Book Description
The bravery displayed by our soldiers at war is commonly recognized. However, often forgotten is the courage required by veterans when they return home and suddenly face reintegration into their families, workplaces, and communities. Authored by three mental health professionals with many years of experience counseling veterans, Courage After Fire provides strategies and techniques for this challenging journey home.
Courage After Fire offers soldiers and their families a comprehensive guide to dealing with the all-too-common repercussions of combat duty, including posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. It details state-of-the-art treatments for these difficulties and outlines specific ways to improve couple and family relationships. Courage After Fire also offers tips on areas such as rejoining the workforce and reconnecting with children.
Customer Reviews:
Down Range: To Iraq and Back.......2007-10-18
My son suggested I read this before he comes home from his tour of duty in Iraq. It has been very helpful to understand what he has to deal with in terms of adjusting from daily combat and normal day to day life at home. Most people don't have a clue what these brave men and women have to deal with. They cannot just turn off their emotions just because they are back home.
Eveyone who has a loved one serving in a war zone should read this book.
2 tours and it nearly killed me.......2007-10-04
It wasn't the war, it was when I returned home and could not function. I applaud this book for it's intent and gratitude that it gives to our young warriors. It is one of the few written for "our" generation. Thank you
-Timothy Kendrick author-PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door
Great Book.......2007-09-01
I was skeptical when purchasing this book, but the topics are discussed in such a way that you do not feel like you're reading "self-help". The focus is not on PTSD (although that is one of the topics covered), but more on a healthy transition from a chaotic environment. I would recommend this to any serviceman, spouse, parent, or close friend.
Compelling and pragmatic.......2007-05-13
As a disability service provider, I found this book particularly helpful. It is practical and to the point. Veterans can find tips on everything from how to sleep better to how to relax and cope with stressors. The triggers of anxiety are explained well, as are the ways veterans typically handle their pain. At the end of each chapter are helpful tips for family members. After I read it, I ordered ten copies of this book to give away to student veterans and their families.
Courage After Fire.......2007-04-02
Books such as these are essential for the friends and family of returning Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as for those who have experienced war firsthand.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2006-07-23
This is a comprehensive easy to understand book for anybody. I believe Mr. J. Stephen Jones is indeed a leading urologist in our world. I recommend his book without hesitation in general...
Perfect Balance.......2005-12-10
This is the most current and complete book available on the topic of maintaining or regaining sexual health, taking a balanced approach to a serious subject. It uses appropriate and tasteful humor to disarm nervousness and embarassment most men and their partners experience when dealing with sexual issues.
Buy this book now!.......2004-01-20
Never before has such comprehensive and state-of-the-art medical information been so inviting and enjoyable. This superbly-written guide appeals to all, from the afflicted to the curious. It has become an integral part of my treatment algorithm. Finally--Chicken Soup for the pole!
Excellent book on a delicate subject.......2004-01-14
If you have questions about impotence, this book has the answers!
Dr. Jones has taken a subject that in the best of circumstances is difficult to discuss, and made it practical and approachable. He dispels the myths about impotence in a humorous and tactful manner while providing hope and options for treatment. He combines useful information with humor in a style that is very appealing.
Anyone who wants/needs information about impotence should start with this book!
Engaging style on a serious subject.......2003-10-30
No matter your age or gender, if impotence--or fear of impotence--has crept into your life, buy this book NOW!
Dr. Stephen Jones, noted urologist and researcher, takes the mystery and trepidation out of this formerly-taboo topic with candor, thoroughness, and refreshing humor. (I laughed out loud, no kidding!) No aspect of the male sexual organ and its functioning is left undiscussed, nor is the female disregarded, for Dr. Jones helps the reader understand how the physical and psychological relationship between man and woman affects sexual satisfaction.
Eschewing jargon and technical language, Dr. Jones' down-to-earth, insightful, and respectful approach to his subject makes for a highly readable, easily understandable book. Readers learn what matters, what doesn't, and the many steps that can be taken to to eliminate or at least minimize erectile dysfunction. What a joy to find such a thorough and engaging book on this difficult subject.
Book Description
This powerful story documents the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of extraordinary navy corpsman George Wahlen. After decades of silence, this survivor of one of World War II's most horrific battles divulges the gritty details of his incredible experiences. Upon landing with a company of 250 marines, Wahlen fought alongside them. Under repeated grenade and mortar fire himself, Wahlen refused evacuation, preferring to aid those he perceived to be in greater danger. Witnesses of his heroics remain dumbfounded he survived, and while his incredible feats of bravery saved countless marines, the intensity of the battle left few men of the company unscathed—they suffered the highest killed-in-action ratio of any marine company during a single battle in U.S. history. The significance of his story lies in the historic context of the battle for Iwo Jima; while many remember the iconic flag-raising photograph captured during this conflict, few realize the battle was the most costly of World War II for America. After receiving a Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman in 1945, Wahlen has been the quintessential quiet hero, refusing the adulation usually bestowed on nationally recognized veterans.
