Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History

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Some historical events simply beggar any attempt at description--the Holocaust is one of these. Therefore, as it recedes and the people able to bear witness die, it becomes more and more essential that novel, vigorous methods are used to describe the indescribable. Examined in these terms, Art Spiegelman's Maus is a tremendous achievement, from a historical perspective as well as an artistic one.

Spiegelman, a stalwart of the underground comics scene of the 1960s and '70s, interviewed his father, Vladek, a Holocaust survivor living outside New York City, about his experiences. The artist then deftly translated that story into a graphic novel. By portraying a true story of the Holocaust in comic form--the Jews are mice, the Germans cats, the Poles pigs, the French frogs, and the Americans dogs--Spiegelman compels the reader to imagine the action, to fill in the blanks that are so often shied away from. Reading Maus, you are forced to examine the Holocaust anew.

This is neither easy nor pleasant. However, Vladek Spiegelman and his wife Anna are resourceful heroes, and enough acts of kindness and decency appear in the tale to spur the reader onward (we also know that the protagonists survive, else reading would be too painful). This first volume introduces Vladek as a happy young man on the make in pre-war Poland. With outside events growing ever more ominous, we watch his marriage to Anna, his enlistment in the Polish army after the outbreak of hostilities, his and Anna's life in the ghetto, and then their flight into hiding as the Final Solution is put into effect. The ending is stark and terrible, but the worst is yet to come--in the second volume of this Pulitzer Prize-winning set. --Michael Gerber

Book Description

A story of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself.

Customer Reviews:

Maus: Explores the ineffable with creativity and ease.......2007-09-18

The book is adumbrated in the form of a graphic novel, giving a seemingly new perspective on the holocaust. The issue itself is nothing spectactularly new, although it approaches the holocaust in such a way that the most acerbic of events are bearable.
Most simply stated, the visual aid that accompanies the text allows for the reader to fully understand the author's stance, or viewpoint on the touchy issues of the holocaust. One does not need to have any sort of historical acumen, to grasp the concepts and ideas of the story.
The facade, of animals, instead of humans, used by the author also makes the events seem a little less human. However, throughout the novel, the thought doesn't escape your mind, that this was actually happening, to real people.
The reader is also easily captivated by the father-son presentation of the story, as Art (the author), interviews his father. With nothing but acrimony polluting the stories told by his father, a bond is formed between the reader, Art, and his father, as you must approbate anyone who braves these hardships, more specifically, the characters.
Overall, this story makes something new, that has been done so many times. It entertains, as well as informs. However, it isn't something I'd recommend for casual reading, as time must be set aside to truly appreciate the events in this book.

A Compelling Graphic Novel.......2007-09-18

When hearing the words "Graphic Novel" most people do not think of a moving and inspirational story, yet Maus by Art Spiegelman is just that. Firstly I would recommend this novel for its crafty and meaningful graphics. Various groups, such as the Jewish and German, are depicted as numerous animals. In doing so, the author expresses underlying themes, as one judges another's character by how they look, or their origin. Each picture also conveys the deep feeling in each moment. Frighten and sometimes acerbic faces, give the reader acumen on how the characters feel and are reacting. Also, several depictions of maps and drawings, heightening one's understanding of each setting. The second reason I would recommend the novel is because of the compelling story lines it contains. The first is Vladek's poignant account on how he and his wife survived as the Nazis abrogated their rights. From witnessing friends being hanged, to hiding in attics, the reader gains and insight on personal experiences of the Holocaust. The second is of a strained father and son relationship. As the father ages, the interest and reminiscence of a troubled past becomes their last connection. These assiduous characters are connectable for the reader, and acquire my last approbation. Anyone with a stained relationship or even an experience with isolation, can relate to the feelings and manners of the characters. With evocative graphics, gripping story lines, and relatable characters, Maus is a compelling novel which I highly propose.

Approbation for Maus.......2007-09-18

Maus should be greatly encouraged with approbation. The book displays the crude reality of the Holocaust and World War II in a creative, artistic way that makes the book classic and unique. Having Jews displayed as mice and Nazis as cats, Spiegelman uses much acumen in how the book is laid out and the story told. Even without reading, the graphic art adumbrates the story enough to understand.
Artie is a comic book writer who decides to write meaningful stories instead of useless funny ones, and wishes to interview his father about his experiences during the Holocaust. Vladek willingly tells his story to Artie, who seems unchanged by the troubling information his father is offering him. Throughout the story, Vladek becomes almost an anathema to Artie, and Artie finally finds the hate for his father that was always brewing. Although Artie dislikes his father, his father dislikes himself as well. After the war, life was never the same for Vladek. Having never gotten over his wife's death, and feeling antipathy for his new wife, he seemed to abjure all opportunities to enhance his life and adopted a new, somewhat acerbic personality.
Overall, the story told in Maus is an unforgettable one. It brings about several ineffable issues such as the harshness of World War II and how the Nazis arrogated lives with no right to do so. In addition, how these times were difficult even for the high class. The graphic art in the book ties all of the information together and allows a visual interpretation what the book is saying. Although the story is based on World War II and the Holocaust, it is as much about family issues and hidden hate as it is about history. Throughout the whole experience, Artie and Vladek discover where they truly stand with each other and decide that this deleterious relationship is not worth the trouble any longer.

Excellent seller!!.......2007-09-15

Good seller! Highly recommended for all buyers. My item was timely sent and the condition of the item was as described.

DEMEANIG, INSENSITIVE, CRUDE STEREOTYPING, HURTFUL TO "OTHER" HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS.......2007-09-14

This is as bad, as the 1st Maus: Horribly GRAPHIC, EXREMELY CRUDE and INSENSITIVE to the "OTHER" victims of the holocaust. Spiegleman shows absolutely "no" sympathy or sensitivity to the 3 million Polish-Catholics that were killed by the Germans. Adding insult to injury, he portrays the Poles in a very negative and hurtful manner, when in fact the Poles themselves lost everything. Poles, as well as Jews, lost their homes. Poles, as well as Jews, came home to homes that were piles of rubble. There are so many better vechicles out there to teach about this. This is the last one to use, as it seriously offends many innocent students whose parents and grandparents also suffered, died and lost everything in the Forgotten Holocaust. Better books are: Sybille Steinbacher's "Auschwitz. Steinbachers book gets the job done without all the grusome graphics and vulgar demeaning that is in Maus. Richard Lukas' "The Forgoten Holocaust; Poles Under Nazi-Occupation," and "Did The Children Cry: The suffering of Polish & Jewish children in the holocaust." After reading the latter one by Lukas, you'll never go anywhere near a Maus book again! "Did The Children Cry," will be a wake-up call - unless you are inhumane. Lukas, in both book, talks, OBJECTIVLY about "all" who suffered, without the sick graphics and personal attacks that maus has. Michael Marrus' "The Holocaust in History." Marrus, like Steinbacher and Lukas is controlled, scholarly and informative - Spiegleman is not. These 3 books will explain and teach you something, unlike Maus, that only teaches hateful generalizations through stereotyping and is grusomly graphic. Don't be fooled by the hype. Maus gets an F- for humanity. TEACHERS, PLEASE, BE TEACHERS!

