The Enchanted Suitcase: A Window Onto My German Father's World War II Life by Helga Warren

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MWSA Review Pending

 

Author's Synopsis

Unexpectedly finding her German father’s World War II memoirs in an old suitcase transports author Helga Warren to romantic Paris in wartime, surrender from inside a German bunker on the beaches of Normandy, behind the barbed wire of a prisoner of war camp in Aliceville, Alabama and on to the start of a new life in America.

The author discovers a man full of enthusiasm and the fervor of

youth—and a marvelous writer—revealing unseen sides of the father she thought she knew. A whole new world opens up, all because of a sheaf of tattered papers in the bottom of what can only be called an enchanted suitcase.

One of the few eyewitness accounts of the little-known history of German prisoners of war in America during World War II, Karlheinz Stoess’s story gives us a glimpse into the life of what was known as a Scheuerfrau or “scrubwoman” of the Wehrmacht—an ordinary German soldier at the crossroads of history.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 239

Word Count: 63,120

Combat Essays, American History, a Veteran's Perspective, Volume II by John J. McBrearty

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Author's Synopsis

General Gustave Perna U. S. Army, Retired, Commander of Operation Warp Speed:

"Lt. Col. John McBrearty, a natural leader, combat Veteran, and family man, shares his unique perspective on history. In Volume II, Lt. Colonel John J. McBrearty chronicles his unit's triumphs and failures in the combat zone of Iraq through a selection of essays and letters written home. With his insight, candor, and love for history, Colonel Mack provides the reader with a rare inside view of this microcosm of American military history."

"I want to shed light on military operations in Iraq that are far less known to the general public. These operations include a multitude of civil-military efforts designed to make a difference for that country. While facing hostile enemy engagements, we built schools, hospitals, roadways, water canals, bridges, and even a golf course. These infrastructure improvements elevated the Iraqi citizens' quality of life. This book is a testament to how citizen-soldiers made a difference."

John J. McBrearty

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 117

Word Count: 18,311

American History, a Veteran's Perspective, Essays, Reflections, and Reviews by John J. McBrearty

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Author's Synopsis

General Gustave Perna U.S. Army Retired, Operation Warp Speed Commander

"Lt. Col. John McBrearty, a natural leader, combat Veteran, and family man, shares his unique perspective on history through his essays, reflections, and reviews. His personalized style provides the reader with a kaleidoscope of American history, in which he cleverly weaves his own military story within. This is a must-read for all Veterans and American history buffs alike."

Having risen from the rank of Private to Lieutenant Colonel, combat veteran John J. McBrearty shares his unique insight of American History through essays, reflections, and reviews. “Colonel Mack” takes the reader through the significant milestones of American History, starting with a discussion of the initial human migration of the North American continent right up to and through the Global War on Terror. He concludes his personal journey through American History with a speech given in honor of a fallen comrade.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 195

Word Count: 44,290

An Absence of Faith: A Tale of Afghanistan by Craig Trebilcock

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Author's Synopsis

An Absence of Faith: A Tale of Afghanistan is the story of Daniyal, a Kabul University student kidnapped into the Afghan army where he is caught up in a vast criminal conspiracy to steal Western military aid. The story takes the reader into the heart of the Afghanistan war, where Afghan soldiers are daily brutalized and their food and medicine are sold by their generals for their personal profit.. While Daniyal struggles to survive, Colonel William Trevanathan, U.S. Army, is given the mission to stop Afghan corruption to convince NATO allies not to abandon an increasingly unpopular war. Both Daniyal and Trevanathan struggle to maintain their humanity and principles amidst a conflict where your ally is your enemy and the strong prey upon the weak. An insightful view into how Afghan corruption, Western bureaucratic infighting, and a lack of accountability over billions in Western aid money paved the way for the return of the Taliban.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 392

Word Count: 112374

When Eagles Vie with Valkyries by Paul Hellweg

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Author's Synopsis

Paul Hellweg’s life story is unconventional, and “When Eagles Vie with Valkyries” (Hellweg’s collected Vietnam poems) tells his story in verse. The book takes a unique approach to war poetry by being written in the 2nd person, focusing more on life after the war than the war itself, and showing a path to recovery from PTSD.

Afflicted with PTSD, Hellweg spent most of his adult life alone and adrift. Decades after the war, he chanced upon a path to recovery by embracing Native American spirituality. As part of his healing, he returned to Vietnam, fell in love with the country and people, and eventually started living there. He at long last found love: His wife is Vietnamese, and their daughter (his first and only child) was born in 2016.

Healing from PTSD is possible, and “When Eagles Vie with Valkyries” recounts how one veteran succeeded.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book

Number of Pages: 92

Word Count: 10,169

Another Death at Gettysburg by Peter Adams Young

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Author's Synopsis

JUNE 29, 1997

An annual reenactment of Pickett’s Charge ends tragically with the shooting death of a participant. When the investigation stalls, a Navy combat veteran and professor of American history is drawn into the challenge with his Vietnamese librarian wife — a journey that uncovers corruption, extortion, grand larceny, and ties to organized crime beneath the façade of local government.

In the follow-up to his award-winning debut novel of the Vietnam War, "One Hundred Stingers," Peter Adams Young's "Another Death at Gettysburg" unfolds a modern-day murder mystery set in and around the historic Gettysburg battlefield.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime

Number of Pages: 422

Word Count: 119,276

The Believer within You by Tyrone Burnett

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MWSA Review Pending

 

Author's Synopsis

Over 10 million children across the nation teeter on the brink of homelessness or unjust eviction due to wrongful foreclosures, even before they can call newly constructed homes their own amid a global financial and housing crisis. Enter Brenda Sue Bellamy, an ordinary 12-year-old with her trusty notebook by her side. She uncovers alarming information, sparking a daunting realization: “This could happen to my family.” Driven by her invigorated spirit, she delves deep, documenting each revelation in her trusty notebook. Through her journey, she presents invaluable financial and educational insights, enlightening both young minds and adult readers. Now, faced with a pivotal decision, Brenda Sue stands at a crossroads: to stay silent, or to speak out and risk being silenced.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)

Number of Pages: 82

Word Count: 4701