The Meat and Potatoes of Life: by Lisa Molinari

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MWSA Review
The Meat and Potatoes of Life is a memoir. And yes, it is written chronologically to cover the major periods of the author’s life. But this isn’t your typical somber and self-important memoir. The book also veers firmly and unapologetically into the humor “lane.” Move over, Erma Bombeck. Lisa Molinari is here to invite readers into her world as a military spouse, starting with marriage, and progressing through deployments, the birth of children, their conversion into teenagers and college students, and ending with empty nesting and retirement. Using an easy, breezy style, the author sucks the reader into a vortex of hilarity with her ability to find the ridiculous in the sublime. And this book isn’t just for military spouses. Civilian wives and mothers will relate to most of the vignettes, as well as better understanding the sacrifices our military families make for us.

Arranged in seasons and episodes, Molinari’s life unfolds for us in the manner of a sitcom, in many ways. I found particular enjoyment from the chapter titles, most of which were a play on words: Revival of the Fittest; Pomp and Unusual Circumstances; The Old Man and the Degree; Life (Hot) Flashing Before My Eyes; The Elephant in the Bedroom, to list a few.

Despite the humor, a thread of seriousness runs through the book, as we contemplate the extra burden military spouses labor under during deployments, unasked for moves across country or overseas, and the ever-present danger of the death of a loved one.

Review by Betsy Beard (March 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
Lisa leaves her law career behind to become a navy wife and Supermom, but somewhere between "I do" and "I'm deploying again" waves of chaos threaten to overtake her. She has a husband who knows his chardonnay but can't identify a Phillips head screwdriver, three quirky kids with their own agendas, a perpetually shedding dog, and a minivan full of cold French fries. Will she survive the endless minutiae of modern family life, or will she end up on the laundry room floor eating chocolate frosting out of a can?

Grab some popcorn, snuggle up, and get ready to binge-read Lisa's true literary comedy -- her search for meaning in the meat and potatoes of life.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-934617-54-0, 978-1-934617-55-7, 978-1-934617-56-4

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 256

A Final Valiant Act by John Lang

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MWSA Review
​Twenty-year-old Marine Doug Dickey heroically gave his life to save his surviving platoon members in Vietnam on Easter Sunday, 1967. Forty men walked into that battle and twelve walked out. They had been through many other bloody engagements along the DMZ in the I Corps operating area adjacent to North Vietnam. Dickey was to leave for home three days after Easter. As with so many described in this book, he didn't make it home.

Author Lt. Col Lang USMC (Ret) researched fourteen years to present connections between Dickey, the deceased warriors killed, the surviving warriors, and many family and friends. Lang personally met and interviewed them in an exhaustive effort to share Doug's story. Read the added content to further understand roots and tactics of the Marine Corps and the dangers of jungle warfare in Vietnam that these men faced.

I found how four young boys in small town Ohio innocently joined the Corps together using the "Buddy System" to then fight for their lives in Vietnam. I appreciate Lang's descriptions of battle actions and tactics. His emphasis on how these young men saved and lost many of their own was provocative and educational. He also shared how these boys-turned-men in the horrors of Vietnam saved many in future generations. That fact, like so many things in Vietnam, often gets overlooked or forgotten.

Review by Hodge Wood (May 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Doug Dickey was an unlikely Marine hero. He was a gentle soul who sang in the school’s chorus and struggled to make it through boot camp. However, in the terrible seconds that passed after a grenade landed in the middle of his platoon’s command element, Doug chose to sacrifice his life to save his comrades. For this Final Valiant Act, Doug received the Medal of Honor.

Doug grew up on a farm in Ohio and enlisted in the Marine Corps with four of his friends from high school. Arriving in Vietnam, he was assigned to “Blackjack” Westerman’s 1st Battalion, 4th Marines—one of the few Marine units to make amphibious assaults during the Vietnam War.

As part of 2nd Platoon, Company C, Doug took part in Operation Deckhouse VI, to rout the Viet Cong from Quang Ngai; and Operation Beacon Hill, which culminated in the desperate battle on March 26, 1967. That afternoon, the platoon became engaged with a much larger NVA unit just south of the DMZ. In the midst of that fierce battle, with casualties mounting rapidly, an enemy grenade landed in the middle of the platoon’s command group. Doug dove on the grenade—saving his friends and comrades. Second Platoon was ultimately victorious, but at a high cost: more than 40 men had gone into battle that day; only 12 walked out the next morning.

Doug’s comrades in 2nd Platoon never forgot him. Easter Sunday 1967 was seared into their memories. In 1997, they began holding yearly reunions. They decided to honor Doug by holding their first reunion in his hometown. Harold and Leona Dickey were finally able to meet the men their son had saved 30 years earlier.

A Final Valiant Act is the result of over 14 years of research—drawing on Doug’s letters home, and more than 50 interviews. The personal stories are woven into a meticulously researched battle history, sourced from dozens of declassified combat reports—yielding the most detailed account of Operation Beacon Hill yet written.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-61200-757-1, 978-1-61200-758-8

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 296

DeGroote: The Incredible Life of a Downed US Airman Who Joined the French Underground During WWII by Conrad Kersch

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MWSA Review
DeGroote: The Incredible Life of a Downed US Airman Who Joined the French Underground During WWII was written by Conrad John Kersch prior to his death in 2000. His youngest son Kris Kersch then supplemented the autobiographical part of the book with more details about his father’s life before and after World War II as well as a section about his three sons.

