I'll Lend You My Daddy by Becky King

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MWSA Review

I’ll Lend You My Daddy, written by Becky King and illustrated by Valerie Valdivia, is an exceptional book that addresses military deployment from the point of view of the child whose loved one is absent. Suitable for young children—and fun to read for grown-ups—the book explores activities that the service member is missing (birthdays, holidays, school plays), activities the child can engage in (letter writing, care packages, phone conversations), emotions the child is experiencing (sadness, longing, pride, joy) while also representing the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.

The rhyming text presents a simple meter that is easy and fun to read, with rhyme schemes that fit the age level of the child. Illustrations are appealing, eye-catching, and detailed enough to allow the child to make discoveries along the way. Words and illustrations are laid out on the page so that they flow from one thought to the next.

While this book is a must-read for young children experiencing the deployment of a parent, it would also make a great read-aloud selection for all young school children to build appreciation for the sacrifices made by military families. It would be a great addition to every school library. 

Review by Betsy Beard (January 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

A heartwarming story of love, courage, and comfort during deployment for military families with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. In I'll Lend You My Daddy, young boys and girls find ways to manage feelings about deployment (from goodbyes, to the first night, to missed birthdays) as they eagerly await their fathers' return. Through the support of family and friends, care packages and calls, these children grow strong with the knowledge of what it means to serve, generating pride from within, that makes glorious reunions all the more sweet by book's end.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1733663038, 978-1733663014, B08165T151
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 32

Youth In Asia by Allen Tiffany

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MWSA Review
A.L. Tiffany’s novella covering a short period of time in the jungles of Vietnam conveys a story of young men living in an environment where they age quickly. While the men are young in age, they soon learn they must make mature decisions or suffer deadly consequences. The author describes combat patrols with enough detail to place the reader in the scene and at the same time keep the story moving at a good pace. Readers get to know the characters through few words and empathize with the main character, a corporal leading a squad in combat based on his limited experience patrolling the demilitarized zone in Korea. Tiffany portrays young men involved in an unpopular conflict hoping to stay alive long enough to get back home. This story is highly recommended for a realistic glimpse into the lives of young American infantrymen fighting in Vietnam as told by a thoughtful soldier and storyteller.

Review by Valerie Ormond (February 2020)

Author's Synopsis

Corporal Jacobs came to the war in Vietnam in late 1967 from the DMZ in Korea. He was a smart, thoughtful young leader who would do anything to accomplish his mission and keep his men alive. Assigned to the bloodied 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade recovering from their vicious battles around Dak To, the proud 173rd was refitting and filling with new troops. Little did the Brigade know that massive formations of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers were streaming toward them through the jungles and forests of the Central Highlands as they descended on coastal cities such as Hue and turned south toward Saigon in preparation for the brutal slaughter known as the Tet Offensive of 1968. One patrol, one night, one mistake, and Jacobs and his men will be on their own in a cataclysm of violence and confusion. Jacobs will find out if he is ready to lead men in combat, and for those of his team that survive, the price will be too high. This novel is really a thank you to the officers and men who trained me. Most were Vietnam veterans. So I have donated half of all revenue earned on this book to organizations that help our veterans and their families (such as the Wounded Warrior Project and the VFW Home for Children). So far, with a partial match from my employer, I have been able to donate about $2,500.

ISBN/ASIN: 1511453451 / B00V6WXVF2
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 88

Vietnam Photographs From North Carolina Veterans - The Memories They Brought Home by Martin Tucker

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MWSA Review

Most people have heard "a picture tells a thousand words," but that doesn't do the pictures in Martin Tucker's book justice. Born from a vision to heal North Carolina veterans, this book has grown to a full-fledged treatment for those who are suffering from unseen wounds in any state. 

The pictures run the gamut from behind the lines to R&R to combat (although there is very little blood), and perfectly capture the Vietnam experience, especially for infantry and ground combat types. The photos themselves are excellently balanced between color footage and raw black and white images. The captions, too, range from short, impactful statements to longer comments filled with humor or amplifying details.  The book itself is very professional, and both the pictures and the text would be well received by any veteran of that war.

Very well done, start to finish, Vietnam Photographs From North Carolina Veterans belongs on every Vietnam vet's bookshelf.

Review by Rob Ballister (January 2020)

Author's Synopsis

"Vietnam Photographs From North Carolina Veterans - The Memories They Brought Home" is based on a national traveling exhibition of photographs - and recollections - taken by Vietnam veterans during their tours. Curated by Vietnam-era veteran and award-winning photojournalist Martin Tucker, the book is the first time the veteran's personal images have been published. Finally, it is their opportunity to "show what they couldn't say". The original exhibition is now in the permanent collection of the North Carolina Museum of History.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 9781467142199
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Photo Book
Number of Pages: 192

Finnian's Key by Frank Lester

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Author's Synopsis

Kona moves to Finnian’s Key to restart his life, seduced by narcissist Benson Elliott’s wager: live in their lighthouse a year and win $1,000,000. Instead of an easy payoff, he becomes ensnared in Elliott’s subterfuge to launder illicit drug money through the village. Elliott’s success rests on finding the village’s missing 260-year-old deed, his only obstacle, Mary McClinton, the last descendant of the village’s founder. Kona falls in love with Mary, disrupting Elliott’s meticulous plans. Desperate and driven by a deeper ancestral objective, Elliott abducts Mary at gunpoint. Kona must join forces with spectral visitors from the distant past in a final effort to foil Elliott’s evil designs and free Mary from his clutches.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 978-1796058789, 978-1796058772, ASIN: BO7YDCJWWK
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 278

Off the Hook: How Forgiving You Frees Me by Dana Tibbitts & Patti Goldberg

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MWSA Review
The subject of forgiveness has been written about since the earliest days of communication, as in the old Christian Bible stories. Authors Dana Tibbitts and Patti Goldberg, take a refreshing look from their own religious and spiritual points of view, but use plenty of biblical scripture and stories to illustrate their insights. 

