Military History Books

Although the central character in The Book Thief is Liesel Meminger, the narration for the duration of the novel is done by Death. So Death's point of view understands and seems to know all about who he will meet along the way in Nazi Germany. Death is neither overly sentimental (a few exceptions of course apply) nor acutely malevolent or terrifying. He's just a voice that accepts the many ways people come to him, one way or another, and in fact sits back and watches the barbarity of humans. He sees the ugliness, brutality and beauty of mankind, and seems to feel the most pity for Himmel Street, where Leisel and her new family reside. Still, he is detached, and waits for all to come to him.

Liesel is nine when she becomes a foster child for the Hagerman's after seeing her brother and mother die. She learns to love the new, adopted family she has, and because she has stolen The Grave Digger's Handbook from her brother's burial place, she has a fascination with books and wants to learn to read. One book isn't enough, and after Hans Huber Mann teaches her to read, she has many adventure with Rudy, neighbor boy who is a fan of Jessie Owens, stealing books and other things. Liesel becomes absorbed in novels, and each book is a symbol of an event in the story.

One of the more unique characters is Max Vandenburg, the Jew who hides in the Hagerman's' basement. Similar to Liesel, he comes to this house a stranger trying to make an adjustment after a difficult past experience. Max's stay at the house gives Liesel a stronger purpose because she looks after him as Hans Huber Mann once looked after her. Max connects with the child because he has a strong imagination, an introspective way of looking at things. Max gives Liesel a gift, The Standover Man, which encompasses and signifies all the ideas that link these two characters.

Markus Zusak has a powerful ability to create a poetic, deep narrative, using symbols, and examining the issue of courage, hope, and despair during a troubling and confusing time. Unusually written, as we are often moving back and forth in time between what the reader knows and will know, and given poems as to clues of the plot, Zusak's creates a unique story. Although you are likely to find this book in the young adult section of your bookstore, it seems pretty "mature" in its voice, and should have been left in the fiction section.

While there is so much more going on in the novel, there is much about the background of Nazi Germany, and those who either oppose or dissent from those ideals. Zuzak gives a haunting description of the barbarity, and hopelessness, of this oppression from the eyes of Liesel: "As she watched all of this, Liesel was certain these were the poorest souls alive...Others pleaded for someone, anyone, to step forward and catch them in their arms. No one did."

This is a story that is intense, and leaves an impression. A very creative story here, one that I will definitely read again. Five stars all the way.

The Book Thief is no light read. It's not meant to be taken to the beach or casually skimmed over during the course of a weekend. The fact that it's narrated by Death Himself should clue readers into the serious themes held within its pages. I admit that I had to be patient with the narrative at first -it seemed disjointed and difficult to get into, but the language was so vibrant and clever that the book wouldn't let me go. As a result, I was incredibly moved by the ending and can offer up the rarest praise: I will reread this book again in time. It is just that good, that powerful, and that important.

Confusing , disorganized and disappointing. I found this bpook to be difficult to follow.I could not empathize with the main character. A waste of time.

The story starts off a little slow but keep reading because it gets much better. My only disappointment was that I didn't want this book to end. Great read!!

this book was way better than i thought it would be. it starts out slow, but it becomes really good. you should read it. it is very well written and just and all around good book!!!

Unbelievable story told through the eyes of a 12 year old boy. I read some of the negative reviews posted on this website related to this book. The reviewers felt his (the author) facts weren't true and some things were impossible to have happened. I want to dispell any commentary surrounding this. Remember, this is being told from a 12 year old child's perspective. It brings awareness to the despicable acts humans place upon each other. And, as always, the most central question remains: What will we do about it? Probably nothing. At the very least, read the book. Then, watch Blood Diamonds. The scenes in which boy soldiers are shown are based on the fact presented in this book.

A heart wrenching story told in a simple yet elegant way.Ishmael really proved that "Children can outlive their sufferings, if given a chance".I wonder how many more Ishmael's are yet to be discovered from countries like Sierra Leone. A must read book.