Conrad John Kersch reveals bits of his earlier life through the text in flashbacks as various events and scenes during the war make him think of his time growing up in Chicago, spending a few years with his grandmother in Romania after his parents died, and his 50 missions in the Pacific prior to being shot down in France on what was supposed to be an easy mission with no flak expected. He filled in on missions with various crews as a flight engineer and a bombardier. He was always willing to risk his life in combat.

After being the only member of the crew to escape capture by the Germans, Kersch found refuge with various French families associated with the French Underground group that worked for Charles DeGaulle. He was eventually accepted in this underground group. He spoke no French but was fluent in German, being raised by German parents. When he was active in Belgium, he was able to communicate with the Belgians who spoke Flemish, which has many words similar to German words. The title of the book refers to the name Kersch was given when he was accepted in the underground: Albert DeGroote.
While underground members often had to wait for orders, living in areas occupied by Germans was very stressful. Days were excessively boring, and Kersch was willing to do any work to keep busy, including cutting grass to feed the farm’s goats. He was also very aware that many of the young German soldiers were simply fighting for their country and were not Nazis. In one case he befriended two young German soldiers who were hiding from strafing by Allied planes.

Kersch joined the Army Air Forces in 1935 and flew his first mission as a bombardier on March 22, 1944. It’s unclear how long he was in France, but he was out of the service and working for a grain company in Texas in December 1944. One of the reasons he left the service was because they would not let him return to combat or even to Germany to utilize his ability to speak German. However, he did reenlist in 1948 to help pay for medical bills associated with the birth of his youngest son Kris. Since he spoke six languages, he was assigned to the OSS, the precursor of the CIA, and was sent to Germany. He retired as a master sergeant in 1959. This 378-page text tells Kersch’s story, shedding light on how difficult it was to live under German occupation.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The true story of Albert DeGroote who is an orphan, immigrant, airmen, a soldier in the French Underground, and his real name is SSG Conrad John Kersch. As a bombardier aboard B-17G Tennessee Hillbilly for the 303rd Bomber Group on mission 128 March 26, 1944 was to drop payload and get back to base safely. On this particular mission the payload was dropped but the journey home took a drastic turn. This is the story of SSG Kersch bailing out, evading capture, living with the French, and ending up fighting in the French Underground {FFI}, reprieved from a firing squad. His journey from childhood to joining the Army in 1935 is nothing but ordinary.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-943267-77-4, 978-1-943267-76-7, 978-1-943267-78-1

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 416

Chaos Above the Sand by Bruce Thomas

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Author's Synopsis
Iran 2010. The Iranian High Council has decided that today is the day that their fighter pilots will attack. With a large group of fighter aircraft poised to cross the border into Iraq, the only thing standing in the Iranians' way is Wild Bill Eddy's four F-15C aircraft. With lighting speed, the battle rages in the sky above Iraq. Iran's desire to control the Middle East sets this fast-paced, multi-layer story in motion.

Germany, May 1944. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel has sent his most trusted representatives to steal a vast treasure from Hitler's hidden storage location. They intend to use the horde to fund their escape from the war that has devastated Germany and made them lose faith in the Fϋhrer. A mix of attacks, setbacks, and terrible timing cause the treasure to be lost when the Allies attacked Normandy on June 6th, 1944.

From the beginning, the Special Projects Unit is thrown into this thriller with traitors, spies, and patriotic soldiers. The SPU director, William "Wild Bill" Eddy, and his best friend, Assistant Director Mark "Vector" Jones, race to solve the clues to who is supplying Top Secret information to the Iranians. With Villains and traitors on every page, the SPU must decipher the clues and save the USA from a fast-approaching military defeat. Clues to the lost WW II treasure become mixed into the story of the Special Projects Unit's building and hiding. This yarn is the tale of the development and birth of the Special Projects Unit.

As Air Force Academy graduates, Wild Bill and Vector have a bond that transcends work. But will they be able to solve all of the clues to stop the Iranians from taking over the Middle East? Chaos Above the Sand is a prequel to Bruce Thomas's first book, The Hope of the South.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-64952-185-9, 978-1-64952-186-6

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 485

The Wolves of Helmand by Frank Biggio

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MWSA Review
Frank Biggio's The Wolves of Helmand is an absolutely outstanding personal memoir of one Marine's time as part of a civil affairs group (CAG) in Afghanistan. As a civil affairs Marine, Biggio's job was about winning hearts and minds as much as taking the lives of the enemy. As such, this separates his experiences from many other combat memoirs, and the author does a wonderful job of telling his story.

Deployed with "1/5" into Nawa in Helmand province, Biggio explains the background behind why his job was important, the struggles he dealt with, the action he was part of, and most importantly the lessons he learned and the growth he experienced. He does so in a realistic, salty style that makes the unexperienced know what it is like to be on the ground with Marines.