Download Description
This powerful story documents the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of extraordinary navy corpsman George Wahlen. After decades of silence, this survivor of one of World War II's most horrific battles divulges the gritty details of his incredible experiences. Upon landing with a company of 250 marines, Wahlen fought alongside them. Under repeated grenade and mortar fire himself, Wahlen refused evacuation, preferring to aid those he perceived to be in greater danger. Witnesses of his heroics remain dumbfounded he survived, and while his incredible feats of bravery saved countless marines, the intensity of the battle left few men of the company unscathed-they suffered the highest killed-in-action ratio of any marine company during a single battle in U.S. history. The significance of his story lies in the historic context of the battle for Iwo Jima; while many remember the iconic flag-raising photograph captured during this conflict, few realize the battle was the most costly of World War II for America. After receiving a Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman in 1945, Wahlen has been the quintessential quiet hero, refusing the adulation usually bestowed on nationally recognized veterans.
Customer Reviews:
This book Says it all! Navy Corpsmen Rock!.......2007-08-17
The book tells the story of a Hospital Corpsman who was thrust into the bloodiest battle in the Pacific. It was well written and really explained the horrors of what a Navy Corpsman has to go through to do his job. To keep as many Marines at as many guns for as long as possible. Armed with only a 45 and his vast ability to operate under extreme fire and his limited medical skills Pharmacist Mate Second Class George E. Wahlen shows us readers in the highest way possible what it means to be a US Navy Corpsman! Warning! Once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down!
Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue.......2007-04-11
George E. Wahlen was born in Utah on August 8, 1924. By February, 1945, George would be many miles from his beloved family and friends. He was stationed on a remote volcanic island in the Western Pacific. In the two weeks that George was on the island, he would distinguish himself many times and earn the respect of his fellow men. The name of the island was Iwo Jima, and George served as a Marine combat medic.
In his younger days, George dreamed of becoming an aircraft mechanic, but his father refused to let him enlist in the Army. So, George volunteered to be drafted. He was sent to California for basic training, where he was trained as a medic. Despite his love of repairing airplanes, he quickly adjusted to his new role as a medic and he became proficient in his new job.
As time passed, George's unit continued to train for combat, and the training became more and more difficult. Eventually, George's unit was sent to the island of Guam to prepare for the invasion of Iwo Jima. George's unit landed on D-Day, which was February 19, 1945. For the next two weeks, George spent his time tending to wounded Marines, all the while ignoring his own safety. He faced numerous Japanese mortar attacks, banzai charges, and infantry raids, but he never ignored the call of a wounded comrade. During one action, while wounded himself, he stayed in the field of fire for over twenty minutes tending to wounded Marines. During this time, he managed to save fourteen men who might otherwise have died. Another time, again while wounded, he crawled on his stomach for over fifty yards to drag a wounded Marine to safety. These selfless acts of bravery quickly earned George the respect of his fellow men. His superiors took note of his actions as well, for on September 14, 1945, George received the Navy Cross and the Gold Star. Then on October 5, 1945, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman.
George didn't retire from the armed forces after receiving his awards. Instead, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. He retired from military service on August 11, 1969. Not many servicemen served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. George E. Wahlen did.
As a fan of World War II history, and especially the battle of Iwo Jima, I was very impressed with this book. I have always enjoyed reading about the lives of militaty personnel, and this book does a remarkable job in describing the heroics of one of the numerous individuals who won the Medal of Honor on Iwo Jima. Author Gary W. Toyn writes with a style that places the reader at the forefront of the battle with George as he's tending to his wounded comrades. The battle is vividly brought to life throughout the pages of the book, and I learned some things about the battle that I previously didn't know.
I recommend this book very highly. This fine biography of George E. Wahlen embellishes the epitaph of Iwo Jima; uncommon valor was a common virtue. George Wahlen upheld the code of the United States Marines to the fullest, and his life serves as an example to future generations of Marines.
The Quiet Hero.......2006-11-03
The Quiet Hero is a down to earth written story about a down to earth good guy. The author has not followed a traditional war story format, in my view at least. It is easy to read.
Stand Up and Cheer.......2006-09-07
"The Quiet Hero" is all about bravery, character, and selflessness. Not only is it a great source in examing the battle for Iwo Jima, it will also fulfill your desire to know a real hero. This book , as I finished the last page, made me want to go up on the roof of my home, wave the American flag, and yell out for all to hear, "God Bless George E. Wahlen!"
Wow... Could George Wahlen be the greatest living American Veteran?.......2006-08-16
With just a small note in the Epilogue, it was noted that George E. Wahlen is the "Quintessential American Veteran." Few people may notice (see page 207... because not everyone reads the epilogue) where it states that Mr. Wahlen served tours of duty in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He also served all four branches of the military (He worked as an aircraft mechanic for the Army Air Force, was drafted into the Navy and became a corpsman, volunteered for combat with the Marines, and after WWII, re-enlisted in the Army and retired as a Major), He survived Iwo Jima, what many agree is the greatest battle of the modern era. (It was the only battle of WWII where the U.S. suffered more casualties than the enemy). To top it off, he is the recipient two Purple Hearts, and the Medal of Honor, the highest award this country can bestow on any American. Could any veteran make such a claim? I doubt it.