Rarely has a book had such an impact on me. Ismael Beah's epic journey from carefree childhood to inhuman adolescence to enlightened adulthood tells the story of hope for mankind. As Beah has said, it puts a human voice to the war and violence in his country of Sierra Leone, and, in the larger perspective, to all violence, war and hatred around the world. I heard Ismael Beah speak in person yesterday at Florida Gulf Coast University where he addressed the incoming freshmen with his message of love and hope. In the tradition of his people, he is a true storyteller and he tells his story with conviction. If ever a book should be read by everyone living in today's world, this is it.

very hard to put this book down, heart wrenching and difficult to read at times, but worth every minute of it. Very well written

I have no doubt that Beah experienced things that I can't imagine and that no child should see, but he writes it poorly. I am all for stories, which is why I read, but think they need to be told well. A given medium needs to be done properly to be most effective. Beah does it poorly. I'd give his book a D. He tells his story so badly that the reader has no idea the point, plot, relevance, or validity of the story. In no way do I want to make light of what he experienced, but he did it so poorly that he did a disservice to all books. This was a waste of the paper it was printed on.

Great book, should be a must read for anyone interested in the mess we call the Iraq war.

The Book is great, I got into it after watching the first few episodes of the series. The book goes into further detail, obviously, than the series. It makes the reader see the difference between the command and the actual grunt and how different the war is to what we perceive. All in all I recommend the book for an eye opening read about the beginning of the Iraq conflict.

Since HBO just finished running a seven part miniseries based on this book, I decided I would probably get more out of the miniseries by reading the book. As is the case in situations like this, you definitely get more out of the book than the television show. And in this case, it makes for a excellent, first person account of the opening months of the Iraq War.

Generation Kill, by Evan Wright, is the result of his time in Iraq, embedded with the Marine Corp's First Reconnaissance Battalion, Second Platoon of Bravo Company, during the first three months of the Iraq War. Recon Marines are highly trained, very close to Special Forces, to work behind enemy lines. In the opening months of the Iraq War, they are used as the point of the war spear, driving quickly toward Baghdad in an effort to fake Saddam Hussein's army into thinking that it is the main military thrust. Wright, the only reporter embedded with First Recon, Second Platoon of Bravo Company, tells the story of this small group of Marines as they head toward Baghdad. In doing so, you get a much better understanding of the people that fight for our country, their thoughts on the ultimate taboo, killing, and an inside look at the 21st century US Military machine.

Whether you agree with the war in Iraq or not, this is an eye-opening book. Since Wright had access to all of the men of Second Platoon of Bravo Company, including the commanders, you are witness to the conflicting orders, poor commanders, exposed to what it is like to go days on end without sleep, and how the men deal with killing other human beings. It is mentally exhausting reading as Wright describes how these Marines live, work, and interact with each other. Some of the best scenes take place within the confines of the Humvee, as the soldiers pass time by singing songs, rip on each other, and talk about their life back in the States. One interesting point is that there are rules to riding in certain Humvee's; no singing of country songs, no Charms candy (thought to be bad luck). You may think that the US has one of the best equipped military's, but as Wright shows you, Second Platoon is plagued by lack of lubricant for their weapons, causing them to jam at the most inopportune times, and batteries for their Night Vision Goggles and Thermal Imaging Devices. These deficits can have very tragic consequences. Finishing this book, you should have a new appreciation for the men and women in the Armed Forces. As Wright notes:

I am not always confident most Americans fully appreciate the caliber of the people fighting for them, the sacrifices they have made, and the sacrifices they continue to make.

This book will provide you with some appreciation.

My father was an Army medic in Vietnam so I've always been partial to reading about the military experience of war because of the stories my dad told me as a boy. This is the best book about those experiences I have ever read. It's almost as good as my dad's stories. Pick it up and read it now.

For many of the people responsible for bringing on the war in Iraq, "support the troops" is a term that sounds good but is really devoid of substance. Regardless of whether it was right or wrong to go to this war, there is little doubt that the military was often short-changed by the very people who were supposedly supporting them: poorly armored vehicles, inadequate or inappropriate supplies, limited financial benefits and the atrocities at Walter Reed are some of the crimes that immediately come to mind. And who exactly are the troops: not merely numbers on a page or wrongly glorified heroes like Jessica Lynch or Ron Tillman (they may be great people, but they were lied about for propaganda purposes), but real people.

