Into The Cauldron by Glenn Starkey

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MWSA Review
Author Glenn Starkey has given us a very interesting and enjoyable read in his book Into the Cauldron. Although the book is a work of historical fiction, the author pulled a lot of the book from the true events mentioned in the actual diary of a Wisconsin cavalryman who served in the frontier. Starkey's description of the harsh realities facing a soldier in the 1860's pulled no punches. Dirty, cold, and undernourished, the soldiers had to be ready to fight no matter what the conditions. While the civil war wound down, the book's main character, Jonah Gustafson served in the frontier, in what is now west Kansas. The enemy he faced consisted of a variety of Indian tribes.
The book does an excellent job pointing out the atrocities committed by various soldiers against the Indians which certainly added to the hostile attitudes the Indians held against both the Union army and the settlers moving into and through their lands. However, it also points out that the Indians committed atrocities of their own. Rather than play a political blame game, Starkey focuses on the realities of life at the time. In doing so, he has given us an excellent book to read with an excellent focus on the experiences of one man. I recommend this book.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

1864. After four cruel years, the Civil War still raged without peace in sight. The Union Army's manpower was stretched to its limits fighting on two fronts; one on the eastern battlefields against the Confederacy, the other to protect the Santa Fe Trail and western expansion of citizens from marauding Indian tribes and vicious Confederate guerrillas.

Jonah Gustafson's family was dead, leaving him to aimlessly wander. Rather than wait for the coming draft, he joined the 3rd Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry, expecting to be sent east into the war between the states. Instead, his regiment went west to 'Bleeding' Kansas and war-torn Missouri. There, along the Santa Fe Trail, they fought every major Indian tribe and Quantrill's Raiders, a roaming, bloodthirsty guerrilla unit. Horrid weather and deplorable living conditions were the lonely troopers' constant companions. Death always lurked near whether from disease, a bullet, or an arrow. But the cavalry of the frontier fulfilled its duties against all odds.

"Into the Cauldron" is the life of Trooper Jonah Gustafson based upon true events written in the pages of a Civil War diary by a Wisconsin cavalryman that served on the frontier. It is a novel to enjoy and learn from; one that will carry you back in time to feel the joys, heartaches and anguish of those days.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 260

The Hidden Key by David E. Grogan

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MWSA Review
Author David E. Grogan has created a series of page turning legal thrillers featuring attorney Steve Stillwell, who like the author is a retired Navy JAG officer now in private practice. In what should be a routine civilian law practice handling wills, trusts and real estate closings, Stillwell instead attracts clients who involve him in international intrigue and violence.

His latest novel, The Hidden Key, features a complex plot that includes the theft of ancient artifacts, Russian mercenaries, and the search for the Garden of Eden. Kudos to Grogan who ties all these disparate elements together in a story that also brings Steve Stillwell full circle in his personal life.

Characters from previous Stillwell novels Sapphire Pavilion and The Siegel Disposition grow in significance. Early readers of the series will want to tackle all three books. Grogan personally visits the multiple scene locations that he writes about, providing clear and compelling descriptions.

The Hidden Key starts in sleepy Williamsburg, Virginia, but careens across the globe to Iraq, England, India, Italy, and the isolated island nation of Bahrain. Stillwell lives a more dangerous life than your normal local attorney as he deals with threats, shootings, and car chases. At times it’s difficult to keep up with the surprising plot twists but Grogan provides a concluding scene that will make the reader scratch his head and say, “Oh yeah. I get it.”

Review by James Elsener (February 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

When Navy veteran Kevin Jones answers the door for two men he doesn’t know, he can’t foresee the Pandora’s Box he’s opening. One week later, attorney Steve Stilwell meets with a billionaire businessman in a London eatery. As two men burst into the restaurant, Steve’s new client cries out “I’ve sold my soul.” Moments later he is dead, leaving Steve to figure out why.

Steve finds his first clue in a package addressed to his dead client containing an ancient map etched into a clay tablet. Soon powerful people descend on him and his wounded warrior law partner, Casey Pantel, to take the tablet from them. Not knowing who can be trusted and who should be feared, they dig deeper and deeper to decipher the tablet’s secrets. Their quest takes them along a trail of murder and intrigue winding from Italy to India. With time running out and their own motives being questioned, Steve and Casey must unmask those seeking to exploit the tablet’s secrets before they, too, fall victim to its power.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 254

Sapphire Pavilion by David E. Grogan

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MWSA Review
Sapphire Pavilion by David E. Grogan is a gripping, fast-paced mystery that will challenge any reader to put it down.

Attorney Steve Stilwell sets out to help his friend, Ric Stokes, a former Navy JAG officer, who is arrested and thrown in a Vietnamese jail for heroin possession. To complicate matters, Stokes is found in the same room with his traveling companion Ryan Eversall, dead of an overdose and in bed with a prostitute. Alarm bells go off in Stilwell’s head because he knows his friend as an ethical and morally upright prosecutor of drug crimes. Steve travels to Vietnam to investigate, wondering who would frame his friend and why.

