Reflections of Valour by James Elsener

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MWSA Review Pending
Author James Elsener's Reflections of Valour relates the story of two young lovers—John and Brenda—who live in different worlds: she in the rarefied world of elite college and he in the Marine Corps. It is the middle of the Vietnam War, and as they learn more about each other, she prepares to graduate and John decides to re-enlist and continue his service to his country. He does not discuss his decision with Brenda before re-enlisting, and she is angry. They part with harsh words.

John's time in Vietnam is drawn well in this book. He is a forward observer operating in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). James Elsener takes the reader along on missions with John. The author allows us to feel the boredom, fear, and physical discomfort John and his comrades experienced. We come to understand how they relied on each other, liked each other, or just tolerated each other. And we are dismayed when a few months prior to his discharge, John is wounded—almost fatally—in combat.

More than two decades after John's tour of duty in the war, Brenda learns what happened to him. She finally understands why he re-enlisted. What happened to Brenda and John has probably happened to others who've fallen in love during wartime.

Reflections of Valour is a satisfying read and a reminder of Vietnam's horror. Its dual message of acceptance and closure will be understood by all whose love was interrupted by war.

Review by Patricia Walkow (February 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Reflections of Valour is an American story of untested lovers from opposite backgrounds during the tumultuous early days of the Vietnam War. Brenda enjoys the trappings of college and her wealthy suburban environment.  John Briggs is from a modest midwestern working class family.  The Marine Corps owns his loyalty.  When he is called to war, Briggs is torn between a sense of duty and having to leave behind the woman he loves.

In Vietnam, he emerges as a leader among the young troops trying to survive combat. The reader experiences the exhilaration, the boredom, the confusion, and the horrors of war.  Briggs becomes an artillery forward observer in the DMZ. After a fierce firefight he leaves the battlefield critically wounded.

Two decades after they said goodbye, Brenda learns why he was drawn to war and what happened to him afterward.  Reflections of Valour is a novel of love, peace and closure.  The Vietnam Wall serves as a backdrop for both the beginning and end of the story.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 978-1-949661-50-7, 978-1-949661-51-4

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 244

Please Write: A Novel by Janette Byron Stone

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MWSA Review
Please Write gives a wonderful view of the Vietnam War from the Australian point of view. The letters tie the thoughts of young servicemen in Vietnam with those of Catherine, left behind to come into adulthood in a strange time in Australian history. Vivid descriptions allow the reader to step into Catherine's shoes, feeling her desires and her pain. I highly recommend Please Write.

Review by Dawn Brotherton (February 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Catherine has lived a cloistered life dominated by the choices of a tormented mother and an overprotective grandmother. A summer job in Kings Cross, infamous for its mob controlled nightclubs, prostitutes and drugs, will change all that. Sydney has just opened its doors to American GIs on R&R from the war in Vietnam and Catherine is in the perfect place to meet them. Before long she finds herself charmed by the well mannered Americans, but when tragedy hits a target close to Catherine's heart she realizes her life is spinning out of control. Set in a time that continues to shape the course of history, this is Catherine's story of negotiating the lessons of Vietnam as one of those trapped in the spaces between her own personal struggle and an unpopular war.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13 9780578475240, ISBN-10 0578475240, ASIN B07P9ZQ1YV

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 306

Return to Saigon by Larry Duthie

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MWSA Review
Larry Duthie has given us a vivid and deeply moving account of his war in Vietnam and his personal journey to reconcile with it in Return to Saigon: A Memoir. Skillfully weaving together humor, raw honesty, sincere love for his brothers-in-arms, and painstaking attention to detail, Duthie paints a clear coming-of-age tale of his transformation from a high school student into a naval aviator, and eventually into a combat veteran seeking healing. Duthie’s memoir is outstanding and should be required reading for all those who are interested in the Vietnam War and in learning more about military conflict from a warrior’s perspective.