But even as real people, as seen in Evan Wright's Generation Kill, they are exceptional as well. His book follows a couple platoons in the Marines of the First Recon Battalion. These Marines are the elite members of the Corps, trained to be the first in a war zone. The book begins just prior to the Iraq invasion in 2003 and more-or-less concludes by "Mission Accomplished" time. During that time, they will go from the Iraqi/Kuwati border to Baghdad and beyond, often encountering an enemy that may be disorganized but still is deadly.

The Marines depicted are definitely flawed people, hardly the idealized men shown in those Marine commercials. In fact, many of them seem to be in a state of arrested adolescence, cracking racist jokes and fighting each other, often in an attempt to bond further. Some are intelligent, while others are a bit dimmer. But for all their flaws, there is also much to admire about them: they are good at what they do (for the most part) and they will endure hardships few others (including myself) could abide, typically with a smile.

Not all these Marines are competent. In fact, any Marine that Wright only identifies by a nickname - like Captain America or Encino Man - comes off as a buffoon. And since these buffoons are often officers, their idiocies endanger others as well. In fact, it often seems that the noncoms have more contempt for these officers than the Iraqis. Furthermore, they are often disappointed in the higher-ups as well, who often seem to have no real strategy to winning the war (and given that it still goes on over 5 years after "Mission Accomplished", there is good reason to question those authorities).

One problem with Generation Kill is that it does only focus on one small, elite group of Marines and doesn't give much of an impression of how other troops were (for better or for worse). Nonetheless, Wright does a really good job at showing what the day-to-day life of these Marines is like. And though my review may have a political bent, Wright is pretty good at keeping the politics out as much as possible, so whatever side of the war issue you're on, it is worth reading this book to understand a little about what is really going on with the soldiers in Iraq.

The author decribes in detail what it takes to become a Navy SEAL and why that training paid off. He tells us how his buddies were killed and how he was badly wounded. The mission was the largest loss of SEALs in it's history. Eleven SEALs were killed by the Taliban on the same day. He makes me proud to be an American! He tells us about the media and how wrong they can be at times. The media reported him and his three buddies killed and his family heard it on the news. The Navy responded to his family quickly saying he is NOT dead until they find a body. If you like military history, this is the book to read. At times, this story was very emotional.

This book would have been a good article in a magazine but not a book. Mostly it is about SEAL training and the background of the author( heavily ghost written). Not to take anything away from the accounts of the men, but this just isn't substance for a book.

This is a great book that's destined to become a classic. Marcus Luttrell's first person account of his experience in Afghanistan is riveting and thrilling. You won't be able to put it down. A real bonus is his willingness to explain the impact of liberal hand-wringing and incessant criticism of military personnel serving their country in dangerous places. It's not at all surprising to see reviews by liberals posing as military personnel just to attack Marcus Luttrell's experiences and viewpoints. Posing is, I suppose, what they do best. Buy the book, you will NOT be disappointed.

This was a great book. I could hardly put it down. I hope more people will read this book and know what our solders are up against in this war on terrorism. Marcus and his men are real heroes.

This book should be required reading for ALL politicans and reporters.
I had to read this in complete privacy and solitude.
I read each word at least 5 times to make sure I honored the hero's the author is telling about, including himself.
I knew I could never become a SEAL so I chose another path, but I was fortunate to have served with a number of them.outside their community and this author is actually quite modest in his appraisal of them and their deeds.
For any military personnel or former military personnel I can only say one thing, BUY AND READ IT , you will cry and swell with pride all at the same time.
Thank You Sir for your service and writing this book.

Don't let this election be about style over substance. The country has a once in a lifetime chance to elect a true patriot & American hero to our highest office.
The courage and valor of this man comes through loud and clear as you gain an understanding of his lineage, and the sacrifice to country made by three generations of McCain's.
A must-read for anyone following this year's election!!

I was impressed with John McCain's life, and his service to his country. His life is a shinning example of courage and honor. My life by contrast is more self serving. It was something for me to think about while reading this book.

McCain's father and grandfather were in the military and were role models for him. John's mother, who is still alive is also a role model for him as well. I believe John gets his social skills from his mom, who can be quite charming. McCain makes friends easily.