Steve visits Ric in prison and discovers that Ric and Ryan came to Vietnam in search of a lost Air Force transport plane piloted by Ryan’s father. Ric relates to Steve that, before the heroin arrest, they had located the wreckage. Fortunately, Ryan kept a detailed notebook, which Steve manages to obtain. In it, the exact location of the plane is noted. However, it is soon apparent that others are also interested in the notebook and are willing to do anything to have it in their possession. One feels the heat and chaos of the ancient Asian city, especially when Steve realizes that his investigation puts his life in danger.

Steve’s business partner, Casey, a former Army helicopter pilot, visits Ryan’s widow in the States while Steve is investigating in Vietnam. The grieving widow gives Casey a file labeled Sapphire Pavilion. Casey realizes that the documents are another valuable piece of the puzzle and when she leaves the widow’s home with the file, Casey is followed.

Apparently, someone has unlimited funds and is willing to go to any lengths to steal all evidence of the 1968 airplane crash and the mission called Sapphire Pavilion. Casey and Steve realize that someone high up in the bureaucratic atmosphere of Washington, D.C. is involved in attempting to silence them. However, the bad guys underestimate the determination and resiliency of Steve Stilwell and his associate, Casey.

The chase scenes in this book will have the reader flinching when bullets fly. Sapphire Pavilion is a fast-paced, thrilling page-turner.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

The Vietnam War ends for a Top Secret U.S. warplane when it disappears in 1968, but for the two men who discover its wreckage 32 years later, the fight is just beginning. Travel to Vietnam with former Navy JAG Steve Stilwell as he and his associate Casey Pantel, a former Army pilot who lost her leg in a helicopter crash, try to outwit a powerful adversary who will stop at nothing to keep them from solving the mystery of Sapphire Pavilion.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 280

Captain of the Tides Gunner Morgan by Charles D. Morgan, Jacque Hillman

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MWSA Review
Historical Fiction is a tough category to write in, but Charles D. Morgan and his friend Jacque Hillman do a fantastic job with the cooperative work Captain of the Tides: Gunner Morgan. It’s no coincidence that one of the authors and the hero share the same name. Charles D. Morgan is the grandson of the main character.

While Morgan has a few cherished memories of his grandfather, he was far to young to absorb all that the older Morgan had accomplished. However, fate smiled on the young Morgan, and he came in possession of his grandfather’s sea chest, which contained numerous scrapbooks, personal letters, and other memorabilia that allowed him to reconstruct this account of his ancestor’s colorful life.

Gunner Morgan lived well into his nineties in an age when most people were lucky to see age 60.  Enlisting at age seventeen (before even there was standardized recruit training) he climbed the ranks and became one of the first enlisted “mustangs” to become an officer.  He recovered bodies from the USS Maine, also almost died at the hands of Thomas Edison, and spent many years helping grow trade between the U.S. and Cuba.  He was an outstanding baseball player, and one of the first executives for Pan-Am airlines.  In short, he had enough adventure to fill three or four lives, and his grandson did an excellent job of capturing the essence of the spirit of his grandfather.

The book reads like an autobiography, and if you didn’t know it was written by the grandson, you would swear the Gunner himself had written it. Morgan and Hillman had to fill in a few gaps using some creativity, but it’s impossible to tell the true historical moments from the filled-in fiction. All in all this is a terrific read for those interested in the early U.S. Navy around the turn of the century.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

In 1882, Charles "Gunner" Morgan, 17, shipped from New Orleans as a 3rd class apprentice seaman, Navy No. 817. In 1898, he led the dive team pulling bodies from the USS Maine disaster, reported to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, and became "The Man Who Started the Spanish-American War." Known as "The Man Behind the Gun" for his shooting prowess, he was among the first enlisted men promoted to officer. He taught the Japanese how to fire the big guns in the Russo-Japanese War and survived working in Thomas Edison's Key West Navy lab.

Yet, he found time for love. He met Vivian, the sugar king of Havana's daughter, married and pregnant, both situations temporary. She became his soul's safe harbor. Later, he helped build the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West. As maritime inspector, he developed Pan Am Airways’ South American airports.

An American patriot, he lived for the moment the sunset's green fire on the sea's horizon promised the dawn. Always he returned to the sea. Board the ships; climb the rigging; shoot the guns when America came to rule the seas. 

His grandson, Charles D. Morgan, discovered in his grandfather's sea chest documents that led the author on a lifetime journey to reveal his grandfather's legacy. Captain of the Tides Gunner Morgan is that legacy, retold as a historical novel, a riveting story of a young Navy seaman whose heroism captured Americans’ loyalty.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 234

Combat Engineer by John Racoosin

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MWSA Review
Combat Engineer by John Racoosin is a well-researched, well-written book about the model citizen soldier. Colonel H. Wallis Anderson was a humble man who rose through the ranks of the Pennsylvania National Guard, earning a commission in time to go fight in Europe in World War I. He returned home to Pennsylvania and his job with the railroad and started a family. His determination and competence saw him rise through both the ranks of the railroad and of the reserves, and all was well until Europe exploded in World War II.

The rapid mobilization of America resulted in an immediate demand for combat engineers to assist the infantry and mechanized forces which were so important in this new war of mobility. Colonel Anderson was given almost the impossible task of developing an engineer group from scratch. Never one to back down from a challenge, he trained and inspired his men so that when the time came, they would be at their best.
That time came in the Ardennes in 1944. In a last desperate gasp, Hitler threw everything he had left at the American presence in Europe in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. When all the other units on the line broke and ran, the only thing between several Panzer columns and the vulnerable American rear was Colonel Anderson and his engineers.