In addition to the outstanding memoir, the author gave us a bonus. The last chapter is quotes from Marines during the deployment. Some are simple, some are fatalistic, and some are downright funny, as perhaps only a Marine with sand in their boots could say it.

Overall, this is an excellent work that will appeal to any combat vet, especially of either Iraq or Afghanistan in our country's most recent conflicts.

Review by Rob Ballister
 

Author's Synopsis
At turns poignant, funny, philosophical, and raw—but always real—The Wolves of Helmand is both a heartfelt homage to the Marine brotherhood with whom Biggio served and an expression of respect and love for the people of Afghanistan who ultimately trusted, shared, and appreciated their purpose.

Ten years after serving his country as a U.S. Marine, Captain Frank “Gus” Biggio signed up once again because he missed the brotherhood of the military. Leaving behind his budding law career, his young wife, and newborn son, he was deployed to Helmand Province—the most violent region in war-torn Afghanistan—for reasons few would likely understand before reading this book.

Riven by conflict and occupation for centuries because of its strategic location, the region he landed in was, at that time, a hotbed of Taliban insurgency. As a participant in the landmark U.S.-led Operation Khanjar, Biggio and his fellow Marines were executing a new-era military strategy. Focused largely on empowerment of the local population, the offensive began with a troop surge designed to thwart the Taliban, but was more importantly followed by the restoration of the local government and real-time capacity building among the withdrawn and destitute Afghan people.

The Wolves of Helmand is unlike other war memoirs. It takes us less into the action—though there is that too—and more into the quiet places of today’s war zones. Yes, you’ll read of our Marines’ stealth arrival in a single night, our advanced weaponry, and our pop-up industrial village command centers. You’ll read, as well, about the ambushed patrols and the carnage of IEDs. But you will also read of the persistence, humility, ruggedness, loneliness, tedium, diplomacy, and humanity of our Marines’ jobs there, which more than anything else reveals the magnitude of even the smallest victories.

Completed years after the author’s return from his mission, The Wolves of Helmand is most of all a decade-long self-examination of a warrior’s heart, conscience, and memory. Whether intended or not, Biggio’s deep reflections and innate honesty answer every question you’ve ever wanted to ask about life and death in war—and even questions you probably never thought to ask.

What calls a warrior to duty?

What makes, sustains, plagues, and even breaks a warrior?

These are bigger questions than the ones impolite society pokes around when a veteran returns home—Did you kill anyone? Did you have to go? Why would you fight for another country? Why were we even there?

Yet the answers to those queries are here, too, in this thoughtful memoir that will make you think about war, family, love, and loss.

ISBN/ASIN: 1948677644, 978-1948677646

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 288

Tomcat Fury: A Combat History of the F-14 by Mike Guardia

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MWSA Review
Grumman’s F-14 Tomcat prowled above war-torn lands and patrolled the troubled skies above conflicted seas worldwide for 33 years, operating mostly from aircraft carriers. The Tomcat’s electronic and human eyes spied on regional battles and at times pounced with deadly accuracy, making a positive difference. Though, according to the author, the leashed cat, never experienced its potential. The book, Tomcat Fury, by Mike Guardia is far more than just a book about a fighter plane. The masterfully crafted story is about a Navy fighter aircraft built to replace the Vietnam battle-worn and earlier generation fighters. The author, however, expands his narrative beyond just describing a formidable fighter by adding in-depth descriptive geopolitical history as seen through the prowling cats’ eyes.

This book is an excellent, detailed, American military history lesson covering a period leading up to 1973 and the F-14’s first operational flights to the cat’s sudden retirement seven months following its final aerial kill during Desert Storm in 2006. Iran, the only other nation to purchase F-14s, might have caused this aircraft to compete against itself. Details are revealed. One hundred and eleven carefully selected, mostly full-color photos, in high resolution, are properly located in the text accompanied with ample captions. Combat engagements are described in detail, which in some cases places the reader in the cockpit or, in one revealing episode, on the ground as two F-14 crewmembers scramble to avoid capture following being shot down behind enemy lines. Crewmember names and combat engagement details are fully revealed from the author’s in-depth research. With a slightly larger format and hardcover, this book, pridefully, would grace any coffee table.

Review by Tom Beard (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
For more than three decades, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was the US Navy’s premier carrier-based, multi-role fighter jet. From its harrowing combat missions over Libya to its appearance on the silver screen in movies like "Top Gun" and "Executive Decision," the F-14 has become an icon of American air power.

Now, for the first time in a single volume, "Tomcat Fury" explores the illustrious combat history of the F-14: from the Gulf of Sidra…to the Iran-Iraq War…to the skies over Afghanistan in the Global War on Terror.

ISBN/ASIN: B07XQJQ6XX, 0999644335

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference

Number of Pages: 154

Where the High Winds Sing by Donald Purdy

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MWSA Review
This book offers a stirring glimpse into the soul of a warrior. Don Purdy’s poetry poignantly expresses the sentiments of a fighter, a survivor, and a veteran mourning the loss of his brothers-in-arms. The author, a naval aviator during the Vietnam War, vividly brings to life the experience of aerial combat as well as themes universal to the experience of war. The poems are written and arranged with great creativity and skill, and include not only depictions of battle and action, but also reflections on courage, loss, and the larger legacy of military conflict. Purdy’s writing is beautifully complemented by artwork, photos, and annotations. Where the High Winds Sing is not merely a book, but a masterful work of art.