They deliver an overall message of love and hope for recovery from our own unhappiness caused by holding onto old hurts and feelings. Their message is about healing and moving forward and freeing yourself from the past. It is done in both an entertaining and inspired way and avoids getting too preachy. It is written for the normal average reader, easy to read and digest. 

Their book is a helpful tool for getting yourself unstuck and "Off the Hook" so you can grow spiritually and emotionally. Most Christian readers will find value in including this book in their personal library.

 Review by Bill McDonald (February 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

 SO YOU THINK YOU'VE FORGIVEN? THINK AGAIN. Is there something you’ve inadvertently picked up along the way that’s sucking the life out of you? Stealing your peace? Has you stuck? Stuck happens. Much as we think we’ve moved on, hard things have a way of taking root in the heartscape of our lives. Off the Hook shares real life stories of real people who had no idea they were still captive to past hurts—until they walked through deep forgiveness! This way of forgiveness offers healing and freedom you never thought possible. It’s about the power of truly letting go—taking old pain patterns and people off your hook, for your sake, not theirs. No longer hemmed in by the burden of deep hurt, loss and offense, you are free at last to soar above it. Discover what no one has told you about the forgiveness power tool—what it is, what it is not, and how to do it. Rewrite the ending to your true story by retrieving the wellbeing and destiny God has for you.

ISBN/ASIN: 0985097833, 978-0985097837
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Religious/Spiritual
Number of Pages: 212

Point: Wilderness War in Vietnam and Cambodia- A Memoir by Jamie Thompson

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MWSA Review

Jamie Thompson’s Point, Wilderness War in Vietnam and Cambodia is a unique insight into a combat infantryman’s experience in Vietnam.

Walking point (leading a patrol, platoon, or company), could be the most dangerous job in Vietnam. Sergeant Jamie Thompson doesn’t avoid such duty, he craves it. To him, he has never felt so focused, so alive, as when leading his unit through Vietnam or Cambodia. After he is wounded, he must decide if he can overcome his fear and return to the job he loves, and to the men he feels sworn to teach and protect.

The author has an extraordinary memory, and relays his entire army experience in vivid detail. The book is very technically well written and Thompson does a very good job of mixing combat field experience with tales of fun and camaraderie in the rear areas. This is the grunt’s perception, no strategy or heavy moral points, just survival and love of one another in combat.

I especially enjoyed how the author’s upbringing was reflected in his memoir. His father always taught him to “do the right thing,” and that was clear in his writing. He had several chances to make it easy on himself, but instead took care of his men and his mission first.

Any Vietnam grunt, especially one who was wounded, will appreciate this story and relate. Also, anyone interested in the Vietnam experience because of a family member will learn more about what their loved one endured in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

Review by Rob Ballister (February 2020)

Author's Synopsis

 Jamie Thompson arrived in Vietnam in April 1970, as a newly minted sergeant E-5. In his first month in-country, he became the straight-leg infantry squad leader of 1st Squad, 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 5th of the 7th, 1st Cavalry Division (Air Mobile), serving in that capacity until he was wounded in Cambodia during the Incursion two months later. Following a three-month recuperation, he rejoined his squad in the field. During all but his first few weeks in the field he walked point whenever his squad had the duty. Upon discharge in 1971, he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, and other ribbons and medals from both the U.S. and South Vietnamese governments.

Between 1967 and 1986 he had seven freelance articles published in Chicago suburban newspapers, VFW Magazine and the Chicago Tribune. In 2000, he published an article on mining law in the Great Plains Natural Resources Journal, a law review of the University of South Dakota School of Law. Also in 2000, he graduated from the USD School of Law with a JD degree and remains a member of the bar in SD. He edited and wrote the environmental assessment and management plan for the Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon-Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area; in 2004 this plan won the BLM Director’s “Four C’s Award” and the “Federal Plan of the Year Award” from The American Planning Association.

In 2007 he retired from federal service, mostly with the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. In 2015, after a twelve-year battle, his wife Nancy died of breast cancer. Jamie now lives in the Reno, Nevada, area near his daughter and her family.

ISBN/ASIN: Kindle E-book ASIN: B07Y5Q4JJS, Paperback ISBN: 9781692848842, ASIN: 1692848844
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 506

African American Women Warrant Officers - The New Trailblazers by Farrell Chiles

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MWSA Review
African American Women Warrant Officers shows a fascinating aspect of the modern military. A collection of biographies, the individual stories document how much has changed over the last 70 years, in general and for African American women in particular. The various paths these women took to find and follow their military careers was interesting to ponder. Their wide-ranging accomplishments, despite or because of serious obstacles, were at times astounding. The author/editor did a great service in gathering these inspiring stories.

The book is primarily a collection, with each biography provided by the Warrant Officers themselves, the military, or family (in the case of the deceased). The uneven quality of writing that results is understandable. Unfortunately, the inconsistency in punctuation, spelling and format at times interfered with reading. The photos are also collected from a variety of sources, and some were distorted in layout.

Anyone interested in the changing culture pioneered by these vitally-important members of our nation's military will be interested in the stories in this book.

 Review by Barb Evenson (March 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

African American Women Warrant Officers The New Trailblazers pays tribute to women who have served in the military as Warrant Officers. These unique women have made tremendous contributions to our country and continue to achieve excellence in their careers. This book highlights their contributions and shares HerStories and accomplishments. Whether in the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard or Reserves, each biographical profile reflects the outstanding leadership exhibited by these trailblazing women. There is a ancient African proverb that says, "Until the Lions have their own historians, then the hunt will always glorify the hunter". African American Women Warrant Officers are ensuring that history includes them by telling HerStories. These African American Women Warrant Officers did not hesitate to provide their biographies. Thus, this book is the first chapter of many more books to come. Until HerStory is told, history is incomplete.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-64718-008-9
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference
Number of Pages: 280

Alone In The Light by Benjamin W. Bass

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MWSA Review
The first thing that grabs the reader is the use of two first-person narrators, which allows us to see and feel opposing perspectives of the story. These narrators are equally strong and emerge as equally developed characters. Yet the narrator voices are distinct and believable with one male and one female. They are so believable we must remind ourselves this is fiction. Through the male narrator Josh, the author allows us to experience his PTSD without frill or melodrama. It’s not pretty, it’s sometimes brutal, but it’s real and alive in our face. Through the female narrator Mary, we experience the impact of Josh’s new reality on others. It’s also not pretty, but it’s so human that we relate and cry and get mad and become irritated just as Mary does.

