tender letter to a just-born daughter who may never be seen. Private First Class Richard King describes the death of a Catholic chaplain blessing the foxholes: "An artillery shell cut him in half at the waist." Staff Sergeant Joe Sammarco tells how he crawled, wounded, across streams and into hills in order to escape the Chinese, propelled by the thought of his wife and his babies. Many of these are "last letters," often received after the news of the writer's death. Lieutenant Tommie Kennedy, a POW on a Japanese "hell ship," wrote his farewells on the only thing he had--the back of two family photographs, which were smuggled back to his parents.

These are, as Carroll writes, "the first, unfiltered drafts of history." His rich sample testifies to the universal and poignant themes of love and honor, courage and rage, duty and fear and mortality. The playful and heartfelt voices grant us the personal perspective all too often lost in news reports and government statements. Taken together, they remind us that, despite the playful good cheer, the human cost of war is far too high. A remarkable contribution to the understanding of war and its impact, and a powerful tribute to those undone by it. --Lesley Reed

Book Description

In 1998, Andrew Carroll founded the Legacy Project with the goal of remembering Americans who have served this nation and preserving their letters for posterity. Since then, more than 50,000 war letters discovered in basements, attics, scrapbooks, and old trunks have poured in from around the country. The best of these letters are assembled in this extraordinary collection, offering unprecedented insight into the Civil War, World Wars I and II, Vietnam, Korea, the Cold War, the Persian Gulf, and even the fighting in Somalia and the Balkans.

Featured here are dramatic accounts of combat written immediately after the most ferocious battles American troops have ever faced; poignant expressions of love by homesick husbands and sweethearts; humorous anecdotes and gripes about insufferable conditions; thoughtful reflections on the nature of warfare; and perhaps most devastating, a startling number of last letters, heartfelt messages penned just hours before the sender was killed.

War Letters is a testament to the heroic contributions and astonishing literary voices of common soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors, as well as war nurses, journalists, spies, and chaplains. There are also previously unpublished letters by such legendary figures as William T. Sherman, Clara Barton, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernie Pyle, Helen Keller, Douglas MacArthur, Julia Child, Dwight Eisenhower, Norman Schwarzkopf, and America's first black general, Benjamin O. Davis Sr.

"Individually, the war letters collected here are distinct, finely cut works of art, some more polished, some rougher around the edges, but each one exquisite in its own right. Together, they create a larger narrative: the story of Americans at war against themselves and other nations," observes Carroll in his introduction. These historic letters capture the full fury and intensity of warfare, and they reveal in vivid detail what the servicemen and -women of this nation have experienced and sacrificed on the front lines. War Letters is a lasting tribute to those who have fought for this country, and a celebration of the enduring power and lyricism of personal letters.

Customer Reviews:

An incredibly profound book!.......2006-05-22

This book is a great read. It is refeshing to be able to read words, thoughts and dreams from people as they perform such honorable duty overseas. This book is powerful and should be required reading for all, especially Americans.

Some anti-war activist may think it is "pro-war" but it isn't just that. This book reveals personal thoughts and challenges faced by American military personnel in wars from the Civil War until the later conflicts in the 20th century. It is pro-war, anti-war and everything in between.

This book reminds me of the sacrifice that so many make for their country. It is a great tribute for those who have served.

A useful read.......2006-03-28

i only gave it three stars because many of the stories were more about patriotism than about the war themselves. Of course every book has its bias so its still a useful and moving read when taken with this grain of salt.

A wonderful, different type of war book, but . . . .......2006-03-19

I received this book as a gift because my family knows I love reading personal histories from those who lived it and "War Letters" seemed perfect for that. I enjoy learning what life was like for the average citizen in an era, whether its someone riding the Erie Canal in 1840, a foot soldier in the American revolution, or a journal from the Civil War.

This is a remarkable book and taken individually there are many, many heart-rending emotional stories that probably need to be read by many people. It does in fact put a personal face on war. Because it is a collection of letters, the book is easily read in short spurts; you don't want (and shouldn't) read this book quickly.

I only gave the book 4 stars because I actually found it hard to read. While the personal letters (the spelling, mannerisms of the authors) help tell their stories, it also keeps the book from developing any flow. Some letters are agonzingly slow to read and understand. I'm certainly not faulting the authors or their stories; but if you're looking for a great, well-written, smooth-flowing story that you can't put down, this isn't it.