The author does a fine job of detailing the history of Colonel Anderson without making the book read like a boring biography. There is plenty of dialogue, and even material from the German commander that Anderson’s troops faced. Through the entire book, Racoosin does a fine job of painting a portrait of a humble citizen soldier who inspired his men as the consummate combat leader.
Those who enjoy books about World War II, combat engineers, or leadership portraits in general will enjoy this book.

Review by Rob Ballister (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

In his service along the Mexican border and in both world wars, Colonel H. Wallis Anderson, Army Corps of Engineers, commanded troops in the most critical actions of his generation. 

This tribute to an unsung American hero weaves through Anderson's life as a Pennsylvania railroad engineer and as an Army combat engineer. Throughout, he endures tragedy and triumph as a shining example of the uniquely American concept of a citizen-soldier. 

Combat Engineer tells the well-known stories of the Bulge and Remagen from a new and different perspective, that of the commander. In both desperate actions, the senior engineer officer provides the steadying hand that inspires the troops to succeed. The story might seem fit for Hollywood, but no fictional account can compare to the real-life drama of Combat Engineer.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 347

Is Your Dad a Pirate? by Tara McClary Reeves

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MWSA Review
Despite its seemingly tongue-in-cheek title, Is Your Dad a Pirate? by Tara McClary Reeves is a touching and valuable resource for families. Beautifully illustrated, the book describes coping with a parent who has suffered life-altering injuries from both the child's and spouse's points of view. In addition, the book is well-crafted for both storytelling and family discussions.

One of the most vital attributes of this book is the author's use of simple language and illustrations to highlight the importance of family, faith, and love in these challenging situations. Reeves also honors caregivers–of all ages–by showing the vital and often unheralded role they play. Although written with the military family in mind, this book would be a treasured addition to the library of any family with young children facing similar circumstances.

Review by John Cathcart (March 2022)
 

Author's Synopsis

Her daddy went away to fight for our country. And he came home changed. What's a young family to do when a parent is injured? How might they respond to curiosity? In this tender account based on her childhood experiences, beloved author Tara McClary Reeves shares how her family adapted to the extensive physical losses her father, Marine Corps Lieutenant Clebe McClary, sustained. With warmth and humor, this book encourages children and spouses facing similar trials to cherish the gift of family. To hold on to faith. And to choose to be loving heroes on the home front. Is Your Dad a Pirate? will challenge your perspective and deepen your commitment to love.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 32

Fighting Viet Cong in the Rung Sat by Bob Worthington

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MWSA Review
Author Bob Worthington has given us a very good book to read in his memoir Fighting Viet Cong in the Rung Sat. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a combat advisor to the Vietnamese military. His experiences gave Worthington excellent insight into the conflict. He has shared those experiences with us in this book. Fluent in both French and Vietnamese, the author got to know his host counterparts in a manner most American soldiers could never achieve. In his two tours, he fought the enemy in different regions of Vietnam, working with both the Vietnamese army and navy.

Although a memoir, much of the book reads like military history as the author explains the how's and why's of conducting combat operations in Vietnam. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in military history or the conflict in Vietnam.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

The Vietnam War was not going well in 1968. The January Tet offensive showed the US military and the war-weary American public that the enemy remained no nearer defeat. Captain Worthington, stuck in an Army command position he despised after his first Vietnam tour as a combat advisor, decided to return.

He describes his participation, again as a combat advisor, in the fiercest fighting of the war on the Cambodian border, where he almost died of hookworm and was shot in a night operation. Transferred to Saigon to recuperate, he was tasked with creating an advisory team to train a South Vietnamese commando unit to conduct raids against the Viet Cong in the swamps of the Rung Sat Special Zone, south of Saigon. For seven months they were successful, with Worthington receiving seven combat decorations.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 273

Mercy's Heroes - The Fight for Human Dignity in the Slums of Bangkok by Tom Crowley

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MWSA Review
Tom Crowley’s Mercy’s Heroes tells the story of a charity that operates in the slums of Bangkok, Thailand. To this day, this charity works with needy children by providing schooling and medical attention in a supportive atmosphere of caring and safety. Its three main programs are: the Mercy Home, the Mercy Schools, and the Mercy Street Kids Outreach.

The author focuses on the founders, staff, children, and volunteers who work at Mercy. These are the heroes he refers to in his title. From background information regarding the founding, funding, and operations of Mercy to anecdotal vignettes of specific children, he exposes the abject poverty of the slums, the hope Mercy offers, and the struggles and triumphs of both staff and children.

Interspersed with the activities of Mercy, Tom Crowley reveals some of his military experiences in Vietnam in the 1960s, before Mercy existed. From the vantage point of an infantry officer who was in combat and wounded, the author offers an assessment of the Vietnam War, and it is one many would agree with. Perhaps his Vietnam experience planted the initial seed for the volunteer work he embraced in Southeast Asia many years later.

Mr. Crowley takes the reader along on his description of the slums, as well as the organization and mission of Mercy. As an impactful volunteer, his long-term commitment to this unpaid work is evident throughout this book. He found ways to get to know many of the children, directly help them with their needs, and assist the charity’s administration in securing funds. Both the teamwork skills he learned in Vietnam and his business experience came into play many times during his work at Mercy.