I enjoyed his sense of humor and his willingness to admit his mistakes.

The time he spent as a POW was suspenseful. It was gut wrenching to read about torture and the inhumane conditions in prison. The small acts of kindness between the other POW's were touching.

It was interesting to learn about Vietnam from Senator McCain. For instance the fedreal government and the military had different viewpoints on how to fight this war. McCain explains briefly how President Johnson, and how President Nixon handled the war.McCain's father helped led the war effort in Asian, so McCain has some in side information.

The book was well written. I was disappointed that it ended so abruptly.
He came home from Vietnam when he was thirty eight, but didn't write about his adjustment to civilian life or his time in the senate. I wonder if this book was written after he decided to run for president? The first edition was published in 1999.

Perhaps John McCain will write another book, and hopefully I can find ways to be more of service to others.

I am not 100% behind McCain's politics. I think he is a great American but a terrible Republican. Though I admit, his character amazes me. He has suffered so much and has done a lot for the United States. His father and grand fathers have done a lot for the country and haven't asked for much. I am amazed. This book is also a lot about American military since Sen McCain comes from a remarkable family with a long history of military involvement. When I think of his daily beatings at the hands of N. Vietnamese, it makes me support him more than ever. He's a true hero while his opponent is a zero. Put a Liberal in Hanoi Hilton for 48 hours and see how they would act. I am not sure if a Leftie could endure as much as a purpose driven, faithful and strong Conservative like McCain did. I salute Senator McCain and wish him success in this campaign. This book is highly recommended to every one especially young people.

I was moved to tears while reading this book. This is a man that loved his country so much he suffered many years of physical, medical, and psychological torture at the hands of the enemy, even when they asked him if he wanted to be released. He put his fellow POW's first as well as his country. Certainly a better fit for commander-in-chief than any other candidate. Slow moving at first, but interesting just the same. He is a genuine patriot!!!!

No doubt, McCain will go about the usual business of feverishly "sacrificing" Americans at the black altar of an immoderate patriotism. McCain recounts how his father oversaw the U.S. Pacific Command during Vietnam, a war supposedly fought to stop the domino effect of communism in the east. Yet in his campaign, McCain maintains that "the Cold War was won without firing a shot." Tell that to the millions of dead Vietnamese. Tell that to the 700,000 people slaughtered in Indonesia in 1965 at the hands of the U.S.-backed, anti-Soviet dictator Suharto. Tell that to the dead in Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and the long list of "third world" countries that the two empires used as proxy war zones. The faith of McCain's fathers was a dark faith full of deception, mass murder, and hypocrisy. Witness Walter Bedell Smith writing to Dwight D. Eisenhower, confessing the nation's fundamental duplicity at the end of WWII: "The difficulty under which we labor is that in spite of our announced position, we really do not want nor intend to accept German unification" (December 10, 1947). Here's another faithful patriot confessing the deepest guilt imaginable: "the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender...In being the first to use it, we adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages...Wars should not be won by destroying women and children (Admiral William D. Leahy, "I Was There: The Personal Story of the Chief of Staff to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman," p. 441. Aside from having been chief of staff to both presidents, Leahy, a five star admiral, presided over the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combined American-British Chiefs of Staff). President Dwight D. Eisenhower himself confessed America's secret guilt: "Japan was already defeated. Dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary..I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of 'face'" (Dwight D. Eisenhower, "Mandate for Change," pp.312-13). Of course, even if we discount all the newly revealed evidence (as compiled by, for example, Carolyn Eisenberg and Gar Alperovitz) and retain the standard, politically correct version (the version provided to the American troops and public), it remains a martial abomination to destroy women and children -- indeed, in the tens of thousands -- for the sake of soldiers. In either case, to hide behind the word "faith" is an insult to all that is fair and just. As for authorship, it looks like the old man did the talking, Mr. Salter the writing.

As the Emberverse,one name for the setting of the five books of this series, develops the fantasy elements become more overt. This book can be read separately but it is much better to start at least with "The Sunrise Lands". The Author continues to develop richly imagined societies and the "Provisional Republic of Iowa" is a good one. The trilogy is a quest modeled somewhat on "The Lord of the Rings". The feel is far different from Tolkien due to Stirling interest in nuts and bolts and his immense though unobtrusive research.