Review by Zita Ballinger Fletcher (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

The author of this memoir ejects from his burning Navy jet onto a karst ridge near Hanoi, and what follows is one of the most implausible and heroic rescues of the Vietnam air war. The events immediately following his rescue carry him to a secret base in Laos and then to a makeshift hospital in Saigon. The larger story, however, is of a man's complex relationship with Vietnam.

It begins in Saigon, where as a teenager he attends high school and comes to love the Vietnamese people. When he returns to the States for college, he believes he's done with the country. But as a Navy pilot, it's a direct line back to Vietnam where he will fly 137 combat missions.

After he leaves the Navy, Vietnam tightens its grip. Three decades later, he climbs the ridge where he and his flight leader were shot down. He learns his guide's brother was one of the gunners--then she leads him deep into a cave. Later that day, seated at a table in her thatched home, he begins to find reconciliation.

ISBN/ASIN: 9798680692028, 9780578800288, 9780578760957, ASIN B08HRC1J79

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

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 308

Flights for Freedom by Steven Burgauer

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MWSA Review
Flights for Freedom is a fictitious World War One account of Lieutenant Paul F. “Petrol” Petronas, an American who flies a Sopwith Camel with the British 17th Aero Squadron. Shot down over France after only a few successful combat flights, Petrol escapes to neutral Holland through Belgium with the assistance of a woman with the Dutch Resistance. During his escapades in an effort to return to England and rejoin his unit, he encounters, in addition to the beautiful young woman who helps him, a British spy, a Belgium woman who crochets patterns on flour sacks to smuggle secret messages, and a Catholic priest whose pet carrier pigeons are used to send battlefield messages for the British Signal Corps. Petrol’s destiny is determined through his interactions with those he encountered in his journey to freedom. Author Steven Burgauer has two previous books: Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou and The Road to War: Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture.

Review by Tom Beard (February 2022)

 Author's Synopsis

The dangers of flying an open-cockpit WWI aeroplane were many. Flights for Freedom is the exciting story of one brave American flyer — “Petrol” Petronas of the 17th Aero Squadron — as he learns to master the undisciplined two-winged fighter called a Sopwith Camel.

Shot down over France during the course of a bruising air battle, Petrol is then shuttled from safehouse to safehouse by a beautiful yet defiant woman of the Dutch Resistance.

In the background is the poppy-covered landscape known to us as Flanders Fields, a battlefield choked with dead and dying soldiers. Children, orphaned by the war, find safety with a kindly Catholic priest, who raises carrier pigeons vital to the war effort on the rooftop of his Abbey. Every day, his birds carry secret messages to and from the frontlines for Signal Corps.

Life-threatening challenges lay at every turn.

Two thousand volts pulsate through the electrified border fence that separates Holland from Belgium, enough to kill a man. The trick in crossing the border alive is in knowing who to bribe and how much to pay. Otherwise, there is no way for a downed American flyer to get safely across the heavily patrolled border into Holland and back to England.

Will Petrol make it back to England alive? Will he make it back carrying the top-secret plans for an advanced gunsight that has been smuggled at great risk out of Holland hidden inside an embroidered cotton flour sack?

Join the story and find out.

Steven Burgauer is the author of two well-known World War Two books, including: Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou and The Road to War: Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture.

ISBN/ASIN: 979-8467746388, B09F4CTKJR

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

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 332

Touch the Dead by E.S. Thornton

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MWSA Review
In Touch the Dead by E.S. Thornton, Eden Sinclair returns to Fox Dunes Lodge on the Florida coast after leaving her home in Illinois. She's exhausted from struggling with a failing marriage while caring for her terminally ill mother Annie. When Annie dies, Eden leaves the Blue Moon Trailer Park for the rundown beach resort in Florida owned by her late grandfather. Eden reminisces about summers with her cousin Jess, Jess’s twin brother Luke, and their friend Johnny. But now everything is different. Luke was killed in combat in the Middle East, and Jess is missing. Eden is determined to find her cousin and is ambivalent about running into Johnny again. Both she and Jess had a summer love with Johnny and thoughts of Johnny still get Eden’s pulse racing.