While Tom Crowley extols the dedication and success of everyone associated with Mercy, he is humble and does not name himself as a Mercy hero, yet he surely is one.

Mercy's Heroes is an engaging though unsettling look at the have-nots and those who want to help them build hopeful lives. It’s not the tourist’s view of Bangkok. If you are looking for charitable organizations to park some of your money, Mercy should be on your list.

Review by Pat Walkow (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

In Mercy's Heroes, a Vietnam veteran battling with PTSD turns from the business world to life as a volunteer, helping to rescue and protect street kids in Bangkok's biggest slum.

Here Tom Crowley details the children's efforts to survive abuse and the struggle for dignity waged by the poorest of families. Interwoven throughout, the author's combat experiences and pain highlight the question of how to find personal reconciliation amid the struggles of abused children in the slums. In his efforts to help others, he gains a spiritual understanding worth much more than his financial loss. At the same time, he learns, "You must consign the failures to the burden the angels can carry and let go of the guilt."

This story will resonate with all those who want to gain a deeper insight into social work at the street level. The successes are to be celebrated-the losses mourned. Mercy's Heroes portrays the healing that is to be found in helping others.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Other—Religious/Spiritual

Number of Pages: 190

Ever Vigilant, Tales of the Vietnam War by Michael J. Hebert

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MWSA Review
Ever Vigilant, the memoir of Specialist Michael J. Hebert, covers a part of the Vietnam War that is little known, the 458th PBRs, or River Patrol Boats operated by the U.S. Army. For that reason, it's an important addition to the written history of the Vietnam War, but more than that it tells the personal story of a very young man thrust into the unknown with others of his age who were largely on their own at an isolated base on the South China Sea. It will be of interest to those who served in Vietnam and those who care about them, as well as to people who may be thrust into similar situations today.

The book is very well written and easy to read. Some of the adventures experienced by Mr. Hebert are extraordinary. When several hundred young men are placed in control of lethal weapons and fast boats in an isolated environment with minimal supervision, you might expect the worst, but the author and his comrades did their duty while having as much fun as they could under the circumstances. They found ways to make it through their tours, and they were also very lucky.

The descriptions of Vietnam and its people, though based on minimal personal contact, are useful in providing readers with a feel and taste of the place and time. It's a story of danger and adventure, friendship and fear, and making the best of a bad situation. It's a great read and highly recommended.

Review by Jamie Thompson (April 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

War is carried out by young people trained for the task. It occurs at the edge, or just over the edge, of what passes for civilized behavior. During the Vietnam War, the US military employed heavily-armed high-speed gunboats to intercept and disrupt enemy travel on the rivers and bays of South Vietnam.

In this variant from standard Vietnam War works, Michael Hebert takes the reader along for a ride in this engaging memoir of his year in Vietnam. This light yet quick-witted nautical adventure entertains readers with tales of romance, daring exploits, and abject fear. It is full of mayhem peppered with humorous undertones.

The remote Vung Ro Bay, while an idyllic setting, is not without peril. It is a constant target for snipers, mortar barrages, and full-out perimeter assaults. Hebert’s boat becomes a casualty to a rocket propelled grenade. Their base is wiped out by a super typhoon and they are forced to spend two days in the South China Sea with mountainous swells that threaten to sink the small 32-foot craft.

From start to finish, ‘Ever Vigilant’ is an introduction to a young man’s journey and coming of age in a war zone. While primarily based on his first-hand experience, he deftly weaves sufficient representation to incorporate the difficult life circumstances of the Vietnamese people and the Viet Cong. The motivation for why the enemy fights is a product of the life-hardships they bear. ‘Ever Vigilant’ offers a lively, compulsive read with a surprising finale.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 306

The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line by Major General Mari K. Eder

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MWSA Review
Mari Eder has done a great service to both the U.S. military and women who found themselves in various military roles during World War II. In this book, she presents the stories of women serving as pilots and spies, nurses and administrative innovators. In each case these women's enemies were bureaucracies, racism, sexism, and the general belief that women couldn't achieve what they achieved. In fact, all of their achievements added greatly to the Allied war effort. Some suffered under the hands of fascist torturers, but all of these endured, most living to deep old age. These women were ultimately recognized for their efforts, although many years later, and many continued on in the service of the U.S. following World War II. Ms. Eder's book is a fine—and needed—chapter to the U.S. military's role in this war.

Review by Bob Mustin (March 2022)

 

Author's Synopsis

The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line:  Untold Stories of the Women Who Changed the Course of World War II  is about many of the heroes of the Greatest Generation whose stories have slipped away into history.  These women who did extraordinary things didn't expect thanks and shied away from medals and recognition.  Despite their amazing accomplishments, they've gone mostly unheralded and unrewarded, but no longer. These are the women of World War II who served, fought, struggled, and made things happen―in and out of uniform.  Eder features 15 women who risked their own lives to gather intelligence, transport materials or information, help protect those in greater need, or to enable successful operations against the enemy.  Each story is filled with details about how and why the women answered their individual calls to service based on their varied backgrounds, nationalities, and family situations.  She details the women’s struggles, severe injuries, loss of loved ones, and how each went on to contribute to society at the war’s end.  These stories and more reveal the secrets of those women who didn’t just make history, they created the future.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Creative Nonfiction

Number of Pages: 400

Not For God and Country by William Murphy

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MWSA Review
In his book, Not for God or Country, author William Murphy gives us a good look back at the war in Vietnam. Murphy does a good job in mixing his own personal experiences as a marine in the conflict (1968) along with a history lesson. Summarizing the brief history of the country of Viet Nam after WWII, the author provides insight into the French attempts to maintain control of the country and America’s subsequent attempt to keep South Vietnam an independent, democratic nation.