Supporting characters are well done also: Josh’s brother Bill who loves in spite of Josh’s spite, the fragility of friend Tim, the quirkiness of temporary girlfriend Carrie, the coldness of the moms, the warmth of Mary’s dad, the inhumanity of Adam the dick and even the concern of Charlotte the art teacher. Every character in the story brings depth to the story and adds a different perspective, adds complexity.

The next thing that grabs us are the worlds colliding. The author starts with how the world changes for Josh and Mary after Josh loses his leg. Then we see how the world changes for people after seeing combat and how their former worlds back home do not. We see how the military world, especially that of a wounded vet, careens into the civilian world of holiday dinners and parties. We come to live in the internal worlds of Josh and Mary as they struggle to make sense of what is and is not happening. This collision of worlds is perfectly accentuated by the shifting back and forth between the voices of two narrators, the time of both past and present, and the locations of Indiana and Iraq. Sometimes this shifting is confusing. The author uses subheadings to help us keep track of who is talking and where we are.

The craft of the story is subtle, simple beauty. The Prologue is sheer poetry with its details of the mundane, to the horror of getting blown up, to the emergence of a new world: “I open my mouth and it is filled with the saltwater tang of the blackness flooding me. I feel like I am drowning. I fear I am dead. There is a light. It is everywhere. It is all around me. I am alone.” This imagery of light emerges throughout in different contexts.

The writing remains honest, straightforward, and fluid—no straining after metaphors, no overwriting. This might be one of the best books about a post-traumatic reaction. It's a powerful story, compelling, wrenching, and finally uplifting.

Review by Gail Summers (February 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

6,000 miles away from the explosion in Iraq that took his leg, Josh Carpenter struggles to reclaim his former life as a college student. Mary Fischer, a civilian for the first time in years, strikes out on her own to create a new, independent life away from the army, and her controlling mother. The last time Josh saw Mary, his National Guard unit was leaving Camp Wolf, headed north to the war in Iraq. The last time Mary saw Josh, he was unconscious, covered in blood, and headed for a hospital in Germany. On the campus of Indiana University, Josh and Mary's paths move ever closer to a reunion that could help ease the nightmares and heal old wounds... or make them worse.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-7332786-0-7, 978-1-7332786-1-4
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 340

God, Family, Freedom by John Stoeffler & Linda D. Stoeffler - Cover Illustrator

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MWSA Review

God, Family, Freedom by John Stoeffler is filled with dozens of poems that reflect on his family, life, and experiences. Some made me laugh, some brought a tear to my eye, but all were worth reading. The poems told stories, taught lessons, and asked questions. Easy to read, I felt like I was almost in the room with the author, and he was reading me the poems. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who likes to read family-centered patriotic poetry.

Review by Bob Doerr (January 2020)

MWSA's evaluation found a number of technical problems (misspellings, grammar, punctuation, or capitalization) as well as other problems in one or more of the following evaluation areas: content, style, and/or visual. This normally indicates a need for further editing.

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Author's Synopsis

The cover of God, Family, Freedom is from a picture painted by my artist wife. It is inspirational, and I believe reflects the title of the book. One reader described my poetry as "Kind, heartfelt, and, at times heartbreaking." Accompanying each poem is a picture that ties in with and adds to the story each poem relates.

Some poems will make the reader laugh or smile while others may bring a tear to the reader's eye as they are so moved by the story. One example of this is the poem "The Old Veteran." "I AM AMERICA" a patriotic look at the sacrifice many who served from Bunker Hill through today. It is the opening poem in the book and one in which I am most proud. "A bad day at Bong Son" is the true story of the heroic efforts of then 19 year old Bobby Pridmore who risked his life in an attempt to save the life of a downed helicopter pilot. Any parent who has watched their daughter getting married will relate to the feelings expressed in the poem "You'll always be my little girl." Another poem, "Instinct, friendship or love" is the true story of two dogs that will touch one's heart. Virtually every poem will have meaning as they relate to many of life's experiences.

To paraphrase the words of an ad I can recall, get the book and "Read it, you'll like it!"

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1987-03976-4 Book
Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book
Number of Pages: 171

Seven Wings to Glory by Kathleen M. Rodgers

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MWSA Review
Author Kathleen Rodgers has gotten her writing wings—this book flies and soars with great storytelling that is both entertaining and inspiring. She takes the storyline and weaves into it just enough mystical stuff to make the book sing and dance. Seven Wings to Glory, which is the author's third novel, is also her best to date. She has been growing her literary talent and is flying with the best of novelists.

She takes on the subject of racism and hate but doesn't pound the reader with a long lecture; she takes us down a more compassionate road that feels like a happy ending and a new understanding, thus giving a negative character a chance at redemption so that all of us can cheer the life lessons involved.

Her lead character Johnnie Kitchen is not a perfect cookie-cutter heroine. She has some flaws. She is a human being and that makes the story work even better. The book will make you smile at times, cry a lot, ponder the meaning of life, but always entertain you. Loved this book! I fully recommend this to all adult readers. Both men and women will enjoy this masterfully told from the heart story.