The Last Diary of Tsaritsa Alexandra (Annals of Communism Series)

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what i think
Final Record Invaluable to Romanov Enthusiasts
Fascinating but only for the true fanatic
Chilling monotony

The Last Diary of Tsaritsa Alexandra (Annals of Communism Series)
Tsaritsa Alexandra
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300072120

Book Description

The last Tsaritsa of Russia, Alexandra Feodorovna, was murdered with her family on the night of 16-17 July 1918 by agents acting on behalf of the revolutionary Bolshevik government. The recently declassified 1918 diary of Alexandra-published here for the first time in its entirety-provides something no other account could do: a glimpse of the Tsaritsa`s thoughts and activities from 1 January 1918 until the night of her death. The introduction by Robert Massie places Alexandra in the historical context of the Revolution, her marriage to Nicholas, and the tragic events that encompassed her, her family, and her nation.

Customer Reviews:

what i think.......2002-06-20

Alix's diary is a most important document,
it reveals her , but in a very different way to say
how her letters do.in her diary, it is of chief importance
to note the things she leaves out, and how laconic the
text itself is.this tells as much about her at the time
than had she written pages about her feelings and experiences.
This is an extremely important book, the last page is
agonising - the "ex-Tsarina" has written in a fine and clear
hand "July 17th" - but the page is blank. We have to read
what Alexandra didnt write - between the lines.her last
diary reveals her final states of mind, her humaness, her fear,
in those last terrible words, in the entry for July 16th.
Alix has written her own memorial here, and it is a just tribute.

Final Record Invaluable to Romanov Enthusiasts.......2000-01-26

It is ironic that, being the most private of persons, many of the last Tsarinia's most intimate thoughts are now available in several books, including this recently declassified diary of her final days. However, readers who search out this book are probably sympathetic, and will find her daily entries of interest and sometimes moving. Alexandra wasn't writing a best-selling novel -- simply a daily account of the tedium of their imprisonment, and how she, her family, and attendants passed the time -- but for those interested in Alix, her husband, and children, this book is a valuable link to their final days. The introduction, essay by Jonathan Brent, and other sections are all appropriate accompaniment. It will be interesting to see if excerpts from the children's diaries also are eventually published; several books compiled and edited by Russian archivists already have quoted from some of those diaries.

If you are interested in the last tsar and his family, I invite you to contact me at whitcombj@juno.com.

Fascinating but only for the true fanatic.......1999-07-04

As many reviewers have said, the very monotony of Aleksandra's last diary gives it an eerie significance. However, beyond that, there is little to recommend it. Entries, spaced one to a page, mostly consist of a single brief paragraph, and the content is boring-- notes on the weather, her health, the health of her children. "Sat for 10. m[inutes] on the balkony [sic]." It is a very short book, and a very quick read. Only for the true Romanov fanatic (of which I am one), I'm afraid. Aleksandra's letters and the letters & diaries of the others who shared her captivity are far more interesting.

Chilling monotony.......1998-01-07

Tsaritsa Alexandra had no idea, of course, that this was her last diary or that anyone besides herself would ever read it. Since we know the ultimate fate of this unhappy woman the banality and monotony of the last few months of her life have an unintentional sense of tragedy. How sad, for example, that she took the time to note the birthdays of various royal connections, people she would never see again and who in some cases (such as George V of England) had abandoned her and her family to their fate. A brief but compulsive read

To the Last Salute: Memories of an Austrian U-Boat Commander

Average customer rating:

U-boats and insights into the geopolitical situation of Austro-Hungary in WWI.
An engaging and moving memoir of life in the Austrian Navy
Interesting History of the True Life "Captain" from the 'Sound of Music'.
Finally!
Excellent to see in an english translation

To the Last Salute: Memories of an Austrian U-Boat Commander
Georg von Trapp
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0803246676

Book Description

The Sound of Music endeared Georg von Trapp (1880–1947) and his singing family to the world, and it also showed us how desperately the Nazis wanted Captain von Trapp for their navy. In To the Last Salute we learn why. Trapp’s own story of his exploits as a submarine commander during the First World War is as exciting as it is instructive, bringing to stirring life a little-known chapter in the naval history of that war.

In his many guises Trapp describes life as captain of Austro-Hungarian U-boats in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, emerging by turn as the Imperial Austrian naval officer, the witty observer of international politics, and the indefatigable and ultimately heartbroken patriot opposing the Allied enemy. He relates deadly duels with submarine sweepers, narrow escapes and excruciatingly close calls, and the spectacular sinking of cargo and war ships—all the while maintaining a keen sense of the camaraderie of seamen from every corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A picture of a lost time, a portrait of a remarkable character, a window on early submarine warfare: Trapp’s story, in English for the first time, offers a rare combination of human interest, historical insight, and true life-and-death adventure.

Customer Reviews:

U-boats and insights into the geopolitical situation of Austro-Hungary in WWI. .......2007-10-09

This is reasonably light read broken into bite-size chapters covering a variety of experiences surrounding the author's service as a WWI Austrian U-boat captain, the boat technologies of the time and the everyday impact of the politics as Austria's empire unraveled. Austria's relationship with it's wealthy and larger German ally is seen from another perspective as well as the polyglot nature of the many ethnic groups belonging to and participating in the Austrian war effort. A fine military account from the man responsible for "The Sound of Music."

An engaging and moving memoir of life in the Austrian Navy.......2007-09-26

To the Last Salute is Georg Ritter von Trapp's memoir of commanding a U-boat in the Austrian Navy during World War I. While his style of writing does take some getting used to, von Trapp provides an engaging and suspenseful tale of life on a primitive submarine during an oft-neglected period of military history. The book also gives us an insight into von Trapp as a man, more insight than one finds in other books on the life of his famous family. His accounts of the horrors of war and the loss of his beloved navy at the end of the war are especially moving. For those interested in von Trapp, the Austrian Navy, World War I, and the history of submarine warfare, the book will be especially useful; anyone interested in the story of an intriguing, thoughtful, and courageous man will enjoy the chronicle of von Trapp's adventures as well.

Interesting History of the True Life "Captain" from the 'Sound of Music'........2007-08-22

Captain Georg von Trapp's Memoirs were published in Austria in German in the 1930's. One of his Grandaughters (an offspring of one of the real life von Trapp Family Singers)has translated her famous ancestor's work into English and now we can all see why the Evil Nazi's were so set on getting "The Captain" into their Navy when they took over Austria.

The work is very short and von Trapp has a matter of fact writing style similar to that of U.S. counterpart Gene Fluckey in his memoir of the USS Barb. Unlike Fluckey however von Trapp had to go to war in an antequated obsolete gasoline powered Austrian U-boat which was barely a step above the Turtle or the Hunley. A german U boat Captain told him upon going inside the ship that he "was lucky to be Alive". In addition he had to deal with a multinational crew that grew more restless as the war went on and their countries began to break away from the Hapsburg yoke.

