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

Short Season by DJ Scott

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Author's Synopsis: He watched his unit die for their country. Now he may have to do it again. Navy medical officer Mike McGregor hates the human cost of war. After barely surviving a top-secret mission in Iraq, the loss of his team leaves him bitter and wary of authority. But when a Yemeni warlord steals six Russian nukes, McGregor doesn't hesitate to head back into combat.

Thrown together with an aggressive female Marine determined to prove her worth, McGregor worries this assignment will end like the last. And when things go sideways behind enemy lines, his loyalty is torn between duty and the lives of his people.

Can McGregor prevent nuclear disaster and bring his crew out unscathed?

Short Season is a gripping military fiction novel. If you like gritty heroes, action-packed operations, and tough moral dilemmas, then you'll love DJ Scott's compelling tale.

Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Format(s): Softcover, Kindle

ASIN: B07W6JP1D2, ISBN 10: ‎ 1943290695

Super Grandma and Super Grandpa, The Unknown Superheroes, Book 1 by Christine J. Gilbert

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Author's Synopsis: In the suburbs of the city lived a Super Grandma, Jeanne Classyca, who had two grandchildren. Super Grandma was a special agent, and she had super magical powers. She was a classy lady and believed in eating the right foods and exercising. Not far away downtown in the city lived a Super Grandpa, Patrizio Wannabee, who had three grandchildren. He was a special agent and had super magical powers. He didn't believe in eating healthy or exercising. One would describe him as a bit chunky until Agent Classyca encouraged him to eat healthily and work out. Super Grandma and Super Grandpa were unknown superheroes and worked together on cases involving saving children in danger by using their super magical powers. They each owned a safety training school that taught safety and martial arts to children to make them aware of stranger danger, stop drop and roll, cyberbullying, and more. While they were working on a case, evidence was found in a wooden box, and they discovered their students and grandchildren were in danger. It was up to Super Grandma and Super Grandpa to catch the criminals by using their super magical powers. While they were trying to catch the criminals, something unexpected happened, and their super magical powers may have been handed down to their grandchildren. (Chapter reading ages 7-12)

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy/Sci Fi

Format(s): Hardcover, Softcover

ASIN: B0794T2SDW

ISBN: 978-15049-3463-3, ISBN:978-1524639044

Break in the Chain - Intelligence Ignored by Walter Baker

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Author's Synopsis

A riveting combination of war memoir and unique examination of the role of intelligence during the Easter Offensive 1972 written by an intelligence analyst who was there in 1972.

For the first two weeks of the Easter Offensive of 1972, the 571st Military Intelligence Detachment provided the only pertinent collateral intelligence available to American forces. Twice daily, the Detachment provided intelligence to the USS Buchanan (DDG-14), US Navy SEALS, and Special Forces units including tactical and strategic forecasts of enemy movements, information that was otherwise unavailable to U.S. units and advisors in-country.

In the weeks before the offensive, vital agent reports and verbal warnings by the 571st MI Detachment had been ignored by all the major commands; they were only heeded, and then only very reluctantly, once the Offensive began. This refusal to listen to the intelligence explains why no Army or USMC organizations were on-call to recover prisoners discovered or U.S. personnel downed behind enemy lines, as in the BAT-21 incident, as the last two Combat Recon Platoons in Vietnam had been disbanded six weeks before the offensive began. The lessons and experiences of Operation Lam Son 719 in the previous year were ignored, especially with regard to the NVA’s tactical use of tanks and artillery. In his memoir, Bob Baker, the only trained military intelligence analyst with the 571st MI Detachment in 1972, reveals these and other heroics and blunders during a key moment in the Vietnam War.

Genre(s): History

Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle

ISBN-13 : ‎ 978-1612009919

ASIN ‏: ‎ B097HSHH8C

Where You Go, I Will Go by Victoria Terrinoni

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MWSA Review
Victoria Terrinoni’s book, Where You Go I Will Go, is a guide for military spouses. The author combines humor, resilience, marriage, and patriotism into a format that evokes memories of an intimate conversation with a good friend over a cup of hot coffee.

