Soldier's Heart : Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers

Amazon.com

In spare, almost biblical prose, Gary Paulsen writes of the horrors of combat in a Civil War novella that puts a powerful, more contemporary spin on Stephen Crane's classic The Red Badge of Courage. Based on the life of a real boy, it tells the story of Charley Goddard, who lies his way into the Union Army at the age of 15. Charley has never been anyplace beyond Winona, Minnesota, and thinks war would be a great adventure. And it is--at first--as his regiment marches off through cheering crowds and pretty, flag-waving girls. But then comes the battle. Charley screams, "Make it stop now!" disbelieving that anything so horrible could be real. Paulsen is unsparing in the details of what actually happens on the battlefield: the living men suddenly blown into pieces, the agony and fear, the noise and terror, the stinking corpses. After many battles, Charley is wounded and sent home an old man before he is 20, his will to live destroyed by combat fatigue--leaving him with a "soldier's heart." Paulsen has received the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the ALAN Award, and several Newbery Honor awards for previous work, but this superb, small masterpiece transcends any of his earlier titles in its remarkable, memorable intensity and power. (Ages 12 to 15) --Patty Campbell

Book Description

In June 1861, when the Civil War began, Charley Goddard enlisted in the First Minnesota Volunteers. He was 15. He didn't know what a "shooting war" meant or what he was fighting for. But he didn't want to miss out on a great adventure.

The "shooting war" turned out to be the horror of combat and the wild luck of survival; how it feels to cross a field toward the enemy, waiting for fire. When he entered the service he was a boy. When he came back he was different; he was only 19, but he was a man with "soldier's heart," later known as "battle fatigue."

Customer Reviews:

A Teenager in the Civil War.......2007-07-03

In 1861 Charley is fifteen years old, living on a farm in Minnesota with his mother and little brother. Everyone has heard the rumor that there is to be a war, with those in the North fighting to stop the Southern rebels from doing damage to the country. No one is quite sure if the war is really going to happen, but Charley is determined to be a part of it if it is.

He convinces his mother that he can handle himself as a soldier and tells her the eleven dollars a month he'll be paid will help her out, and she agrees to let him go. He signs up, lying about his age so they will let him into the army, and begins his training.

At first things are horribly boring. The volunteer military spends much of its time sitting around, doing drills that don't use up their ammunition, and eating really bad food. Charley is considering deserting and simply going home, when finally his unit marches into battle.

Their first battle is a bloodbath--his unit tries to march across an open field while rebel soldiers shoot at them from above. Charley isn't sure what he thought a shooting war would be like, but it was certainly nothing like this. As the war continues and Charley is a part of more and more battles, he learns what war really is, and sees more than his share of the horror of it.

I liked that war wasn't glamorized at all in this book--the narrator spoke of the boredom between battles and the horror of the battles themselves. Nothing was made out to be fun about it. I also liked that Charley was so shocked and couldn't get over what he had seen. He was just a kid when he went into war and it wouldn't have been realistic for him to handle it well.

However, this book was a little too simplistic. It didn't give any of the nuances of Charley's thoughts and feelings, and didn't explore the feelings of anyone except this one main character. I would have liked a bit more depth.

Charley is a freak (i think).......2007-05-29

I definitely recommend this book to all readers. Gary Paulsen does a great job in showing how Charley feels that he will certainly die, and how he changes from a happy farmer to a man that will kill to stay alive. This was one of the greatest historical fiction books that I have ever read because of all the amazing events that actually took place. For example, Charley and another man use dead bodies to build a wall to stop a vicious wind. This book had a lot of surprises, like when Charley is hit and wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. I couldn't wait to turn the page because of all these horrendous and shocking surprises. Because this book is only 102 pages, it makes for an astonishing quick read.

A kid at war........2007-05-20

As already stated, this is a fictionalized story of a young 15 year Minnesota boy who fought in the Civil War. Paulsen takes liberties in relating the short life of Charley Goddard. Goddard participated in many major battles of the Civil War such as Bull Run and Gettysburg. He shows the cost of war on the youths that fight it by relating the term soldier's heart. A soldier's heart becomes hardened by the experience of death in battle. He no longer fears death, viewing it as a way to meet the soldiers who proceeded him in death.

This is a story detailing the cruelity of battle. Battle hardens our soldiers and puts severe strains on their mentail peace. This should be remembered in terms of the cost are soldiers are now going through.