The memoir is a good glimpse of a theatre of WWI which is barely mentioned, the Naval War in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. Very little has been written of the War at sea between the Austrian navy on one side and the Italians and the French on the other. Most I have seen have dealt with the Royal Navy in the Dardanelles.

The book also begins with some von Trapp Family background and reveals many interesting facts such as the Captain's first wife was English and many of 'the children' were a lot older than 'sixteen going on seventeen' when they escaped Austria. Sadly when the Captain died of lung cancer in 1947 it may have been related to all of the gas fumes he inhaled on the poorly ventilated u boat during the war.

Finally!.......2007-08-08

I've wished for this book to be translated into English for a very long time! It was worth the wait.

I've always wanted to know more about Captain von Trapp, in his own words and this book is as close as I am going to get. It did not disappoint as it provided a window to see the Captain, the man.

I could not help but believe this book was more a compilation from a journal he may have kept. I also could not help but believe, if not for his modesty, there was so much more he could have shared.

Perhaps, without realizing it, he showed us many sides, least of which were his tender and compassionate side. How many military captains do you know would allow a rescued kitten to live on board his submarine?

I gave this book five stars, not so much for literary greatess as for the enjoyment received from reading it and having a few more questions answered.

It should be enjoyed by all Sound of Music fans and I believe those interested in history will enjoy it as well. Even though I knew the outcome, I could not help but hold my breath as he told of daring escapades while captaining his u-boats. I found myself, while reading about his experiences, thinking of the movie, K-9, The Widowmaker.

My only complaint, it was only 188 pages log. :-(

Excellent to see in an english translation.......2007-06-27

I had known of this book for many years, and had even thought about seeing if a publisher would be willing to entertain a translation. It was wonderful to see a member of the family lead the effort and have a copy back in print and in english after too many years out of print. It is a wonderful story of a patriotic naval officer, of a now absent navy tell of his adventures as the most successful captain of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. His work with his crew (from all over the empire) dealing with bureaucratic officers, sinking ships in an old sub, that his German peers recommended not taking to sea (they thought it unseaworthy and an antique), and then further adventures in a French sub, sunk then raised to strike again against them is intersting. Those who have read Lowell Thomas' account, or Edwyn Gray's books on the German WW1 submarine service will find this a very different tale and one worth comparing to other efforts.
For those who wondered where the Captain in the von Trapp family singers came from this fills in a void covering elements of his older children and first wife. Through his first wife, he was related to the inventor of the modern torpedo, who had set up a factory in Austra-Hungary before WW1.
The book is well written and reads quickly, and tells the tale of a dedicated and talented patriot in an prior phase of his life, which was later known to the world in song and story.

Average customer rating:

Surpisingly incredible book
Good but not as good as all the hype
A Differnt Perspective of World War I
"The Europe of today appeared here for the first time on the field of battle"
Journey through the Valley...

Storm of Steel (Penguin Classics)
Ernst Jünger
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142437905
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Book Description

A memoir of astonishing power, savagery, and ashen lyricism, Storm of Steel illuminates not only the horrors but also the fascination of total war, seen through the eyes of an ordinary German soldier. Young, tough, patriotic, but also disturbingly self-aware, Jünger exulted in the Great War, which he saw not just as a great national conflict but—more importantly—as a unique personal struggle. Leading raiding parties, defending trenches against murderous British incursions, simply enduring as shells tore his comrades apart, Jünger kept testing himself, braced for the death that will mark his failure.

Published shortly after the war's end, Storm of Steel was a worldwide bestseller and can now be rediscovered through Michael Hofmann's brilliant new translation.

Customer Reviews:

Surpisingly incredible book.......2007-10-20

I just read this book, and I must say I'm amazed at it.

I'll critique the book mainly by comparison. The most familiar WW1 work is of course "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Remarque. There are others that are similar such as "Under Fire", a noted work by Henri Barbusse from the French side, "Goodbye to All That" by Robert Graves (Englishman), and "Company K" by William March (US Marine Corps). I believe these books represent the dominant WW1 genre. With the exception of "Storm of Steel", they all tend to more-or-less follow a genre started first perhaps by Stephen Crane's novel "The Red Badge of Courage" about the American Civil War. Interestingly, Crane was never in war - a fact often unknown to readers. Many veterans reading Crane's novel were incredibly moved by its 'accuracy' and depth of feeling, which I'll come back to.

The immediately obvious difference about "Storm of Steel" is two things:
1) It was written from Junger's diary, and 2) he started the book very soon after the war's end. In other words, it is not watered down by time.
All the other novels were written some 10 yrs after the war, in melancholy-ish, "what happened to us?" sort of vein - i.e. the Lost Generation. This is significant both to the level of detail (accuracy and remembrance) and to the mood of the writing.

There are other points - Junger served throughout the war. American author March only served a part of the American involvement, obviously (but he can be forgiven in that the last half of the war was surely its worst, with the industrialization and de-humanization of warfare at its peak). Along a similar line, Remarque ("All's Quiet") served only a very short time; a point not at all obvious from his book which is presumed to be autobiographical. There have been challenges to Remarque's war service (many of it unfounded) and some feel he was something of a fantasist about his service, which was only a few weeks at the front. He was indeed wounded - but it is almost impossible he experienced everything he wrote about in "All's Quiet". Junger, on the other hand, had ample experience in the war, was wounded multiple times, and was highly decorated (one of the youngest to recieve the 'Pour le Merite', the Blue Max).
Junger's reputation is tainted by some possible associations with German nationalism after the war. But assertions that he was pro-Nazi are completely untrue. In fact, he lost his son to the Nazi regime. He may have even been on the fringes of the July 20th plot to kill Hitler.
Sure, he supported his country, but that does not make him a Nazi. Unfortunately, his supposed politics affected the reception of his writing (and by default, "Storm of Steel") in the rest of the world in more recent times. In my opinion this is a loss to the literature from the WW1 period...

On to the book: The book is written in a very matter-of-fact way. This may surprise some readers, given that so many other books (as mentioned above) are of the "war is hell" theme. Junger pulls no punches - he was trying to do his part to win, and he states it this way. I honestly do not see anything in the book that leads me to think he is some sort of war monger or "pre-Nazi Nazi". Junger has a deep sense of adventure and the ability to keep a cool head. He strikes me as a man trying to do a job, and he writes thusly. He shows sympathy for his men and NCOs, and writes from a 'team perspective'. "All's Quiet" protagonist Paul Baumer on the other hand, goes into depth of feeling about the individual soldier (read: Privates) and his sense of futility, hopelessness, camraderie (only with certain others) and concern over survival versus victory (perhaps justified).
Once you read Junger, and contrast him to Remarque, you see the differences: Remarque was a kid, with little overall sense of what was going on beyond his day to day survival and a certain dreaminess. Junger, on the other hand, was clearly a Type-A personality who directly involved himself in the efforts to win.