This book is well done and compelling. I read it in 17 hours straight, and just couldn't put it down. It is well illustrated with many unique archival photographs, many that I've never seen in any other battle account. I highly recommend it!
Book Description
At last, in his own words, Bob Dole tells his legendary World War II story –– a personal odyssey of tremendous courage, sacrifice, and faith.
In One Soldier's Story, Bob Dole tells the moving, inspirational story of his harrowing experience in World War II, and how he overcame life–threatening injuries long before rising to the top of the U.S. Senate. As a platoon leader in the famed 10th Mountain Division, twenty–one–year–old Bob Dole was gravely wounded on a hill in the Italian Alps just two weeks before the end of the war. Trying to pull his radioman to safety during a fire–fight against a fortified German position, Dole was hit with shrapnel across his right shoulder and back. Over the next three years, not expected to survive, he lapsed in and out of a coma, lost a kidney, lost the use of his right arm and most of the feeling in his left arm. But he willed himself to live.
Drawing on nearly 300 never–before–seen letters between him and his family during this period, Dole offers a powerful, vivid portrait of one man's struggle to survive in the closing moments of the war. With insight and candour, Dole also focuses on the words, actions, and selfless deeds of countless American heroes with whom he served, including two fellow injured soldiers who later joined him in the Senate, capturing the singular qualities of his generation. He speaks here not as a politician, but as a wounded G.I. who went on to become one of our nation's most respected statesmen. In doing so, he gives us a heartfelt story of uncommon bravery and personal faith –– in himself, his fellow man, and a greater power. This is the World War II chronicle that America has been waiting for.
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"
Before he became one of America's most respected statesmen, Bob Dole was an average citizen serving heroically for his country. The bravery he showed after suffering near-fatal injuries in the final days of World War II is the stuff of legend. Now, for the first time in his own words, Dole tells the moving story of his harrowing experience on and off the battlefield, and how it changed his life.
Speaking here not as a politician but as a wounded G.I., Dole recounts his own odyssey of courage and sacrifice, and also honors the fighting spirit of the countless heroes with whom he served. Heartfelt and inspiring,
One Soldier's Story is the World War II chronicle that America has been waiting for.
"
Customer Reviews:
A true hero.......2007-07-20
What an amazing person with a great story to tell. I was able to track him down and talk with him personnally and he truely is a hero.
A Memoir Worth Reading.......2007-07-04
I knew that Bob Dole was injured in World War II but never knew where or how. I found his Memoir, "One Soldier's Story" interesting to read. Sharing his personal story of his rehabilitation gives one an appreciation for those who are recovering today from injuries that they have received in Iraq or Afghanistan. I'm glad that he didn't give up and took that "longest walk" and later became a U.S. Senator.
My father was stationed not far from where Bob Dole was shot and did not know that Mr. Dole was one of the wounded passing by to the hospital. After my father read this book, his comment was "The 10th Mountain was a Great Division."
Kathleen Thomas
Author of "Don't Call Me Rosie, the Women who Welded the LSTs and the Men who Sailed on Them". Don't Call Me Rosie: The Women Who Welded the Lsts and the Men Who Sailed on Them
This man should have been President........2006-09-21
This is a nice story about one politician's experience in the war. This story shows his real personality behind all the publicity about his presidential runs. I gained new admiration for Dole. He not only has a sense of humor after his life crippling experience in WWII. Dole is shot and the bullet is lodged near his spine. He has difficulty using his hands and feet. Only his willpower prevented him from living a non productive experience the rest of his life. Dole gets some hand and feet motion, goes on to university and law school and represents his native Kansas in Washington. This is indeed a success story.
The book is easily readable. One gets a new admiration for this politician when you read this book. A good read.
Much about the man, little about politics.......2006-09-04
Young people might recognize Bob Dole as a former politician who now occasionally does a few commercials, most of which include some self-deprecating humor. People who are a bit older will recognize him as the man whom Bill Clinton defeated in a Presidential campaign, a long-term Senator, and the Vice Presidential running-mate to former President Gerald Ford. Everyone who sees Bob Dole will likely notice that there is something wrong with his right arm, and some will know that this was a war injury.
There is much more to Bob Dole, the man, than that, and it can be found in this moving, sometimes humorous, always straightforward memoir, that focuses most on his life from early childhood through his recuperation from his injuries in World War Two.
"One Soldier's Story" starts by describing Mr. Dole's childhood and adolescence, growing up in Russell, Kansas. We learn much about his family and his community, with a strong emphasis on the character of the people who had an impact on Bob Dole. The phrase "it takes a village to raise a child" has often been mentioned in recent years, but here is a good description of how the people in one's life affect how a person will turn out. Mr. Dole tells about how many people, through what they said and by how they lived, taught him much, and prepared him to face a challenge bigger than any political campaign could ever be.