Review by Bill McDonald (February 2020)
 

Author's Synopsis

Johnnie Kitchen is finally living her dream, attending college and writing a column for the local paper. She adores her husband Dale and chocolate Labrador Brother Dog, and they reside in a comfortable home in the small town of Portion in North Texas. Their three children are thriving and nearly grown. But Johnnie is rattled when her youngest boy Cade goes to fight in Afghanistan. The less frequent his emails, the more she frets for his safety. On the home front, Johnnie learns that Portion is not the forward-thinking town she believed. A boy Cade’s age, inflamed by a liberal bumper sticker and the sight of Johnnie’s black friend Whit, attacks them with the N-word and a beer bottle. After Johnnie writes about the incident in her column, a man named Roosevelt reaches out with shameful stories from Portion’s untold history. More tears and triumphs will follow, as Johnnie’s eyes are opened to man’s capacity for hate and the power of love and forgiveness. The sequel to Johnnie Come Lately.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 978-1603815994, ASIN: B06XPQ5SKF, ISBN-13: 978-1432844806 (library binding large print)
Book Format(s): Soft cover, ePub/iBook
Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 304

I Am Jack and I Am Awesome by Dennis Jones

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MWSA Review

The author of I Am Jack and I Am Awesome is a cat, and the subtitle—The World As Seen Through My Eyes—offers the reader fair warning that this is no ordinary book. Jack's human assistant, Dennis A. Jones, may have helped a bit with the typing, but the message is all cat. And while we human readers may classify the book's contents as meant for older children and young adults, cat owners of all ages will fall in love with Jack the Cat. From his days as a nameless stray, fighting for survival in the household of an old woman with more cats than she can handle, to becoming the cherished member of his chosen forever family, Jack provides daily glimpses into the secret life of the family pet.

The descriptions are not always pretty, and some of Jack’s language may be too explicit for younger readers. Jack picks mouse hair from between his teeth, suffers embarrassing digestive disorders caused by a catch-as-catch-can diet in the wild, endures a scary visit to the vet and his long needle, and agonizes over what’s meant by "getting fixed." But not all his days are unpleasant. He finds a new mom and dad, makes friends with a huge black dog, and discovers a real talent for using his paws and nose to control the TV set in his new home. His ingenuity even allows him to build a hidden set of cat “condos” in the undersides of the furniture.

As a grown-up cat, he discovers new details about the foibles of his humans. He experiences grief with the loss of his best friend and slowly learns to welcome the addition of a new member of the family. But unlike many books for younger readers, Jack's tale never tries to teach a lesson at the expense of his story. With unwavering honesty, Jack is always the cat—self-confident, cocky, impossible to embarrass, convinced of his own immortality, and always awesome.

Have fun with this one! 

Review by Carolyn Schriber (January 2020)

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Author's Synopsis

This exciting memoir is written by a new and up and coming young author, named Jack. Jack is actually a very smart feline that learned how to use the computer while watching his human companion surf the internet. Once he mastered the keyboard, he knew that he must tell his story. Jack's treatise is a fast paced adventure through the many exciting things that have happened in his life. He also introduces the reader to the various personalities that he has met along the path of his life, and provides his observation of what he considers human weirdness. The reader will experience the ups and downs, the speed bumps, opportunities and the challenges that Jack has faced and overcome. While in the end, all of Jack's very positive dreams materialize, and he ends up living the life of the rich and famous. He is Jack and he is awesome.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-945834-09-7
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)
Number of Pages: 174

All Present and Accounted For by Steven Craig

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MWSA Review
For those who don’t know much about the United States Coast Guard, All Present and Accounted For fills a void by explaining some of the history of the branch of service as well as detailing the harrowing near-death experience of the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Jarvis in 1972 when it was in danger of sinking with all hands. 

The Preface sets the stage by adding context to the time frame in which the story takes place. Part One tells the story of the man for whom the cutter was named, an interesting side trail that could be a book in its own right and shows the kind of heroics that result in a ship being named for you. Introductory chapters in Part Two include information about Frederick Wooley, who captained the ship during its time of near annihilation, and a general discussion of Coast Guard history along with the particulars of the building of the high-endurance cutter that became the subject of this book. Those of us who know little about the Coast Guard also get a glimpse of the commissioning ceremony for USCGC Jarvis in Hawaii, before the cutter leaves for its first Alaska Patrol in September of 1972. 

What follows, however, is the type of sea tale that can keep you on the edge of your seat as Craig tells the hour-by-hour account of the blinding snowstorm, high seas, and tempestuous winds that result in damage to the ship—leaving it without power and being driven toward the rocks of Akutan Island, Alaska. Although the final result (spoiler alert is the book’s title) was known, I found myself caring about the crew members, following their thoughts, cringing at their hardships, and wondering if the cutter itself would survive or sink.

History buffs will find plenty of footnotes, documentation, and appendices. More casual readers will enjoy the well-written account which includes quotes and remembrances of the men who served on the Jarvis during this ordeal. Although the maps were somewhat small, I enjoyed using maps online to zoom in on particular areas and follow the voyage in its larger context.  

 Review by Betsy Beard (February 2020)

Author's Synopsis

 IT WAS LATE NOVEMBER – one of the coldest periods to be on a ship near Alaska. The Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis had run aground during a severe storm and was taking on water. The engine room flooded, disabling the engines. Mountainous seas and gale force winds pounded the Jarvis, and to make matters worse, the ship was floating toward a rocky coastline that would surely destroy it and probably kill most, if not all, of the men. The ship’s captain ordered an emergency message be sent to the Seventeenth Coast Guard District Office in Juneau requesting Coast Guard assistance. But there were no Coast Guard assets near enough to provide immediate help. At 7:04 pm, for one of the few times in Coast Guard history, a MAYDAY call for help would come from a Coast Guard vessel. This is the incredible story of the grounding and near sinking of the USCGC Jarvis and how her crew fought to save their ship – and themselves – from disaster.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781555719647
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 278

Seasons Of My Military Student: Practical Ideas for Parents and Teachers by Amanda Trimillos and Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman

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MWSA Review

Amanda Trimillos and Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman, Air Force wives and experts in the professional development of teachers working with military-connected students, described the Seasons of Transition™ approach to empower parents and teachers to help children face the challenges of military life. Their guidebook, Seasons of My Military Student: Practical Ideas for Parents and Teachers, offers a lens into the world through the military child’s eyes, making sense of what military children say and do, and provides parents and teachers pragmatic and innovative ways to help these children thrive in their ever-changing environment. Their writing breaks down complicated psychological concepts, making them easy to read and comprehend, allowing for easy implementation. The book is comprised of a unique blend of research, evidence-based practices and proven techniques, and personal accounts from parents and educators. It’s a must-have, how-to manual for new parents, caregivers or teachers of military-connected children, and a refresher course with updated, modernized ideas for seasoned parents and teachers who want to bolster their repertoire of strategies and systems to help their children and students achieve success. I think this book should be given out to all new arrivals at every military installation.

