USS Charles Carroll APA28: An Amphibious History of World War II

Book Description

It was one thing to demand vengeance after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii plunged the United States into World War II, it was quite another to have the wherewithal to carry the fight to the Axis powers' front door. The same two oceans that had previously protected the United States from foreign enemies now provided a like obstacle to projecting American military force in the other direction. Battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines could not do the job alone. It was up to the ordinary soldier to occupy and hold the enemy's real estate, and the Navy needed to commission vast numbers of transports to get them there.

The attack transport USS Charles Carroll was originally laid down to be a combi-liner, carrying passengers and cargo on the Gulf of Mexico trade routes. Most of her wartime crew had never seen the ocean let alone manned a vessel of her size or even handled the small boats that were the ship's main offensive weapon. Yet, together they would evolve into the fighting machine that earned six battle stars in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, Southern France and Okinawa.

Lt. Robert W. Goldman, USNR (ret), joined the ship after Operation Torch and participated in her five subsequent invasions. I grew up listening to his stories, which, with the invasion maps, documents, photographs, issues of the Plan of the Day, etc. that he saved, form the backbone of this narrative. I have also met many of his old shipmates and have incorporated their recollections and, whenever possible, entries from the weathered diaries in which some of them set down their first-hand experiences, their fears while in combat and the capers they cut to blow off steam. As much as possible, the book evokes the feel of the times and the perspective of those who were there. The generals and heads of state set policy and strategy but it is the individuals in the field and on the seas who must translate the best laid plans into actions which spell victory or defeat. This is their story.

Average customer rating:

a wonderful account, though comically Anglo-centric
Newer Spin on a Well-Travelled Topic.
HASTINGS & OVERLORD
Problems.....
A superb, unvarnished military history

Overlord
Max Hastings
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0671554352

Customer Reviews:

a wonderful account, though comically Anglo-centric.......2006-06-15

Americans who read this study of the Normandy invasion will be astonished to learn how little U.S. troops contributed to Overlord, and how clueless American generals, soldiers, and airmen were. Hastings makes it clear that Montgomery was a fatuous braggart, and that just about all his initiatives went wrong (and that's before the debacle of Market Garden!), but forgives him because he was able to "read" the battlefield. By contrast, Eisenhower, Bradley, and such lesser American commanders as Patton were sadly lacking in strategic vision, no matter that virtually all *their* initatives went right.

When things go badly in the east, where the British and Canadian divisions landed, Hastings generally refers to them as "the Allies," and sometimes even "the British and the Americans," even though there were no Americans in the two-month stalemate at the gates of Caen.

On the west, where the American army quickly broke out of its beachead and romped through thousands of square miles of Britanny and the Cherbourg peninsula, their success is passed over as of no importance. The Germans feared Montgomery the most, Hastings explains, so they put their best divisions in front of the Anglo-Canadian forces, while assigning second-rate and understrength units on the American side. Curiously, the Americans suffered half again as many casualties in the first three months of the campaign. I was left scratching my head over Hastings's skewed vision of the campaign.

I go on at length about this aspect of the book because it is likely to turn off the American reader, and that would be a mistake. Hastings is a good and serious historian, unlike such earlier chroniclers as Stephen Ambrose and Cornelius Ryan; his analysis of German strengths can't be beat, and he interleaves these military-history lessons with scores of personal accounts, some from his own interviews, some from previously unpublished documents. The book should be read by every student of World War Two.

Just don't place much faith in Hastings's view of the comparative merits of the American army on the one hand, and the British and Canadian armies on the other.

-- Dan Ford at the Warbird's Forum

Newer Spin on a Well-Travelled Topic........2006-01-15

Succinctly: This is a well written account of the events which took place upon and immediately after the invasion of Normandy. Like many accounts, it relies upon the anecdotes of the soldiers and commanders involved. Instead of the Olympian rhetoric usually found in a Stephen Ambrose book, this book is often quite critical of the individual qualities of Allied soldiers and commanders-with exceptions, of course. The Germans, by contrast, are often described as superior warriors, despite the fact that the German formations opposite the Allies involved were considered unfit for service on either the Russian or Italian fronts. Altogether not quite as interesting as the author's follow up account of events in the west, Armaggedon, but interesting and worthwhile nontheless.