Once we know about how Mr. Dole lived into early adulthood, we then learn a lot about how World War Two affected this nation, and how it dramatically affected Mr. Dole. Bob Dole went through a lot of training, both basic and technical, before ever stepping foot on a battlefield in northern Italy, right near the end of the war. Once he reached that battlefield, though, he suffered life-threatening injuries that profoundly affected him physically, and equally profoundly challenged his character. Using the values he learned as a child and young man, and with the support of his family, his friends, and many dedicated professionals, Bob Dole met that challenge.
"One Soldier's Story" is a well-written memoir, that moves along briskly, while giving you a very clear sense of who Bob Dole is, both by what he tells you, and by the very direct, straightforward way in which he tells his story. This is a very tough man, but not "tough" in the sense of being rough or mean, but in the sense of being incredibly resilient, adaptable, steadfast, and determined. Mr. Dole also makes it clear that the credit for his successes belongs to many, many people. He repeatedly makes it clear how much he owes to many people, and ends the book by moving to the bigger picture of how much the people of this nation owe those who serve it, and by how we all have the potential to make a positive effect on those around us.
I am not, in general, a big fan of autobiographies or memoirs, but I really enjoyed this fine book about a good man. There is very little about Bob Dole the politician in the book; as suggested by the title, this book is mainly about how Mr. Dole's military experience impacted his life.
While I have led a very different life from Mr. Dole, I found much in this book that was reinforcing and inspirational. I am a quadriplegic from a diving accident when I was fifteen, and I clearly identify with the challenges that Mr. Dole has faced, and with how the support of family and friends can strongly impact a person's ability to succeed, despite the adversities of life.
I think that this book would be enjoyable and important to many people, regardless of their political beliefs. I strongly recommend it.
One Kansan to Another.......2006-08-23
This book tells a marvelous story about a great American and a wonderful small hometown. Since my husband and I are native Kansans it meant more to us than it would to many people. It puts the heart into 'heartland' and is a story of patriotism as well as overcoming difficulties. The true story is told in a matter of fact way, as if any of us could over come the same odds. Anyway, we found it a very readable book and highly recommend it.
Book Description
Veteran statesmen George McGovern and Robert Dole here find common cause with theologian and activist Donald Messer in this powerful testimony and appeal to people of faith. They are each convinced we can overcome global hunger now, and their informed, strategic, impassioned thoughts encourage and equip. This book brings together their disparate yet powerful voices behind a shared conviction: that helping the millions who lack basic provision for food has become a religious imperative and human priority.Writing for congregations and individuals of faith, McGovern, Dole, and Messer appeal to the biblical, theological, and ethical foundations of action against hunger.
Customer Reviews:
From Fortress Press.......2007-05-22
This book brings together three powerful voices behind a shared conviction: that helping the millions who lack basic provision for food has become a religious imperative and human priority. Writing for congregations and individuals of faith, McGovern, Dole, and Messer appeal to the religious ethical foundations for action against hunger. Informative, inspiring, and filled with practical personal involvement and political commitment to the cause. [..]
A real kick-in-the-church-pew book!.......2005-11-09
In his Foreword, former President Bill Clinton states: Hunger affects 300 million children and really one billion people worldwide, mostly in Asia and Africa. Women and children suffer the most.
Mahatma Gandi said: "To a hungry person God can appear only as a piece of bread." Thus feeding the hungry has been at the heart of the Christian faith as well as other major religions and ethical systems.
The authors work across partisan political lines on what they believe is most important: combating malnutrition and hunger.
McGovern and Dole's interest is feeding children through school lunch programs. A New York Times article said, "If you feed children, they come to school and stay in school and they learn better."
Bread for the World organization reports that 36 million U.S. citizens--over 13 million children--live in homes without enough to eat. How do millions of people go hungry in this 21st Century that produces enough food for every man, woman and child?
Stop Hunger Now organization states: Every day 30,000 people die of starvation worldwide; that is 1 person every 3 seconds.
Within Jewish and Christian traditions, 8 overlapping themes exist:
1. The reminder that God has created a world rich in abundance and meant for all people (1 Corinthians 10:26).
2. Hunger theme appears often as a reminder of the precariousness of life and of God's gift of food. (Genesis 12:1k 37-50)
3. Feeding the hungry is both a moral obligation and a religious requirement. (Isiah 58.7)
4. Sharing is the essence of the spiritual life. (Matthew 14:13-21)
5. Failure to feed the hungry is deemed a sin. (Job 22:7)
6. Both Jewish and Christian rituals emphasize the importance of sharing food. (1 Corinthians 11:28-32)
7. Abolishing hunger on earth has always been a religious imperative. (Revelations 7:16-17)
8. Christians of all theological persuasions believe that the cry of the hungry is actually the voice of God. (Matthew 25:40)
Each chapter ends with very search-the-soul questions that get up and personal--and may hurt or embarrass us. The book gives research and the congregational usage guides and important links.
Armchair Interviews says: This is a real kick-in-the-church-pew book.