As with the earlier books in this series, Stirling has done a strange thing. The series is the obverse of the Nantucket trilogy. The latter was pure, hard science fiction. Thus one might expect similarly with this series. Both are set in the same meta universe, after all. But here we see a fantastical mysticism that is rather jarring to some readers like me.

Apparently, it does appeal to many others, as witness this 5th book. Being a professional writer, Stirling has to make a hardheaded calculation about what sells, and to reinforce that success, as Napoleon might have put it.

Some of you may well have never read Stirling's early novels from the 80s. Several were fantasies, and quite well done, though they never sold greatly. In a sense, this series has him returning to those roots.

As always, the book has Stirling's trademark of loving descriptions of nature and terrain. Along with superb close quarter combat scenes. In SF, he is probably the pre-eminent living author with the latter. There is also thorough homework on his part, about attention to authentic detail. One prolonged scene of buffalo hunting is a good example.

En passant, the trek from Oregon to Nantucket can take so long that Stirling can easily prolong this series for several more books. Cynical maybe, but Stirling does it so well.

The literary trend these days is series. Series are wonderful for the true fans because they enable the reader to get ever deeper into an alternate world and experience it in all its richness. However they present an entry problem for new readers. Pick up a random volume to start with and either nothing makes sense or there are so many flashbacks the novel is double the length required to actually tell the story. Now to multiply the difficulty this is a middle book in a middle series in an extremely complex multitextured world such as this author excels at. Almost a 'can you top this' trick. Stirling pulls it off. The story works on its own as a stand alone novel. The few flashbacks definitely give the new reader everything they need to follow a complex story with multiple characters all happening near simultaneously. He gives you a vivid and unlikely post-apocalypse world where electricity, steam and gunpowder no longer function and some magic has returned. It sounds bizarre but he makes it work in all its picaresque glory. This book chronicles a pseudo-Ring quest by a party who all know their Tolkein and can argue who is which character. There is fighting, daring do, romance, intrigue and action enough to satisfy everyone. However for those who know the series there is a whole deeper level of high politics, fates and clashing cultures. Enough to make you want to go back and read/reread it all from the beginning. Many creative try for this double level. A few series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer succeed. Add Stirling's Emberverse to that list of successes.

It has been twenty-three years since the Change when earth plunged into a pre-electric era. Mankind scrambled to survive as over ninety percent of the population died. Clan Mackenzie led by High Priestess Juniper and the Bearkillers thrived on the land while the dictator who wanted to rule perished (see THE SUNSET LAND). However a new danger has arisen; the prophet Sethaz and his flock slowly infiltrate the people surrounding Juniper and her people; he and his followers recruit or kill based on their cause being godly.

Meanwhile Juniper's son Rudi and other friends and warriors from home journey east across what was once the proud United States of America towards Nantucket where he hopes to learn more about The Change. The Lady sent a messenger Ingolf from Nantucket to pick up The Sword and bring it home. The prophet knows of Rudi's quest and sends his best assassins to prevent him from succeeding. At the same time the President of the United States of Boise, who got the job by committing patricide allies with the prophet because he wants to expand into Pendleton with Mackenzie's Western Oregon after that but they go to war to stop him.

This second tale in the second saga switches from the post apocalyptic thriller to a "Greek" Tragedy as the Gods manipulate and guide their followers and sinners. Readers observe dark demonic possessions and frightening futuristic visions while scrying and other magic takes the saga in a new direction. Fans will remain enthralled once the shock lets up as the tale is filled with action, strong characters in conflict, vivid descriptions of a battered dying land trying to come back to life two plus decades since the Change, and a great cliffhanging climax.

Harriet Klausner

Diamond traces the spread of human culture, language, and empire-building across the globe in terms of "geographic determinism"--a pejorative term he deplores: ". . . Societies developed differently on different continents because of differences in continental environments, not in human biology."