Chris's Review.......2007-05-14

Soldier's Heart
By: Gary Paulsen

Number of pages: 102 Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Laurel Leaf

Do you like a book with action, drama, and a main character with lots of bravery? Then you should pick up the book Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen.
Soldier's Heart is based on a true story about a fifteen-year-old boy in Minnesota named Charley Goddard, who lies about his age to join the First Volunteers of Minnesota, to fight in the Civil War.
The main character in the story is a young man, Charley, for his age, Charley is a very mature man and is a very hard worker in every aspect. When Charley is sent off to get prepared for the war, he battles some conflicts. One conflict that he has to battle is that his mother sends him letters saying the she wants him to come back home. Charley feels bad and at first wants to come home, but these thoughts gradually leave.
I like this book for many reasons. One reason was that I like to read about historical fiction, and about the Civil War. Another reason why I like this book was because the main character, "Charley," was only fifteen, and I can relate a lot to the things that he thought and what was going on in his head. The last reason is because the author had a good perspective of what went on during the war.
Gary Paulsen was the author of the book Soldier's Heart. He has also written many other books such as Brian's Winter, Hatchet, The Crossing, The Rifle, and Danger on the Midnight River. Paulsen is able to have a great knowledge because he went to war and fought for our country.
The part in the story that I did not care for was the battlefields. They seemed like they were made up, because of the location. I also did not like how the story had started out. I would have liked to know a little bit more about his family and the backgrounds that Charley lived in.
I would give this book four out of five stars. I would recommend this book to people who like to know historical facts about the Civil War and the battles that were fought in it. Overall, Soldier's Heart is an exciting, historical, and adventurous book that anyone would enjoy to read.

Not what i expected but a good read.......2007-03-09

I didn't realize how short the book was until I already recieved it. It was my fault for not seeing it on the display page but despite how short it is it still provides the reader with an idea of how being on a battlefield during the civil war would be like.

Average customer rating:

Best Vietnam Book Ever
What a hero
Two Soldier's 60 Years of Soldiering and More
The Bond Between Men
Couldn't put it down

Heart of a Soldier
James B. Stewart , and James Stewart
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743244591

Book Description

Heart of a Soldier is the extraordinary story of war, love and comradeship, danger and heroism, told by a Pulitzer Prize winner who is one of our finest writers.

When Rick Rescorla got home from Vietnam, he tried to put combat and death behind him, but he never could entirely. From the day he joined the British Army to fight a colonial war in Rhodesia, where he met American Special Forces' officer Dan Hill who would become his best friend, to the day he fell in love with Susan, everything in his remarkable life was preparing him for an act of generosity that would transcend all that went before.

Heart of a Soldier is a story of bravery under fire, of loyalty to one's comrades, of the miracle of finding happiness late in life. Everything about Rick's life came together on September 11. In charge of security for Morgan Stanley, he successfully got all its 2,700 men and women out of the south tower of the World Trade Center. Then, thinking perhaps of soldiers he'd held as they died, as well as the woman he loved, he went back one last time to search for stragglers.

Customer Reviews:

Best Vietnam Book Ever.......2007-09-14

I had finished We Were Soldiers Once...and Young, and I was very interested in knowing more about Cyril 'Rick' Rescorla, one of the soldiers who had been in the Ia Drang valley. I googled his name and was thrilled that this book had been written about him. After everything he survived in Vietnam to die while making sure others got to safety on 9/11, I was stunned. I have read many books about Vietnam and this is by far the best. Wow what a story. I will keep this book forever, and when I need a refresher on humanity, I will reread this magnificent story. The book is a very riveting war story, so well written I couldn't put it down. Even my friends who aren't interested in wars of the past are reading it.

What a hero.......2007-06-29

I just finished this book a few days ago and cannot believe he was a real person-he truly was a Kipling or Hemingway type of character. To be brave so many times in your life, and just trying to do the right thing is refresing to see, and we need to see more of it. His friendship with Dan is very close, and not always seen among men due to homophobia. What was most uncanny was how they knew 9/11 was coming and tried their best to prevent it. Unfortunatly it ends badly when Rick does one more heroic act, but he was a good example how to be a good, if somewhat flawed person. Needs to be made into a movie.

Two Soldier's 60 Years of Soldiering and More.......2007-05-07

From childhood in the 1940s to 2001 two men's military experiences in colonial battles in Africa, Vietnam, and events leading to 9/11 provide a chronical of military temperment and commitment. This chronology includes their training, fears, heroics, loves , and being drawn into the mechanisms of terrorism before a terroristic event sets the stage for a final act of heroism demonstrated by one of these men.

The Bond Between Men.......2006-04-21

Not since the story of Jonathan and David from the Bible has such a wonderful picture of male friendship been presented.
1Sa 18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
In this day of sexual immorality and homophobia, men are afraid to be true friends and never experience the bonding and cameraderie that can develop from such a friendship. Bonds such as that are often only formed through war or intense danger.
I highly recommend this book to any man who lacks a true brother-in-arms.

Couldn't put it down.......2006-04-17

A story of brave men. Some who warned of possible terrorist action and were ignored. Immigrants who spent their lives in service to the country. You will not forget this story.

Twice Armed: An American Soldier's Battle for Hearts and Minds in Iraq

Average customer rating:

The part of war you never hear about from the media
An Admirable Soldier Tells His Story
A Strong Factual Personal Account of Situation in Iraq
You'll learn more than you think
A riveting story evolves of his years of duty.