I unfortunately found that a reading of Junger tends to denigrate (for lack of a better word) the efforts of a Remarque who writes about feelings and hope (or hopelessness, as it were). And vice-versa. You have to juxtapose the two to get a feel for the war in its entirety.

I'm uneasy with it, but I get the feeling Junger was a stronger person than the other WW1 writers - he had a healthy sense of life, and moved on after the war to live a full life. Maybe his selection to be an Officer after a year is part of that. He wa also an adventurer, who joined the French Foreign Legion before the war.

Regardless of all this, Junger's book should be better known than it is. It is great for its historical context if nothing else.

Good but not as good as all the hype.......2007-07-24

This book is well written, well translated and flows well on the memoirs of a german private at the start of WW1 and officer by the end, but for all the hype that I had heard about this book it is no where near as good as Rommel's ATTACK and his experience of WW1 that book was full on action.
Storm of Steel does give graphic details of life in and out of the front line including some major battles he took part in, still overrated

A Differnt Perspective of World War I.......2007-07-17

History is written by the victors. What makes Storm of Steel so unique is that this autobiographical account of the Great War was written by one of the losers. It is interesting to read about why this young German soldier fights but also of the respect he has for his opponents on the other side of No Man's Land. Ernst Junger does not shy away from the graphic truth about the horrors of war. Every recollection of battle is filled with descriptions of the grisly deaths of fellow soldiers and the horrid conditions of life in the trenches. This eye opening account of the horrors of war is a must read for any student of history.

"The Europe of today appeared here for the first time on the field of battle".......2007-05-14

Jünger's book Storm of Steel is an exceptionally well written and almost romantic (not in the sense of romance novel but rather a piece which illicits an emotive response much like painting of the 19th century) It is one individual's reaction to life in Europe before, during and after WWI. Many of the statements of the text had several implications. Such as his assertion that "the Europe of today appeared here for the first time on the field of battle?" When read in context with the previous paragraphs the statement seemed to be remarking on the damaging will imposed on the European landscape. He spoke of machinery and how before the use of contemporary weaponry the most harm inflicted was the burning of towns and villages. Now because of new `scientific war' or a war of machines not man, nature was impacted. To burn a village was to bruise culture, but not destroy it. Culture could be rebuilt. To create craters and desert out of a once pristine landscape was to demolish it. The author seems to suggest that the damage inflicted by machine was irreparable. Furthermore, describing the war as scientific or a war of machines removed all traces of humanity. The exile of humanness can also be seen in his remarks that chivalry and basic politeness ("all fine and personal feeling") succumb to machinery. Machinery becomes the all invading. In his text, man becomes machine when he "wore the steel helmet." Steel and flesh, man and machine melt into one. The Europe of today was one of cold technology devoid of humanity and nature. Jünger suggested that man had to adapt to machine not machine to man when he discussed the change of fighting strategy. He ended this excerpt with his assessment that everything that was great about the German race or even Europe as a whole drowned during WWI "in a sea of mud and blood."

Journey through the Valley..........2007-02-13

Storm of Steel is one of those rare birds of literature, the war diary that doesn`t condemn war. Ernst Junger`s diary of his officer years in the Imperial German army during that slaughter that ironically came to be known as the Great War, stands alone among `war books.` Unlike Remarque, Graves or even Hemingway, Junger refuses to beat his reader over the head with an overtly edifying message. Ironically, Junger exposes the repellent nature of war by seeming to embrace its proported `virtue-building` properties.

Those looking for a pacifist tract or probing expose into man as killer, would best look elsewhere. Storm of Steel is one man`s existential journey through the unimaginable maelstorm of 1914--1918. Junger begins his story at the very beginning of that awful conflict when his proud unit---67th Hanoverian Fusiliers---marches across the fields of Champagne to meet the French during the autumn of 1914. Here, Junger`s diary gives the impression of boys off to a rugby match. Junger`s high-spirited warrior-athletes soon learn otherwise. Junger deftly and piercingly chronicles the devolution of the assumed football match` into the Boschian reality that would last for the next four years: trench warfare.

In deceptively simple descriptive sentences, Junger manages to paint a vibrant canvas of the world about him. Each chapter jockeys back and forth between brazen dawn attacks across no-man`s land, midnight reconnaissance forays into enemy trenches and the daily and nightly lot of the soldier`s worst nightmare: the artillery barrage. Most of SOS`s richest passages center around such barrages. Rightly so, as Junger`s diary records what was heard, seen, and felt by the Great War grunt. And constant shelling was the mainstay of trench life.

Shrapnel shells burst overhead spitting out their steely balls of destruction, high-explosive shells churn up the Artois farmland into sometimes geysers, sometimes volcanos. The world around Junger is in a constant state of upheaveal and change. Mother Earth violated by the hour, contorts herself around the bloodied figures who dive from crater to crater in search of momentary respite from fate. Junger seems to view the shells and whizzing bullets as messages from another world. Everybody is sentenced to one, it`s all a matter of when it will hit and what it`ll contain, instant death or a few more minutes, hours, days of life.

SOS covers the range of major Western front offensives, the Somme, Cambrai, the final German offensive of 1918, and ends with the Allied breakthrough of the summer of 1918. And through it all, Lieutenant Junger comes across as a man of daring, courage and noblesse oblige, a leader beloved by his underlings and one alternately ruthless and merciful towards his French and British opponents. Junger rarely reflects for long on his actions. As the sole voice of the book, Junger carries you from page to page as a man of action. Here leading a grenade attack across and through an enemy trench, there regrouping his dazed and decimated platoon after an especially virile bombardment. Moments of emotional or even mental interaction with the chaos that surrounds is minimal. SOS captures the moments in which one either lives or dies, kills or is killed. And Junger is supremely faithful to that experience. Post-experience editorializing is all but absent from SOS.

Yet, it is the lack of such emotional contact with the action that separates SOS from that other grand tome of war, the Iliad. When Achilles weeps over Patroclus` mangled body, we also weep, when Achilles stops his rage-driven chariot with Hector`s body tied to it, we, like Achilles, reflect on the bestial power of our anger. Storms of Steel has few such moments. When a dear friend is gunned down moments after sharing words with each other, Junger`s response appears prosaic. `That news floored me. A friend of mine with noble qualities, with whom I had shared joy, sorrow and danger for years now, who only a few moments ago had called out some pleasantry to me, taken from life by a tiny piece of lead!` Yet, here like everywhere in SOS, Junger painstakingly documents. This isn`t war as Achilles and Hector knew it, face to face with one`s opponent. Here, death came from an invisible shell splinter or the yellow muzzle flash, a mile away. You rarely saw he you killed or who killed you. This conflict was altogether different. A war where the human took a back seat to steel. An eerie premonition hovers over SOS. Killing has now become more efficient and quicker, euphemisms soon to be used in the battlefields and death camps to come. Junger kills with similar detachment. Throwing a grenade into a British dugout, he describes the results as, `rough, but satisfactory.` Occasionally though, Junger also records the human element that can`t help but burst through the storm. His unit the recipient of a direct shell hit, Junger drops an innocuous sentence that rings with understatement. `One baby-faced fellow, who was mocked a few days ago by his comrades, and on exercises had wept under the weight of the big munitions boxes, was now loyally carrying them on our heavy way, having picked them up unasked in the crater. Seeing that did it for me. I threw myself to the ground, and sobbed hysterically...`

After killing a young British soldier, Junger makes an enlightening confession. `He lay there, looking quite relaxed...I often thought back on him; and more with the passing of the years. The state, which relieves us of the responsibility, cannot take away our remorse; and we must exercise it.` Profound words as timely today as then.