Specifically, he traces the ultimate causes that some human societies who (literally and sometimes figuratively) developed guns, germs and steel were able to subjugate the continental areas of the globe: domestication of plants for food, domestication of animals for food, transportation, power, and military purposes, and east/west continental axes that enabled food production techniques and the resulting political organization, language, and technology to spread most quickly.

Diamond makes a compelling case in a way that takes the racism out of much of the "manifest destiny" writing that surrounds this topic. Doing so, however, he takes a purely evolutionary view of human history. No allowance is made, for example, for events such as a single point of creation, dispersal of language from Babel outward (even though it would address a mystery he is unable to solve), or a world-wide flood which wiped out existing patterns of human dispersal and restarted human history from another single point.

This book is interesting for those who prefer non-fiction. I bought this book for a friend.

While this book is difficult for many high school students, its ideas and the methods used to create his thesis are concepts your students can get. This would be a great jumping off point for an interdisciplinary unit and as the years go on, history and social studies teachers need to change the way we present history if we want students to be ready for the 21st century. In a time when students can get facts right off of Google faster than we could give it to them, we need to teach history as concepts and not focus on students learning only facts. Diamond interprets the facts to create a a thesis on why certain societies excel and come out on top. You could compare and contrast his thesis to the Human Web or the Kennedy's Rise and Fall of Great Powers. On its own, GGS could be a powerful tool in the classroom and teachers of all disciplines should read this text. All texts are biased and no one should expect perfection so if you want to be convinced of one particular view then you shouldn't read it. But if you are open to learning more and having more questions when you are finished (which is not a bad thing), then you should read this and give select passages to students.
For non-teachers, this book really makes learning history easy and interesting which may be different from your own educational experience.

Many reviews claim this book to be biased and bereft of some important additional components that have influenced human evolutionary history. Diamond actually does mention many of these components, but seems to think they're merely subsidiaries of the broader agents behind history's patterns (which he lists as government/religion, germs, writing, and technology).

This book isn't perfect, but it's a great start and leaves the door wide open for those interested in pursuing the study of human evolution. It's boldest claim is that geography was the greatest SINGLE determinant of the evolution of human societies (continental axes, climate, biology, geology, etc.). He doesn't claim geography did it all and does indeed discuss important other factors such as cultural receptivity to new technology, progress, and change. But I think it's interesting that he goes so far as to claim that the essence of it all is mere geographical location, and from that simple starting point our many complex differences have spawned.

Without a doubt, this has got to be the worst book I have read in a long time. What would have been an interesting blurb in the sociology section of 'Time' magazine, becomes hundreds of pages of pure mindless dreck in the hands of Jared Diamond. Let me save you a few days of your life by summing up the book: The reason why white, western / European societies flourished and the rest of the of the non-white, non-western world did not was because the European climate and terrain favored domestication of plants and animals while the rest of the world's terrain and climate did not. Therefore, western man had more free time on his hands to invent stuff and put a man on the moon, while the rest of the world, to this day, is still screwed up. Wow. I am so annoyed I read this book and wasted so much time doing so.

i was one of the few among my peers who had never read one of the Maus books. When i finally got around to it, i was blown away by its excellence. This is a masterpiece (and i do not use the term lightly). Do yourself a favor and don't miss it.

I must say that I find this work hard to properly describe in terms of how I feel about it. I think that it was a fascinating look at one man's experience in the Holocaust, but an equally important aspect is Art's interaction with his father during their conversations. This seems like an honest portrayal, especially since Art isn't afraid to include things that may make him look bad (he isn't always the most sympathetic son). I think connecting the story of what happened then, and how it's effects are apparent for the rest of a person's life (although different people reacted in different ways) is interesting. The way this is written is especially effective, because it truly feels like Vladek is telling you his story first hand.
As for the artwork, although it isn't my favorite style, it seems to fit for this story. The simple, unpolished look is compatible with this story which is honest and raw. Finally, I would like to add that the second installment of this comic is darker, and more depressing and sad at times, but once you read Maus I, you must (and will want to) read Maus II in order to feel any closure with the story.