Twice Armed: An American Soldier's Battle for Hearts and Minds in Iraq
Lt. Col. R. Alan King
Manufacturer: Zenith Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0760323860

Book Description

He was a different kind of warrior for a different kind of war. Lieutenant Colonel R. Alan King and his 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion became operations central after the collapse of the Iraqi army and the beginning of the occupation. While under his command these civil affairs and psychological operations soldiers were not content to stay in secure offices inside the green zone. To do their job they had to get out and make house calls and in the process the 422nd became the most highly decorated civil affairs unit in the history of the U.S. Army with twenty-one individual awards for valor and five purple heartsR. Alan King was particularly well suited for the new kind of war being waged in Iraq. Armed with his rifle and a Palm Pilot that contained an English translation of the Koran along with an informed and nuanced respect for Middle Eastern culture, King captured or arranged the surrender of almost a dozen of the most-wanted villains from Saddam's regime including several from the famous deck of cards. He became privy to secrets as weighty as those of Iraq's nuclear weapons program and as light as those behind the outlandish press briefings of the infamous Baghdad Bob.The regional expertise that helped King negotiate with clerics and sheikhs also informs his provocative opinions about what it will take to win the battle for the hearts and minds of Iraq, an ancient, mystifying, and deeply religious culture. King has been compared to the legendary T. E. Lawrence, with the press dubbing him Alan of Arabia. Reading Twice Armed shows it to be an apt comparison.

Customer Reviews:

The part of war you never hear about from the media.......2007-01-16

You don't hear about what Alan King does in the media. It's not sexy and doesn't involve divisions of our boys getting blown up. But this text is a phenomenal example of the complexity and difficulty of the ground level diplomacy that is required to build a nation as fractious as Iraq.

Despite the numerous difficulties, King managed to establish important relationships with religious and sectarian leaders at all levels. His repoir with the local leaders was so great that many of the "Most Wanted" list walked into his office and surrendered. The effort in Iraq was deeply affected by his presence. - Semper Fi

An Admirable Soldier Tells His Story.......2007-01-11

Lt. Col King is clearly a dedicated and studious person. Would there were more like him in the US miliary.
He has a good story to tell and he tells it clearly and simply. I wish him well in his future endeavours.

A Strong Factual Personal Account of Situation in Iraq.......2006-12-14

There have been many books written about the war and the present situation in Iraq by soldiers, reporters and politicians but author R. Alan King gives us an insider view that is seldom, if ever, reported. His memoir "Twice Armed: An American Soldier's Battle for Hearts and Minds in Iraq" takes the reader on a personal journey that opens up questions about what happened in Iraq and what is going on now. He looks at what went wrong, what worked and also points out what we should do in order to win the hearts and minds of those in Iraq.

Seldom has there been such a riveting and insightful memoir that captures history right off the front pages of recent history. This book gives us a different view then what we have been getting from the TV or the newspapers or even from the White House. His dealings with local people show a sensitive social and religious tolerance that makes for good diplomacy and good soldiering. Men like King are certainly not common in the ranks. They should be treated as rare and valuable government assets but too often they are ignored. It amazes me that our leadership chooses to ignore such men and continues to pursue policies and actions based on their limited blinded understandings of the real world.

It gives me some hope that perhaps there are other military minds out there who are making a difference. My fear is that we have lost the righteous momentum for solving the huge problems in Iraq and now are scrambling for any escape from this dangerous arena.

I enjoyed reading Lieutenant Colonel King's accounting of his experiences in Iraq and his views on the situation there. I highly recommend his book for all American's to read. They might come away with a much broader and knowledgeable view of what is going on in Iraq and perhaps why things are as they are. This book deserves the MWSA"s top book rating of FIVE STARS! A MUST READ BOOK!

You'll learn more than you think.......2006-11-16

Lt Col King is not your typical soldier. He and the unit he led, the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, occupy an odd place in the military. Part of the special forces but focused more on dealing with a civilian population than combatants, civil affairs units don't always get the respect they deserve in the Army. More often than not, they come from the reserves. Yet, in today's war on terror, the civil affairs units are more critical to victory than firepower-laden infantry or armored battalions. King clearly respected the Iraqi people, their culture, their history, and their challenges as a society. It made him more effective as a leader of his unit and as an advocate for those Iraqis who saw the invasion as an opportunity to build a better future for their country. Twice Armed is thoughftul, fast-paced, and provides the kind of perspective that has been missing in much of the debate over Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lt Col King isn't Ernie Pyle, but he does have his moments. His description of an ambush and feelings about losing an Iraqi bodyguard, Fallah, is heartfelt and moving. It hits you where you live, which is more than can be said about a lot of memoirs coming out of Iraq. Nevertheless, the book is choppy and he often doesn't provide the context that would help the reader understand what he's doing and why. Twice Armed also needed a better editor and proofreader. Typos are understandable from a small publisher, but they're frequent enough to become distracting.