Murphy writes from a marine's perspective, reflecting how combat affected him and other soldiers. He describes what life was like: the hardships, the fears, the changes one had to make to adapt and survive. He tells what it was like coming home to an environment where it was best not to advertise that you served, and the painfully slow process the country went through before honoring those who returned. The book discusses the peace accords, the return of the POWs, and the never-ending search for those still missing. This is a good book that anyone interested in the war in Vietnam or military history in general should enjoy.

Review by Bob Doerr (May 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
A true and definitive full story of the Vietnam War, written by an ex-Marine Grunt from a grunt's perspective. But unlike most books about Vietnam it tells the full story - from decisions made in 1945 and for the next twenty years, which led to the war that nobody wanted. It tells the history of the war, and the gritty reality of jungle combat fighting in impossible conditions against formidable foes. The story continues through the postwar period and the circumstances faced by returning vets in a nation that just wanted to forget and move on, and cared little.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-64663-273-2

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 272

On 21st Century Nuclear Deterrence by Joe Buff

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MWSA Review
A thoroughly dog-eared copy of Joe Buff’s On 21st Century Nuclear Deterrence deserves a spot on the bookshelves of policy advisors and strategic thinkers. Buff tackles and confronts the complex and highly-nuanced planning that goes into maintaining an effective nuclear deterrence strategy using the sea-air-land triad. Buff writes with a balanced approach that will be appreciated by readers of varying interest and experience in the subject, offering useful anecdotes, historical insights, and subtle wit throughout his book. He faces a touchy subject that many are unwilling or reluctant to address: that among the myriad issues facing the world in the first quarter of the 21st century, there are still a tremendous number of nuclear weapons out there, and while rational powers can surely agree that their use would have catastrophic consequences, we must indeed contend with the fact that they exist…and might end up in the wrong hands.

Buff writes with enthusiasm and earnestness, and his professional role as an actuarial comes out frequently in the mathematical calculations he provides to support his views. He also has a frank and honest approach to writing about a subject that gets too little attention in superpower struggles today in jargon-free prose. I was particularly drawn to the subject of nuclear weapons getting into the hands of terrorists and rogue powers which may not have a rational, game-theory approach to their decision making. It’s a chilling scenario to ponder, and Buff’s book should be a key reference for both US and global policy makers on this important topic.

Review by Frank Biggio (June 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A readable, engaging (and reassuring) look at how Americans, and all of Humanity, will benefit tremendously if we do sustain and modernize US Strategic Command's rightsized nuclear deterrence Triad: We'll continue to prevent nuclear war, big conventional war between superpowers, nuclear blackmail by rogue states, and achieve our global counter-proliferation and nuclear counter-terrorism goals, while also deterring strategic attacks by biological or chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction. This series offers a logically rigorous framework, crisply and clearly explained, for successful U.S. national defense and global peacekeeping during the current era of rising Great Power Competition. Volume 1 vividly debunks many common myths about America's nukes -- some of them spread by Hollywood storytellers and some by foreign adversary disinformation trolls.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1736391006 B08XKDJHPX

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Epub/Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference

Number of Pages: 416

Heaven by Frank Taylor

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MWSA Review
FE Taylor’s book titled Heaven: The Other Side is a picture book for adults on the topic of death, dying, heaven, and the afterlife. The book is a compilation of sayings and expressions of sympathy offered at viewings, memorials, and in obituary columns. The black and white illustrations are clear and well-done. Perhaps those reading this book could find comfort in coloring these pictures.

Heaven is meant to be comforting assurance for the reader as to what lies ahead. I understand Mr. Taylor's thoughtful premise but feel that occasional use of scripture substantiation would have given more weight to his words.

Congratulations to FE Taylor for undertaking the production of Heaven despite having dyslexia.

Review by Nancy Panko (May 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
This book illustrates a view of life after death through the eyes of a dyslexic. Among the many symptoms of dyslexia reading comprehension becomes difficult when the meaning of words are visualized before they are placed in context. Visualizing the literal meaning of words makes metaphorical understanding challenging. Experiencing several dyslexic symptoms the author illustrates how he views Heaven from the sentiments of loved ones left behind.

ISBN/ASIN: 978 1 7326539 9 3

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Collections—Religious/Spiritual

Number of Pages: 48

Welcome Back to Abuja Once Again by Carol Yee

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MWSA Review
Carol Yee’s Welcome Back to Abuja Once Again is a warmly written, informative memoir about how travel made her a citizen of the world. It also has many tips for those who may want to travel internationally, but are a bit timid and don’t really know how to go about it.