HASTINGS & OVERLORD.......2005-07-15

Montgomery's efforts to break out of Caen are legion and the
only clear fact is that Kurt Meyer & the 12SS fought a brilliant
defensive battle in which Montgomery repeatedly made crucial
mistakes. However, in all fairness, I don't think Bradley
would have done any better, and although Montgomery repeatedly
put massed armour up against "Hull Down Panthers & 88 Flak Guns"
it was the brilliant defense of Hauser, Bittrich, Witt, & Meyer
who fought the "Fight of their Lives" and stubbornly refused to
concede anything.

It could be argued that Montgomery's "Learning Curve" greatly
aided Bradley in planning Operation Cobra and the Capet Bombing
of the Panzer Lehr to aid Collins & Patton in the opening
breakout.

What is clearly erroneous is the assertion that Rommel was any
fan of Hitler or that Montgomery defeated him on a tactical
level in North Africa. It was a war of Supply which defeated
Rommel more than anything else. In Normandy, Rommel concentrated
his armour on Montgomery's front because it was Tank country and
the bocage facing Bradly could be defended by Infantry. With limited resources and the 1st SS in reserve, he had no choice.

In the final analysis, The German defense and tactical genuis
of Hauser, Bittrich, Witt, and Meyer must be given great credit
because they truly made the Allies pay for the gains they achieved. One must also remember that the Allies had an over-
whelming advantage in Firepower (ie artillery), Supplies, Air
Power, and personel replacements.

Problems............2005-04-19

While I read his Armageddon with interest, I found that much of his perspective is skewed. The same applies even more to Overlord.

In the latter book, he makes the astonishing claim, among others, that Field Marshal Rommel was, by implication, a Nazi - because of his personal loyalty to Hitler. This is absurd. This is like saying that if Sir Max Hastings is proud to be British, he is both an Imperialist and a condoner of the brutalities that often accompanied the British Raj, which any thinking person would rightly dismiss as being absurd.

Sir Max Hastings should realise that there are two primary reasons why Rommel enjoys a 'good' reputation - First - he was a brilliant commander and his legendary exploits in the Desert Campaigns of North Africa - despite certain problems associated with his command style - remain, by far, the best example of how to conduct a campaign based on 'shock and awe' - something that Montgomery could never emulate. Let us not forget that Montgomery's eventual victory at El Alamein was due to 'material superiority' rather than through strategic and tactical dexterity. The second reason is due to Rommel's basic sense of decency - witness his handling of Allied POWs - black, white, brown and Jewish - in North Africa - this is more than what can be said of the British handling of their 'coloured' colonial troops.

It is recently that I realised that Sir Max Hastings was a professional journalist - his lack of academic rigour - at least in the context of "Overlord" and "Armageddon" - thus becomes easier to explain. As a journalist he gives in to sensationalizing and this detracts from the integrity of his texts - though he does have a fluid style of presentation which works well to seduce the 'trusting' reader. But, if Sir Max Hastings is to write a piece of solid work, then his shoddy research, glossing over details and sensationalizing events and personalities will not work.

A superb, unvarnished military history.......2005-04-10

Hastings strips away the mythology of the "triumphant" march across Western Europe from D-Day to the Falaise Gap. We see instead often confused, all too timid generalship, poor training and worse execution that may have lengthened the European war by months.

Hastings is the very best of the current crop of WWII historians.

Jerry

The Overlord's Bride (The Warrior Series) (Harlequin Historical Series, No 559)

Average customer rating:

A True and Pure Love Story about a man and woman who thrive on one another's devotion.
I Love This Book
Awesome
Nice Love Story
Another wonderful Medieval romance by Margaret Moore.