That said, Lt Col King is one of those honest-to-goodness soldiers who makes you proud of your military, proud of your country, and angry that more people don't share his understanding of the challenges before us or his commitment to overcoming them. Twice Armed won't win him any writing awards; he'll have to settle for being a great American in the truest sense of the word. Either way, we owe him a debt of gratitude for writing the book, relating his experiences, and sharing his thoughts. Read it. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Also worth reading: Waging Peace by Rob Schultheis, a writer who embedded with a Civil Affairs Team from the 425th Civil affairs Battalion.

A riveting story evolves of his years of duty........2006-11-07

TWICE ARMED: AN AMERICAN SOLDIER'S BATTLE FOR HEARTS AND MINDS IN IRAQ is for any American reader who would understand, from an insider's perspective, the magnitude of the military and social fighting taking place in modern Iraq. Author King is a war fighter and soldier who negotiated with numerous sheiks and clerics, earning their trust. He captured or accepted the surrender of nearly a dozen of the most-wanted Iraqi personalities from Saddam's regime, and yet was willing to practice the customs of the region so he could gain the people's trust. A riveting story evolves of his years of duty.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

$Heart Of A Stranger: Soldier Of Fortune\The Tender Stranger$
Average customer rating:

WAY dated!!!
Great Book!!!!!!
Mercinaries with hard hearts....
Cuddle up with this book

Heart Of A Stranger: Soldier Of Fortune\The Tender Stranger
Diana Palmer
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Boss Man (The Long Tall Texans) (Silhouette Desire)
The Men Of Medicine Ridge

ASIN: 0373771800

Customer Reviews:

WAY dated!!!.......2007-09-15

Soldier of Fortune: First published in mid-80s, and attitudes toward sexuality VERY outdated.
(She is an adult professional living in Chicago (with no past traumas/issues) and she has never even gone to second base???)
The heroine is supposed to be (simultaneously) way into a merc TV show, but totally unaware of any of the weapons used?
She is also completely naive about her body/sexuality (and she grew up on a ranch???) -- so naive as to belong to another century. She does not have the attitude of a modern woman who has chosen to be picky about when to share her body with someone; she has the a-sexuality of the forced, complete ignorance of aristocratic female children from Georgian England.
Also, characters not consistent in the attitudes/development of feeling towards each other or about themselves. Result is that entire relationship is superficial-- boring....

Great Book!!!!!!.......2006-06-12

I really loved Soldier of Fortune. The second story was a bit too far fetched for me too like. In Soldier of Fortune, Gabby has worked for J.D. for years and they still haven't gotten to know eachother. Then J.D.'s sister is kidnapped and they go off to save her together. Sparks fly when after his sister is saved they run into a little trouble and Gabby ends up saving J.D.'s life. He isn't thrilled about that and he makes it known. He pushes Gabby out of his life. Then realizes he was wrong. I loved these two together. I thought they were a perfect match. There was a lot of romance in this story between Gabby and J.D. For Diana Palmer fans you know that the male in her stories are sometimes overbearing, but I think it fit in this story perfectly because of J.D's life. Lots of action also, when they are fighting in the jungle.
The second story, I didn't like as much. It moved way too fast for me at the beginning and way too slow at the end. It seemed that Eric was taking too much time trying to figure out what he wanted. Dani just let Eric walk all over her in this story and I don't think once she stood up for herself. The only thing she held her ground on was that she wouldn't be with him if he didn't give up his job, and even then she let him come back again and again whenever he wanted. They met in Mexico on a vacation. They fall in love almost instantly and then she learns she is pregnant and he comes back, but then he spends the rest of the book trying to decide if he wants her or not.

Mercinaries with hard hearts...........2006-06-09

This book is of two great mercinary men and two equally strong women.

Soldier of fortune.... Gabby Darwin is a paralegal for one of the most pristine criminal lawyers in the city of Chicago, J.D.Brettman. When J.D.'s (Jacob Dane) sister is kidnapped and held for ransom, he asks Gabby to go on the hunt with him.
Will Gabby find the love she seeks in the midst of the jungle? Will J.D. ever learn to trust those who are close to him?

The Tender Stranger.... After going to a book singing and now headed towards a few days of vacation in Mexico, Dani St. Clair's life will forever be changed. On her flight in to Mexico seated next to a blond giant who makes her hot all over. That giant happens to be one of J.D.'s best friends and merc buddy. Things happen fast while in Mexico for these two, who end up married. On the way home the plane is hijacked and Erics' true colors start to show. Will Dani be able to accept Eric and his choice of career? Will Eric let the past rule his future?

I love both of these stories. The hero's were great even though a bite rough. but redemed themselves. As for the women, what can I say that I agree with both of them and how they acted was something that I would have done myself.