In her quest to recreate the last weeks before her cousin’s disappearance, Eden uncovers some unsavory, dangerous miscreants within the circle of family and old friends. All might have a reason to want Jess out of the way. Yet Eden believes that her cousin may have wanted to disappear.

Enter McCabe, Luke’s war-time friend. Having promised Luke to help find his sister, McCabe is in Florida to make good on that promise. He befriends Eden, tells her why he has come to Fox Dunes, and fosters a relationship as he teaches Eden to have the confidence to surf. He assures Eden that he has her back and urges her to be careful playing detective.

Touch the Dead is filled with suspense as Eden follows clue after clue while she struggles to free herself from an unhappy past to find her place in the world. Step by step, Eden unravels a seamy tale of drugs, betrayal, and murder with plenty of red herrings in this intricate, complex mystery. With all the revealing pieces of the puzzle in place, Eden finally feels that she has the courage and confidence to sign divorce papers and rebuild a whole new life.

Review by Nancy Panko (January 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Eden Sinclair returns to the Fox Dunes Lodge on the Florida coast to search for her missing cousin Jess. But finding answers and someone to trust prove as elusive as the shadows beneath the waves. Jess and Eden both loved Johnny, and when he comes to the lodge and takes Eden in his arms, she is forced to confront a painful question: Can she even trust herself to find the truth?

ISBN/ASIN: B096W654KW, 978-1735706801

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

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 238

From Michigan to Mekong by James B. Hubbard, Jr.

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MWSA Review
James Hubbard, Jr. and Deborah Nylec have given us an up-close and personal look at the life of Hubbard in their book, From Michigan to Mekong. The style is somewhat unique in that the vast majority of the book is a collection of letters from James, or Jim Jr. as he referred to himself back then, to his parents and later to his wife. The letters run from the time he was away for college to shortly afterwards when he was away in Vietnam. The college letters portray a young man struggling to get through college but determined to do so. The ones from Vietnam give us insight into his loneliness, his sense of humor, and a definite desire to shield the extent of danger he faced from those back home in the U.S.
The book did make me interested in Hubbard's life, and I would have loved more backstory detailing his actions, which resulted in his receiving a Silver Star, and his observations regarding the Tet Offensive. His not going into detail in his letters is, of course, understandable. This book is an easy read and could be a cherished heirloom for generations to come.

Review by Bob Doerr (February 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

This is a collection of correspondence from me to my parents and my wife beginning my freshman year in college in 1961 and concluding with my return from Vietnam in late 1967. It details the struggles of a young man not quite ready for the discipline of a college regimen through a combat tour with the 9th Infantry Division in III Corp and IV Corp in Vietnam to include the Tet Offensive and the award of a Silver Star. The book concludes with an epilog of what the experiences of the better part of a decade taught me.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-7373024-0-7, 978-1-737024-1-4

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

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 231

9/11 That Beautiful, Broken Day by 17 American Authors

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MWSA Review
Those of us who were alive and ten years old or older can vividly recall where we were on September 11, 2001. It changed all of our lives, even the lives of those weren’t born yet, and we are still feeling those impacts today.

We all find solace in different ways. The writers featured in 9/11: That Beautiful, Broken Day found their healing in writing about the experience. The seventeen individuals contributing, appropriately noted on the cover as simply 17 American Authors, write about their feelings, the impacts, and how they moved forward. Some used poetry; many used personal anecdotes about where they were and what they witnessed. Some remembered loved ones lost.

Through all the writings, what comes through is the resolve and spirit of America that was showcased that day and in the months and years that followed. While it may stir up some unpleasant feelings and memories for those of us who vividly remember, it will also remind readers that this country has a spirit that can be tested, but not broken.

If you remember 9/11, you will benefit from this book. If you don’t remember 9/11, you will learn from this book. Either way, it’s worth reading.