The Overlord's Bride (The Warrior Series) (Harlequin Historical Series, No 559)
Margaret Moore
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0373291590

Book Description

Lady Elizabeth Perronet is given a choice: stay in the convent for the rest of her life enduring misery and deprivation at the hands of a woman who abhors her, or take her wayward cousin's place and marry the infamous Lord Kirkheathe. Elizabeth has never had an easier decision to make in her life, and not even the first meeting with the intimidating, silent nobleman can dissuade her from her chosen course.

Marrying for money and to produce an heir, Lord Kirkheathe trusts no one, and no woman most of all -- until Elizabeth Perronet forces her way into his lonely life, rekindling the embers of emotions he thought forever torn from his heart.

Customer Reviews:

A True and Pure Love Story about a man and woman who thrive on one another's devotion........2007-08-28

This is the first book I've read by Margaret Moore. I'll be looking for more of her work. Her writing is refreshing in the fact that her leading couple (Raymond and Elizabeth) is so completely devoted to one another, neither of them treats the other badly because of simple suspicions. Even though they both have had very harsh pasts, and they are afraid of what the world holds, they lean on each other and show affection openly. The hero needed a bit of time to learn to trust... but once he realized what a gift his wife was to his life, he poured his heart out to her. To quote the book, "He closed his eyes and silently offered a fervent thanks to heaven for sending him Elizabeth, who could understand what he had endured..."

Raymond's first wife died several years ago. She had broken his heart and destroyed his trust in women. Attacking him in his sleep, his wife damaged his throat to a point that his voice is permanently raspy. People fear him because he rarely speaks. When he does, it is a frightening sound. With his castle falling into ill-repair, Raymond knows he must remarry himself to a woman with a good dowry.

Elizabeth has lived in a convent for over 13 years, suffering starvation and severe beatings at the hand of the Mother Superior. Her parents dead, she had lost hope of ever having a family of her own. When her uncle desires an alliance with Raymond, he gives Raymond Elizabeth's hand and dowry. Having been a homely child, and not having seen a mirror since entering the convent, Elizabeth is sure she is an ugly woman. When her husband seems cold towards her, she believes he is ashamed of her.

Raymond fights the demons of mistrust. He also is protecting his home and people from his first wife's angry brother, Montross. Elizabeth is doing her best to make her husband proud, despite her homely appearance. She is determined to prove that she can be a worthy and helpful wife. Elizabeth's unflinching devotion and support of her husband against his enemies cause the walls around Raymond's heart to crumble. Once he gives in, he brings Elizabeth a mirror to prove how beautiful she is. Together, they take on both of their nemeses. They will see the Mother Superior removed from her position, and Montross's threats put to an end. Through their work and powerful love, they will build the family that both have only dreamed of.

I Love This Book.......2007-02-20

This is the second romance I read and it is still my favorite! Maragret Moore's writing is fantastic, and few authors can outwrite her!

Awesome.......2007-02-03

This book was great. Raymond is so strong, manly, mysterious and sexy and although Elizabeth seemed painfully naive and stupid at times, I realize now she was very strong...and lucky with the way things turned out for her. You really feel a sense of the Middle Ages which is why I picked this one up. All in all, I thought this book was so great I went and bought it after reading it from the library. I rarely ever do that!

Nice Love Story.......2006-05-15

This might not have the detailed historical details of some but nevetheless it was a really nice story. Both characters were strong in their own way without overshadowing the other. And FINALLY!- a story where the hero and heroine DON'T hate each other. That alone was a nice change. I also liked the fact that Elizabeth was strong and knew how to take care of herself without taking away from the hero. And Raymond was a caring, non ego based hero who didn't spend the WHOLE book wallowing in his initial mistrust. They worked together well to make an interesting, good story.

Another wonderful Medieval romance by Margaret Moore........2002-05-26

After thirteen years in a convent, where she was starved and beaten, Elizabeth Perronet will do just about anything to escape. When her cousin Genevieve breaks her betrothal to run off with another man, Elizabeth's uncle comes to the convent and offers Elizabeth an ultimatum. Elizabeth must marry the man Genevieve was promised to, or spend the rest of her life in the convent. Elizabeth quickly agrees the marriage, even though she has never met Raymond D'Estienne, Genevieve's former betrothed. Elizabeth doesn't expect to find love in marriage, but longs for children and hopes to find happiness as a mother. Raymond is not looking for love either. His first wife betrayed him, and he is only remarrying to provide an heir. I really enjoyed this love story about two people who don't expect much from marriage finding out just how wonderful love can be. Margaret Moore is becoming one of my favorite historical romance writers. I'll definitely be reading all her books.