Amazon.com
Mined from the Associated Press archives, these 167 black and white photos are precious historical treasures, ranging from some of the most celebrated images of the century to rare relics not seen since World War II. They're arranged chronogically, with informatively evocative brief captions, a formal yet moving foreword by war hero/Senator/National WW II Memorial Chairman Bob Dole, and an action-packed, you-are-there introduction by death-defying war correspondent Walter Cronkite. Paging through the book almost serves as an impressionistic, quickie history of the conflict, glimpsed from burning airplanes, submarine periscopes, London Underground bomb shelters, rickety rope bridges, decapitated cathedrals, smoking ruins, and scenes of brutality and tenderness, calamity and tearful relief. The context helps rescue the most famous pictures from cliché: you get more from Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer-winning shot of six Marines hoisting the flag atop Iwo Jima by seeing his pix of the battle leading up to it and by reading that half of those six died without ever seeing the photo. If it is not perverse or disrespectful to say so, many of the images are beautiful as art, in the compositional style of Life Magazine (where some appeared). Nurses perched in midair surreally attempt to clean a bombed hospital room whose walls have vanished. British soldiers march in a line past a line of tall white pillars, Roman ruins that echo their shapes. Churchill appears to levitate a RAF fighter by sheer force of will. Even the grisly pictures of victims manage to respect the dead by means of esthetic and journalistic seriousness. Many pictures capture moments of drama so stunning you can't believe the photographer survived—and many didn't. The photo reproductions aren't glossy, but they're gritty, and that's appropriate. They were news. They still are. --Tim Appelo
Book Description
This Memorial Day will mark the high point of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of World War II, with the dedication of the National World War II Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C. The Associated Press is participating in this event with an exhibition at Washington's Union Station and with the publication of this book, the definitive presentation of the AP's most significant and influential photographs relation to World War II.
Almost 200 reporters and photographers fanned out around the globe to cover World War II for the Associated Press. Five lost their lives. Seven others won Pulitzer Prizes, including Joe Rosenthal, who clambered up Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi to take the flag-raising photo that became the emblem of American victory and one of the most famous pictures of all time. The AP's photographic coverage of World War II was as comprehensive as any compiled by one organization, and is unrivalled in its coverage of U.S. Soldiers. The photographs transmitted to American newspapers by the AP during the war rival in importance Matthew Brady's coverage of the Civil War, and they have never been published before in one photographic album. Arranged sequentially, these images tell the history of the war, from Generals Eisenhower and Patton planning operations in Europe, to the D-Day landings, to the celebration of V-E Day in Times Square.
Book Description
The incredible battle waged against Nazi troops by half a million Allied men in the mountains of Italy after VE Day.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but.......2007-06-02
The War North of Rome offers and excellent review of the movements of Allied combat units in the face of their German nemesis in the last two years of World War II. The book is well written and moves at an enjoyable pace, bridging the strategic and tactical movements with personal accounts of heroism and the struggles of the common Allied soldier slogging through incredibly difficult terrain and a dogged enemy. My criticisms of the book are three-fold. First, the maps provided are very limited. Unless you have a detailed knowledge of the villages, rivers, mountains and highways in Italy, it is very difficult to follow the concise descriptions of troop movements in any meaningful way (the photos provided are generally uninteresting, general and non-descript to the actions taking place). Second, while there are good references to the thoughts and actions of the German commanders, there are no accounts of the common German soldier beyond information passed along from prisoners that the bombings were demoralizing. After all, the conditions including total lack of air support, unbearable and constant shelling, and the effect of constant retreat and death for the Axis are as viable and telling as the impact of weather and constant advance for the allies. I would have liked at least a few personal accounts from the Axis grunts to help balance out the book. Finally, the end is too rushed. The Allies sweep over the Po and the Germans surrender May 2. It would have been interesting to me to see the conditions of surrender and a discussion of those involved especially as fractured units endeavoured to hold on, retreat into Austria, or surrender independently. Overall, this is an excellent military read on a front all too forgotten - its just that is could have been a bit better with another 50 to 100 pages and maps.
Detailed, but............2006-08-03
This is a welcome book as it covers a neglected campaign, but the book is marred by an impression of sloppiness. If the publishers had provided better maps they might have realized that often left is used when it should be right, east instead of west, an endless series of misstatements geographically. As the book is a compilation of army and divisional histories, it often ignores actions not covered in its sources, creating many disconcerting gaps. For example the 8th Army storms one river line, then the book goes to a chapter or two on the 5th Army, and when it returns to the 8th Army it has advanced unnoticed twenty or thirty miles further. Sometimes it seems if no one cared: in the final chapter half the footnotes disappeared. It's a good book and worth the price, but you cannot help wishing a little more effort had been made: in the end it must be described as the best we are going to get.
A Blizzard of Details.......2004-04-22
I originally bought the hardcover edition for research purposes. It doesn't have the narrative flow of Rick Atkinson's "An Army at Dawn" and is a bit of a slog for the casual reader. However, there are many gems contained within, such as references to the Polish troops whose heroism was rewarded at the Yalta Conference by turning them over to the Russians after the war. There is little reference to the role played by the various air forces in both tactical and strategic support, and I found that disappointing. However, the assault on the Gothic Line is pretty well covered, and there is a blizzard of details on troop movements. The action is presented in a very dry, forthright manner. It depends more on official reports than on first hand accounts. I'd still buy it as a reference work, though another reviewer presents a good case for carefully checking other sources too.