Cuddle up with this book.......2006-02-25

Once again Diana Palmer has combined romance, mystery and intrigue in two stories with an exotic flavor. Both heroes are great, although J.D. in Soldier of Fortune would have rated a good kick from me once or twice. But watching his redemption and seeing the romance uinfold was good. The Tender Stranger was a little different in the way the story ubnfolded, but Eric and Dani are a combustible couple and watcing them conmes to terms with their relationship made a very satisfying story.

Steel My Soldiers' Hearts : The Hopeless to Hardcore Transformation of U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, Vietnam

Average customer rating:

At Least Someone In Vietnam Knew What They Were Doing
EXCELLENT BOOK
too many civilian casualties
Gritty and tough, told only the way Hack could
I read this book twice

Steel My Soldiers' Hearts : The Hopeless to Hardcore Transformation of U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, Vietnam
David H. Hackworth
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743246136

Amazon.com

Steel My Soldiers' Hearts is retired Colonel David Hackworth's account of his tour of duty in Vietnam commanding the 4/39th, an infantry battalion operating south of Saigon in the Mekong River delta. Poorly led (the previous commander had based the battalion in the middle of a mine field), with frightfully high casualties (40 percent during the six months prior to Hackworth's arrival), and fighting in the most dangerous of terrain, the 4/39th was a dispirited and demoralized group when Hackworth assumed command in January, 1969. Upon arrival, Hackworth fired many of the senior officers and then put the 4/39th through "Combat 101," which made him so unpopular that at one point Hackworth was warned of a bounty some of his men had put out on him. Over the next five months, however, Hackworth would transform the 4/39 from "hopeless to hardcore," dramatically reverse the casualty rate, score some spectacular victories over the Viet Cong, and earn the undying respect of his troops. Here's a gung ho and earthy firsthand account of the Vietnam War that fans of We Were Soldiers Once... will appreciate. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

In January 1969, one of the most promising young lieutenant colonels the U.S. Army had ever seen touched down in Vietnam for his second tour of duty, which would turn out to be his most daring and legendary. David H. Hackworth had just completed the writing of a tactical handbook for the Pentagon, and now he had been ordered to put his counterguerilla-fighting theories into action. He was given the morale-drained 4/39th -- a battalion of poorly led draftees suffering the Army's highest casualty rate and considered its worst fighting battalion. Hackworth's hard-nosed, inventive and inspired leadership quickly turned the 4/39th into Vietnam's valiant and ferocious Hardcore Recondos.

Drawing on interviews with soldiers from the Hardcore Battalion conducted over the past decade by his partner and coauthor, Eilhys England, Hackworth takes readers along on their sniper missions, ambush actions, helicopter strikes and inside the quagmire of command politics. With Steel My Soldiers' Hearts, Hackworth places the brotherhood of the 4/39th into the pantheon of our nation's most heroic warriors.

Customer Reviews:

At Least Someone In Vietnam Knew What They Were Doing.......2007-08-09

Serving as my introduction to the work of Colonel Hackworth, "Steel My Soldiers' Hearts" could have hardly delivered any more encouragement to read the rest of his books. Having served as a columnist and media commentator for years have honed Hackworth's writing skills, and the synergy provided by his co-writer wife combine to produce a narrative that "Grabs you by the nose and kicks you in the pants," as Patton would have said. Documenting the Colonel's takeover of a hardluck unit and its transformation into hardcore killers in matter of months, the book covers daily engagements with a fierce enemy, and pulls no punches as Hackworth describes various generals, captains, and sundry brass as "idiots" or far more colorful terms. Hackworth himself dispatches about a dozen VC over the course of the book, and he dispassionately describes the wounds he himself receives, taking his eighth purple heart on this tour of duty. In short, David Hackworth is a writer and a warrior of the highest caliber.

EXCELLENT BOOK.......2007-05-14

I have quite a few books similiar to this & they are all exellent.

too many civilian casualties.......2006-10-31

This book is great as a work in "motivation." What could be better than a man who comes into a unit that is on its knees, and absolutely transforms it into a vaunted fighting force - and does so while risking his life heroically, getting wounded repeatedly, and in general loving his profession (combat arms), his men, and his country? I must have read this book five times, just soaking in all his tactical managerial wisdom.

Only problem is, it is still war. Alot of dead people, alot of painful losses. It breaks your heart to see it. You thank God for the American fighting man, but you wonder aloud why he has been so often lately in the service of mediocre strategists and diplomats. And, one last thing. John Paul Vann shows up near the end of the book, an old buddy of Hack's. And he asks the question: are your enemy-casualty lists inflated? Are there too many civilians chipped in there? It seemed from the tone of Hack's writing there, that the answer may have been yes. So, in the end, I would tread cautiously. War, however honorable or necessary, is also always evil in part; just no way around this.