Review by Kris Patterson (April 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 Military kids face a constant cycle of challenges, like a parent’s deployment or moving to a new home. Changing schools means more than making new friends again. New curriculum and graduation requirements, lack of history with coaches and teachers, unfamiliar classroom environments, and other changes make it hard for military kids of all ages to stay on track from grade to grade and school to school. Seasons of My Military Student: Practical Ideas for Parents and Teachers is a guidebook to help parents and educators work together to support military-connected students as they experience moves, deployments, and other challenges of military life, from kindergarten to high school graduation. Through research, professional experience, and first-hand perspectives from military families and educators, the authors of Seasons of My Military Student provide insights and strategies to support military-connected students. With these tools, parents and educators can work together to cultivate resilience and continuity for their students in any circumstance of military life. In clear, easy-to-follow steps, this book provides: Tools to help kids through transitions Guidance for parent-teacher communication Tips for keeping up with student records Activities for home and classroom

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-934617-42-7
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference
Number of Pages: 111

Winged Brothers by Ernest Snowden

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MWSA Review

Winged Brothers: Naval Aviation as Lived by Ernest and Macon Snowden is American history of interest to a specialized audience. Much of this history is not new, but it is nicely packaged with the never-before-published biographies of two U.S. Naval Aviators whose careers overlapped from before World War II until the Vietnam War. Neither of the main characters rose to flag rank on active duty, but the story of why they did not get that promotion informs the readers about the inner workings of the U.S. Navy. In the case of Ernest Snowden, after an exemplary combat career, apparently he was selected but at the last minute, his name was removed from the flag list to make room for a returning Vietnam prisoner of war. However, he was permitted to voluntarily retire with the rank of rear admiral.

In Winged Brothers, we learn what traits mattered in these two brother’s careers. First, both brothers loved and were highly skilled in piloting aircraft. Second, they embraced and found their identity in the traditions and ceremonies of the naval service. Third, they had an aptitude for combat. All traits that made for a successful career that exemplifies those who rose to the rank of captain from the mid-1930s until the late 1970s.

Sea duty and combat flying were not the only traits that these brothers recognized as necessary for success. They were both leaders who had a genuine concern for the sailors, airmen, and junior officers under their supervision. They also were confident in their decision-making and were tough disciplinarians. Naval aviators at the time were known for “…an abundance of confidence, aggressiveness, and bravura…” – exemplified by an attitude of kick the tires, light the fires, brief on guard.

The book emphasizes the naval doctrine of offensive warfare from aircraft carriers, which served it well during the Pacific War. The reader is shown how the loss of American battleships at Pearl Harbor was overcome by the ingenuity of men like the Snowden brothers, who did what had to be done to win battles, operations, and the war. The author does an excellent job with the interplay of tactical level actions, the operational level, and the strategic levels of war. It was men like these that overcame Japanese naval aviators, the vast majority of which were enlisted men who followed inexperienced but senior commissioned officers to their death.

World War II was won by reservists. The regular forces could not field the army or the navy that was needed to defeat the Axis powers. Naval aviators, like the Snowden brothers, were less concerned with commissioning sources, pedigrees, and rank as they were with appreciating basic airmanship and aggressiveness as the most important factors required for success in aerial combat.

Winged Brothers is not a biography, but it is history with biography added in. These two officers’ stories are those of senior line officers who played important roles on staffs where they applied their combat lessons to briefings and presentations to more senior officer and congressional committee members. Both brothers were damaged by Washington politics where advocating concepts not unanimously endorsed within the Navy, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, or in Congress did not always win the day.

These two men were not faultless – a refreshing change to the traditional military history or biography. It is only later in the story that the author admits that hard drinking, partying, and failed marriages may have also played a factor in the brothers’ plateauing careers. Many successful naval aviators partied hard, drank to excess, and had difficulty in balancing the skills needed for a successful marriage with those needed in combat. Finally, as time and society moved on but Macon did not grow out of his “Old Navy” attitudes, his senior’s notations on being “brusque and blunt” were found on a less-than-stellar fitness report. The damage was done. Mac was able to continue his service to the nation and naval aviation in capacities outside that of being a commissioned officer.

There are some rather lengthy sentences that may slow down the reader already confused by naval jargon. The average naval aviator will have no problems with these minor flaws in the beginning of the book.

Excellent workmanship by both the author and the Naval Institute Press. A well-researched book, there is ample documentation in notes, an extensive bibliography, an index, and an abbreviated author’s biography that does not do justice to the author’s own distinguished career. Highly recommended.