Great book for history buffs and teachers too.......2006-02-20

I actually read a review about this book and gave it as a gift to my sister-in-law who teaches high school history. She LOVES it and told me it was an amazing collection of actual letters. She said all of the teachers that she works with have been borrowing it!!

TearJerker.......2005-07-20

This book is awesome, I have read it numerous times. My heart goes out to the letters writers and receivers... I urge you to spread the word of this book... It will really open your eyes to see that Military Personel and their signifigant others are real people, with real feelings... I really look forward to another book like this coming out. I will definately buy it.

The Journal of James Edmond Pease: A Civil War Union Soldier, Virginia, 1863 (My Name is America)

Average customer rating:

The Journal of James Edmond Pease
The Journal of James Edmond Pease
The Journal of James Edmond Pease: A Civil War Union Soldier
Courage
War Through His Eyes

The Journal of James Edmond Pease: A Civil War Union Soldier, Virginia, 1863 (My Name is America)
Jim Murphy
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

My Name Is America: The Journal Of William Thomas Emerson, A Revolutionary War Patriot (My Name Is America)
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My Name Is America: journal Of Rufus Rowe, Witness To The Battle Of Fredricksburg (My Nam Is America)
The Journal of Jesse Smoke : A Cherokee Boy, Trail of Tears, 1838 (My Name Is America)

ASIN: 059043814X

Customer Reviews:

The Journal of James Edmond Pease.......2006-11-08

Jon
How would you feel if your parents didn't want and to everyone you were considered bad luck? Well in the book "The Journal of James Edmond Pease" it talks about a boy named James who live with his aunt and uncle who didn't want him so he runs away and joins the Union Army in the Civil War.
James was only 15 when he joined, but he was able to get in. Nobody really liked him cause he was unlucky. One day in the confusion he charged ahead of his company and scared off all the Confederates single handed. After that, he became well liked by most people and soon rose Corporal. He showed his bravery when he spent a week in enemy territory. By the end of the war he rose up to Second Lieutenant.
I liked this book because it was suspenseful and I didn't want to put it it down. I recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction books like the "My Name is America" series or learning about wars.

The Journal of James Edmond Pease.......2006-11-06

Jonathan Schmierer

In "The Journal of James Edmond Pease" a boy named James runs away from home and joins the Union Army. He starts off having bad luck but soon his bravery prevails and he rises up to corporal. I thought this was a good book because it kept you in suspense and I think a lot of other people would enjoy it too.

The Journal of James Edmond Pease: A Civil War Union Soldier.......2004-04-17

This is a great book. It is about this Union soldier who thinks he has bad luck and has to keep a journal for the company he is in. It is exiting. If you liked The Red Badge of Courage you will like this book.

Courage.......2003-10-21

This is one of the greatest war books ever!the author does a great job describing the battles and how the bullets zipped past his ear. The book is so descriptive that you feel as if you were there at the battle with James.

War Through His Eyes.......2003-06-17

The Journal of James Edmon Pease
BY: James Edmon Pease

Customer Reviews:

A Hidden Gem.......2004-06-23

The only thing that disappoints me about this book is that so few people have read it. Van Willard's diaries are very different from most other Civil War accounts. They are extremely well written; I was surprised that he wasn't a well-known writer, considering the engaging text. Willard doesn't go into the minutiae of daily life, but presents an all-around account that is on a completely different level than other soldiers' diaries or letters.

You won't be disappointed with this book!

Excellent first-hand account of the Civil War.......2001-09-25

Fantastic reading! One gets the feeling that you've just discovered a set of dusty old diaries written by your great-great grandfather. The only thing missing is the original quill pen writing and the smell of old paper! There is no mistaking this was written by a man who was there. The author was no ordinary soldier-he was obviously intelligent and well educated by the way he retained and portrayed so vividly the events and topics of the period. This is not a military history, although there is much historical fact recorded. He discusses not only the battles and life as a soldier, but also the current thinking of both the Union supporters and the rebellion supporters. The editors comments are helpful, often providing important relavent information and correcting historical mistakes. Not all of the text was written on the front lines. Much of it was written in recent retrospect, and probably with the help of other soldiers accounts; so it isn't entirely first hand. Nonetheless, it's as close to the original story one can get. The discussion of the battle scenes is detailed enough to evoke real empathy toward all who lived during the war, yet is sparing of any gory detail. I'm not a military buff. I'm a history buff. I enjoyed the reading for its originality. It puts you squarely back to the 1860's.