In her book, she discusses cultural differences in food, appearance, and customs that show her deep understanding of various parts of the world, while at the same time providing important information to her readers who might be considering travel. She covers practical issues such as “How do I know if the water is safe?” and “What is the attitude toward women and their dress?” in various countries. She also gives good advice on adjusting one’s own behavior to gain better understanding of the local peoples and maximize the travel experience. This is all done in informative and sometimes humorous ways, citing her extensive travel around the world.

I particularly like her humble, humorous style which conveys some fairly serious lessons without ever making herself out to be an expert or talking down to the audience. The book is well-written, has numerous important travel resources, and is easy to understand.

Readers who enjoy travel, who must travel internationally for work, or who think they might wish to travel internationally in their later years will most certainly enjoy this book.

Review by Rob Ballister (June 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Through people-to-people encounters, we expand our sense of mutual understanding and respect.

Welcome Back to Abuja Once Again: How I Became a Citizen of the World highlights how rewarding it is to engage people from around the world. Learning from others who are different from us reveals our common humanity and enhances our ability to solve problems and deal with global crises.

You will be entertained by different travel adventures from around the world and be exposed to interesting cross cultural insights, both cautionary but also delightful.  

World travelers will enjoy “traveling” through Welcome Back to Abuja Once Again, recalling their own experiences, while novice travelers will feel the spark to get out and explore the world.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1636765921, 978-1636761077, 978-1636761084

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

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 256

B.R.A.N.D. Before your Resumé by Graciela Tiscareño-Sato

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MWSA Review
B.R.A.N.D. Before Your Resume by Graciela Tiscareno-Sato is a 171-page self-help book aimed at a specific audience: Your Marketing Guide for Veterans and Military Service Members Entering Civilian Life. However, the processes described are beneficial to anyone seeking a job or career change. The book relies heavily on the workshops that the author has offered over a decade or more and contains useful exercises.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (June 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
B.R.A.N.D. Before Your Resumé is the first book written by a military veteran (turned marketing professional and entrepreneur) for service members and military veterans to craft their forward-looking,  AUTHENTIC personal branding.

Student veterans, military spouses, veterans in their first, second, or third career transitions will all learn valuable self-marketing skills, guided by a veteran who knows the transition chaos (and success!) firsthand. 

This book is essential if you’re joining the ranks of veterans choosing the entrepreneurship track, if seeking your first career after leaving the active-duty force, or if pursuing your first internship or full-time job after completing your degree as a student veteran.

Readers will complete the “extracting product attributes” exercise, see 25+ examples of great branding created BY veterans Graciela has personally coached, and be able to write their own authentic personal branding to influence their intended target audience. 

Graciela teaches the reader a repeatable marketing messaging process that will be useful for years to come.

Those who wish to collaborate live with Graciela, who will coach them to perfecting their branding and/or discussing their business startup idea, will be offered the option to do so.

In this marketing guidebook, Graciela guides you in becoming an epic storyteller of your unique value, long before you write your resumé which she reminds us all is a marketing deliverable. Taking this approach as she did during her career transitions means that your audience for your new forward-looking branding will be so intrigued by your value that they’ll ASK for your resumé!

You’ll be empowered to confidently communicate your value to make things happen, as Graciela did during her transformation from military aviator to technology marketing manager. Graciela freely shares the communication process she followed during her highly successful military-to-civilian transition, in which she was mentored by women veterans every step of the way.

Stop going at it alone.

And most importantly, stop listening to those pushing you into writing your resumé (or worse yet your LinkedIn profile) before you’ve done the essential work to understand your personal values and interests, your value to civilian organizations and the target audience you need to attract.

Learn to "B.R.A.N.D. Before Your Resumé" with a marketing-savvy fellow veteran at your side.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0997309065,

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

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 185

The First Recruit by Alton Ioerger

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MWSA Review
James Witt is a skilled sniper recruited by the CIA for a new program that takes him out of the army and into classified jobs in Vietnam and Europe during the Cold War. Witt's story unfolds through his training, deployments, and multiple assassinations around the globe. The narrative is held together by Witt's bonds with two fellow snipers and his government handler. But while the scenery and setting change from one killing to the next, there is an overall sameness to his experiences by the time the story ends.

The creative look at the CIA sniper program keeps readers attention as the plot takes many twists and turns. While the story feels real, the author states that “Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.”

The author created a compelling story by paralleling CIA special operations and the human toll of loneliness for an insider look at special ops from years ago. More rigorous editing would have improved readability.

Review by Betsy Beard (May 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The First Recruit is an emotionally charged Cold War thriller where danger lurks around every corner and assassinations are effected with compelling intensity and swiftness.  Sergeant James Witt, whose skill as a sniper makes him the first recruit in the CIAs newest covert program, slips unseen behind the Iron Curtain dozens of times into an opaque world of brutal conflicts and espionage.  This is an unforgettable journey of faithfulness, courage, and aching loss amidst hope, resilience, and a reaffirmation of the human spirit.

This brilliantly written fictional narrative is a sobering reveal of how a top-secret CIA project careened out of control into a catastrophe that remains classified even today.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781393218777, 9781393817604

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

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 258

Fragments: The Long Coming Home from Vietnam by Bruce Berger

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MWSA Review
This is an incredible read.