Junger sweeps his reader across experiences that most readers will never taste. And in a langauge stripped of all moral posturing, preaching or correcting, Storm at times glances the heavy topics with a beauty approaching the poetic. Junger`s matter of fact and stolid Lower Saxon can surprise us with its unexpected layers. Junger describes his final wounding with such words. `As I fell, I saw the smooth, white pebbles in the muddy road; their arrangement made sense, it was as necessary as that of the stars, and certainly great wisdom was hidden in it.` And then the telling next sentence. `That concerned me, and mattered more than the slaughter that was going on all round me.` Such philosophical detachment from the human and moral swamp that surrounds him, separates Junger from other writers of war.

Reaching the final page, I felt as if I had been privy to something quite special. A peep show into another`s man`s harrowing experience. An experience I hope never to have. While Junger`s cavalier and sportsmanlike attitude to war left a bitter taste in my mouth, his struggle to portray war, warts and all, only strengthened my resolve to avoid and condemn it. Therein lays the grand irony of Storm of Steel; the least overtly moralizing of war texts makes the strongest plea for peace, that imaginary place about which the horribly wounded Junger muses,`Where I was going, there was neither war nor enmity.`

"I'm Staying with My Boys..." The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone, USMC

Average customer rating:

A MUST READ ! ! !
It sounds so prophetic
A must read
Excellent
An Extraordinary Biography and Full Frontal View of War

"I'm Staying with My Boys..." The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone, USMC
jim Proser , and Jerry Cutter
Manufacturer: Lightbearer Communications Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0975546104

Product Description

I'M STAYING WITH MY BOYS... is a first-hand look inside the life of one of the greatest heroes of the greatest generation. Sgt. John Basilone was lauded by General Douglas MacArthur as ...A ONE MAN ARMY and awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic defense of a vital airfield early in World War 2. It was the turning point of the war and Basilones foxhole was the site of the turning point in that battle. Distinctive among military biographies, the story is narrated by Sgt. Basilone himself allowing readers to experience the development of Johnny Basilone, the aimless youth, into Gunnery Sergeant MANILA JOHN Basilone, the clear-eyed warrior, undefeated light-heavyweight boxer and nationally revered war hero. This publication is the only family-authorized biography. The story is woven with surprising personal details such as Sgt. Basilones uncanny premonitions. Three times he confided to his family unlikely visions of his future. All three times the visions came to pass - including the final one that foretold his death. In spite of his final revelation, and true to his unwavering dedication to his men, he returned to battle and was killed on the beach at Iwo Jima - an emotional true story

Customer Reviews:

A MUST READ ! ! !.......2005-09-15

My friend loaned me this book to read and I must say that it gave me a new found appreciation of what those men and women did for us in WWII. This book was very easy to read, and should be included in the curriculum of every Recent American History course taught in High School or College. I HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy of this book. I have already purchased a copy for myself after reading my friends copy.

It sounds so prophetic.......2005-01-26

He knew he was going to die, and he just kept on fighting. He never abandoned his marines and thats just what he should have done. Its how the writer makes this so real that is so inspiring, not that his deeds werent great, but there have probably been thousands who have done just what he did, they just werent famous. But overall this is a good book. I like how it takes us to a time when being "patriotic" didnt get us arrested or sued.

A must read.......2005-01-06

Wonderfully moving and well written insight into a true American hero. It is a must read for all patriotic Americans and almost a responsiblity for us all to be aware of one of the US Marine's best.

Excellent.......2004-10-25

If you are interested in a personal story of WWII, then this is an excellent book. Rather than getting into the details of the conflicts this book focuses on the personal story of John Basilone - one of the handful of true American Heroes from WWII.

Written in the first person with an ample dose of personal details from his family, this book truly brings Manilla John back to life for many. I've been studying WWII for only 10 years and have read my share of the technical assessments of the important battles in WWII. This book stands out in my mind because it puts the reader in touch with the qualities of America's best young men and women of the 1940's; selflessness, courage, a supreme sense of duty, and in Basilon's case, a supreme sense of destiny.

Highly recommended for anyone with a passing interest in WWII, or for anyone who wants to learn about what made America's young people "tick" 60 years ago.

An Extraordinary Biography and Full Frontal View of War.......2004-08-28

Author and Film Producer Jim Prosser has created a richly detailed, raptly written, devastatingly powerful book about the life of American War hero John Basilone. This book is especially pungent at this time in history because it revives a lost tradition of the country's view of maritime heroism. Since the atrocities of the Vietnam mistake to the present harrowing details of a similar (or worse) war in Iraq the concept of war is now very much in a negative light. Even the words 'war hero' seem an oxymoron, so strident are the feelings about America's latest aggressions. But to appreciate this fine book requires a return to the mindset of the US during World War II when not only was Europe under the vile threat of Hitler and Mussolini, but the Japanese warriors were annihilating China, Korea, and ultimately the Philippines in the mission to own the Pacific Ocean. And even in those early years the threat seemed frightening but distant until the Japanese successfully decimate the US Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941. That incident unified the country, creating a fighting force and support system at home that eventually resulted in the defeat of the massive evil outside the borders of the USA.

Given that atmosphere of over a half century ago, author Proser has created one of the most convincing portraits of a military hero in literature. And the intensively researched and detailed approach results in a biography that fully restores the ambience of WW II. John Basilone was a nice Italian boy form Raritan, New Jersey, a lad who quit school to follow his recurring visions. He caddied for Japanese businessmen at a country club, seeing in his prophetic mind that at some day he would be at war with Japan. After trying multiple jobs he finally enlists in the Army, makes the best of boot camp by gambling and boxing, and is shipped to the Philippines where he spent time waiting, boxing (becoming a champion nicknamed Manila John), running a little bar with his Island sweetheart, and finally returning home. Frustrated once again with the boredom of work and the embarrassment of not having finished his education, Basilone finally returns to the military by signing on with the USMC, trains hard at Quantico, Cuba, and other US training camp swamps, and finally is shipped to Guadalcanal where his brilliance and dedication to his commanding officer ("Chesty" Puller) through one of the most devastating battles in the Pacific arena earned him not only the respect of his men, but also the Medal of Honor - the highest commendation offered by his country. Returning home form this mission he ride the waves of adulation form the American people, hobnobs with movies stars, sells War Bonds, and falls in love, only to be shipped out once again to the Pacific where he is killed in action in the battle for Iwo Jima.