View the Civil War from a Soldier's Perspective.......2001-06-22

This isn't just another Civil War soldier's diary; Van Willard wrote 5 complete journals or "books" during his enlistment with the 3rd Wisconsin Infantry. You will discover that Willard was a very insightful and educated fellow, as he offers his thoughts and opinions about the war, the south, slavery, immigrant troops, the Iron Brigade, officers and so forth. Viewing the war from his eyes offers the reader an entirely different perspective than what we are used to finding in other Civil War books and diaries.

Book Description

Early in 2004, a National Guardsman from Connecticut arrived in Iraq for a year's posting. Sergeant First Class Jon Trouern-Trend had been a birder since age 12. So naturally he looked for birds--and found them in surprising number and variety around Anaconda Base in the Sunni Triangle, where he was stationed: old-world warblers near the laundry pond, kestrels at the dump, wood pigeons by the airstrip, owls on the cement bunkers. And whenever he got "outside the wire"--collecting water samples from the Tigris, delivering supplies to schoolchildren, at a forward operating base in Mosul, or on a trek to the ruins of ancient Babylon--his lifelist grew longer.
From nearly day one until he left Iraq, Trouern-Trend wrote about his sightings in an on-line journal, which attracted thousands of readers and was excerpted in the press. Now some of the highlights of his "Birding Babylon" blog are collected in this small, beautiful volume, designed to resemble a birder's journal. In a Preface, the author looks back on his experience--and ahead to what the future might hold for the rooks, doves, storks, bulbuls, and sparrows of Iraq, and for its people.
This little book cuts through the politics of war like birdsong, reminding us of our imperishable connection with nature; of how birds and their journeys tie the world together; of the persistence of life even in a wasted land. It's a small act of grace.

Customer Reviews:

Birding in war zone.......2007-07-16

This started out as a soldiers blog, and has more of a travelogue feel, rather than a war correspondent feel of it. The author is most interesting when presenting his walks around the camp, and finding birds in back of the laundry camp and travels. And exotic birds they are: such as Squacco heron, Greater spotted eagle, Egyptian Vulture, purple swamphen, whiskered tern, and blue-checked bee-eater. What is missing however any introspection about the war, Sadam's effect on the environment, or contrast of being in a war zone and observing nature.

Enjoyed hearing about his birding experiences in Iraq.......2007-05-01

Being a bird enthusiast, AND having a son in the US Army inspired me to buy (and read) this book. I had originally bought it to give to my son (who enjoyed watching birds...mostly raptors....as a child), I decided to read it myself and was amazed at the species of birds this soldier was seeing over there. Sounds like (in addition to his mission) he did have some downtime and had some positive things to say about the region, which was nice. It has to be hard to be away from your family and friends for so long....and Jonathan found a way to stay busy and keep upbeat. Kudos to him, and God Bless our military!

Birding Babylon-Simple Beauty in Wartime.......2006-08-18

This is a small, beautiful book. The natural phenonomena and bird-life that Jonathan Trouern-Trend desribes with such simple elegance in Birding Babylon is both comforting and poignent as it all takes place in Iraq near the beginning of our most recent conflict there.

I salute Mr. Trouern-Trend, both as a fellow "birder" as well as a poet. His writing is spare and unembelished, yet the warm sentiment he awakens in the naturalist' heart is undeniable. Here, again, poignance was the feeling he inspired, as well as admiration for a job well-done.

I love this little book. I bought 3 more copies as soon as I read it to give to friends.

Thank you, Sergeant Trouern-Trend. I salute you! Beth Hall, San Diego, CA

A nice perspective on a terrible war.......2006-06-12

Because I am a birder, a friend bought me this book. It is perfectly aimed, not a pure birding, and no ranting about the war. Shows the power of nature and appreciation of nature to put a lovely perspective on even the most ugliest of wars. I wanted to know what the birds he referred to looked like so am ordering the birds of the middle east. one might wish photos or more realistic drawing of the birds, but I think that would detract from the journal-like nature of this cute little book.