Review by Zita Ballinger Fletcher (March 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
Where the High Winds Sing weaves a vivid tapestry of flight from the experiences of a Naval Aviator who lived through the bloody brawl that was the air war over North Vietnam. Its compelling verse soars beyond the limits of prose to draw the reader into a visceral appreciation of the sights, sounds, and passions of aerial combat. The poetry ranges from the pure celebration of flight to the always demanding, sometimes humorous, often tragic drama of wartime carrier operations. But it also presents evocative images of transformative interludes at sea and reflections on the effects of combat, especially the loss of close friends. Don Purdy's accessible poetry is reminiscent of an earlier era when such poets as Wilfred Owen, John Gillespie Magee Jr., and Rudyard Kipling elevated "war poetry" to a unique literary genre. Many of the poems are illustrated with the author's own artwork.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13 : 979-8678032935, ASIN : B08HSTRLXQ

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book

Number of Pages: 76

Full Mag: Veteran Stories Illustrated, Vol. 3 by August Uhl

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MWSA Review
Full Mag: Veteran Stories Illustrated, Vol. 3 is filled with true veteran stories, written and illustrated by other veterans, allowing the storyteller, the editors and writers, and the graphic artists to all participate and heal together.

Some of the stories have never been told to anyone, and are obviously deeply personal to the veterans relaying the tale. I specifically like how stories from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War all appear in the same issue, with consistent artwork and quality. This sends a subliminal message that while parts of war may be different, much of it as perceived by the combatants may be very similar.

Hats off and a Bravo Zulu to the Full Mag team; I look forward to Volume Four.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
Full Mag: Veteran Stories Illustrated, Vol. 3 is a unique veteran history and art project in graphic novel form. Full Mag presents the stories of our veterans in their own words with illustrations in sequential graphic art. Every story presented is the result of an interview by our team or the written contribution of the veteran. This ground breaking third volume includes the following first-person accounts

WW II Combat Engineer, crossing the Rhine- by Harold Vachal, art by J.W. Erwin

WW II Soldiers overrun during the Battle of the Bulge- by Bob Buntin, art by Gary Martin

WW II Airman shot down over Italy- by Eldon Dahl, art by Nossretep

WW II and just after, B-29 crew over the Pacific-by Norm Meuller, art by Thomas Muzzell

A Marine's Story: from childhood during the Depression to Pacific island battles to Korea, presented in four chapters plus Q&A, by Marvin Strombo, art by Gary Martin, Fernando Ruiz, Kim DeMulder, and Max Davenport

WW II, Nisei 100th Battalion, Go for Broke- by Stan Izumigawa, art by Lou Manna

Baghdad ER, 86th Combat Support Hospital-by Dacia M Arnold, art by Cassandra Dale

Afghanistan, bird's eye view over 10 years-by Darin Gaub, art by Thomas Muzzell

Operation in Cambodia-by Mark Potes, art by Lou Manna and Bill Anderson

Replacement at Inchon and rodeo rider-by James Aplan, art by Thomas Muzzell

These are stories that can only be told by those who experienced the events themselves. Full Mag provides a unique platform for veterans to tell their stories while simultaneously allowing artists to honor these warriors through the application of their skills, as cultures have done since the dawn of mankind. This 88-page perfect bound, magazine sized, graphic novel is a publication unlike any other. Printed in the USA on 80# high quality paper.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 978-0-578-77216-5

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Artistic—Graphical Novel/Comic Book

Number of Pages: 88

Tales from the Blue by J. B. King

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MWSA Review
Tales from the Blue: Adventures in Law Enforcement by J. B. King tells mostly humous incidents from the 1970s and 1980s in a small county in Missouri from the point of view of a retired State Highway Patrolman. This was a county located near an Army base and an interstate that bisected the county, which brought them far more crime than otherwise might be expected.

In addition to stories that range from fishing with a tow truck to working with the U.S. Army to return AWOL soldiers to a low-speed pursuit (38 mile an hour tops), King also shows the serious side of law enforcement and the importance of listening and observing rather than just charging into a situation. All of the tales are fairly short and told in a folksy manner. This is a book that will entertain you.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (March2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Pimps, drugs, and craziness? Just another day on the job for a cop in Pulaski County, Missouri, the home of the U. S. Army base of Fort Leonard Wood during the 1970s and 1980s. A time when houses of ill repute dotted the landscape and the great AWOL hunt was on every day for wayward GI's who did not like basic training and departed from the Army without permission. Add alcohol and I-44 vehicle traffic to the mix for non-stop action around the clock. Tales from the Blue is a collection of stories about the crazy world that was Pulaski County during that time told with humor.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781725758100

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Collections—Humor

Number of Pages: 157

Moments Around The Campfire With A Vietnam Vet by Thom Brucie

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MWSA Review
Moments around the Campfire with a Vietnam Veteran is appealing to Vietnam veterans and others who want to understand more about what the Vietnam War experience was like for some U.S. veterans. The premise is that a mysterious, aging, rather ghostly Vietnam veteran appears at a young couple's campfire in the woods and gives them a folder of poems he's written in the years since his return from Vietnam. He drops off the poems and disappears into the darkness, never to be seen again. The book is purported to be those poems.