Gritty and tough, told only the way Hack could.......2006-10-17

Hack did not mince words about what it was to be a leader, he led by example. With gritty humor and straight talk he shows us that leaders do not demand respect - they earn it. And when they earn it, people follow and succeed. A good leader shows those he leads how to be their best and gives them the support and tools to achieve it. That was Hack, and only he can tell it like this.

I read this book twice.......2006-08-17

Fans of Band of Brothers, Fans of Platoon, Fans of Saving Private Ryan will love this book. Its an easy read, and its something you will enjoy.
The way hackworth writes puts you in vietnam along side of him. One of the best books I've read in along time.
I wish HBO would pick this book up, and make a series out of it like Band Of Brothers. amazing...

Soldier's Heart: An Inspirational Memoir and Inquiry of War

Average customer rating:

Inspirational, Healing
A Must Read
"Soldier's Heart" - a personal and significant document
Soldier's Heart -- An Excellent Book
Unconventional Excellence!!!

Soldier's Heart: An Inspirational Memoir and Inquiry of War
Lee Burkins
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1403394822

Book Description

A Special Forces soldier, working in a secret organization, leads tribal warriors in a war in South East Asia. He loses his humanity and struggles to understand the root of violence within us all. Inspirational, soul searching, informative and uplifting.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational, Healing.......2006-05-16

I have just finished reading Lee Burkins' remarkable book, Soldier's Heart. It touched me deeply and opened my eyes and my heart to so much that I could never have otherwise known. Those of us that sat on the sidelines during the Vietnam war - regardless of our politics - were not only blinded to the plight of those who fought, but also, through our own lack of concern, inadvertently contributed to their pain. In writing, Lee has reached out to us, reconnected, and given us all the opportunity to heal. For this, I am profoundly grateful.

I will be passing Soldier's Heart on to my adult children. It should be mandatory reading for their generation and those that follow. Without access to a warrior's experience and vision, how will they ever be able to understand the human costs of contemporary warfare, or have any hope of piercing the veils of untruths and diversionary distractions that constantly envelope them. Lee Burkins' painful but life affirming book is a gift to us all.

A Must Read.......2006-02-28

Forget the typical cliches like "riveting", "incredible", and "fascinating" because Lee's work goes above and beyond all of that. This is not simply a book or a memoir - it truly is an "Inquiry of War" and war is something that Lee Burkins has a fair amount of knowledge in. From the jungles and bomb craters that surround the Ho Chi Minh Trail system inside Laos and Cambodia, Lee and RT Vermont fight for their lives against hoards of North Vietnamese Army troops and the suicidal odds of MACV-SOG's secret war. But perhaps the most difficult war Lee wages is the one that dominates his psyche and his mental well-being. This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read; it is raw and unbridled and remarkably unique. Thanks for everything, Lee.

"Soldier's Heart" - a personal and significant document.......2004-10-11

Amid the increasing number of books about Vietnam this book is quite special. It is the personal memoir of a man who spent his time in Vietnam in the Special Forces, and has spent much of his life since recovering from the experience. Thus the narrrative covers his youth and joining up, service in Vietnam including fighting with the Montagnards, returning home, pineapple farming in Hawaii, another stint of military service again in Hawaii, and a lot of hard work fighting for veterans' rights and counseling other vets. What is striking about this narrative, however, is that it does not follow a linear conventional structure. Rather it has a sort of spiraling structure, with each successive section looping back or forward in time and space. But this isn't confusing, it is in fact very effective in conveying that sense of acute dislocation that accompanies post-traumatic stress and is suffered by so many veterans.
It is a tribute too to the author's writing style that the reader is bowled along; I read most of it at a single sitting. The stories too in themselves are gripping, by turns sad, humorous, disturbing (some very disturbing), and inspiring. But the main sense that comes across is immensely life-affirming, a real impression of the author as a man who has faced his demons and is coming out the other side.
Overall, this book is a good read. More than that too, it is one man's intensely personal testament to the post-Vietnam trauma of American society, and thus deserves a significant place in the broader corpus of the literature of war.

Soldier's Heart -- An Excellent Book.......2004-09-23

This book details Lee Burkins' experience in the Vietnam war and its aftermath. Written in a non-linear fashion, the book is a collection of poignant vignettes and memories. This allows for a psychologically realisitc and "big-picture" way of understanding the story of Mr. Burkins' past. Jumping between the mountainous jungles of Vietnam, Hawaiian VA hospitals, and civilian life in the States, the reader gets a simultaneous sense of the past, present, and future. What is most truly impressive, however, is not the story of the war itself, but the story of Lee's path in reckoning with the trauma of war, coming to terms with it, and purifying his heart.

Unconventional Excellence!!!.......2004-03-01

Lee Burkins has produced a remarkable work that will assure a vital education to those genuinely concerned with the true prices of warfare.
Those intelligent enough to purchase his teachings/reflections will acquire a visceral knowledge of a journey that few survive let alone possess the courage and clarity to document.
SOLDIER'S HEART is a masterpiece and parties claiming to be military historians without turning its pages are simply fooling themselves. Please read the following reviews found beneath this writing. You'll get the idea.
De Oppresso Liber, Lee...and God Bless You.