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader
Good bedtime reading

If I Were An Evil Overlord

Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0756403847

Book Description

FOURTEEN ORIGINAL SHORT STORIES THAT ARE PERFECT FOR EVERYONE.

BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT:

Who hasn't dreamed of being an evil overlord?

Today's finest fantasy authors have delivered fourteen tales that run the gamut from humorous to serious, fantasy to science fiction. Certain to appeal to role-playing gamers, fantasy lovers, and megalomaniacs who want to rule the world.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-15

If you have an anthology that has 10 of 14 average of worse stories I would think your standard Evil Overlord would do bad things to the publisher and the editor, and their families, and their cats.

In other words, this is bad. That leaves 4 decent stories, but no good ones, with not much of an intro, either, for something like this. Most of the decent stories featured an actual major character who was an evil overlord. Fancy that.

If I Were An Evil Overlord : If Looks Could Kill - Esther M Friesner
If I Were An Evil Overlord : The Man Who Would Be Overlord - David Bischoff
If I Were An Evil Overlord : Ensuring the Succession - Jody Lynn Nye
If I Were An Evil Overlord : The Life and Death of Fortune Cookie Tyrant - Dean Wesley Smith
If I Were An Evil Overlord : Daddy's Little Girl - Jim C Hines
If I Were An Evil Overlord : Gordie Gulligan vs Dr Longbeach and the HVAC of Doom - J Steven York
If I Were An Evil Overlord : The Sins of the Sons - Fiona Patton
If I Were An Evil Overlord : Loser Takes All - Donald J Bingle
If I Were An Evil Overlord : The Next Level - David Niall Wilson
If I Were An Evil Overlord : Advisors at Naptime - Kristine Kathryn Rusch
If I Were An Evil Overlord : A Woman's Work - Tanya Huff
If I Were An Evil Overlord : To Sit in Darkness Here Hatching Vain Empires - Steven A Roman
If I Were An Evil Overlord : Stronger than Fate - John Helfers
If I Were An Evil Overlord : Art Therapy - Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Elf prince prison gender surprise.

2.5 out of 5

Abstinence required magic deity deal.

3 out of 5

Generational planning regimental aloofness.

3.5 out of 5

Bikkie power busted by rule breaking.

3 out of 5

Serpent child's zombie stooge.

2.5 out of 5

Dude, worst evil overlord ever.

2 out of 5

Necromancer succession strategy.

3.5 out of 5

Gamer geek, locked in room. What else would it be called?

3 out of 5

Advancement hard. Harder still if you don't watch out for the knives.

2.5 out of 5

World domination game is boring when you are knee high to a grasshopper.

2.5 out of 5

Very polite, and very, very pragmatic this Queen.

3.5 out of 5

Supervillain Professor Plum discovers yes, it is possible to set the atmosphere on fire, and it helps if you have access to an escape to another multiverse transport device working when you do.

3 out of 5

Titles are important.

3 out of 5

Delusions of Overlordure, with pictures.

3.5 out of 5

2 out of 5

Good bedtime reading.......2007-05-11

Novelty short story collections are generally a let down for me. So it was a bit of surprise to find that I generally enjoyed this collection a good bit. None of it is great literature, but over 2/3's of the stories qualify as 'good reads'. This is a lovely book to have for occasions when you desire a small dose of escapist literature.

Average customer rating:

Story Lost Among Too many Details
VERY dry
Inside account and thorough but a little dry
They fooled Hitler, Rommel, and the German High Command.