Though short in page/word count, Bruce Berger’s Fragments reads like an opus of the Vietnam War, outlining what he refers to in the audio version as “the long afterness” of the war. It has the emotional impact of Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried or Karl Marlantes’s Matterhorn, and we’re fortunate to have Fragments join the canon of literature that emerged from the veterans of that long war.
This is not a typical “Roses are red, violets are blue…” book of poetry. Berger’s writing style is soulful and improvisational, which lends a sense of honesty and earnestness to his characters and scenes. The result is 34 individual stories/poems that will pull at a reader’s psyche and leave a lasting vision of what it was like to serve and survive in Vietnam.

Berger proves to be a patriot, poet, and philosopher. There isn’t much chest-thumping bravado in his poems. Instead, he delves into the fear, hope, confusion, desperation, and loneliness of this war. Berger also pays homage to the people of Vietnam, with several stories driving home the perspective of the Vietnamese people who were fighting and living through the war as well, whether it is the double-entendre story of “Girl Selling Her Fruit” or the soul crushing “Widows’ Village.” In this regard, Berger humanizes the Vietnamese people, similar to how Ken Burns did in his documentary The Vietnam War.

There are too many brilliant passages to describe, but here are a few that had a powerful, stinging impact for me:
“…the bloody mathematics of such action…”
“Why the hell were we where the hell we were?”
“…ceremonial ribbons, silver affirmations and golden glorifications…”
“…the detritus of my delirium…”
“His heart leaks into the grave”

Fragments is about Berger’s time in Vietnam, and this book will take readers “there”—both to the literal jungles and the psychological jungles in the depths of the minds of those who walked the ground in country. And even though this is a book about the Vietnam experience, Berger’s words will resonate with anybody who has served—whenever and wherever—particularly in Afghanistan, that has so many parallels to Vietnam.

An added bonus to this fantastic book are the works of art provided by the Providence Art Club in Rhode Island. The art complements many of the stories and makes this a wonderful work of history, poetry, philosophy, and art. I originally had this on a Kindle but ordered a print version and am grateful to have it in my library.

Review by Frank Biggio (May 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Bruce Berger, the author, finally came home 50 years after the Vietnam war when his memories crystallized into the 34 poems in this chapbook. He served in Vietnam in 1970 with the Casualty Branch of the 101st Airborne Division. As “next-of-kin” editor, he wrote hundreds of sympathy letters to grieving families back home, and sometimes helped gather fallen brothers on battle grounds to begin their long journeys home. He was immersed in the words, images, weight, and limitless reach of death. 

Through this lens, his poems evoke an overwhelming sense of loss on many fronts: the brave soldiers who gave their lives; a village of South Vietnamese widows; the thousands of bui doi, innocent but reviled half-breed (Amerasian) children; the empty afterness of battle grounds and burials; the long, deadly reach of Agent Orange and PTSD into veterans’ lives still today; and the thunderous silence of missing parades back home. Writing these poems brought him home. 

The book is divided into six sections: Taps, Dreaming of Home, Life on the Perimeter, Pictures and Prayers, PTSD, and Seasons. The 34 moving poems are enriched by 25 powerful illustrations created by 13 members of the Providence Art Club of Rhode Island.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-9855048-1-6,978-0-9855048-2-3,978-0-9855048-3-0

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

Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book

Number of Pages: 92

A Sailor’s Journey by Raymond Perrotti

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MWSA Review
Author Ray Perrotti has provided us with a fun, easy read in his memoir A Sailor's Journey. In the spring of 1966, Ray is about to graduate from high school and doesn't consider himself college material. With the Vietnam conflict getting bigger and bigger, and the military draft looming over him, Ray decides to get ahead of the inevitable and enlists in the U.S. Navy. A Sailor's Journey takes us from his first day at Boot Camp through his two-year stint in the navy. Serving on a couple of destroyers in a multitude of jobs, the author's enlistment includes two separate tours of duty off the coast of Vietnam where his destroyer runs the gun line, firing at enemy positions on shore. Unfortunately, the North Vietnamese guns fire back, and on one occasion, a round hits his ship, killing and wounding his shipmates. More than just the experience in combat, this book gives us a good look at the life of a sailor at sea.

Review by Bob Doerr (May 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
In 1966, most young men graduating high school in America only saw three options: go to college, wait to be drafted, or enlist. Ray chose enlistment, and for the next three years, embarked on the adventure of a lifetime around the world on a Navy Destroyer. 

Read firsthand accounts of working with NASA on Apollo capsule retrieval and participating in Naval rituals like crossing the Equator. Lose yourself in memories that have delighted friends and family for decades, now collected in this personal and honest look backward. 

In A Sailor’s Journey, Ray Perrotti shares genuine, personal stories about Navy life during Vietnam. This memoir captures the good, the bad, and the hustle of a not-so-typical enlisted man, just trying to get through his commitment to serve.

ISBN/ASIN: 9798580693729

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 134

They Were Soldiers by Marvin Wolf

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MWSA Review
Marvin Wolf and Joseph Galloway have provided poignant, stirring accounts of the lives of nearly fifty Vietnam veterans in They Were Soldiers. Going beyond a simple retelling of their Vietnam experiences, Wolf and Galloway depict how these events shaped the lives of these people once they made it back home. Whether in Vietnam or back in the United States, these persons have made a broad impact on their families, friends, states, and nation, and their contributions are shared publicly in this book.