The style is freeform, each poem is independent of the others, and all are sad or disturbing in their nature. The book has its “moments,” like the very last—a poem called "MIA." In this poem, the author describes a middle-aged Vietnam veteran, who is simultaneously a young man full of hope and optimism, as he was before going to war, and his current older self, scarred by war and life. His two personas struggle to coexist within the same person. However, most of the poems, rather than being creative, are observational or reactive and have dark subjects with no lessons learned or conclusions drawn. The ghostly poet's attitude throughout is simply that of disinterested observer. It is possible that the author wanted to expose the emptiness within some veterans of the Vietnam War (and by extension, all wars), a message that in order to survive emotionally, some veterans became as uncaring as the ghostly poet. 

Review by Jamie Thompson (April 2021) 

Author's Synopsis
Brucie's poems reveal a story-vision of sadness, loss, discovery, and renewal divulged through the voice of a ghost veteran of the Vietnam War. Poet Lana Wiggins wrote, "These poems took my breath away." Poet Maria Mazziotti Gillan, American Book Award winner, declared, "This is one of the best books of war poems I've ever read. I promise, you won't be able to put it down."

ISBN/ASIN: 9780988709430

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book

Number of Pages: 56

The Quisling Factor by J.L Oakley

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MWSA Review
The Quisling Factor by J. L. Oakley is set in Norway, as the title clearly suggests, both during and after World War II, with locations around Norway but focusing on the small fictional village of Fjellstad near Trondheim, some 300 miles northwest of Oslo. The 443-page story richly shows how difficult it was to recover from five years of German occupation while also offering some glimpses into wartime hardships and cruelties. Various viewpoints are offered: resistance members, quislings, those just trying to survive. After the war, Norway chose to reestablish a system of law and order, so trials were held for those accused of cooperating with the Nazis, with the main trial centering around the tortures and murders of residents of Fjellstad. But the trials meant that the residents had to relive the atrocities of the war. Some residents had physical scars; some had mental scars. Some were able to rebuild their lives; some could not. Suspicions of neighbors remained. All have a place in this story. The on-going suspicion of who else might have been cooperating is the quisling factor of the title.

To aid the reader, maps and a list of characters are included at the beginning of the book, and a partial Glossary of Norwegian words is included at the back. To experience the full richness of the story, it is suggested that you have a device ready to look up the Norwegian words.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Treason. Espionage. Revenge. In the aftermath of WWII, ex-intelligence agent Tore Haugland tries to adjust to life in his newly freed country with the woman he loves. But he still has to testify against a Norwegian traitor -- one of the monsters of the German occupation -- whom he helped to capture. When mysterious notes threaten Haugland and his family, he must choose between protecting them or bringing to justice the man who tortured him and destroyed the village that hid him. Challenged by injuries and recurring nightmares, he will have to rely on his former training and old Resistance friends to rescue his wife from the traitor who will do anything to keep Haugland from testifying.

ISBN/ASIN: Book: 978-0997323740 Ebook: B08CD6GGJ8

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 468

The Zombie Deception by Marvin Wolf

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MWSA Review
Marvin J. Wolf’s The Zombie Deception finds Army CID agents Chelmin and Spaulding reunited to look for missing American servicemembers, who are disappearing from Fort Rucker. Along the way they run into a well organized, well armed criminal organization passing millions of dollars in counterfeit currency around Alabama.  

This is the second installment featuring the quietly heroic Spaulding and the grumpy veteran cop Chelmin, and their partnership is both entertaining and effective.  They are tasked by an Army general to get to the bottom of this mess not only before more lives are lost, but also before the general’s career is ruined. The action is entertaining and fast paced, and the characters are likeable but not flawless. One thing that made the main character Spaulding particularly real is his reluctant acceptance of his mission; he really only wants to fly Army helicopters, but his unique skill set as a police detective before he enlisted draws the attention of a general who wants this case solved as soon as possible. That general wants to bring every asset to the fight, and sees Spaulding as one very valuable asset.

Those who enjoy tech thrillers and military thrillers will find a lot to like in this book, and will look forward to any future Spaulding-Chelmin operations.

Review by Rob Ballister (April 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
Army CID agents Chelmin and Spaulding battle a well-equipped and sophisticated gang of Army deserters, men believed long dead in Afghanistan but instead passing millions in counterfeit century notes around Alabama. The CID investigation begins on the ground, moves to the air, and ends with a sea battle.

ISBN/ASIN: B08QWNS68R

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 346

A Hui Hou: Until We Meet Again by Ashley Bugge

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MWSA Review

A Hui Hou - Until We Meet Again by Isabel, Hudson, and Adeline Bugge with Ashley Bugge, is a unique story of grieving the loss of a parent as told by the young children of that parent. The book is beautifully illustrated by Dawn Davidson who captures the essence of each family member in the throes of a devastating loss.