Fortitude: The D-Day Deception Campaign
Roger Hesketh
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1585670758
Release Date: 2000-11-02

Book Description

Behind the astonishing success of D-Day was the most sophisticated deception scheme ever devised. Its code name was "Fortitude," and its objective was to persuade the enemy that the long-awaited landings would take place in the Pas-de-Calais and that any attack in Normandy could be safely ignored. The Nazis relied on aerial reconnaissance, wireless intercepts, news from London-based diplomats, and reports from the Abwehr's extensive network of agents to predict the time and place of the Allied offensive, and much of this misinformation was helpfully supplied by Roger Hesketh's team of deception specialists, who coordinated the most complex conjuring trick of the century.

The classified official history of the entire operation, written by Roger Hesketh as Allied counter-intelligence experts were gathering the evidence of what had been accomplished in early 1945, has at last been declassified and released. In Fortitude, the intricate details of this fantastic diversionary scheme are disclosed with the type of immediacy that can only come from first-hand material.

"An outstanding history of the most successful deception campaign in history...a must read." (Alan Gropman, The Washington Times)

"An authentic study, by a fully informed expert, of a subject once deadly secret." (The Times, London)

Customer Reviews:

Story Lost Among Too many Details.......2006-03-29

As a previous reviewer stated, this manuscript was written at war's end as an internal British Government report. I would assume that it was to be studied by future military leaders as a blueprint
for future military campaigns. I was so overwhelmed by all of the facts and details, that I could not find a "story line." Story as well as "character development" are sorely lacking. In fairness to the author, this was written as a "report" not a narrative. Nor
did the author have the benefit of time to gain an overall perspective of the events described. I would recommend that any prospective readers look for a different source!

VERY dry.......2002-12-03

I'm a big fan of this topic area, yet had to force myself to keep reading this one until I finally gave up. The problem is that the author writes this as really an "after-action report" to his superiors, so the prose is extremely heavy on orginizational details. Just to give you a flavor, here are passages from two pages chosen at random:
(1, p. 91): "It now became necessary to provide FUSAG with armies of its own. This wa done on the one hand by fictitiously detaching the First Canadian Army from 21 Army Group and putting it under the command of FUSAG"
(2, p. 275):"Under the new scheme, Three would be at the head, 7(2) would be called in to act as freelance, taking the place of Seven in that respect. The territory of 7 (4) would be enlarged to include Kent as well as Sussex, thus filling the gap caused by 7 (2)'s departure. 7(7) and 3(3) would continue as before, the former in the Eastern counties and the latter in Scotland".

I hope you get my point - authoritative and detailed, but not exactly a page-turner.

Inside account and thorough but a little dry.......2002-10-20

For WWII buffs this book will prove to be invaluable. The level of detail (specifically quotes from actually documents and interviews with captured German generals)will intrigue anyone who has ever wondered how we managed to get a foot hold in Europe in 1944.

The only negatives associated with this book are the lack of writing style (this man was, actually, not a professional writer) and a certain amount of data overload concerning formations, locations, and dates.

My suggestion is to read it slowly and don't mind if you find yourself skipping of a an Armoured Division here or an Infantry Division there. Just keep track of the narrative and you will be surprised at how 'tight' the story ends up being. Also, don't forget to skim the appendicies for some interesting perspective on how experts 'thought' the war in Europe would go.

Overall this is an excellent book for interested parties. If you don't have a strong interest in WWII or spycraft I would consider lighter fare.

They fooled Hitler, Rommel, and the German High Command........2001-07-16

This book is very detailed. "The author actually wrote the account at the end of the war, but its publication was delayed until the principal participants died or came out of hiding." (Thats all I should have to say.) I would highly recommend this book (hence the 5/5 stars). They fooled Hitler, Rommel, and the German High Command. How? Well, read this baby and you'll know how. (Project Fortitude) This goes beyond the inflatable tanks, fake radio broadcasts, double agents, spies, and etc. There are several intresting documents, too. I read and purchase several history books and documentaries. I must admit that I’m only 3/4 through. This book is worth the money!!! I could yap on instead check out an excerpt. Have FUN :-)