Average customer rating:

Very moving
The Physical, Psychological, Spiritual and Moral Scars of War
This books shows the reality of war and honors those that have given so much
A great read for civilians and military alike.
Honoring Veterans

Purple Hearts: Back from Iraq
Tim Origer , and Verlyn Klinkenborg
Manufacturer: Trolley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Photojournalism | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1904563341
Release Date: 2004-08-01

Book Description

A Purple Heart is the token honor given to soldiers for their wounds. It makes them heroes. It is the title that Nina Berman has given to her photographs of American soldiers gravely wounded in the Iraq war, who have returned home to face life away from the waving flags and heroic send-offs. The images are accompanied by first-person interviews with the soldiers, who discuss their lives, reasons for enlisting, and experience in Iraq. They provide a glimpse into the myths of warfare as glorious spectacle through the minds of young men desperate to believe in the righteousness of their actions. One soldier explains that he always wanted to be a hero. He thought the military would be fun--he would jump out of planes. He never imagined it could be ugly until he saw Saving Private Ryan. He is now a cripple, doped up all day on pain medications, flat broke, with one kid and another on the way. Another soldier describes how he called a recruiting station after watching an MTV-style commercial for the Army on TV. An immigrant from Pakistan, he was given his citizenship following his injury. It's a fair trade in his mind: a leg for an American passport. Berman's photographs are accompanied by essays from Verlyn Klinkenborg, a New York Times editorial page writer, and Tim Origer, a Vietnam veteran and former Marine who fought in the Tet offensive and returned at age 19, an amputee.

Customer Reviews:

Very moving.......2007-08-24

Everyone who hasn't been in actual combat should read this. And if you've been there it will bring back memories you may not want to recall.

The Physical, Psychological, Spiritual and Moral Scars of War.......2005-11-10

Nina Berman is a fine journalist and photographer whose photographic art has been featured in Time, Newsweek, Fortune, New York Times Magazine, Harpers, Stern, and National Geographic magazines and in exhibitions. She has an unflinching eye for detecting the surface and the inner truth of her subjects. Nowhere is this more profoundly evident than in this brave monograph on those who have 'won' the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in the Iraqi War.

Berman's technical facility results in photographs that, while harrowing to ponder, find the truth in her subjects. Each of the soldiers presented here bear the physical scars (some extreme) of the various modes of war's instruments from gunshot wounds to roadside and suicide bombers that haunt the desert locales of Iraq, and each of the soldier's bear the mental scars (all extreme) that have accompanied the combat and terror of a war nobody wants and everybody condemns. Her photographs are accompanied by interviews with her subjects, soldiers who may have gone to war with delusions of heroism, of doing the right thing, but who crumple under the post-traumatic stress syndrome with lives wasted by the insatiable hunger of war.

Stepping away from the focal point, Berman has given space to other writers who increase the impact of this book: essays from Verlyn Klinkenborg, a New York Times editorial page writer, and Tim Origer, a Vietnam Marine veteran who fought in the Tet offensive and returned at age 19, an amputee. These essays make the book timeless and not simply reportage about the current Iraq mistake. With Veterans Day approaching, this book is a powerful indictment against all war without allowing the sacrifices of the veterans to go unnoted. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, November 05

This books shows the reality of war and honors those that have given so much.......2005-07-06

Elisa Cipriana gave this review one star and questions the motives of the author for doing the book. She goes on to say that Nina Berman does not understand the courage and patriotism these amazing men and women show in coping with terrible injuries because Nina was never in the military. She also suggests that we read the transcript of Nina's interview on NPR before buying the book.

Well Elisa I listened to the interview and the only motive I heard was Nina's desire to try and show how these brave men and women are dealing with the horrible injuries. The mainstream press has failed to do it so people like Nina have taken the time to provide them with an opportunity to show how they are coping. The average person on the street needs to see this book and I hope Nina does a thousand more interviews to promote her book so the American Public see the sacrifice that 1,000's of our troops are making in Iraq. Nina expressed the truth in her book and in her promotion of the book. I applaud Nina's efforts to try and show the terrible sacrifice. The only thing missing from the book is the smell of war that I experienced as an Air Evac medic in the Nam conflict. Elisa you don't support the troops by supporting the lies that kill them.

A great read for civilians and military alike........2005-06-29

I had the honor of meeting SPC Corey McGee while I was in college in Washington, DC. He told me of the book, and how proud he was to be in it. While Corey was the soldier who spoke about how unsure he was to be in Iraq, this book filled him with great pride for what he had done for his country.

I eventually met another purple heart winner, SGT Wisam Kahn, the Pakistani national who was also awarded American citizenship while staying at Walter Reed. When I mentioned the book to him, he got all excited to tell me that he was also in it.