Review by Rob Ballister (February 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Seventeen American authors share their memories of "That Beautiful, Broken Day," September 11, 2001.

Where were you when you heard? Or were you even born yet? This collection of stories, poetry and essays make clear the deep impact this day had, not only on New York city, Washington, D.C. and a field in Pennsylvania, but in hearts and minds all over the United States.

We were all eyewitnesses to history, no matter where we were and when we heard.

ISBN/ASIN: ‎ 979-8503300819

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Other—Anthology

Number of Pages: 112

Blueberry Moose by Nancy Panko

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MWSA Review
Blueberry Moose is a delightful story about a curious boy, Jaxson, who has to know why the moose outside his window is blue, and not brown. The words begin in a lyrical rhythm and put the reader in the mind of young Jaxson P. Jackson. Jaxson ventures out to find out why the moose is blue and simply asks him. And then, to Jaxson’s surprise, the blue moose speaks to him.

The moose explains in rhyme that he loves eating blueberries, which turn him blue. Once the moose bids Jaxson farewell, Jaxson finds he has picked up the moose’s “magic” and only speaks in rhyme. But Jaxson takes it in stride, pleased with the story he discovered by venturing out to answer his curiosity of what he saw from his window. Yes, it was, in fact, a blue moose, and now he knows why.

The author, Nancy Panko, is a retired pediatric nurse, and it’s obvious that she understands children in the way she wrote this book. It is a fun and uncomplicated story with a good outcome. The illustrations pop off the page and tell more of the story not said in the words. Examples of the details in the illustrations are Jaxson’s t-shirt that says “Maine,” sports trophies, a treehouse, and the fellow animals in the wilderness including bears, birds, an otter, and deer. The Jaxson character is always in motion, and the big blue moose conveys facial expressions that bring him to life.

There’s a special treat at the end of the book with educational details and even a Blueberry Mousse recipe. This book is highly recommended for young readers and would also make a great read-along story for families.

Review by Valerie Ormond (February 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

It’s a moose! And it’s blue! But why?

It’s a beautiful summer day in the state of Maine, and when Jaxson looks out his window at his tree fort, he expects to see a chickadee, a deer, a bear, or maybe even an American eagle, but what he does see gives him a big, blue shock.

But the real surprise comes when Jaxson asks why the moose is blue.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1611534580, ‎ 978-1611534399

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 40

101 Trailblazing Women of Air and Space: Aviators and Astronauts by Penny Rafferty Hamilton, Ph.D.

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MWSA Review
Dr. Penny Rafferty’s book, 101 Trailblazing Women of Air and Space, is a colorful and well researched work regarding some of the most amazing women in the history of aviation.

In addition to the well-known Amelia Earhart, there are 100 other brief tales of overcoming discrimination, prejudice, and financial difficulties, all in pursuit of becoming airborne. The author makes a specific effort to capture women from all eras of aviation history, from the very beginning of flight to some of the most recent female astronauts. She also covers women from all nationalities and cultures, including African American women and Asian women.
Most of the book is devoted to small biographies of each heroine, sorted alphabetically. However, the second section contains very interesting information regarding several woman-focused aviation and industrial associations and organizations.

Overall, the book is both educational and entertaining. This reviewer was very interested in the all-female Russian bomber squadron of World War II, nicknamed the Night Witches, as well as learning about the women who were selected to undergo astronaut training with the initial Mercury astronauts.

Fans of aviation history are sure to enjoy this book!