Wide-ranging is an accurate description of these narratives. Well-known names such as Chuck Hagel and Oliver Stone can be found alongside unfamiliar names such as Ted Gostas and Hal Kushner. The authors’ goal is to present a cross-section of individuals that accurately represent those that served in Vietnam. Men and women of each race and ethnicity, including Vietnamese refugees, are included in this broad category.
They all share one characteristic: they came back from the war changed by their experiences. Their stories are told in simple, plain terms, often incorporating their own words. The danger, sorrow, and despair of the war hang heavily in the book’s pages but clash deeply with the hope and resilience expressed by these individuals since the end of the war. The result is definitively inspiring.

This book should be considered a must-read by anyone interested in personal accounts from the Vietnam War. In addition, the uplifting, honest stories will more than likely make a positive impact for veterans in their post-war lives.

Review by Braden Hall (May 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
They Were Soldiers showcases the inspiring true stories of 47 Vietnam veterans who returned home from the "lost war" to enrich America's present and future.

In this groundbreaking new book, the authors reveal the private lives of those who returned from Vietnam to make astonishing contributions in science, medicine, business, and other arenas, and change America for the better.

For decades, the soldiers who served in Vietnam were shunned by the American public and ignored by their government. Many were vilified or had their struggles to reintegrate into society magnified by distorted depictions of veterans as dangerous or demented. Even today, Vietnam veterans have not received their due. Until now. These profiles are touching and courageous, and often startling.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1400208807

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

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 416

M-9 by Marvin Wolf

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MWSA Review
When you step into the origin story of Marvin J. Wolf's Chelmin and Spaulding CID mystery, M-9, it's much like being in the front seat of the world's wildest roller coaster. You have a nice overview from the original climb, and then drop right into more action than you are ready for, with boomerang turns that double back, corkscrew twists to disorient you, the odd "what the hell was that" moment that leaves your heart in your throat, and when you hit that last page, the feeling of, "Ah man, this can’t be the end already."

It begins with a woman's body in a boxcar full of military clothing. In the next 100 pages you have a sniper attack, one RPG assault that ends with a shootout at a bank robbery, a second RPG attack on a courthouse that ends with two “near miraculous” head shots at 198 yards, a multi-jurisdictional testosterone dispute that confuses every aspect of the case, drug smuggling, money laundering, some cartel red herrings, and a few other bodies along the way. By the time you get to the obligatory but not formulaic partner rescue, the clues are all there, but the junior partner is a touch inexperienced to connect the dots as quickly as one would like.

The partners are well balanced between youthful enthusiasm and cynical experience, both with interesting back stories. Chelmin, the senior partner is a wounded vet with nearly 30 years in CID, a widower whose wife's death is questionable and unresolved. His foray into a relationship with his former sister-in-law is cautious, almost reticent but touching. Spaulding is the young, noble, honest cop who ruined his career by arresting the wrong rich entitled local and has joined the army because he has no other law enforcement options, and he has three generations of Army Airman family he is measuring himself against. It drives him to a level of character that is almost too good. People like that exist, but they are rare. To be honest, Spaulding is the kind of young, handsome, honest, heroic hot chopper pilot that women would stalk in cooperative pairs if not in coordinated packs. A knight errant would make him less Galahad, perhaps to detriment. This is obvious when in the foreshadowing of the Black Hat reveal, he gets played in a way that is clear he is being played but not exactly why—by whom is what adds to the tension.

After a story that leads to Costa Rica and Belize, the ending has lead villains that you never see coming, a couple of support villains that make perfect sense in hindsight, and a few minor characters that get what they deserve in a moment of warm and comforting schadenfreude that will elicit hearty laughter. Enjoy it. I did.

And, then, you turn that last page, and raise your eyes from the page with a wistful, "Please sir, may I have some more?" Luckily, there is more, The Zombie Deception. M-9 is the first of what I hope will be a long literary series and, with the right casting and a director who would deviate not one single iota from the source material, a major movie franchise. These two guys are just that good.

The formatting of the pages will be a bit odd for some readers, as paragraphs are short and widely spaced. And the chapter breaks can feel like a scene cut, more of a movie script than a story. Some will find this easier to read than a more conventional format. It makes for an easily read, fast-paced story where you almost cannot turn pages fast enough.

Review by John Russell (April 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Two unlikely partners find themselves in the crosshairs of a ruthless international gang in this thriller. Wily detective Rudy Chelmin joined the Army Criminal Investigation Division after losing his leg in action in 1991. Rudy discovers a new partner in recruit Will Spaulding, who finds a woman’s naked body in a boxcar full of Army boots. Will enlisted in the Army after getting run out of Barstow, California, after daring to arrest a guilty but privileged scion. The two pair up to solve the murder of Kendra Farrell, the naked woman who died from hypothermia. But their efforts attract the attention of M-9, a dangerous Salvadoran gang, which blows up Will’s Camaro with an RPG. Kendra worked at a base that was the Marine equivalent of Amazon.com, handling orders for all sorts of items. So first the investigators have to determine whether Kendra was involved in or stumbled onto something shady. Next, they have to figure out which of the police with whom they have been working may be in league with M-9, striving to block their investigation. Finally, Rudy disappears and Will has to locate him before he ends up exactly like Kendra.

ISBN/ASIN: ASIN : B07WW2922H

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

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 435