Chapter One

Early Planning

The decision to invade France in 1944 was taken at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943. General Morgan was appointed Chief of Staff to the future Supreme Commander and established his headquarters at Norfolk House, St James's Square, in April of that year. On 26th April he received a directive from the Combined Chiefs of Staff which, besides instructing him to prepare plans for a full-scale assault against the Continent as early as possible in 1944 and for a return to the Continent in the event of German disintegration at any time, also demanded `an elaborate camouflage and deception scheme extending over the whole summer with a view to pinning the enemy in the West and keeping alive the expectation of large-scale cross-Channel operations in 1943. This would include at least one amphibious feint with the object of bringing on an air battle employing the Metropolitan Air Force and the Eighth US Air Force.' The deception plans which were prepared in compliance with that instruction and which received the name of COCKADE do not strictly lie within the scope of this report. Nevertheless, as they had a bearing upon subsequent events, a short account is included.

COCKADE had two distinct objects: to contain German forces in North-Western Europe, thus preventing them from being used on the active fronts, and to destroy German aircraft. The plan comprised three connected operations: TINDALL, the threat of a landing in Norway; STARKEY, of a landing in the Pas de Calais; and WADHAM, of one in the Bay of Biscay. STARKEY and WADHAM, so the story ran, were to be complementary operations. After the bridgehead in the Pas de Calais had been established by British forces, an American landing was to take place in Western France with the object of opening Brest, which could then be used to land troops sailing direct from the United States. The forces in the United Kingdom being held inadequate to support all three plans, the French and Norwegian assaults were presented as alternative undertakings. STARKEY was the most important part of COCKADE inasmuch as it included an elaborate embarkation exercise by 21 Army Group in which the landing craft actually sailed to within a few miles of the French coast, as well as real air attacks against the Pas de Calais. TINDALL and WADHAM relied mainly on the use of wireless, dummy devices and controlled leakage.

Average customer rating:

Details, Details, Details...

excellent city source book

Great game aid

City State of the Invincible Overlord (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Patrick Lawinger , Bob Bledsaw , and Bill Owen
Manufacturer: Sword & Sorcery Studios
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Wilderlands Of High Fantasy (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Campaign Setting)

The Lost City of Barakus (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

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Player's Handbook II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

ASIN: 1588469905

Customer Reviews:

Details, Details, Details..........2007-07-24

Having read this book cover to cover, I must say that I was very impresed by the level of detail. (I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the prisoners in the Overlord's dungeon.) Of course, having used the older Judge's Guild products, I wasn't surprised. Anyone wanting to base a campaign in an urban setting should buy this book either to use as-is or as an inspiration for their own creation. Good stuff.

excellent city source book.......2006-02-08

This city source book is excellent. It details everything you need to run a city setting, lots of encounter tables, what buildings are where and what they are for, law enforcement and what happends when PCs have a brush with the law, and the maps are excellent. The city has a gritty realistic feel to it in that if you were to step into a city set in a heroic fantasy campign world this is the kind of stuff you would see. Its set in the wilderlands campaign setting but could be used in any setting with little modifcations.

Great game aid.......2005-09-09

Its great to have a city book like this. The maps are outstanding. If you're a gamer buy this today

Average customer rating:

Unique perspective on an alternate history
Entertaining, thought-provoking, and powerful
A fun read,
GOONAN STRIKES HIGH AGAIN
Thoughtful, touching science fiction

In War Times
Kathleen Ann Goonan
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765313553
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Book Description

Sam Dance is a young enlisted soldier in 1941 when his older brother Keenan is killed at Pearl Harbor. Afterwards, Sam promises that he will do anything he can to stop the war.

During his training, Sam begins to show that he has a knack for science and engineering, and he is plucked from the daily grunt work of twenty-mile marches by his superiors to study subjects like code breaking, electronics, and physics in particular, a science that is growing more important to the war effort. While studying, Sam is seduced by a mysterious female physicist that is teaching one of his courses, and given her plans for a device that will end the war, perhaps even end the human predilection for war forever. But the device does something less, and more, than that.

After his training, Sam is sent throughout Europe to solve both theoretical and practical problems for the Allies. He spends his free time playing jazz, and trying to construct the strange device. It's only much later that he discovers that it worked, but in a way that he could have never imagined.