Although the book shows that Americans must agree to stand behind these brave men and women overseas, Purple Hearts: Back From Iraq is not only a book for friends and family back home. This book also gives great pride to those who were willing to give it all in the name of our country.

Honoring Veterans.......2005-04-27

Recently I was lucky to hear Nina Berman speak at a Madison Veterans for Peace program called Purple Hearts; A Discussion Focusing on the Human Cost of War. Robert Acosta, one of the young men pictured and quoted in her book also spoke. The program was very moving and we were honored to hear Robert speak about his experiences and feelings and struggles.

In addition, I viewed an exhibit of the photographs at a local retirement center.

There were about 15 large photographs displayed in an beautiful empty room. I was the only one present as I walked among the pictures and read the commentary. The photographs were beautiful, the book can't do justice to their elegance and the way they honored these young men.

I have been reading about one soldier a day in the book so I can more fully experience the photographs and the words they say.

Nina said she felt no attention was being paid to the wounded soldiers and she wanted to so something about that. I hope the word of mouth talk of this book grows so her goal is accomplished .

Thank you Nina and Robert and all the soldiers for your service and bravery as we honor you and learn your stories.

World War II Letters: A Glimpse into the Heart of the Second World War Through the Eyes of Those Who Were Fighting It

Average customer rating:

An insight into minds and lives of WW2 soldiers.
Our parents' generation will never be matched
Inspiration 101

World War II Letters: A Glimpse into the Heart of the Second World War Through the Eyes of Those Who Were Fighting It
Bill Adler , and Tracy Quinn McLennan
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Letters & Correspondence | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312304315

Book Description

Writers from twenty Allied and Axis countries are gathered in this unique collection of letters from servicemen and women to their friends, families, and sweethearts. World War II Letters provides an unflinching perspective on the lives of those who served throughout the world-in Europe, the Pacific, Northern Africa, and Asia. Wide-ranging in scope, World War II Letters includes writings by officers and infantry, nurses and doctors, pilots, POWs, those injured in action, killed in combat, and those reported missing. Introductory biographies and photographs vividly capture military life before, during, and after the war. The writers of the letters in this powerful collection express their own views of 'the enemy;' give their impressions of coun-tries far away from home; describe battle by land, sea, and air; and recount war's atrocities and its rare humorous moments. Unprecedented in perspective, World War II Letters provides a revealing and unforgettable journey through the war of the century.

Customer Reviews:

An insight into minds and lives of WW2 soldiers........2004-09-15

Fans of World War Two history will enjoy this book. Instead of a top-down, view from a leader's position, this book gives the reader insights into the thoughts of those who served on the front lines, on both sides of the war. If you liked Band of Brothers (either the book or the miniseries) you will enjoy this book.

Our parents' generation will never be matched.......2003-02-26

It seems only yesterday, that I found those letters, airmail and v-mail in mom's desk. Then I saw the call for letters and submitted one, with photo. As I read my dad's letter and those of his peers and "enemies" I wonder how they did it and came home and became more normal than we seem to be. Bless them all. Read and enjoy all the love and caring these men and women had for family and country

Inspiration 101.......2003-01-06

Words have a tendency to become devalued in our society, but when some authors and anthologists have called the military of WWII "The Greatest Generation" those words are used authentically.

Sophisticated, well informed people aren't easily inspired, but I believe that this book, reflecting the experiences and emotions of the men and women, the Allies and the Axis of World War II would inspire and invigorate any reader.

There are reflections and thoughts from soldiers and sailors who had outstanding education and from simple men and women who could barely write a sentence, but there is no mistaking their meaning and their intent.

These were people with a tremendous depth of patriotism, and love of country and a profound committment to protect their country even at the expense of their own lives.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-07-24

I liked this book as it deals with the main character being in a wheelchair. I couldn't put it down, great reading.

Another great story in the Flanagan series .......2007-05-21

Home from Iraq and seriously wounded, Luke Marino is in a wheelchair and sure his life is over. His men are going into battle without him, and he blames himself for his injuries, feeling he let his squad down. Luke is so depressed he has given up, sure he'll never walk again. He even refuses to do the physical therapy he needs so badly. All he wants is to just be left alone.

Enter Mary Kate Flanagan Donnelly, a widow with two children. She dated Luke in high school, and he's her first case as a physical therapist. She needs this job, and she's determined not to let Luke run her off. Mary Kate doesn't let him get by with a thing, but the more they clash, the more she realizes she's thinking about him in a personal way.

Maybe it's because I'm so proud of our men and women in uniform, but Luke Marino and his struggles against overwhelming odds gripped my heart. I always enjoy Marta Perry's Flanagan series, but this one was special.

Heart of War: Soldiers' Voices From the Front Lines in Iraq

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Heart of War: Soldiers' Voices From the Front Lines in Iraq
Damon DiMarco
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0806528141

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