The amazing (that is, ONE of the amazing) aspect of this book is that Proser has elected to write it in the first person of John Basilone. Everything is told as Basilone perceives it, lives, feels, and survives it. Rarely has a story been written with such clarity and perception: we truly feel that Basilone has written his memoirs. The language of the period is exactly right, the descriptions of the various battles and conditions of being a soldier under tremendously adverse conditions are vivid, and the soldiers' mentality of being in the thick of war are written with such bulls-eye focus that no matter what the reader's opinion of War might be, this book makes it all understandable form the point of view of the soldiers who fought. Some of the battle passages are tough to read: "On October 23, a light tank and infantry attack across the mouth of the Matanikau ran right into the teeth of Vandegrift's defenses. It was chewed up in short order with over 600 Japs killed, many of them trapped in a jungle clearing where US tanks just drove over them instead of wasting ammunition. They ground the poor bastards up like sausage under the tank treads until the entire clearing was covered in gore and left to rot in the sun." And a soldier's impressions: "We all heard a lot about the bravery of the Japanese soldier before we got on the island. They were supposed to be the most fearless warriors ever to fight. But I kept thinking what kind of bravery it was that sent them, one after the other, right into the same guns that mowed down dozens before them. I don't know if that was bravery. I don't know what it was. Either they were crazy or they just didn't care. So I didn't care either. They weren't even men anymore. They were dumb animals who wanted me dead and had killed all my friends."

Proser very cleverly weaves snippets of Iwo Jima from the opening of the book to its finish, which in an act of brilliance makes the whole story more pungent in retrospect. There is little doubt the Sgt. John Basilone was an extraordinary soldier and military hero along with the thousands of others who lost their lives in the incomprehensibly vast WW II. I think this is a very important book that everyone should read, and I say that as a pacifist, as a Vietnam Veteran convinced that war on any level is simply not an option. This book is vastly important, well written, and contains a story and moment of history we all should face and incorporate. And perhaps then we can all better empathize with soldiers form throughout history to the very present. Recommended without reservation!

The Arms of Krupp: The Rise and Fall of the Industrial Dynasty that Armed Germany at War

Average customer rating:

For such a monumental work never to become boring, is quite a feat
Krupp: the Epitome of the Military-Industrial Complex.
Excellent book with annoying features
The Family That Armed Germany
The Arms of Krupp

The Arms of Krupp: The Rise and Fall of the Industrial Dynasty that Armed Germany at War
William Manchester
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316529400

Book Description

A masterwork of history-restored to print and made available for the first time in trade paperback.In this massive, compellingly readable book, America's preeminent biographer/historian brings to life Europe's richest, most powerful family, a 400-year dynasty that developed the world's most technologically advanced weapons (from cannons to submarines to anti-aircraft guns); provided arms to generations of German leaders, including the Kaiser and Hitler; operated private concentration camps during the Nazi era; survived conviction at Nuremberg; and wielded enormous influence on the course of world events. William Manchester's account of the rise and fall of the Krupp dynasty is history as it should be written-alive with all its terrifying power.

Customer Reviews:

For such a monumental work never to become boring, is quite a feat.......2007-10-18

It covers a lengthy span of time in Krupp saga. Its 900 pages have space for all kinds of detail, from the purely familiar and personal to the more general of German customs and idiosyncrasies, and finally -to me the most relevant and interesting- the historical. The historical from the ground perspective, is what I mean, not the ideological or political.

There's a lot of merit in this author to keep the interest along so many pages. Some of these pages are of great style, elsewhere the interest plummets a little, which is totally understandable.

One paradox in the book that can summarize the story of Krupp is the difference between the way the greatest Krupp (Alfred) treated a poor and foreign woman appealing for help, and the way his great-grandson, would treat people like her in his not-known-well-enough private concentration camps. For Alfred it was: "Necessity knows no law", a fitting motto. Exactly the opposite would be during the Nazi times. Here's a sample of great writing: "Yet there was a time when Alfred's great-grandson not only abandoned helpless women from abroad, but exploited them, and then left them to a doom far more unspeakable than the turbid gray waters of the Rhine. The bonfire of the Third Reich was rapidly being reduced to embers. No sources of manpower were left and so, necessity knowing no law, Krupp turned to girls, to mothers, and, in the end, to the construction of a private concentration camp for children."

A must read, for the fine style in which it describes important historical subjects that must be known, the day-to-day lives of the people who lived those turbulent -to say something- times. Let's not forget those horrors. And don't try to understand them, just beware how low the human race can fall.

Krupp: the Epitome of the Military-Industrial Complex........2007-02-27

William Manchester's "The Arms of Krupp" is an epic look at the company, personalities, dynasty, and the nation that formed one of the world's most infamous armaments manufacturers.

From the earliest records of a Krupp in the late 16th century, the Krupp family profited off the suffering an misery of others when Arndt Krupp bought land in Essen for a bargain following an outbreak of bubonic plague. It was a pattern that played out again and again up to the Second World War; but the later tragedies the family profited off was human conflict rather than disease.

Throughout the narrative, the reader is introduced to a long list of eccentric and sometimes brutal 'Cannon Kings': from manure-loving Alfred whose genius launched die Firma into its infamous glory, the scandalous Fritz, the robotic Gustav, to the WWII-era slaveholder Alfried. At times, readers will envy the early Krupps for their dedication to die Firma, while in other instances the audience will be appalled by the Krupps' cold-blooded arms dealings that led to the deaths of so many of their own countrymen.

Manchester is keen on casting the house of Krupp as a symbol of modern Germany; as their trials and boons both seemed to coincide in recent history. Furthermore, "The Arms of Krupp" is an excellent source for insight on the pre-WWI arms race and the post-Versailles rearmament that other histories of the period overlook. Over all, it is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in the history of Germany and the barons of modern warfare.

Excellent book with annoying features.......2006-12-25

This book is excellent for all the reasons mentioned in the other reviews. What I found REALLY annoying was the author's use of German quotes. He provides quotes, in German, usually somewhat abbreviated as shown by the use of ellipses, and then provides the translation of the entire quote in English. Since most of his readers can't read German, and the entire quote is NOT in the German version, why include them? More frustrating are the German phrases that he quotes and doesn't translate, leaving us to guess at their meanings.

The Family That Armed Germany.......2006-10-16

William Manchester squeezes yet another masterpiece into just under a thousand pages (not counting index!) For four centuries one name was associated with the armaments that were utilized in four major wars, creating the richest family in Europe; Krupp. Each leader of the dynasty had peculiar quirks that Manchester delights over, some were involved in sex scandals, and another ran his day to the second with pure Prussian obsessive-compulsion. Krupp innovations included the steel cannon and railroad wheel; they designed the notorious 88mm of WW II, and the descendant of that gun, the 120mm hypervelocity cannon, may be seen on U.S. tanks to this day. The driving force behind the industrialization of the Ruhr, it would be legitimate to ask if Germany were responsible for the rise of Krupp, or Krupp responsible for the rise of Germany. Like so many others, Alfried Krupp fell under Hitler's spell, spurring him to run private concentration camps in order to produce more weapons. Intrafirm Krupp memoranda from this period begin to use terms such as Sklavenarbeiter (slave labor), Sklavenmarkt (the slave market), Sklavenhalter (the slave-holder, Alfried Krupps), and Judenmaterial (Jewish livestock.) The Nuremberg Trials follow, and Krupp walks away almost unscathed, to continue in business until the company foundered in the 1960s. German history and the Krupp lineage is inextricable, and there is no better writer to bring such a unique saga to life.