Loved it, the real unknown war!!.......2000-08-04
I read this book while I was living in Italy, so I found it even more interesting. The fall of Rome happened the same time the Invasion of Normandy did, and with the Battles in Western Europe raging on, this arena of combat has allways been overlooked. While few can name any key battles after the fall of Rome, the combat was as heroic and bloody as in any theater. Brooks does an amazing job of recanting this remarkable campaign. The level of detail is superb, and the book was very easy to read. The vast types of units that are described (US Mountain troops, Ethnic units, and varoius allies) makes the book even more enjoyable. This might be a tough book to find, however keep trying, it is well worth it.
Readable but flawed........1998-01-27
The book is very detailed about the progress of the campaign. But there is a very serious mistake in the last page. Brooks writes that the town of Torbole was destroyed in a house to house battle. This is absolutely wrong, I lived practically next door and can assure you that Torbole survived unscathed. This throws into doubt all the rest of the book. Also there is no record among the population that any American soldiers were killed in tunnel # 5. But while dinamiting the road a contingent of German troops (actually they were from Bolzano)was decimated by a premature explosion and were laid to rest in a side chamber in one of the tunnels; the entrance was then bricked up.
Book Description
From radical abolitionist John Brown to presidential candidate Bob Dole to visionary environmentalist Wes Jackson, Kansas history is bursting with fascinating stories of individuals who made a difference to the nation and whose lives reveal much about our collective past.
Prominent Kansas historian Virgil Dean has gathered a distinguished team of writers-Thomas Isern, Craig Miner, and others-who have crafted incisive portraits of 27 notable men and women, covering 150 years of Kansas and American history. Here are agitators who moved their fellow citizens to action over political, social, and economic problems: not only John Brown, but also proslavery agitator William H. Russell; Mary Elizabeth Lease, lecturer for the Farmers' Alliance and Populist Party; Gerald B. Winrod, a.k.a. the "Jayhawk Hitler"; and Esther Brown, who challenged segregation in public schools.
Here, too, are motivators, like women's rights activist Clarina I. H. Nichols; William Allen White, the "Sage of Emporia"; and favorite sons Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bob Dole. Then there are the innovators, from trailblazers like Joseph G. McCoy, who changed the face of the cattle industry, and wheat king Theodore C. Henry to Wes Jackson, a pioneer in the sustainable agriculture movement, and the multitalented Gordon Parks, photographer, filmmaker, and author of The Learning Tree.
Reformers and preachers, publishers and artists, these fascinating personalities are brought vividly back to life by Dean and his fellow authors. They offer a fresh and engaging look at many of the important themes of Kansas history-especially the state's identification with some of the great radical movements, including abolitionism, populism, and civil rights-and ultimately recapture the true spirit of Kansas and its meaning for the rest of the nation.
Book Description
This history of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II focuses on the personal experiences of the mountain troops who served in Alaska and Italy. Feuer conveys the opinions expressed by the veterans about the conduct of the campaigns--both the good and the bad, with no holds barred. Senator Bob Dole, who was seriously wounded during the campaign, provides a foreword. This fascinating account also reveals the differences in training and strategy from those employed by German ski troops of the same era.
Customer Reviews:
A Vivid History told by those Who Served in 10th Mountain Division.......2006-10-06
Author A. B. Feur skillfully puts a collection of personal combat stories together into his book "Packs On! Memoirs of the Mountain Division in WWII". The author is one of the more prolific chroniclers of WWII history and this book may be his best to date. The Foreword is written by Senator Bob Dole and adds a real touch of class to the telling of this unit.
Feur takes us through the unit's campaigns after a well written introduction that gives us insights on the way the unit was put together and how they trained. He then takes us to Alaska and the Kiska Campaign. That campaign turned out to be a fight for an island that the Japanese had already abandoned and left. There were causalities and deaths due to "friendly fire" in the fog and the confusion of the battle that had no opposing forces.
We follow the unit onward to Italy and Europe and into the mountains and snow. The author allows us to see each battle area through the eyes of the different veterans who wrote their memories of the events. This enhances the story telling format and enriches the final over-all story of the unit. The many different and diverse voices make the book entertaining as well as educational. It feels more personal then any straight telling of historic events would have. Feur expertly weaves all these individual stories together and connects them with facts, data, maps and old photos to make this whole book a first class reading experience.
This is book captures the essence of what this unit was all about. The author realizes that strength of this story was to allow the men who were there to tell it--and he does that well! The Military Writer's Society of America gives this book its highest rating of
FIVE STARS!
