Review of Beyond the Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

Major Dick Winters was a very humble man, and it is a pleasure to read the story of Easy Company in his own words. The writing and narrative are marvelous in this first person account of what it was like to serve in the proud unit. It is almost strictly an account of the military actions of E Company, 506th PIR in World War II, but it does delve more deeply into the personalities making up Easy Company. "Beyond Band of Brothers" shares many stories that were not included in the original book or series. It also expands on stories that were in both giving more personal insight. It is not simply a re-hashing of what's already been said. It is a great work in and of itself.

I think any of us can learn lessons from Major Winters. He was a true leader put into an impossible situation. He gives all the credit to the men he served with which is the sign of any great leader. "Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters" by Dick Winters and Cole C. Kingseed is a must have for any collection of military books, World War II books, or leadership books. I recommend it highly.

Review of "Bloody Bill Anderson: The Short, Savage Life of a Civil War Guerrilla" by Albert E. Castel

"Bloody Bill Anderson: The Short, Savage Life of a Civil War Guerrilla" was a great book from beginning to end. Civil War literature is severely lacking in anything about Bill Anderson relying more on legend and myth than real life. This book corrects some of that. I enjoyed every minute of it. My only complaint is that it was too short, but, then again, so was Bloody Bill's life. It ties in well with the other Missouri guerrillas who went on the greater infamy after the war. The brutality of the irregular war in Missouri is very clear in the pages of this book.

As a student of the Civil War in Missouri, I was enthralled with every page of the book. It is very well written and documented. Relying heavily on the Official Record, contemporary news reports, and eyewitness accounts, this may be the definitive book on Bill Anderson. I recommend it highly!

Review of "A Perfect Hell: The True Story of the Black Devils, the Forefathers of the Special Forces" by John Nadler

"A Perfect Hell" is a superbly written book detailing the creation of the First Special Service Force in World War II. As part of the lineage of modern day Special Forces, this unit is fascinating. The book begins with a detailed description of the creation of a hybrid U.S. and Canadian force specialized in arctic warfare during an especially bleak period of the war. It then details their brutal training and the period when the unit was caught in limbo.

The baptism by fire of the unit was in fierce fighting in Italy. Upper echelons still did not truly believe in capabilities of the unit, but the Germans did once they faced them in battle. The book then describes what happened to surviving members of the 1st SSF including the founder, Colonel Robert Frederick. Illustrated with maps and genuine photographs, "A Perfect Hell: The True Story of the Black Devils, the Forefathers of the Special Forces" is a must read for anyone who enjoys WW-II history or military history in general.

Review of "The Stranger Beside Me" by Ann Rule

I've worked in prisons most of my adult life. I have looked many killers in the eyes...some who committed crimes as disturbing as Bundy's. You can see it in most of them. The most disturbing thing about Bundy is the fact that most people couldn't see it. Even his friend, Ann Rule, didn't see it.

"The Stranger Beside Me" by Ann Rule is a brilliantly constructed book. It's amazing how she transitions from not knowing anything about the murders to not believing the murders to accepting that her friend, Ted, was a serial killer. It's shocking and interesting to read. This book includes a lot of details that I never heard anywhere until I read Rule's book.

I rank this book as possibly the greatest true crime book ever written. It might be second to "Helter Skelter". I enjoy all of Rule's work, but this one is different. Her personal connection to the subject makes it even more disturbing. It's brilliant. Her very rounded background and relationship with Bundy give a perspective that we'll probably never see again in another book. I recommend it to anyone who likes reading crime books. It reads like a novel, only it's more difficult to stomach. It's real.

Operation eBook Drop

I am proud to announce that I'm now a member of Operation eBook Drop which provides free e-books to deployed service members around the world. It is a program run by author, Ed Patterson, in partnership with Smashwords to distribute e-books worldwide. I am very proud to say that I am now a member and "SAT & BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat" might bring a smile to a servicemembers face. It is a wonderful program. Thank you Ed Patterson and Smashwords for making this possible!

If anyone out there is an author who would like to participate or knows a deployed servicemember who would like some reading material, you should check out the program.
Operation eBook Drop

Review of "Special Men: A LRP's Recollections" by Dennis Foley

"Special Men: A LRP's Recollections" is a terrific book. Dennis Foley takes us through his entire twenty year Army career in this book, but the bulk of it is spent in the first ten years of his career. I really enjoyed this memoir. It's well written in a conversational, humble voice. Foley comes across as likeable. The years prior to Vietnam were quite interesting. Foley tells us about his time as an enlisted man in Cold War Germany. He also gives quite detailed descriptions of OCS and Airborne School in the pre-Vietnam era.

One extremely unusual aspect of this story is the connection to LTC David Hackworth. Hack was famous as a warrior, author, and reporter. Foley served under Hackworth multiple times in Vietnam. It's interesting to see another view of Hack. The descriptions of combat in this book are gripping and real. The realism throughout the entire book is incredible. Foley is a very talented writer. This is a good overview of an impressive military career. Most of Foley's career was spent with special operations (LRP/Ranger/Special Forces) units. He is extremely humble about what was an amazing career. I recommend this book highly.

Review of "19 Stars: A Study in Military Character and Leadership"

"19 Stars: A Study in Military Character and Leadership" is a wonderful study of the leadership styles of four of the most prominent generals in World War II: MacArthur, Marshall, Eisenhower, and Patton. It gives a brief synopsis of each of their biographies then goes on to address how they handled themselves in different facets of leadership such as dealing with subordinates, character, courage, and preparation. It pays great attention to how they each used a different style to accomplish the same thing which was defeating fascism and winning the greatest war the world has ever fought.

I particularly enjoyed how each leader is contrasted. The most interesting part of the book for me was when Mr. Puryear compared and contrasted them. It was interesting how they were all so different yet so alike. They came from extremely diverse backgrounds, but they all found common ground in the military. The book is well written and would provide useful insight to anyone studying military leadership, WW-II, or leadership in general. I recommend it.