The Arms of Krupp.......2006-03-03

The ultimate story of the KanonenKonig. I highly recommend this book to anyone intersted in the industrial history of the Ruhr. The best work on the rise of Germany available.

Average customer rating:

How to Win War
Bow down.
Old blood-n-guts in his own words
A General's General.
Patton - I imagine

War As I Knew It
George S. Patton
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0395735297

Book Description

Adored by many, loathed by some, General George S. Patton, Jr., was one of the most brilliant military strategists in history. War As I Knew It is the personal and candid account of his celebrated, relentless crusade across western Europe during World War II. First published in 1947, this absorbing narrative draws on Patton's vivid memories of battle and his detailed diaries, from the moment the Third Army exploded onto the Brittany Peninsula to the final Allied casualty report. The result is not only a grueling, human account of daily combat and heroic feats - including a riveting look at the Battle of the Bulge - but a valuable chronicle of the strategies and fiery personality of a legendary warrior. Patton's letters from earlier military campaigns in North Africa and Sicily, complemented by a powerful retrospective of his guiding philosophies, further reveal a man of uncompromising will and uncommon character, which made "Georgie" a household name in mid-century America. With a new introduction.

Customer Reviews:

How to Win War.......2007-08-14

The brilliant military leader and strategist General George S. Patton, Jr., presents his World War 2 autobiography with "War As I Knew It". First published in 1947, this remarkable 425-page book has often been republished (including this review's 1995 paperback).

This extraordinary study recalls the Allies' efforts from its Morocco landing (1942) to victory in Germany (1945) from the Major General's eyewitness 3rd American Army command. General Patton's gives considerable advice through many memorable epigrams:

* "If I do my full duty, the rest will take care of itself."
* "...the fatalistic teaching of Mohammed and the utter degradation of women is the out standing cause for the arrested development of the Arab."
* "One look is worth a hundred reports."
* "...throughout history, wars had been lost by not crossing rivers..."
* "It is useless to capture an easy place that you can't move from."
* "...one does not plan and then try to make circumstances fit those plans. One tries to make plans fit the circumstances."
* "...when the American Army had once put its hand to the plow, it should not let go."
* "...as long as you attack them they cannot find the time to plan how to attack you."
* "...every time I had been bitterly disappointed, it worked out for the best."

Patton reveled in attack and "killing Germans". He was determined for Allied victory by mean of his command. He fought battles, argued strategy with fellow generals, toured corpse ridden shell falling battlefields, and pressed his army to victory. He disliked British General Montgomery, had immense respect for Eisenhower, and had profound sympathy for all fallen Allied soldiers. This book presents war-winning strategy.

This book is recommended for all students World War 2 and those interested in the life of General Patton.

Bow down........2007-01-14

Patton was fine man. he cursed like hell, and roared with delight when his children did the same. I love the guy.

Last chapters are the best.

Old blood-n-guts in his own words.......2007-01-03

A wonderful resource to see how the great general viewed the wars in which he took part. A great study in his personality and his ambition that will be enjoyed by all who admired the man.

A General's General........2006-09-03

This has to be one of those always-at-hand reference books that modern day military leaders pick up and consult. Not so much for the academic and technical resource because it of course, is a bit dated in that regard, but simply to understand and hopefully learn what leadership in it's ultimate pure form really is. Patton had it. It goes without saying that World War II would have been finished much different if it was not for his style and drive. Certainly the most quotable allied general of the war. Todays business leaders and managers (myself included) read books like "War as I knew it" and come away with a renewed confidence in the human potential. Patton pulled every ounce of self worth out of his men to achieve the final victory. It was his standing order. This book discusses in detail how he did that and why. All explained very clearly. His style was unorthodox, his demeanor sometimes in question, his spirituality vivid and some battlefield decisions nearly cost him his career. "War as I knew it" will read at times like a dull teacher giving a lecture. Stick with it and breath it in. This is full-on George Patton. It all still works in the 21st century.

Patton - I imagine.......2006-08-30

This book is an excellent account of General Patton's battles in WWII. In his own words he describes some moments of the campaigns in the European Thater of Operations including North Africa. But this book is not only account of the battles, but it also contains events telling us stories about Patton's personal experineces and showing us that a war is not just battles, but also many other things.

I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust

Average customer rating:

Fantastic book!
A Heart Breaking Story of Survival
one of the best
Must Read
This book was heartbreaking

I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust
Livia Bitton-Jackson
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0689823959

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic book!.......2007-10-15

I read this book years ago, when I was about 10 years old and didn't even understand fully the depth of the Holocaust. But even then I enjoyed this tale of a girl surviving against the odds. Great book for everyone; helps even the young to understand the plight of millions during that dark era and got me interesting in the Holocaust.

A Heart Breaking Story of Survival.......2007-10-01

This book will leave you speechless. Just when you think humanity can
go no lower, the author describes acts that leave you amazed that
humans can be so cruel. A story of survival that needs to be told so that
we never forget the loss of so many innocent lives.

one of the best.......2007-07-10

I have been reading many Holocaust memoirs in search of one that would be appropriate to use in teaching junior high English; this memoir is the best I have found for teens because it is written from the perspective of a young adolescent girl. The voice in the memoir is so different because even though she is trapped in the death camp, she still has many of the same cares and worries of a normal teenage girl. When she talks about how she had a crush on a young Jewish boy in the ghetto, feeling ugly after her hair is shorn off, her frequent fights with her critical mother, or her excitement about being told she was pretty, she could easily be one of my students. But her will to live is anything but normal, as she talks about surviving in the filth of Auschwitz and risking her life to save that of her mother. The most gripping scene of the novel is when American forces mistakenly fire on her transport car as they are being shipped from Auschwitz juts days before liberation. Many of the young girls around her literally blown apart while she sits in horror. Somehow she manages to survive and move on in her life, and even return to German to confront her past many years later. She has truly lived a thousand years.

Must Read.......2007-05-30

We must never forget the Holocaust. There are many lessons learned in works about the Holocaust. This book is about a 13 year old girl fighting to survive in a concentration camp. Imagine your child being thrown out of school, can no longer keep your possessions. Not be allowed to talk even to a neighbor. Have little food, and then thrown into a nightmare beyond belief! Not to be a gloomy gus but I think we must learn from the holocaust. We never know what tomorrow may bring.