Terrinoni's honest, insightful story of thirty-one years of life with her Air Force chaplain husband will help any new spouse embarking on a similar journey. The lessons learned after each chapter provide a quick recap of the key takeaways to keep in mind and are invaluable.

Where You Go, I Will Go is organized by topic and is easy to read and retain information.  This book provides tools to help a new military spouse acclimate, including an appendix of acronyms and abbreviations vital to know as well as online and on-base resources.

Review by Nancy Panko (July 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Military life is confusing. You have so many questions. Where will you live? How will you make friends? What happens when your spouse deploys? What about the kids?  Through personal stories, humorous and serious, Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse will answer these questions and more.

In this book, Victoria Terrinoni, a military spouse for 31 years, will show you:

How to handle frequent moves.

How to deal with loneliness and make new friends.

What happens during deployments.

How to help your children adjust.

What those darn acronyms mean.

What resources are available to find answers and support

Where You Go, I Will Go provides valuable lessons on many issues facing military spouses, especially new spouses. Most of all, you will see you are not alone in this journey.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-7368931-04, 978-1-7368931-1-1

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 122

Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass by Sandra Stosz

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MWSA Review
VADM Sandra Stosz's Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters should be a leadership textbook in every leadership curriculum. Not only is it well written and authoritative on the perspective of breaking down barriers for minorities, but for those leaders NOT in a minority group it provides an excellent reminder of just why we need diversity in our workforce and armed services.

The author does an excellent job of relaying how as a junior female officer in a mostly male armed force, she had to challenge the establishment in order to be accepted on her merits. She does so with humor and professionalism in a way that each story is not an accusation but a learning opportunity for those at every level of leadership and supervision. She leaves her audience with several valuable insights and tools (I especially enjoyed the three P’s of power) that any leader at any level in any organization can use. This reviewer is a retired Naval officer and leadership instructor, and I still found many useful talking points to use with my students.

Also enjoyable was her use of very non-standard leadership texts like Mere Christianity and To Kill a Mockingbird to make her point.

Leaders military and otherwise will find a lot of value in this inspiring book from an author who was on the cutting edge of the Coast Guard, both literally and figuratively.

Review by Rob Ballister (July 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Today, our nation is like a ship being tossed in tumultuous seas. The winds and waves of change have divided and distanced our society, threatening to wash away the very principles upon which our nation was founded. The forces of change are driving us into uncharted waters. Now more than ever, our nation needs leaders with the moral courage to stand strong and steady—leaders capable of uniting people in support of a shared purpose by building the trust and respect necessary for organizations and their people to thrive.

In Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters, Admiral Sandy Stosz draws upon 40 years of extensive leadership experience leading mostly all-male teams in the US Coast Guard to help leaders navigate complexity and succeed at every level. Character-centered, proven leadership principles emerge from engaging, personal stories that teach leaders how to find, and then become, an inspiring mentor; implement successful diversity, inclusion, and equity programs; successfully lead in a complex environment; and much more.

Leaders eager to make a difference by helping people and organizations be their best will find Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters their go-to resource.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-64663-525-2, 978-1-64663-523-8, 978-1-64663-524-5