Review by Jim Tritten (March 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 Winged Brothers recounts the service exploits of two brothers over more than forty years of naval aviation history in both peace and war. They were deeply committed to each other and to advancing their chosen profession, but due to the vast difference in their ages and the fourteen years between their respective graduations from the U.S. Naval Academy, they experienced carrier aviation from very different perspectives. The older brother, Ernest, entered naval aviation in an era of open-cockpit biplanes when the Navy’s operations from aircraft carriers were still taking form, when Fleet Problems were still the primary means of determining aviation’s warfighting utility and proving its merits to the fleet. Macon’s story guides the reader through the Navy’s transition from piston-engine aircraft to jets. For the entirety of their time in uniform, the one constant was a close fraternal bond that saw Ernest as mentor and Macon as devoted admirer and protégé, only to see those roles recede as the younger brother’s achievements transcended those of the older brother. Through personal letters, official reports, first-hand accounts, and first-person interviews, their symbiotic relationship is revealed to the reader.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-68247-296-5
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 222

My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere by Jesse Franklin

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MWSA Review

On any given day, thousands of US military servicemen and women are deployed around the globe.  Over two million have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan over the last decade, and about half of those have deployed more than once.  That equates to countless days and nights spent away from home—often more than a year at a time.  Inevitably, the repeated and prolonged absences of so many fathers and mothers leads to stress, anxiety, and a feeling of loss at home.  Although they don't fully understand what's going on, the youngest members of these military families are still very much aware that there has been a dramatic change in their lives.

It is for this reason that author Jesse Franklin and illustrator Tahna Desmond Fox's My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere is so timely. Using a series of short declarative sentences and a matching set of well-executed drawings of military fathers in various locales and settings, the book allows young children to imagine where their daddies might be sleeping on any particular night.  Each drawing includes a black and white cutout of the sleeping father, so that children can put their own father "in the picture." 

During these early, formative years, these young ones aren't yet ready to understand—much less worry about—what Daddy's work might entail.  But by concentrating on where he might be sleeping (instead of what he's doing), the parent can share a comforting look at the varied locations where Daddy might be laying his head at night.  In the end, they'll appreciate that, of all the places where he might be sleeping while he's away, his favorite is at home with his family. 

My Daddy Sleeps Everywhere will appeal to military families with children one-to-five years old having a father who spends large stretches of time away from home on deployment.

Review by John Cathcart (April 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

As military families tuck in for the night, their thoughts often turn to daddies who can’t always be home. This children’s military deployment book shows some of the many places daddy sleeps while he is away. In this wonderful story, daddy travels to every clime and place including the mountains, the prairie, the jungle, and everywhere in between. Though daddy’s particular location and sleeping arrangements are constantly changing, one thing never does. No matter how far daddy is from home, home is never far from his mind.
 

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-938505-25-6
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover
Genre(s): Picture Book
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40

Sins of the Fathers by Joseph Badal

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MWSA Review

When I finished Death Ship, the fifth in the Danforth Saga, Bob Danforth retired again and I didn’t suspect that I’d soon have the pleasure of reading book six, Sins of Our Fathers.

If, like me, you’ve read the previous adventures of the Danforths, you most likely consider Bob and Liz, their son Michael, his wife Mariana and son Robbie as good friends. Bob Danforth may be retired but when his family and his former boss need help, he answers the call.

Joseph Badal develops real-to-life characters and intricate plots revolving around perilous scenarios. He takes us across America, the Middle East and Mexico in search of terrorists. From kidnappings, terrorist attacks and the Mexican cartel, Badal takes us into the innards of timely, and believable, threats to peace.

If you like thrillers, I highly recommend the entire Danforth series. Badal meets the challenge of sustaining freshness and his trademark adventure and suspense.

Reviewed by Pat McGrath-Avery (April 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

The Danforth family returns in this sixth edition of the Danforth Saga. Sins of the Fathers takes the reader on a tension-filled journey from a kidnapping of Michael and Robbie Danforth in Colorado, to America’s worst terrorist-sponsored attacks, to Special Ops operations in Mexico, Greece, Turkey, and Syria. This epic tale includes political intrigue, CIA and military operations, terrorist sleeper cells, drug cartels, and action scenes that will keep you pinned to the edge of your seat.
Joseph Badal’s 12th novel is complex, stimulating, and un-put-down-able. You will love his heroes and hate his villains, and you will root for the triumph of good over evil.
 This is fiction as close to reality as you will ever find.

ISBN/ASIN: B0764KCDR8
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 399
 

Wonderful Flying Machines by Barrett Beard

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MWSA Review

This well-written book is not just an interesting read; it is both historic and inspiring. It delivers insight into how a few special people (American Exceptionalism) changed history for the better, and how they paid a high price for doing the right thing, for disrupting the status quo.

The history of aviation progress followed that model: the Wright Brothers with their bicycle shop and Glen Curtiss with his reliable engines and better designs. The small band of Navy officers (Admirals Byrd and Moffit, and Commander George Noville) who set records and brought aviation to the fleet were similar. There was General Billy Mitchell, who was court-martialed for daring to show that his ragtag bombers could sink battleships. Names like Jimmy Doolittle and Kelly Johnson also come to mind.
The first part of the book writes this history, featuring Captain Frank Erickson and Captain William Kossler. This is the history of helicopters. The research is extensive, built on several failed efforts to tell the tale, and hundreds of cited documents and interviews.
The book starts small and personal. Lt. Erickson was the duty officer at Pearl Harbor on December 7th. The first bombs came down at 0753 and the world changed. Erickson witnessed the deaths of more than two thousand men within a radius of a mile and a half, and he watched helplessly as thousands more wounded and oil-covered victims struggled ashore. His immediate duty was flying patrols in the few planes that survived the raid—unarmed J2F and JRS scout planes. He felt helpless, but his greatest fear was not the war itself. It was that its duration would keep him in the Pacific, unable to pursue his dream of a way to rescue victims at sea, using helicopters.

It proved to be a long and rocky road. The helicopters of the era were barely able to fly. They had some promise for ASW work but could not hope to sink a submarine even if they found one. The war was over before they managed to show that helicopters with dipping sonar could track the best German submarines, XXIs with a submerged speed of 15 knots in 1946.
Unfortunately, that demonstration ended with the helicopter “getting dunked.” It didn’t have enough power to stop its descent to the deck of an LST. Both the copter and the sonar gear were lost. Rescue demonstrations were also spotty. Hydraulic hoists helped, but a heavy “victim” was about as likely to pull the copter down as the converse. A long dry spell followed, save for things like MASH in Korea and one critical Coast Guard mission. Helicopters proved indispensable for icebreakers. Ship’s captains would not give them up, and in at least one case, Byrd’s “High Jump” December 1946 mission, a single helicopter might have saved an entire fleet from the worst pack ice in Antarctic history or at least prevented the mission from being canceled.

