Tales from the Blue by J. B. King

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

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

Review by Nancy Kauffman (March2021)
 

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

ISBN/ASIN: 9781725758100

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Collections—Humor

Number of Pages: 157

Away for The Holidays, by the Veterans Writing Group San Diego

MWSA Review
Away For The Holidays by the Veterans' Writing Group of San Diego County is a well organized compilation of poems and essays which share the heartfelt emotions of serving our country during the holidays, in particular Christmas.  The writers refer to all the major holidays but the central theme is the most compelling family gathering of the year in America. The book organizer(s) must be applauded for encouraging vets from a variety of military engagements and eras to share their deepest feelings about being away from home and all that means.  The book speaks to a universal theme for any service member as well as any other people who serve the public and sacrifice their time with family during a treasured time of year.  

I found the stories compelling and well-written. They took me back to my experience, resurrecting emotions of one of the most difficult aspects of serving in any of our Armed Forces Branches. The contributors are seasoned writers who spend time trying to nurture their God-given gift of wordsmithing with those who aren't so able, but need the therapy that writing offers those who all too often internalize the pain they never forget.  I applaud the groups' purpose and the resulting work they share here with any audience that knows people "who have been there and done that." 
By Mike Mullins, MWSA Reviewer
 

Synopsis
Away for The Holidays is a collection of stories written by veterans in the Veterans Writing Group San Diego. Each shares a story of celebrating holidays--that time of family, food, friendship and relative safety-- far from those they love. Their stores are heartwarming and heart-rending, funny and frightening as they recall Christmas' spent on the battlefields of World War II, Vietnam or Kandahar. For the civilian reader, these under-the-helmet stories reveal the everyday sacrifices, camaraderie and pride of our military. For those who have served, these stories will bring back memories of being young and away from home for the holidays.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1537684611
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Collections, Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 82