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

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 312

The Librarian by William Whitson

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MWSA Review
The Librarian: Intrigue at RAF Greenham by W. F. Whitson is a work of fiction based on the author’s personal experiences but written as a mystery/thriller. The first pages of the book offer a list of the main characters, a list of acronyms used, and maps of the area west of London that are relevant to the story. When the United States decides to place ground-launched cruise missiles in England during the Cold War, there is strong opposition not only from Russia but also from British women, who camped near Greenham where they could creatively show their feelings. Russia sent a spy whose cover was as a librarian as well as a few handlers to encourage his work. The spy manipulates various groups and ultimately takes on aggressive acts himself. The book delves into the problem from various views – the US Air Force, British military, local police, and MI 5, as well as the women and some of their families – giving a rich picture of this interesting time in England.
Review by Nancy Kauffman (July 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
In the 1980s, the Cold War heated up  and NATO voted to deploy Ground Launched Cruise Missiles in England to counter the Soviet buildup of SS-20s. Many people around the world protested, and the Soviets sent a spy to stop the deployment by exploding a dirty bomb on RAF Greenham Common. USAF  Lieutenant Colonel Wes Forrest joined with MI-5 to find and destroy the threat.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-950729-11-1

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 482

Seasons of the Birch by Susan Puska

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MWSA Review
Seasons of the Birch is the story of a young woman who grew up poor in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and left home to enlist in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. By the time Ruth completed her training and deployed to the Philippines, it was April 1945. On returning from the Pacific Theater, she found that war veterans were not always honored, especially if they happened to be women. She returned to hospital work and eventually married a veteran, and that’s when the real troubles began.  Seasons of the Birch follows the family through its struggles with joblessness, alcoholism, and abandonment. While many do not, this book addresses some of the difficulties faced by ordinary men and women who served selflessly and then struggled to assimilate into a society that looked different from the one they left behind.

Review by Betsy Beard (June 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Seasons of the Birch is a story of perseverance, sacrifice, and resilience. Susan Puska brings realism and heart to a novel that showcases the untold stories of women, minorities, and marginalized men who served their country yet seldom get the recognition they deserve.

Ruth Amundsen grew up poor in Michigan’s rural Upper Peninsula during the 1920s and 1930s. As she ventured beyond the village of Big Bay, she left her real home – the shores of Lake Superior. After nursing training, she joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, serving during the last year of World War II in the war-torn Philippines. 

When she returns to post-war America, she finds her independence, sense of contribution, and hard-earned status as a war nurse of little value to a country seeking to get back to an outdated normal, whatever the cost. Her search for tranquility and family is tested as she returns to her beloved Northwoods. Can she adapt to the harsh realities she exchanged for returning north? Will she break from its icy weight or find her resilience like the birch tree after a long winter?

ISBN/ASIN: 9781636768120

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

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 232

Two Million Steps by Tommy Anderson

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MWSA Review
Two Million Steps is the fictional story of Hamon Jennings, an actual member of the 25th Wisconsin Infantry regiment who fought in the American Civil War. Author Tommy Anderson is Hamon’s great-great-grandson. He tells the story of this famed unit from the dramatized perspective of his relative.

Anderson weaves themes of friendship, family, and fortitude into his story as he describes the ebb and flow of army life. After leaving his family to fight, Hamon must survive the war and return to his wife and new son. Combat is not the only threat he faces. Other dangers lurk in camp. Will Hamon survive? A series of dreams and flashbacks leave the outcome unknown until the latter part of the book. Although Hamon’s survival is a mystery that can keep the reader invested, this book tends to favor repetition over innovation.

Readers interested in the Civil War will understand the significance of the title and appreciate Anderson’s portrayal of the trials and successes of Union soldiers fighting against the Confederacy.

Review by Braden Hall (June 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Two Million Steps is the story of two men from western Wisconsin who were members of the 25th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company A. It tells their journey from the formation of the regiment through the end of the war. During the Civil War men from both sides rushed to volunteer seeking excitement, adventure, and to defend their state along with their country. This is the regiment's story.

In 1862, the 25th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed in La Crosse, Wisconsin, from mostly volunteers from the western part of the state. The regiment went to war with 1,018 men. The Twenty-Fifth Wisconsin would go on to fight in seven major campaigns and numerous smaller skirmishes with a common motto amongst its men that was coined by Chauncey H. Cooke, a private from Company G, and was picked up by the regiment: "I have no heart in this war if the slaves cannot go free."