Then came Vietnam, with its incredible stories of rescues of downed airmen under heavy fire behind enemy lines. To me, these stories were the best part of the book. The only chance of survival or avoiding horrific treatment in a POW camp came from helicopters. The NVA used our downed airmen as bait to target rescue aircraft. The rescuers came anyway. No one was abandoned. This was perhaps the brightest part of the American Vietnam experience, one marked by impossible rescues like BAT-21 (the greatest losses) and Spectre-22 (the most people rescued).

What’s missing from this book is the Army’s airmobile story which centered on helicopters. That changed the nature of war, but this book’s focus is on the Coast Guard. It convincingly makes the case that it was the Coast Guard that inspired, wet nursed, and nurtured the helicopter. Without that, the rest of this history would not have happened. Thus, the book’s focus is on copters as “fishers of men,” as lifesaving tools “that others may live.”
The book notes that the 42% of the U.S. Navy’s crews operate helicopters. That surprised me. What surprised me more was that only 29% of U.S. Army aircraft are attack helicopters. So perhaps it is true that helicopters did do more “saving” and “preventing” than “killing.” Interesting to ponder.

Is there anything I didn’t like about this book? The writing and editing is first rate, but I thought the production was substandard. I expected better from the prestigious Naval Institute Press. Better paper, larger fonts, a sharper cover. Small things, perhaps, but they make a difference.
I recommend the book.

Reviewed by John D. Trudel (April 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

The story of the helicopter and its creator, Igor Sikorsky, and chief promoter, a young Coast Guard lieutenant, Frank Erickson, closely parallels that of Wilber and Orville Wright and their first flying machine. A small cadre of courageous visionaries, joining with Erickson, also risked their lives and careers on a dream. Dubbed "Igor's Nightmare" the helicopter brought derision and ridicule on its few supporters. The pioneers' story demonstrates the problems encountered by the personalities involved and their eventual strengths in overcoming adversity and overwhelming opposition in developing the helicopter for naval service (Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard). Erickson, with his friend and mentor, Coast Guard Captain William Kossler, undaunted by their lack of support, fought with single-minded intensity to establish the helicopter as a vital aviation tool. Kossler died in the project's infancy leaving Erickson undefended to suffer in disgrace for nearly a decade following. However, Erickson endured and did live to see his efforts succeed when the helicopter revolutionized, among its many eventual tasks foreseen by him, the saving of millions of lives worldwide, Erickson's first dream.

ISBN/ASIN: 1-55750-086-X
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Biography, Reference
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 240
 

The Shadow Tiger: Billy McDonald, Wingman to Chennault by William C McDonald III

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MWSA Review

The Shadow Tiger, Wingman to Chennault by William C. McDonald III and Barbara L. Evenson is the story of the life of William C. “Billy” McDonald Jr., written by his son as a tribute to his father whom he calls an unsung hero, “a man who contributed to world history.”

I was attracted to this title because I was familiar with the name Chennault, as in U.S. Army Brigadier General Claire Lee Chennault, legendary founder of the Flying Tigers. To many of us, the name Flying Tigers conjures up images of painted Shark nosed P-40 Warhawks flown by a group of American volunteer pilots in China fighting against a much more modern Japanese Air Force that was invading China in 1936 before the beginning of World War II. However, that part of the story is not part of the narrative in this book which is a prelude to that glorious history.

This an excellent reference book on the life of one of the American volunteer pilots who helped Chennault from the beginning, training Chinese pilots to fly before and during World War II. The authors call it an attempt to “portray events, locales, and conversations from the letters, magazines, and first-hand stories available to us. We have relied on personal accounts where ever possible.”

Having been passed over for a promotion to lieutenant in his late twenties, McDonald along with a colleague and fellow member of a flying demonstration group (the Flying Trapezers), fellow pilot Sargent Luke Williamson, had to face the prospect of no further promotions in the Army. Captain Chennault, who had known them for years, advised them to take the offer of a Chinese Nationalist General Mow Pang-Tsu to teach Chinese pilots to fly, using advanced U.S. military techniques and American planes. 

A few months later, Chennault’s dispute over air war policy with the brass found him without prospects for promotion and retiring as a Captain to take a contract with China to go travel there and evaluate the Chinese Air Force.

There are many colorful historical figures that the American volunteers interacted with, the most famous being Madam Chaing Kai-shek, who became Chennault’s boss. Upon first meeting with Chennault in China “Madam Chaing expressed concern about Chennault’s rank as Captain, considering he would be dealing with admirals and generals.” Chennault made a reference to the prospect of asking a cousin, a former governor of the state to appoint him as a colonel in the state militia, and Madam Chaing said “that will do nicely.” So he attained the rank at that moment and there is no evidence of him being appointed to the state militia.

The book chronicles the period when they were training Chinese pilots under their contract with the Chinese Air Force. Billy McDonald’s exploits as Colonel Chennault’s right-hand man and advisor come into sharp focus, including his time as a ferry pilot carrying supplies.

The book is heavily illustrated with Cartoons, photos, and copies of letters from the day—so much that they seem to get in the way at times with the flow of the narrative. Once the reader gets used to the style it is easier to follow the flow. And all this information is relevant to setting the context and enriching the historical account.

For anyone interested in aviation history, especially American aviation history and World War II, this would be an invaluable book.