This book was heartbreaking.......2007-05-17

For some reason this book was harder for me to read than the others. I guess because it was written from the view point of a young girl. She even calls her mother -'mommy' throughout the book so at first I thought it might be relatively tame compared to the other accounts. Especially because the book was recommended for Young Adults. It was not! The things she describes seemed more horrific than the other books I've read. You dont want to believe this young girl would go through all she did and survive. Honestly who would want to? I went to bed dreaming about her story. It really makes all our problems seem so laughable and insignificant. And to think that -we- the human race did those things to one another is an unbearable truth to bear. It is another testament to faith and the Human will to survive.

G.I. Joe& Lillie: Remembering a Life of Love Andloyalty

Average customer rating:

Heart Warming
A wonderful book!
G.I. Joe & Lillie: Remembering a Life of Love and Loyalty
The story of GI Joe and Lillie will melt your heart.
G.I. JOE & LILLIE

G.I. Joe& Lillie: Remembering a Life of Love Andloyalty
JosephS. Bonsall
Manufacturer: New Leaf Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0892215372

Book Description

ò True account of life, love, war, and finally, peace ò Includes details and accounts of D-Day ò Author sings tenor for the world-famous Oak Ridge Boys ò Poignant slice of Americana

Customer Reviews:

Heart Warming.......2006-11-10

This book really hit home. It shows you what sacrafices were made to give all of us the Freedoms that we enjoy today in addition to being a beautifull love story. It brought tears to my eyes. Great Job Mr. Bonsall.

A wonderful book!.......2006-10-02

I loved this book. My parents were also of this generation and dad in the Normandy Invasion, both from dysfunctional families. They built a long and happy marriage and gave us children a fine childhood. Today's generation can learn from this book. It's another great tribute to a the WWII generation.

G.I. Joe & Lillie: Remembering a Life of Love and Loyalty.......2006-06-28

What a beautiful story. Everyone should read it. It should be required reading in schools. It might give kids an appreciation for this wonderful nation and the freedoms we enjoy.

The story of GI Joe and Lillie will melt your heart........2006-02-13

Never before has a book touched me the way this one has. Before I was finished reading I felt like part of the family.
When reading their story you just fall in love with them, I laughed with them, and yes I cried like a baby too. The book also comes with a cd of the song GI Joe and Lillie and now that I have read the book the song seems more personal and even more beautiful than it was before. And to Joseph Bonsall, I thank you for sharing this wonderfull story of love and the struggles of an American soldier with the rest of us . JOE and LILLIE must be so very proud of you.

G.I. JOE & LILLIE.......2005-07-27

THIS BOOK IS A VERY GOOD READ. HAVE REALLY ENJOYED IT!!!

The Jungle is Neutral: A Soldier's Two-Year Escape from the Japanese Army

Average customer rating:

Good introduction to insurgent warfare
Interesting read
Outstanding
Some amazing parts
A very good book

The Jungle is Neutral: A Soldier's Two-Year Escape from the Japanese Army
F. Spencer Chapman
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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

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ASIN: 1592281079

Book Description

THE JUNGLE IS NEUTRAL makes The Bridge Over the River Kwai look like a tussle in a schoolyard.

F. SPENCER CHAPMAN, the book's unflappable author, narrates with typical British aplomb an amazing tale of four years spent as a guerrilla in the jungle, haranguing the Japanese in occupied Malaysia.

Traveling sometimes by bicycle and motorcycle, rarely by truck, and mainly in dugouts, on foot, and often on his belly through the jungle muck, Chapman recruits sympathetic Chinese, Malays, Tamils, and Sakai tribesman into an irregular corps of jungle fighters. Their mission: to harass the Japanese in any way possible. In riveting scenes, they blow up bridges, cut communication lines, and affix plasticine to troop-filled trucks idling by the road. They build mines by stuffing bamboo with gelignite. They throw grenades and disappear into the jungle, their faces darkened with carbon, their tommy guns wrapped in tape so as not to reflect the moonlight.

And when he is not battling the Japanese, or escaping from their prisons, he is fighting the jungle's incessant rain, wild tigers, unfriendly tribesmen, leeches, and undergrowth so thick it can take four hours to walk a mile.

It is a war story without rival.

Customer Reviews:

Good introduction to insurgent warfare.......2007-06-06

This book could have been an excellent five star book had it kept up the action at the pace from page 1 to page 100. Those pages should be given to every western military college and used as a briefing on insurgent warfare. In a two week period the author of this book and two fellow soldiers blew up eight Japanese locomotive trains, numerous trucks, and miles of rail road tracks. This commando team killed well over 500 Japanese Army soldiers and - perhaps - were much more effective against the IJA than the weak and ill led Allied armies that surrendered to Japan in early 1942. The trouble with this book is he author becomes a training instructor for the communists and other non-regular soldiers fighting the IJA (Imperial Japanese Army). So, the book becomes more involved with the day-to-day running of camp life from about page 130 until page 330. So, from mid 1942 until early 1945 this excellent soldier tells about training insurgents, living in a camp, putting up with illness, and there is lots of writing on eating.

So, yes, I read this book. Is it worth it? Yes, he gives good leadership advise on conducting small unit leadership in a jungle type enviorment. The centralized location and ramdom attacks on enemy targets allows a very small group of soldiers to do massive damage to IJA operations. The bits on camp life and cooking get a little long. I'm not making this part up; on every three pages he will give a long description on a meal.

Past page 330 the book gets wildly interesting again. Liberator bombers are used as long range supply drop transports and they are seen operating all over the SE Asia area. The author makes contact and starts living the normal life of a soldier. He admits that he missed the main parts of the war. While he initially helped hinder IJA in 1942 and trained insurgents in late '42 to early '45 it was the other allied soldiers who fought and won from Burma to Stalingrad. The author admits that he sort of wishes that he had been part of that action.

But this is a fair war book and I'll give it a nice 3 star rating. It give insight into jungle operations and how to conduct insurgent actions.

I hope you enjoy this good book.

Interesting read.......2007-01-19

I had read a review on the "The Jungle is Neutral" over 30 years ago and finally found the opportunity to purchase and read the book. Book is written mostly as a chronicle of what happened to the author in what is now Malaysia during the Japanese occupation of WWII. It is an interesting read of that trying time and the author's nerve and tenacity (as well as a lot of luck) needed to survive in the "wild." Book is well-written but is often too interested in minutiae. Still, I enjoyed the read and the information conveyed.

Tom

Outstanding.......2007-01-01

This book could easily be overlooked as an outdated World War 2 yarn.
For years "The Jungle is Neutral" was regarded as the Bible of jungle warfare training.
For the 21st Century reader, it is an amazing,uplifting tale of the human spirit overcoming overwhelming odds.
A must read for the professional soldier.

Some amazing parts.......2006-02-22

Some of the descriptions of survival & evasion in the jungle were incredible. The first half of the book had my interest more & then I think it tailed off in the second half. Worth reading.

A very good book.......2004-01-12

The Malaysia theater of WWII has often been neglected, especially after the capitulation of the commonwealth at Singapore. This book was written by one the the operatives the Brits sent in to hassle the Japanese forces behind their lines. It is an interesting story that leads to many adventures and insite into a complex number of peoples fighting the Japanese.

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