I love this book.......2006-05-05

This book is great! Part birding journal, part soldier's diary, and fully a reminder that Iraq isn't just a place on a map or in the newspaper. It's a quick read and you really get the feeling that you are just reading the author's notebook that he had in his back pocket while on patrol--really interesting. There's also a list of the 122 species that he saw while in Iraq, which was very enlightening--it's not just a desolate war-torn area over there--there are real signs of life! And the book itself is a really pretty hardcover book; there are even illustrations of all the different birds he saw.

THE COMPLEAT RIFLEMAN HARRIS - THE ADVENTURES OF A SOLDIER OF THE 95TH (RIFLES) DURING THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

Average customer rating:

THE COMPLEAT RIFLEMAN HARRIS - THE ADVENTURES OF A SOLDIER OF THE 95TH (RIFLES) DURING THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS
Benjamin HARRIS
Manufacturer: Leonaur Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 184677053X

Book Description

The most famous Rifleman account in its complete and original form - unedited and unabridged Benjamin Harris' story has rightly won its place amongst the best and most well known British Army accounts of life on campaign during the war in Spain against Napoleon's French Army. It graphically tells of the gruelling retreat to Corunna, but it is the human detail of Harris' recollections on the march and on the battlefield that have made this a classic Napoleonic period memoir. This is Harris' full story - not readily available in this form for many years - in fact the Compleat Rifleman Harris!

To Benning and Back: The Making of a Citizen Soldier - My Journals of Daily Life in U.S. Army Basic Training and Officer Candidate School, from Private to Second Lieutenant, from First Call to Lights Out, and Yes, Everything in Between.

Average customer rating:

Went through same thing
READ THIS BOOK -- whether mil or not
Duty Honor Country - Doesn't Come Easy!
A Great book by an even better Soldier
HOOAH!!!

To Benning and Back: The Making of a Citizen Soldier - My Journals of Daily Life in U.S. Army Basic Training and Officer Candidate School, from Private to Second Lieutenant, from First Call to Lights Out, and Yes, Everything in Between.
Monroe Mann
Manufacturer: Unlimited Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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

Army Officer's Guide
Small Unit Leadership: A Commonsense Approach
Challenge of Command (West Point Military History Series)
Reluctant Lieutenant: From Basic to Ocs in the Sixties (Texas a & M University Military History Series)
The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Surviving Boot Camp

ASIN: 1588320693

Book Description

FROM THE BACK COVER:

You have in your hands the true, daily, blow-by-blow, journal entries of the author as he went through Army Basic Training and Officer Candidate School, concluding with his being called to active duty for the first time on September 11th, 2001. If you have ever wondered what basic military combat training is really like, and what it really does to you physically, mentally, and otherwise—or simply just want to relive it—read this book. It is probably as close to feeling the real thing as you can get (short of doing it). Most books about such events are either written after the fact in the past tense by someone who went through it years earlier, or written in the third person by someone tagging along who has no idea what is really going on. This book is different. It's all in the present; it's all in the first person; little has been cut; everything is true; the adventure is real. Enjoy.

Customer Reviews:

Went through same thing.......2006-03-22

I was like the LT here. I took the same route of BCT to OCS in the Guard too. I was whiney to a point too. I came back from Iraq and now I am not that same person. I am sure LT. Mann has changed to. The book is good in telling you what the Guard OCS program is like from day to day.

Capt. MSC former 11A

READ THIS BOOK -- whether mil or not.......2005-09-11

I cannot recommend "To Benning and Back" highly enough. I am currently applying to Army Officer Candidate School and it was the most helpful and informative thing I read. I learned more from Monroe Mann's account of his experiences at Basic Training and Officer Candidate School than I did from any other source and certainly from my recruiter. If you're considering enlisting in the Army, or any other branch of the military for that matter, I would definitely get my hands on this book. It's an invaluable resource.

Even more though, read this book for the inspirational story of one very cool young American. From the gut-punching sincerity of the opening line: "I cried when I saw Saving Private Ryan." to the final appendix, "What the Army Has Taught Me", I know I'm going to go back to this book whenever my own doubts about what I'm doing start creeping up on me. Mann, who is now 1st Lieutenant Mann, and who has been serving in Iraq for more than a year now with the New York National Guard, obviously comes from a comfortable background. He has a broad, varied, international education. He has a large supportive circle of talented family and friends, who appear in his journals in intriguing little snippets of intimacy and affection. He's talented, skilled at several sports, speaks several languages. He has a deep, driving dream to be an actor. Someone for whom the possibilities in late 90's America were pretty much limitless. Instead he puts it all on the line to join the Army...way before there was a 9/11 bandwagon to jump onto.