Reviewed by Ronald Wheatley (April 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

The Shadow Tiger: Billy McDonald, Wingman to Chennault is the story of a remarkable career, and a man who bore witness to some of the twentieth century’s historic events and pivotal characters. It traces Billy McDonald, Jr’s flying career beginning at  Maxwell AFB on "The Three Men on a Flying Trapeze" with Claire Chennault. Much of the book focuses on McDonald’s time in China where he worked  with Chennault to lay the foundation for the Flying Tigers, served as a combat pilot while  training the Chinese Air Force, and made hundreds of life saving flights through the Himalayas. Through McDonald’s own letters and photographs, readers will experience first-hand adventures including the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong, a spy mission to pick up Chennault in Japan, a harrowing landing in the middle of the Yangtze River, and countless flights ferrying world-famous passengers and high-value cargo for the China National Aviation Corporation.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-945333-05-7       978-1-945333-02-6
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 338
 

Love, Sweet to Spicy: A Corrales Writing Group Anthology by Chris Allen, John Atkins, Maureen Cooke, Sandi Hoover, Tom Neiman, Jim Tritten, and Pat Walkow

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MWSA Review

Erich Segal once wrote, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”  So, if you like anthologies, you won’t be sorry you read the Corrales Writing Group’s Love, Sweet to Spicy.  

This twenty tale collection is entertaining, diverse, and heart-wrenching at times.  The stories encompass aspects of love from all angles—love stories, long-term relationships, parent and child, lost love, and love for pets. There are plots twists that will surprise and delight.  Yarns that will make you laugh and cry. Some will take the reader back to memories of their own past relationships. Included are several collaborative efforts and a poem.

As an added bonus, the book is filled with New Mexican artwork in a variety of mediums.  Many of the authors have included their own compositions.

Due to MWSA guidelines, this review only covers those individual stories not already submitted in earlier editions.

MWSA Review by Sandi Cowper (March 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Love, Sweet to Spicy is a Corrales Writing Group anthology. It includes love tales: some true and some fabricated; romance between two adults; love between parent and child, and deep affection between a pet and owner. This volume offers the reader the opportunity to explore new love, long-standing love, and lost love. Ranging from sweet to slightly spicy, some stories are amusing, others are uplifting, and a few are heart-rending. The words within these pages offer a journey into love that touches both heart and soul. This work also includes several stories that were collaboratively written by at least two writers.
 

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1976074875
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Collections, Memoir, Single Poem, Young Adult
Review Genre: Collections—Anthology
Number of Pages: 284

Marcel's Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man's Fate by Carolyn Porter

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MWSA Review

Carolyn Porter is a highly trained and successful graphic designer, but from early in her career she harbored a secret desire to design a font based on a real person’s handwriting. For years she looked for old letters in antique shops, hoping to find a sample that would catch her eye. In the months after the destruction of the World Trade Center, her interest in such a project intensified. Then in an out-of-the-way little shop in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, she found a letter whose beautifully scrolled handwriting took her breath away. Out of a pile of the unknown writer’s correspondence, she picked four letters that contained the capital letters and numbers she would need to begin construction of her font.

She had, of course, under-estimated the amount of work building a font from scratchy marks on deteriorating paper might take. She started with tracings and pencil sketches and taught herself to use font-designing software. Months and years passed as she worked on one letter’s shape at a time. The font-designing urge eventually gave way to the pressures of day-to-day life. Some ten years later, she came across the letters again and resolved to make a renewed effort to recreate this handwriting as a font.

The letters were in French, which she could not read. Her early efforts had focused only on the individual letter-forms. But this time, something was different. She concentrated on the beautiful signature of the writer—Marcel. A few recognizable words convinced her that Marcel had written a love letter. And now she wanted to know more about the writer. She hired a translator to provide an English version of just one of the letters.

It was a crucial decision—one that set her on a three-year journey to find the man with the beautiful handwriting—the man who had written these letters while a conscripted laborer assigned to a German tank factory during World War II. She moved from curiosity to wanting to know more. The desire to know more soon became a need to know. Then the need became a full-blown obsession. She neglected her other jobs, ignored her husband, family, and friends, forgot to eat, and gave up trying to sleep. She spent countless hours writing letters of inquiry, reading about the German occupation of France, digging deep into genealogical sites, and pursuing official records. She found more letters and developed new leads. But would she ever find Marcel himself? And would she ever finish his font?

This is Ms. Porter’s story as well as Marcel’s. She tells it honestly and with deep emotion. She manages to balance the several strands of her adventures—the history lessons, the details of creating a font, the inner workings of her marriage, and the clues that point to the eventual outcomes. The reader will rejoice with her when things go well and cry with her when she faces discouragement. It’s a great story.

MWSA Reviewer Carolyn Schriber (March 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

A graphic designer’s search for inspiration leads to a cache of letters and the mystery of one man’s fate during World War II. Seeking inspiration for a new font design in an antique store in small-town Stillwater, Minnesota, graphic designer Carolyn Porter stumbled across some old letters and was immediately drawn to the beautifully expressive pen-and-ink handwriting. She could not read the letters—they had been written in French—but she noticed they had been signed by a man named Marcel and mailed from Berlin to France during the middle of World War II. As Carolyn grappled with designing the font, she decided to have one of Marcel’s letters translated. Reading words of love combined with testimony of survival inside a German labor camp transformed Carolyn’s curiosity into an obsession, and she sought to find out why the letter writer, Marcel Heuzé, had been in Berlin, how his letters came to be for sale in a store halfway around the world, and, most importantly, whether he returned to his beloved wife and daughters after the war. Marcel’s Letters is the story of Carolyn’s increasingly desperate search to find answers to the mystery of one man’s fate, answers that would come from Germany, France, and the United States. Simultaneously, she would continue to work on what would become the acclaimed font P22 Marcel Script, immortalizing the man and letters that waited years to be reunited with his family. Keywords: Non-fiction, France, WWII, Biography, French Forced Labor, Service du Travail Obligatoire, Daimler, Labor Camp, Graphic Design, Font Design, Typography, Love, Father, Reunion, History-Mystery
 

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1510719330
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Nonfiction, Creative Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Biography
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 352