Review by Rob Ballister (February 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Packed with authentic stories and photographs of trailblazing women of air and space who have made world history. True stories of many female pilots and astronauts serving in the military worldwide. Quotes from aviation and aerospace industry leaders about this important history are: Ben Sclair, Publisher, General Aviation News, "True stories of aviation and aerospace women with 'the right stuff' are always inspiring and important to read." Patty Wagstaff, three-time U.S. National Aerobatics Champion. "What a great look at the International women who blazed trails in sky and space." Amy Spowart, President National Aviation Hall of Fame. "Throughout aviation's history women have excelled and made essential contributions to the success and advancement of aviation. The trailblazers shared in Hamilton's book(s) serve as perpetual inspiration for those who come after." Jacqueline Boyd, Ph.D. Chair, Amelia Earhart Memorial Fund, The Ninety-Nines, Inc. "It is always a joy to read about inspiring female pilots and astronauts. Penny Hamilton never fails to deliver." John King, co-founder of King Schools. "This book is a great contribution to the aviation and aerospace community." An extensive "Explore More/Bibliography" demonstrates the academic research used to support this important contribution to aviation, aerospace, and women's history. This book is an inspiring career and education project partially sponsored by Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Available in hardback, trade paperback, and Kindle eBook formats.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0578322377

Book Format(s): Hard cover

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 316

Zone of Action: A JAG's Journey Inside Operations Cobra II and Iraqi Freedom by Colonel Kirk G. Warner, USAR (Ret.)

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MWSA Review
Zone of Action is a first-hand account of a different side of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and its aftermath. While the coalition’s bombs fell and ground forces rolled over the wire, Lt. Col. Kirk G. Warner and his JAG team refined and enforced the rules of engagement and advised senior leadership on legal matters. When Baghdad fell, they moved in to rebuild and reform a shattered legal system built on the vestiges of decades of brutal repression. The author’s compilation of journal entries, essays and emails follow the action from the command centers of Kuwait to the streets and courtrooms of Baghdad, and beyond.

Entertaining and informative, the book is a front-row seat to historically significant events with key actors, some of which the reader may find familiar. The vivid accounts read like a series of boisterous adventures as Warner zips around Iraq on C-130s, helicopters, and Humvee gun-trucks. The reader rides along as Warner works to reconstruct a fair and effective court system, dismantle the mechanisms of the fallen dictator’s reign of terror, and addresses high-profile criminal activity.

Warner’s colorful prose, descriptive narrative, and wit provide an immersive reading experience. Touching side-stories and anecdotes about living in an active war zone add depth and humanity. While there is repetition, a few editing opportunities, and a heavy dose of military jargon, the book’s readability improves after the first few sections, and the author provides a glossary. Certain gallows humor and a clear pro-war stance give the book an authentic flavor and energy that might turn off certain readers, but this doesn’t detract from its central premise.

Zone of Action is a stimulating read and a testament to a talented team of legal professionals who successfully accomplished a monumental task in the face of overwhelming odds. It should appeal to a wide audience, in particular, fans of military and political history, and legal fiction and non-fiction.

MWSA Review by Ingo Kaufman (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Zone of Action is a front-row seat to major combat operations, leadership, tragedy, and nation-building. These are the war-theater observations of a senior Army JAG constantly in the thick of the war, the occupation, and the Iraqi community. He tells the inside-the-war-room story of Operations Cobra II and Iraqi Freedom during the march to Baghdad and the nation-building beyond. It details his official and inner journeys and those of soldiers and Iraqis encountered along the way. It reveals the sacrifice of many unsung heroes and the challenges of liberating and occupying a broken country. It shows the character of our soldiers and leaders . . . and the occasional lack of it. But above all things, it is an honest, often humorous romp through war by someone deep in the arena.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 978-1-64663-139-1, ISBN 978-1-64663-137-7, ISBN 978-1-64663-138-4, Library of Congress Control Number: 2020911734

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

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 302

Key to Command by Michael Godbout

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MWSA Review
The title, Key to Command: The WWII Journey of the 50th Signal Battalion from Iceland to Germany with Exercise Tiger, D-Day, The Bulge, and Nordhousen Along the Way, accurately suggests the breadth of information covered in author Michael Godbout’s book.