As a Jew Living in Israel, holocaust related books are important to read, but it's hard to do it actually. I can remember several holocaust-era semi-biographic novels which are great but those are the exceptions. Most of the books are a bit bothersome though true.
Maus just captured me.I consider it one of the best books I've ever read in my life. It was just breath-taking, adding to that the fact that this was my first graphic novel ever, not to say first comic ever.
I gave it to my wife, her parents, brother and so on. The book came back to me after 6 month. all worn out.
The book touched me in the deepest levels, and was able to do what many other holocaust books tried to do and failed. Take you inside one of the the darkest eras of human kind. You NEED to read to. You have to read it.

Maus, A Survivor's Tale is a son's pictorial version of his father's story of survival during WWII.

Both haunting and mesmerizing, sometimes funny and touching, this is a story of perseverance and about what the Jews had to suffer through at the hands of the Nazis in WWII Poland. Spiegleman never sugar-coats what his father had to endure in order to keep he and his wife alive. A true work of art.

Horribly distorts the true suffering of WWII victims. The Poles who are portrayed as pigs and the Jews who are portrayed as RATS is not a good beginning. The Poles and the Jews suffered the most. The Polish Catholics lost 3 million, in what has become known as the Forgotten Holocaust. The Poles lost another 2 Million to Stalins barbaric Gulags. When the Nazis were defeated, the Soviet Communists took over and were more barbaric to the Poles than the Nazis, although both brutally oppressive and cruel to the Polish nation. Maus/Rat, whatever you call it, uses a horrible and untrue depiction of the Poles. The Poles were the first to go to Auschwitz and die. Polish teachers, school children (giggling and playing having no idea what horror awaited them, my God), professors, nuns, priests were the first victims of Auschwits, for the wars first 2 years. Jews were not taken to auschwitz until May of 1942! The Germans had already slaughtered 1 Million Polish Catholics before the Jewish campaign even started! The Poles still defide Hitler saving more Jews than any other country. What makes this more incredible is that, Only in Poland were entire Polish-Catholic families, towns and villages executed for, as little as, handing a Jew an apple. in Denmark, Sweden, Hollannd, Norway, a slap on the hand was given - that's it! These countries, also had some of the most brutal Nazi organizations,.i.e., they collaborated eith the Nazis, as Poland DID NOT! For a true and purely objective learning, and not one man's version, bias or hate towards the tortured Poles, and other nations, read a short but to the point book with tons of info, perfect for Jr, High, High School and Adults: Andrew Hempels" Poland in WORLD WAR II; also Richard lukas' The FORGOTTEN HOLOCAUST;Poles Under Nazi Occupation (talks about everyone's suffering); finally, and a great litttle book on Auschwitz with big returns is AUSCHWITZ by Sybille Steinbacher. Steinbacher's book is easy to read and very clear; gets to the point and very objective. These books are so centered and incredibly objective,i.e., no embellishments, just truth and fact. The Rat book is a despicable generalization and distortion of truth. Scholars and Educators: Please, be sensitive and 'Take the bull by the horns.' Enjoy the summer - you.ve earned it.

I bought this book after watching Generation Kill on HBO and have to see if is a very well written and very interesting book.

This book is a fantastic read, the only word that can describe the heart, soul, and energy of this author. You can feel the pride, the confusion, and the frustration with every word written by Capt. Fick. It was one of those books that you wish would never end. A must read.

I bought Generation Kill when it first came out. Lt. Fick came across as the type of leader you would want if you had to go into combat. Finding that balance between following ambitious orders and not callously risking Marines lives can't be easy. One Bullet Away is more proof that ordinary people can do extraordinary things under difficult circumstances. It seems that the company grade officers and front line troops are much more aware of the ramifications of bad command and political decisions. Maybe we should reverse the Command structure and let the Lieutenants and Captains plan and conduct our operations... I certainly hope that Nate Fick plans on a political career after Graduate School. We need leaders like him.

I'm applying for OCS myself, so I'm going through absolutely as much Marine Corps literature as I can. This book was most valuable for me in its relation of Fick's life before the Corps and during OCS. Somewhere along the way, though, he really just lost my interest. I suppose Fick is an intelligent person, and that comes across in his writing. But the writing doesn't really get beyond that--it seems like an A- paper written by a Dartmouth undergrad. It's just not very compelling--light-years behind a book like Jarhead. So if you are looking for an entertaining book about the Corps, go for Jarhead, but keep in mind that its portrayal of the Marines is rather sour. I could really only recommend this book to aspiring officer candidates, and even then, WARLORD by Ilario Pantano, in my opinion, offers a more candid, gritty, unapologetic and entertaining view of a Marine officer's experience in Iraq.