Amazon.com
Friends and foes alike recognize that Bob Dole is one of the funniest men in American politics, and Great Presidential Wit is an excellent collection of wit and wisdom drawn from public life. It reads much like Dole's previous book, Great Political Wit, even if it has a narrower focus. Dole begins by ranking every president on a humor scale, and in doing so, he makes an interesting point: "At the top of the heap ... I place Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and the two Roosevelts. By most accounts they are also among the most effective chief executives. Coincidence? I don't think so." (At the bottom of the heap is Millard Fillmore. Writes Dole: "Don't get me wrong. Fillmore's been good for many a chuckle over the years. It's just that most of the laughter has come at his expense.")
Dole frankly assesses each president for his wit: "Now comes the part sure to keep this book out of several presidential birthplace gift shops," he deadpans. Here he is on John Adams: "Often cranky and full of insults--an eighteenth century Don Rickles." On George Washington: "First in peace, first in war, but middle of the pack when it came to humor." On Richard Nixon: "Those weren't jokes that were deleted from the Watergate tapes."
The bulk of Great Presidential Wit, however, is a collection of jokes and humorous stories. Sometimes they are old-fashioned knee-slappers. When Stephen A. Douglas called Lincoln two-faced, Lincoln asked the audience, "I leave it to you. If I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?" Sometimes they have a deeper meaning. "It has been my experience," said Lincoln on another occasion, "that folks who have no vices generally have very few virtues." Ronald Reagan fills up quite a few pages: "An economist is someone who sees something happen in practice and wonders if it'd work in theory," he once said. Calvin Coolidge, one of the most underrated presidents, turns out to be one of the best at combining wisdom and humor: "Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments of my administration has been minding my own business." Here's John F. Kennedy answering a reporter's question about how he became a war hero aboard PT 109: "It was absolutely involuntary. They sank my boat." Bill Clinton delivered this howler in 1995, on (humorous) ways the government can save money: "Combining the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms with both the Bureau of Fisheries and the Interstate Trucking Commission. We're going to call it the Department of Guys." Great Presidential Wit is a joy to read or browse, and highly recommended for anyone who likes politics served with a dash of humor. --John J. Miller
Book Description
Famous for his deadpan humor, New York Times bestselling author Senator Bob Dole here brings us his favorite witticisms and hilarious remarks of this country's commanders in chief. Great Presidential Wit collects the former senator's favorite funny stories and remarks by and about American presidents -- from George Washington to George W. Bush. Senator Dole tackles the assignment of ranking the presidents from the funniest (Abraham Lincoln) to the least funny (Millard Fillmore), and everyone in between. With chapters cleverly organized according to the senator's own opinions -- from "A Class by Themselves" (Lincoln, Reagan, the Roosevelts) and "Yankee Wits" (Coolidge, Kennedy) to "The Joke's on Them" (Taylor, Harding, Van Buren, Buchanan, the Harrisons, Pierce, Fillmore) -- Great Presidential Wit is the perfect antidote to the long political season and a patriotic reminder that our leaders are human and often witty and amusing.
Customer Reviews:
Wit and humor from our presidents........2005-04-12
Indeed I wish Bob Dole was in this book, instead of reporting on the wit and humor of the highest office's previous occupants. I believe humor and the ability to laugh at yourself is a great asset with any person in high office. When Dole lost in 1996, he stated he slept like a baby....he cried all night.
The book is structured on rating the president's ability to crack jokes. Many people believe that Lincoln and FDR had great wits. Dole states the many unknowns such as Coolidge's jokes about his silence. Some of our underrated Presidents had great wits.
This is a nice little humorous read. If the reader needs an uplift, this is a great book to begin with.
Anecdotes and witticisms that add a human touch.......2003-12-09
After the success of "Great Political Wit", Senator Dole followed up with this book. It is a book full of witty sayings of and anecdotes about our Presidents. He has grouped the Presidents from the wittiest descending to the point of having good stories about those Presidents that weren't particularly funny. Mr. Dole even provides his own ranking of the Presidents as wits from #1 - Lincoln down to #41 - poor Millard Fillmore.
These stories and witty sayings are generally quite good. Some you will want to remember. He even has a last section on George W. Bush and Al Gore. You will remember some of these from your own reading of the news and watching Letterman and Leno.
What I like about these little stories is the human touch they add to the too often formal and impersonal view we have of our Presidents. We see their pictures, memorize a couple of dates and maybe some key legislation or war during their time in office and that will be it. We seldom get to know them as people. These stories, in just a few sentences, show their character and view of themselves, their time, and the world in which they lived. Sure, too much can be made of them. But they do add something useful and a chuckle or two never hurt anyone's day.
This is a bit larger volume than the first book, but it doesn't read long. And, like the first one, it is fun to just dip into now and again.
It Takes One To Know One.......2003-11-17
Bob Dole is really funny! A few weeks ago the Doles and Clintons gave speeches in Washington D.C. and I happened to hear them on C-span. Dole's dead pan humor and hilarious one liners actually made me laugh out loud! Later that day I purchased this book which is quite good.
After researching all the American presidents, Dole rates them from the funniest to least funny. Some of the best lines are from prominent people other than the president. There is a saying (not in this book) "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused"!Some of our presidents, fortunately, have been likeable, intelligent and quite witty. This fine collection of humorous quips and anecdotes makes an excellent gift for all ages. Bob Dole's remarks are right on!