During the war, the regiment lost the largest percentage of soldiers from Wisconsin units. They were often called to lead the attacks in Major General Sherman's March to the Sea and to the end of the war because of their ferociousness in battle.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1636496269, 978-1636496276

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

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 178

Pandemic Adventures with Pop Pop by Warren Martin

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MWSA Review
Warren Martin tells a sweet story in his children's picture book Pandemic Adventures with Pop Pop. As the recent Covid-19 pandemic swept in and disrupted life, its effects didn't miss the children in
this world. School was canceled, playgrounds and pools were shut down. In this book, the author tells the story of a grandfather stepping in and filling the void with a variety of simple adventures
on which he takes his grandchildren. It's a short book that will appeal to children, especially those who like to be read to.

Review by Bob Doerr (June 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
This third book in the series fast-forwards four years to the 2020 pandemic with a unique approach to that unprecedented year. While activities were restricted for children, parents and grandparents found ways to keep going. Pandemic Adventures with Pop Pop follows the unique way Pop Pop found to entertain his Grandmen Dean and Levi. During the pandemic, or as Grandman Dean called it, “The Sickness,” Pop Pop found fun ways to keep his Grandmen safe, educating them while also creating positive and fun memories.

The Adventures with Pop Pop series of children’s books covers adventures with Pop Pop and his Grandmen. Each book takes us on an adventure to places like Walmart, preschool, and adventures during the pandemic. Future books will cover more adventures, like a birthday party with a surprise visit by Louie the mascot from the St. Louis Blues, Grant’s Farm, the arrival of little brother, and many more.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1955129008

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 44

Deep State Sedition by Lee Boyland

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MWSA Review
Deep State Sedition by Lee Boyland with Vista Boyland is a fast moving mystery thriller set in multiple locations, which are clearly labeled in the text. There are two previous books in this series, and it would be helpful to read them first. Prior to this series, there are three books in the Clash-of-Civilization trilogy which lead up to this series.

There are many twists and turns in the plot, which takes off from current news and a recent TV show, with whole new outcomes . Very creative thinking. Once you adjust to the fast-breaking beginning chapters, the story will pull you in. Could this happen here? Are we seeing any of these story lines developing currently in this country? Are our intelligence services keeping up this well? Read on.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (June 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The concluding book (#6) of the Clash-of-Civilizations and the OAS series. Terrorists and Iran destroyed five American cities including Washington DC while the president was addressing a joint session of Congress. Secretary of Homeland Security George Alexander was the only survivor and became America’s first statutory president. With his appointed Cabinet he put America first and set about saving the nation.

President Alexander plans to have the nation vote on the first of several referendums; followed by a national election to reelect Congress and the president. Alexander’s call to form new political parties that will elect men and women who revere the Constitution and do the peoples’ business gains traction.

Elitists, academics, liberal politicians planning to be elected for life, embedded progressive government employees with cushy jobs, and globalists planning to turn America into a socialist nation realize their plans and existence are threatened. The Deep State is exposed and must take action to preserve its power.

The president’s enemies unite—President Alexander must be stopped. The question is how? So far, all attempts have failed. So what is left: Direct confrontations, false accusations, fake news, violence, and assassination? The president is faced with anarchy, treason, and sedition.

Hollywood and the mainstream media, joined by academia, launch a campaign to take Alexander down. Deep pocket donors dig deeper and turn loose their progressive black shirt thugs and progressive student activists. Assassination is not off the table for some.

The president responds and the Deep State is exposed. 

Teresa Lopez seals the deal with Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay thereby establishing the Tri-Border Territory and is surprised when she finds herself appointed the first governor-general. While she moves from her role as secret ambassador to governor-general, cartels and jihadists plot to remove her. New enemies move into the TBT and must be dealt with. Somalian pirates resume taking ships for ransom. President Alexander confronts the Deep State and proclaims America will not become a socialists nation.

This political and military thriller will keep you turning the pages late into the night.

ISBN/ASIN: B08CRY115M , 979-8639550706

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 374