The conversation in the text among the siblings is straightforward, conveying child-like innocence and honesty. One cannot help feeling emotional when reading about the devastating event for this family. As their mother, Ashley tells her children that “It’s okay to be scared, as long as we talk about it and find a way to get through it.”

Writing A Hui Hou in the words of her children is Ashley’s way of leading them toward the pathway of healing. The exercise helps each child remember how much each loves and misses their father at the same time validating how much he loves them, even though he’s gone. I highly recommend A Hui Hou - Until We Meet Again.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
One day in Hawaii, while doing what he loved most, Dadda is lost in a terrible diving accident. At first, Izzy, Hudson, and Addy don't understand what's happened. Why is Momma so sad? Why hasn't Dadda come home for dinner yet? Why are so many people visiting and giving them new toys? But as time passes, the three siblings start to realize where their Dadda has gone. It takes them a lot of bravery to understand why it's OK to be happy that he gets to dive forever while also being sad because they miss him so much. A Hui Hou: Until We Meet Again is the heart-wrenching true story of a family's devastating loss. But it is also a story about understanding, accepting, and processing death and grief, uniquely narrated by children, for children. Izzy, Hudson, and Addy share their experience in the pure, emotional, and unfiltered way needed to help young minds grasp the impossible: the loss of a loved one.

ISBN/ASIN: 1612544568

Book Format(s): Hard cover

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 32

Always Coming Back Home by Ashley Bugge

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MWSA Review
This memoir is a loving tribute to the author’s deceased husband, as well as to their relatively short marriage. Widowed while pregnant with her third child, Ashley Bugge guides the reader through her romance with Brian. We get a glimpse into their life from dating, to marriage, to the birth of children, long separations, and ultimately, to Brian’s unexpected death. Along the way, the reader is deliciously infected with their enthusiasm and zest for life.

The author provides the uninitiated with a view into some of the challenges of a military family—especially the military spouse. Learning about Ashley’s experience is enlightening and makes one realize that that it is not just the deployed person who serves our country. The spouse who stays at home also serves.

So critical for marriage success, Bugge regales the readers with tales of how she and Brian helped each other achieve their dreams. It was a pleasure to read how eagerly they embraced life and supported each other.

This memoir is funny and exciting, and it is also poignant and heartbreaking. Come to it with an open heart and be prepared to cry in both sorrow and joy.

Review by Patricia Walkow (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Always Coming Back Home uses heartfelt stories and real-time emails sent from a deployed sailor to his bride, readers quickly become invested in this young family. The couple takes readers on adventures of sailing and scuba diving throughout the world. They also keep readers laughing as the couple becomes first time parents, anxious with them during military deployments, upset with them through miscarriages and family loss, and finally, heartbroken as it all comes to an end with a single phone call. Always Coming Back Home is a candid and raw account of two ordinary people coming together to accomplish extraordinary things.

ISBN/ASIN: 1642799084, B088LDMQNL

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 274

The Flying Cutterbucks by Kathleen M. Rodgers

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MWSA Review
Kathleen M. Rodgers writes about a close-knit family of women bonded together by loss and grief, an act of violence from years past, and a code of silence to protect one of their own. The Flying Cutterbucks is a tapestry masterfully woven with colorful, quirky characters and a riveting plot.

The eldest daughter, Trudy returns to Pardon, New Mexico, in 2016 after a failed marriage and career as a flight attendant. As she sifts through her mother’s cluttered home, Trudy relives the events of her fighter pilot father who is MIA from Vietnam, her little brother who did not survive cancer, the stillbirth of a precious daughter, and the escape from an abusive relationship. It is the 2016 election and one candidate brings back old family secrets of violence haunting three women. The media records a candidate outrageously admitting to grabbing women’s private parts which remind Aunt Star, Trudy, and Georgia of a nightmarish encounter with cousin Dub, a pervert of the worse kind. Until now, the horrible event is a hazy memory for Trudy but she seeks to find the truth.

Throughout the novel, Trudy hears her father’s voice in the form of pilot radio calls during times of stressful indecision. Rogers integrates memories of military family life throughout the story honoring the MIA fighter pilot’s wife and daughters.

As they stand together, the Cutterbuck women unearth the truth of what happened one night many years ago. We read about the burden they carry and the strength it takes to face it. Together the loving daughters help their mother sift through the memories and mementos of a father missing in action somewhere over Vietnam. One day a phone call from the government results in his return home and the closing of a chapter in their lives.

Kathleen M. Rodgers is a gifted writer who ties up all the loose ends in an entertaining, complicated novel.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Decades ago, Trudy, Georgia, and Aunt Star formed a code of silence to protect each other from an abusive man who terrorized their family. One act of solidarity long ago lives with them still. With the election of a president who brags about groping women without their consent, old wounds and deep secrets come alive again, forcing hard truths to be told and even harder truths to be left to the dead.