This book has a beautiful grit and honesty. Fick doesn't talk up or down to the reader. He doesn't glorify or embellish the life of a marine. He doesn't judge or condemn politicians, military or brass, his superiors or his troops. He just tells his story, in a clear, resonant, powerful voice. The simplicity of his style conveys the clarity of a marine's values - honor, loyalty, duty, having the back of every other marine in your platoon.

I listened to this book unabridged on audio CD narrated by Andy Paris. His narration is exceptional - a strong, unwavering voice well-suited to the confidence of a marine officer, but also very adept at capturing Fick's battle to make sense out of war's daily insanity.

Bing West has written a lively history of the Iraq War. I read it over the Labor Day Weekend and could not put it down. He writes beautifully about the grunt and how leadership from the squad to the President is critical to prevail in a war. He lays out with little bias the decisions and their effects upon the direction of war. The central character is always the infantryman.

Along with this book, it is necessary to read Gen. Rupert Smith's THE UTILITY OF FORCE. Smith gives us the concept; West gives us the people. Two military professionals who write very well.

I have just read The Strongest Tribe by Bing West. It is a page turner for anyone who wants to know how Iraq was nearly lost by our government and our generals and later saved by the dedication of the heroic soldiers and marines at the unit level. These warriors became true "community organizers" and snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat. West has done all of this reporting while accompanying these brave young Americans over several years. You can almost place yourself in the middle of the action on a virtual basis. You will only get this in-depth on-the-scene account in his book. Far too many Iraq books have been written by generals, politicians and bureaucrats who provide self serving, third hand accounts from the comfort of the Green Zone or from state side. West knows what its is all about because he did this in Vietnam - - he has done us all a great service by authoring this book. He tells it like it is. I have bought several copies and have passed them on to returning veterans and their families. A great investment of your time - read it and you will not be disappointed.

Mr West once again captures the history of this often incorrectly reported and generally misunderstood war. After reading the March Up, I gained an insight of the big picture I missed as a Battery Commander in the 1st Marine Division at the time of OIF 1. This book similarly captures the zeitgeist of those of who were on the ground in Iraq during the time covered, even going for far as stating what many of us felt when we heard the words of numerous American politicians playing into the enemies' hands. He is very accurate and expressed better than I every could some of the problems and frustrations of being an adviser to the Iraqi Army.

"Strongest Tribe" is hands down the most definitive chronicle our of engagement in Iraq over the past five years. West's extensive network of military and political contacts gives him a unique perspective which other writers could only hope to achieve.
West's unique ability to blend and bond with the grunts as well as the four stars is unmatched by anybody today.
West clearly outlines the events that led to the "Sunni awakening" in Anbar province which led to the realization of the Sunnis that their lot would be far better aligned with us vs the murderous Al Queda.
West shines sunlight on the ineptness of President Bush as Commander and Chief, and the bungling management of affairs under L. Paul Bremmer (our first Viceroy of Iraq).
West illustrates through these dark days, and absence of a sense of direction from the top, our soldiers and Marines perform admirably despite the ambivalence of a good number of citizens of this country who cannot get their head around the fact that this country is at war.
West takes us through the "surge" from it's inception in the NSA to it's execution by our best and brightest military commanders.
West points out that the future of Iraq is less than certain, but what clearly is a given is that our men and women in uniform are without a doubt the "strongest tribe"
If you are looking for a candid and comprehensive chronicle of where we have been and where we are going in Iraq from a writer who has done his "due diligence", "Strongest Tribe" is a must read.

Gary Wilson, Esq.

All previous reviewers have rated the book 5 stars. There is little I can add to improve on their praise. "Ditto" to all the reviews! This is the "Best Book" of an overview of the war's best and worst from start to current. Our soldiers once again prove we have the "Best Tribe" on the planet. I am glad they are on our side!!