My reason for the 4 star rating is for one reason only: Since most of us remember the faces of only a few past presidents, a small picture of the president being quoted at the beginning of each chapter would have been a nice touch. Dates are included which is helpful as we relate to each presidential term while reading.
The introduction to this book is entitled " Backbones and Funny Bones" In this intro, Bob Dole expresses his views on presidential humor with rare insight and he provides us with his "Dole poll of presidential wit and humor" in a non-partisan way. 41 presidents are rated as humorists along with a brief discription of why. This is a gem.
Who knew Silent Cal was such a funny guy?.......2003-06-11
I really enjoyed reading Senator Bob Dole's entertaining look at the humor of the American presidents from George Washington to the present. While this book is certainly entertaining, it is also instructive in its own little way. Some former presidents seem to exist in name only, if that, in today's world, and Dole's little collection of quips and stories actually brings a little life into these important men of history. While Dole does not explore the agendas and politics of each president, the sense of personality that comes through in the case of even the most inscrutable of our top public servants is often rather informative. A sense of humor, while far from a qualification for the office, can be a great aid to any president, and Dole emphasizes the point that our greatest presidents have possessed both a funny bone and backbone. Each president gets his own little section of the book, wherein Dole has assembled a number of presidential quotes and stories alongside a number of comments made by politicians and humorists about each president in turn. I can't say that every reference here is funny, but there are some amazingly good zingers included, and I, as a whole, found this book highly entertaining. Dole is a pretty funny man in his own right, and his sense of humor shows in these pages.
Dole goes so far as to rank the first 41 (counting Grover Cleveland only once) elected leaders of the free world in terms of their humor, and the fact that the top ten consist of five Democrats and five Republicans is evidence of the total lack of partisanship Dole brings to this endeavor. Topping the list is Abraham Lincoln, and rightfully so; there are plenty of pages detailing the wit of our sixteenth President, a man who said "I laugh because I must not try" during the terribly difficult days of the War Between the States. Second place goes to Ronald Reagan, the Great Communicator and master of the one-liner. Third and fourth place go to Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt, respectively. These top four really stand a world apart from their White House cohorts. Fifth place goes to none other than Calvin Coolidge. Now, this came as something of a surprise to me, but as Dole demonstrates, Silent Cal was indeed quite a jokester and humorist; in fact, the funniest episode recorded in this book, at least in my opinion, is attributed to Coolidge. Kennedy, Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Hoover, and Wilson round out Dole's top ten. As one proceeds through the book, the material for each president significantly decreases; there just isn't a lot of humorous material to work with for those presidents ranking at the bottom of Dole's charts: Taylor, Harding, Van Buren, Buchanan, William Henry Harrison, Pierce, Benjamin Harrison, and poor Millard Fillmore who seems destined to bring up the rear in just about every kind of presidential survey one can devise. If these men ever said one thing funny, Dole includes it, but there are definitely slim pickings here. As for other presidents who may be of special interest to readers, George Bush (number 41) is twelfth, Washington fifteenth, Jefferson sixteenth, Clinton seventeenth, Carter twenty-second, and Nixon twenty-fifth. Since the results of the 2000 election were not known when this book went to the publisher, Dole has included a final chapter devoted to both George W. Bush and Al Gore.
Basically, Great Presidential Wit is one of the few politics-related books that both conservatives and liberals can both enjoy equally and civilly, as laughter knows no political party affiliation.
Bob Dole may make it as a writer.......2002-03-04
Bob Dole may not have had a successful run at the presidency of the United States, but he is enjoying a wonderful career as a writer. In "Great Presidential Wit ( . . . I Wish I was in the Book)," Dole gathers together a wonderful, ragtag bunch of presidential anecdotes. From the familiar (JFK saying that Washington, DC had "all the efficiency of the South and all the charm of the North") to the undiscovered gem (General William Tecumseh Sherman giving Ulysses S. Grant the uneasy compliment that, "Grant stood by me when I was crazy, and I stood by him when he was drunk, and now we stand by each other"), Dole has done a masterful job of pulling together numerous items on every single president. My favorite story in the book refers to a man who was in the running for a cabinet position. The president's friend (I won't tell you which president or which friend) urges him not to hire this bozo, calling the man dishonest. "How bad is he?" inquires the president, to which the friend immediately replies, "Well, he wouldn't steal a red-hot stove . . . " The cabinet nominee finds out about the insult and demands a retraction, prompting the president's friend to say, "Fine, you WOULD steal a red-hot stove!" One of the most fun features of the book is Dole's categorization of each president into different roles. Under "And You Always Thought They were Dull," he lumps Ike, Jimmy Carter, and Rutherford B. Hayes. Under "Yankee Wits," just Calvin Coolidge and JFK share space. Dole generously includes Bill Clinton under the heading of "Funnier Than the Average President" (along with John Adams, George Bush, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson). This would make a terrific gift not only for your favorite politico, but for anyone who enjoys genuine good wit.
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