On the outskirts of Pardon, New Mexico, Trudy returns to her mother, Jewel, to navigate an old house filled with haunting mementos of her father who went missing in action over North Vietnam. As she helps her mother sift through the memories and finally lay her father to rest, Trudy will do her own soul searching to say goodbye to the dead, and find her way along with the other women in her family, and through the next election.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1948018784, B087JBHD4Q

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 296

Kale is a Four-Letter Word by Corrales Writing Group

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MWSA Review
When five members from Corrales Writing Group joined with six visiting writers and combined their award-wining talents, this staunch group created an anthology about…kale! The ubiquitous green that now seems to appear on many dishes served in trendy settings has a dark side well established in 134 pages. The skilled authors expose the crinkly and bitter green in a series of essays, short stories, plays, and cartoons.

One spouse insists on forcing the green in various forms on her husband as a necessary diet. He reacts. A quoted cartoon clearly shows his reaction: "Whether you eat kale or not, you're going to die." An enterprising promotions company seeks some marketing scheme in a reoccurring feature throughout the book. Kale is the subject in a one-act play. Sci-fi, history, and horror stories further expose this leaf as the featured, not so popular, character. The leaf, of various colors and toughness, is a murder weapon in a mystery. Kale is also mixed in a salad bowl arena, engaged in a fierce battle with other greens and eventually discovering all are related. “Hale, Caesar!” was actually “Kale, Caesar!”

Brassica oleracea’s alleged favorable contents in essential nutrients suffers from various negative features, which are pretty much recognized by most who attempt to eat it. All the plant's deficits are heartily—and cleverly—exposed in this small book. If the reader were still interested in attempting to eat this stuff after reading this ringing non-endorsement, the closing pages switch the theme to several, almost, (real) recipes. Set space alongside Strunk and White for a fine little book exhibiting the strong writing examples the former extols. The writers had to have laughed a lot together when composing this anthology.

Review by Tom Beard (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Kale has invaded our culture as the go-to food for healthy living, appearing everywhere on restaurant menus, in grocery stores, and in beauty products like soaps and scrubs. For some, the vitamin load and beneficial fiber cannot outweigh the bitterness and texture of this member of the cabbage family. For those people, kale has ignited a passionate response, often reflected in internet memes and T-shirt slogans. This collection of short stories shows kale in a new light. A couple of tales are horror stories about kale’s effect on a life; another one describes a speculative history of kale; one is a murder mystery where kale plays an unusual role; and one is a fantasy about kale’s rivalry with cauliflower. This book also features delicious kale recipes.

ISBN 978-1951122096 ASIN: B087V9KFV5

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Collections—Anthology

Number of Pages: 140

Tactical Influence: How I Countered an Insurgency with Words by Mitchell Hockenbury

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MWSA Review
Tactical Influence: How I Countered an Insurgency with Words by Mitchell C. Hockenbury is an intriguing and detailed look at his deployment in Mosul, Iraq. The book is well written, in a casual style that makes for an easy read. 

He shows us his first days in Mosul as a platoon leader, where he rides along on a "Thunder Run" which he believes needlessly endangers troops. His orientation during Relief-in-Place transition provides him with a mission, to build rapport with locals and bring back useful information. But he also sees the torture and death that ISIS used to dissuade the locals from talking to Americans, and feels that his mission will be difficult, if not impossible.  

However, Mitchell argues that he and his men fundamentally changed the situation in his part of Mosul. The inspiration for some of his ideas came from his experience as a broker, Poor Charlie’s Almanac by Charlie Munger of Berkshire Investments, and Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini.

He believes, and provides his personal experience as a testimony, that a civilian population can be won over through Cialdini’s methods for influencing others, Munger’s philosophy on mental models to open creative thinking, and sales techniques designed to nurture personal relationships. The author provides a limited number of references, but he provides detailed reasons why the reader should delve into them. In this case, less equals more. 

The success of these methods, translated directly into both American and Iraqi lives saved, is uplifting and inspirational. While directed at military officers, I would recommend this book to anyone in a leadership position. Not all stakes would be so high as those in Mosul, but this book provides direct and understandable ways for leaders to build bridges in both military and civilian life. 

Review by Barb Evenson (May 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
If you are in a new situation, you need a new battle drill.

If you find yourself in a combat zone like Iraq this may be the most important book you ever read, here's why...

In Tactical Influence, you will discover this new battle drill is simple but not easy. I’m nobody special, and when I came up with these steps, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.

But this book isn't for everyone. What I teach takes effort and humility. There are no quick fixes in war, and this will challenge you in unfamiliar ways. As you follow the steps in this book, you might, at times, feel silly or weak. This is especially true in a male-dominated unit of type A, macho men. You will need to be brave. You’ll need to stand up as a true leader.

You must remember that protecting the lives of your platoon is worth going the extra mile—even if that means looking foolish on occasion. You may need to stand strong and sell these ideas to your men, or even those senior to you. It might be a challenge.

To the best of my knowledge, I am the only person using these ideas in warfare, but I’ve replicated my success with my platoon leaders when I was in company command, and I’ve seen them work with many different leaders. They have found incredible results, and so can you.