Customer Reviews:

Unique perspective on an alternate history.......2007-10-01

As a Sci-Fi enthusiast, I enjoyed reading this book. It's not entirely Science Fiction and draws a great deal from real history. Goonan's description of the characters is quite extensive. The portions of the story that relate to jazz and music are rather confusing to those not as well versed in the musical arts. One item that struck me as being out of place was found on page 126 where Sam is somehow issued a "Glock" during the mid 1940's in Germany. The first Glock pistol, the Glock 17, was released in the early 1980s, approximately 30-40 years after the particular incident in the story. In addition, Sam would have been awestruck at the weapon he had instead of feeling "little comfort" considering the 9mm Luger Glock 17 was a polymer (nylon) receiver pistol with a 17 round capacity magazine. The standard US service pistol would have been the Colt / M1911 45 Auto at the time, complete with wooden panels and a steel receiver.

I was hoping for a more complete and happy ending for Sam and Bette rather than something abrupt like Jill recalling Sam's composition books.

Entertaining, thought-provoking, and powerful.......2007-09-20

Every once in a while I come across a novel with characters and images so vivid that they haunt me even when I'm not reading and linger even after I finish the last page.

"In War Times" is that kind of novel.

This is a book that works on many levels--as a science fiction thriller and a beautifully written, metaphysical literary novel. It is also a time travel story and a World War II novel (with wonderful details of the London Blitz, the development of radar, and the Occupation after the war). Sam's quest to complete a working Hadnz device and create a world in which his brother Keenan could still be alive is gripping; scope and urgency grow when he travels to Europe and experiences the horrors of war and genocide, which with the device might be prevented. Of course there's always a price for altering the time stream... this is my favorite kind of novel, the kind that moves me emotionally, but also makes me think.

A brilliant and powerful book.

A fun read,.......2007-07-29

but a few factual clinkers contribute off-notes to the story. Glock pistols being used in WWII? Glock wasn't founded until 1963. People listening to a Dodgers-Giants game on the radio...playing football? Not a big deal and I'm not sure if this is part of the alternate universe theme or just writing by someone who is unfamiliar with the subjects. Either way, it's a bit of a distraction.

GOONAN STRIKES HIGH AGAIN.......2007-07-04

Since following all of Goonan's books, I was thrilled to find she took a new turn toward combining a historical reference with a SF base. The book moved smoothly yet introduced many suprising twists and turns that kept me hooked. Her father, a WWII vet now 85 years old, helped lay the foundation and story line for the book through his experiences in Europe during the war. They have written a winning combination of SF and historical information intertwined with musical descriptions that is sure to be enjoyed by all science fiction readers.

Thoughtful, touching science fiction.......2007-06-28

Goonan used to do more hard science fiction -- nano- and bio-tech. This is much more alternate history, and damn it, but it's good. Part of it is how well she's researched it (I read a review somewhere that said she used her own father's diary from the war), but a lot of it is how well she integrated what she's learned into the story. It's complex, and rich, and it rewards people who re-read books in a way I haven't seen since Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates.

Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy

Average customer rating:

a splendid account, though comically Anglo-centric

Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy
Max Hastings
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 030727571X
Release Date: 2006-01-03

Book Description

On June 6, 1944, American and British troops staged the greatest amphibious landing in history to begin Operation Overlord, the battle to liberate Europe from the scourge of the Third Reich. With gut-wrenching realism and immediacy, Hastings reveals the terrible human cost that this battle exacted.