The author includes the broader context of campaigns and battles, and the details of participation and contributions made by the 50th Signal Battalion. Particularly admirable, the author uses extensive interviews with veterans and research to provide firsthand accounts. Experiences like a death in the unit, celebrations, and moments of heroism are provided by quotes from veterans.

The book delivers a deep and respectful education in the work, lives, sacrifices, bravery, and honor due to the men of the 50th Signal Battalion in WWII. The writing respects the efforts of the “little guy,” those doing jobs which civilians might mistake as safe or simple.

I came away from this book with a deep respect for the work of the 50th Signal Battalion and the men who served. I recommend this book to anyone hoping to understand the experiences of soldiers, the work of signal battalions, and the complexities of battle logistics.

Review by Barb Evenson (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

There are hundreds of history books that recount the US Army’s participation in World War II, but there are very few that tell the story as it was seen through the eyes of the Signal Soldier. Michael Godbout brings months and years to life through this vivid narrative of the 50th Signal Battalion’s service during the period of its activation from 1940 to 1945. Through extensive research and interviews with veterans, the author is able to recount the unit’s history through an amazing series of photographs and firsthand accounts.

More than anything, Key to Command is a history about soldiers, about men who sacrificed and risked their lives to defend their country against an enemy determined to destroy it.

The 50th Signal Battalion was activated July 1, 1940, at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, not long before the United States was drawn into World War II. In September of 1941, a portion of the Battalion was sent to Iceland, followed by the rest in January of 1942 in order to build a communications infrastructure for Iceland Base Command on the island. Upon completion of that assignment, the Battalion was sent to England to prepare for the invasion of continental Europe. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the Battalion landed on Utah Beach in support of VII Corp and its assigned units, which continued until the end of the war in Europe.

Much of the information and many of the photographs contained in this book came from meeting or conversing over the phone with World War II veterans of the 50th Signal Battalion or the surviving members of their families.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN 9781643073309, ASIN B09618FBLW

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 400

Panama's Gold by Sandi Hoover & Jim Tritten

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MWSA Review
Authors Sandi Hoover and Jim Tritten have truly brought us a tale of greed in their novella, Panama’s Gold. Set on the isthmus of Panama, the story has a bit of everything—international intrigue, nefarious dealings, colonial history, ecological adventure, and budding romance. 

On an excursion, mysterious bird deaths in the jungle find our antagonist, Lanny Mitchell, a retired American environmental lawyer, navigating a maze of international twists and turns. An unexplained helicopter crash hints at more skullduggery afoot. But why? And who is involved? She teams up with her guide, Alejandro, and Bernardo, his professor friend, to uncover the truth. 

The book’s characters are well developed, credible, and entertaining. The details, in particular those of Panama, are vivid and colorful. The ending is a shocker and leaves the reader begging for more.

Review by Sandi Cathcart (February 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

Chen Zhou represents his company and a Chinese gang in Panama in 2018. His objective is to secure an economic advantage for his country with raw materials critical in manufacturing smartphones, digital cameras, computer parts, and in the renewable energy technology industry, military equipment industry, glass-making, and metallurgy. Chinese gangs are running investments and infrastructure development in Panama. Lanny Mitchell, a youthfully-retired American environmental lawyer as the antagonist, revisits Panama, to test her idea of becoming a resident ex-pat. She unexpectedly encounters ecological issues and the activities of the gangs. A dormant volcano leaks poisonous gases that kill local fowl and threaten humans. Spanish gold and artifacts are linked to events while the Panama Canal was being excavated with hints at government coverups explaining Yellow Fever caused massive deaths during construction. Chinese attempts to capitalize on the opportunity to corner the world's rare-earth market are thwarted by Lanny and local Panamanians. They want Panama to retain its ownership of the valuable rare-earth and Spanish gold. Chen Zhou meets his fate at the hands of the Chinese gangmaster, who does not tolerate failure. Finding the answer to environmental and economic concerns and helping friends drive the action to a surprising finish, with enough clues to hint at a follow-on adventure.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1637771389, B09DXY8TTT

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 154

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