Used to be idealism and intelligence was a combination our country specialized in. If, like me, you think we're a little short on that combo these days -- from top to bottom -- read Mann's account of his experiences and it'll give you some hope for what's out there. Throughout his story, we get to see a sincere love of America that has nothing to do with the sticky, yellow-ribbon sentimentality that passes for patriotism in this country these days, and startling flashes of a deep Christian faith that has nothing to do with the lame moralism of so much of what passes for Christianity these days either. He's completely honest about the pain and difficulties of military life, never afraid to say he's bored, that he's suffering, or that it just plain old hurts. He's candid about his misgivings and fears about the commitment he's making. And he has no illusions about the frequent limitations and just sheer stupidity of much of the institutional culture he's dealing with. Yet all the way through, he holds on to a transcendent vision of a soldier's calling, a vision of courage and sacrifice that sustains him.

This kid's one of the last of the Great American Idealists, the kind of homegrown Quixote we used to grow a lot of, with the beautiful, slightly nutty dream AND the guts and tenacity and competence to make it reality. If you subscribe to the patronizing notion that only Americans with no other options serve in our armed forces, or if you think that all young Americans with other options are spoiled brats coasting through cushy lives with no sense of service or the greater good, then read this book. If you have a kid who wants to enlist, give him this book to read; it'll inspire him and make him a better soldier, marine, airman or sailor. If you've got a kid who wants to enlist and you're discouraging him, then YOU read this book. Believe me, Lt. Mann is the kind of guy you want your son to be.

Duty Honor Country - Doesn't Come Easy!.......2005-07-19

Monroe - your book, To Benning and Back: The Making of a Citizen Soldier - tells it like it is. Your honesty is what makes it special. Most books on the military experience are so 'gung ho' and you never feel the person's true pain. I felt your pain 'my brotha.' Keep your head down over in Iraq. We want all of our heros back in one piece.

A Great book by an even better Soldier.......2005-04-28

I have had the privilege of knowing Monroe Mann personally which prompted me to read his book. Monroe is the type of fellow who can drift into your life briefly and leave his mark.

His book is a honest uncut un polished journal that speaks to EXACTLY what every young soldier remembers about basic Training. Reading Monroe's book was like taking a walk back in my life ten years ago.

An excellent read for old soldiers and a fine book for those considering service. New troops need to take Monroe's total honesty with a grain of salt. When you live Basic training it seems impossible, until you walk on that parade field with almost 300 years of American history that you are not a part of. Monroe is a fine officer who is credit to the service. If he can overcome his fears, frustration, and challenges to rise from a sideline sitter to a professional of the finest caliber should encourage any reader to seek his or her opportunity to place service above self and find a way a way to bring peace to our troubled world.

Thank you Monroe

HOOAH!!!.......2005-01-31

To Benning and Back's first person depiction of the Army's vigorous basic training program helped me grasp a better understanding of the intense transformation from civilian to disciplined soldier. As a USO performer, after reading this book I have even a greater appreciation for the men and women who choose to risk their lives for this country! It was especially intriguing to learn that Lt. Mann is not only a soldier but an actor!! I recommend this book not only to potential military recruits but to anyone who is interested in gaining greater insight into the brave men and women serving in our Armed Forces.
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The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins (Dear America - My name is America - A World War II Soldier)

Average customer rating:

read this book!!!!!

The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins (Dear America - My name is America - A World War II Soldier)

Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty : A United States Marine Corps, Khe Sanh,Vietnam ,1968 (My Name Is America)

ASIN: 0439445760

Customer Reviews:

read this book!!!!!.......2007-02-19

The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins is a historical book.The book is a journal of a soilder who landed on the bloodiest beach of all, Omaha beach.The soilder records our ups and downs of the war.He learns friendship,endurance,family,and most of all war is not a game. Will he and his comrades survive?Read this book to find out.Good luck soilder!!!!

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