You will learn:
A counterintuitive approach to squashing an insurgency among local civilian populations
How to become a trusted person who the locals can depend upon
Why using techniques of a stock broker may be your best friend in the field
Think an iron fist will work in every situation? Think again!
How a book by Warren Buffet's partner changed my strategy in the field
Why you need to learn the strategy of reciprocity and how to apply it now
The reason "door-to-door selling" will save you massive amounts of time in the long run

But that's not all; you will learn the real life stories and case studies that applied these methods at an extremely high success rate. So, let me tell you the story of how we won our corner of Mosul, and how you can win at war, too.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0578771427, 057877142X, ASIN (Audible) B08P5YCS63

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 199

Get A Grip on the Bible by Jerry Burton

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MWSA Review
I've done a lot of Bible studies and very much enjoyed this one. Get a Grip on the Bible was very helpful breaking down the key elements of the first eight books of the Bible. The questions are thought-provoking and provide the opportunity for the information to sink in. I especially appreciate the workbook-type format. I look forward to seeing the next study guide by Burton.

Review by Dawn Brotherton (April 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Did you ever start to read the Bible and then give up? If so, this Get a Grip approach could help you get into the Word with confidence.

Get a Grip—on the Bible is designed to provide enough information to help you familiarize yourself with each book but not so much that you get overwhelmed. For each book covered, author Jerry L. Burton discusses who wrote it, why and when it was written, and the intended audience. He also explores the culture and history of the time, offering additional context. He also shares a few key narratives in a storytelling format, exploring key doctrines that appear consistently throughout the Bible. Using this method, you’ll soon have confidence in your ability to study and understand God’s Word.

Formatted for use by Sunday school classes, small-group Bible studies, and individuals, this study guide presents a comfortable way of learning the basics of the Bible.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781664205529 Softcover, 9781664205512 Hardcover, 9781664205536 E-Book

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Collections—Religious/Spiritual

Number of Pages: 184

Clouds of War by Jerry Burton

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MWSA Review
In his book, Clouds of War: Past, Present, and Future, Author Jerry L. Burton has done an admirable job in telling us about a true American hero, William H. Drumm Jr. Burton admits this is as much a history book as a biography of Bill Drumm, as the author looks deeply into world events and how they affected Bill's life. Young Bill had three relatives who fought in World War I, and the two decades between the first and second world wars were the years Bill spent in childhood through the start of college. When World War II began, Bill signed up to fight, ultimately flying B-24s “over the hump” carrying supplies and personnel in and out of China from India and Burma.

After the war was over, it wasn't very long before Bill was back in the Far East. This time he found himself in Japan, supporting the UN war efforts in Korea. Nearing retirement from the U.S. Air Force, Bill was once again asked to serve in another war zone: Vietnam. He went and became one of a handful of U.S. heroes that served in all three conflicts. Even after his service in the military, Bill continued to fly with the Civil Air Patrol and was involved in numerous rescue operations, to include supporting the rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina. While I found the book's historical analysis and commentary interesting, I really enjoyed learning about Bill and his life of service for America.

Review by Bob Doerr (April 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
For Bill Drumm, history is not about the past. Follow Bill as he makes history, analyzes past events, and identifies clouds of war on the horizon that are warnings to us. Share his burden of command as he pilots his B-24 heavy bomber, transporting over 2,200 gallons of explosive aviation fuel from India into China, through thunder and lightning storms over the world’s highest mountains. Experience the pressure and anxiety for the safety of his crew as he flies through the worst weather in the world, performing what has been described by many as the most dangerous missions of the war, more dangerous than bombing raids over Germany or Japan.

Bill shares his experiences during the many Cold War crises during his twenty-eight years in the military.

And finally, Bill looks at the events of the last few years and identifies the enemy within and the terrible threat they pose to our constitutional republic.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781664121720 Softcover, 9781664121737 Hardcover, 9781664121713 E-Book

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 270

A Quiet Cadence by Mark Treanor

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MWSA Review
Raw. Powerful. Penetrating. Unrelenting. These words keep coming back to me (in the way the main character’s ghosts keep coming back to him) as I consider the experience of reading A Quiet Cadence by Mark Treanor. Though categorized as fiction, this book has the feel of reality, the ring of truth: raw, powerful, penetrating, unrelenting truth. Characters are drawn so vividly and precisely that I felt like I knew them. I laughed with them. I cried with them. I ruined some of the pages of the book with my tears.

More than any other book I have read recently, this book addresses the horror that is war—any war—and its aftermath in a way that I (and probably any reader) could understand and feel. It informs us about combat, plunging deeply into the soul, while at the same time examining the aftermath for decades after the initial experiences.

From first page to last, I did not want to miss one sentence, one phrase, one word. The author crafted his story expertly and decisively. The quiet cadence of his words still echoes in my heart, and will for a long time to come.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Sometimes it takes years for a combat vet to understand what his war did to him when he was nineteen. And even longer to explain the cadence he has marched to since then to the people he loves.

Family and friends know Marty McClure as a kind, peaceful man. They aren't aware that when he was young, he plumbed the depths of terror, hatred and despair with no assurance he'd ever surface again. Now he needs to reveal what happened in Vietnam and how, with the help of his wife, Patti, Corrie Corrigan, a disabled vet, and Doc Matheson, a corpsman turned trauma surgeon, he makes peace with the ghosts that have visited his dreams all these years.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781682475065, B08C31Y763

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 379