Moving beyond just the storming of Omaha beach and D-Day, he explores the Allies’ push inward, with many British and American infantry units suffering near 100 percent casualties during the course of that awful summer. Far from a gauzy romanticized remembrance, Hastings details a grueling ten week battle to overpower the superbly trained, geographically entrenched German Wehrmacht. Uncompromising and powerful in its depiction of wartime, this is the definitive book on D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

Customer Reviews:

a splendid account, though comically Anglo-centric.......2006-07-22

Average customer rating:

Overlord D-Day, June 6, 1944

Overlord-D-Day June 6, 1944
Max Hastings
Manufacturer: S&S
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HZAZ62

Customer Reviews:

Overlord D-Day, June 6, 1944.......2007-02-14

I have studied WW II for over 50 years and read every book I could find on the subject. This is the first book that has tried to convince me that the Germans had the finest army, leadership, and equipment during the war. All the allies, with the exception of a few units, were blundering fools. The only allied leader who knew what he was doing was Montgomery, and his commanders and troops let him down.
Patton and the 3rd Army had a walkover, only facing second rate units, I am sure those men will be surprised to learn that fact.
I was under the impression that the allies won the war.
I rate this book as 1, only because 0 is not allowed.

Gators of Neptune: Naval Amphibious Planning for the Normandy Invasion

Average customer rating:

Excellent, but requires a military background
An Excellent Treatment of a Difficult Subject
A remarkable view of the planning for the day of days
History Comes Alive

Gators of Neptune: Naval Amphibious Planning for the Normandy Invasion
Christopher D. Yung
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Naval | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1591149975

Book Description

A research analyst for the Center for Naval Analyses offers a rare historical account of the Royal and U.S. Navies' involvement in one of the greatest amphibious assaults of modern history. It is a story of cooperation and, at times, discord, between the two navies as they planned the naval portion of the Allied invasion of Normandy. With the evolution of amphibious warfare as a backdrop, the book has sufficient technical detail to satisfy the modern-day practitioner of amphibious warfare, yet is written in a style that makes it accessible to the general public.

Thoroughly researched at the U.S. National Archives and the Naval Historical Center, the book takes the reader from the initial plans created by the Anglo-American Allies in 1942, through the first draft of Operation Overlord, to the final naval plan set down in 1944. It then presents a detailed description of the invasion itself. Christopher Yung covers every obstacle confronted by the naval planners, from the shifting tides of the English Channel to overcoming the European coastal defenses and dealing with the submarine threat. Despite his attention to historical detail, he brings to life the personalities of those who brought Operation Neptune from concept to reality.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, but requires a military background .......2007-09-13

My husband enjoyed the book very much, but said anyone who reads it would need to have a military background (which he has) to comprehend it fully. It has a lot of references to rank and tactical terms.

An Excellent Treatment of a Difficult Subject.......2006-07-23

Gators of Nepture provides a look at the background, conception, planning, organization, and execution of the D-Day landings. It actually treats the subject on several levels.

To begin with, there is a comprehensive examination of the technical and logistical aspects of the operation, which remains the most complex landing ever undertaken. So we learn a great deal about the supply of landing craft, arrangements for naval escorts and gunfire support, the intricate planning necessary to mesh operations by naval, air, and ground forces, and more, including lots on training (with a good concise discussion of Slapton Sands).

But Yung, a seasoned naval analyst, didn't stop there. He frames the tale by examining the evolution of both British and American amphibious doctrine, which differed in important ways, requiring complex negotiation among the commanders and their staffs to hammer out a common doctrine. In dealing with this aspect of the planning, we are treated to some critical portraits of many of the leading figures on both sides. This is in many ways the most valuable part of the book. By looking at the planning for D-Day through the experiences, personalities, ambitions, and inter-relationships of the principal commanders - Bertram Ramsay, Andrew Cunningham, Harold Stark, Philip Vian, Alan Kirk, and others - Yung turns what could easily have been a very dry, even boring technical account of operational planning and logistical management into a very readable work.

Gators of Nepture is likely to be of particular interest to students of World War II in Europe, amphibious operations, and naval history in general.

A remarkable view of the planning for the day of days.......2006-07-12

Few people know about Operation Neptune, the naval portion of the D-Day invasion. Chris Yung does a great job of sifting through myriad sources to weave a tapestry of the Allied naval planning.

A must-read for history buffs, even casual ones.

History Comes Alive.......2006-06-16

Christopher Yung provides a stunning analysis of Operation Neptune, from it's inception to it's culmination. His attention to historical facts is exceptional. The enormaity of this amphibious operation is mind-blowing. He really captures the cooperation and the discord between the Allied Forces. An excellent read.

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