Terry Futrell's book relates a firsthand and an enjoyable account ...
583076
Terry Futrell's book relates a firsthand and an enjoyable account of growing up in the community in which my parents were born and in which I've lived for almost the last four decades.  His recollections encompass a gamut of emotions, and his vulnerabilities are even immersed in humor.
1329548
First off I would like to say that I am a big football fan and I really enjoyed reading this book. I would also like to say that this is not a book for just football fans, it is relatable to anybody. Because I am a football fan and a Tony Dungy fan as well, I already knew about most of the events in the book, but this book gave me a different perspective on all of those events. It was interesting to see his reflections on what was happening and what was going through his head.
It was also interesting to see how Tony Dungy, who is known for his football knowledge, show his writing prowess as well. I was surprised by how well written this book was seeing as it was coming from an NFL coach and not an accomplished writer. I would recommend this book to pretty much anybody, especially football fans, but not just football fans. Anybody can enjoy this book in my opinion.
1702166
For anyone interested in obtaining knowledge on the social and political atmosphere during the Vietnam Era, along with a perspective into the life of the soldiers who fought the war, Greg Murrys Content With My Wages: A Sergeants Story is a solid beginning. The beginning chapters discuss Murrys life before the Army and the war; Greg Murry was a boy who didn't like school much, did like surfing much, and greatly delved into military history. As he relates his experiences after enlisting in the Army, one can read the major events that changed his life. By the end of the book, a seasoned veteran returns home and begins another chapter of his life.
 The chapters were never too long and went by smoothly.  I found myself laughing while reading certain passages (The Troop Ladder) and pondering on others. I am sure many of you will find the passage on the hornets as amusing as I did.  I still marvel at the amount of detail or description given in this book.
As a prior infantryman with 3rd Marines, I would recommend this book to anyone who is active service, prior service, or planning on serving. Many pointers on leadership, strategy, and training are presented in this book. To my satisfaction, I found myself agreeing with many of the points discussed. Unfortunately, this means many of the things have not changed or they need further work. For those actively serving, points for reflection can be found in the epilogue and appendixes.
3425588
Mark has written an authentic first-person account of his journey up and down the mountain.  It's good to see genuine feelings here, honesty for what was seen and regret for what he could have done.  Given how much climbers rely on help, it's ironic how little thought or support they're able to offer their fellow climbers. But that's self preservation for you, I guess.  It's also terrifying to read the proximity these climbers have to actual dead bodies littering the route, and yet they pass struggling climbers with little thought - as though their deadened minds can't connect the dots.  I feel like you've provided the 'emotional truth' lacking in many other narratives, many of which portray climbing and summitting with a sort of gung-ho gusto.  Enjoyable authentic read with many compelling  photo illustrations.
1203004
I had the pleasure of being one of the few people who got to see this work through its review process, and Terry has only made it better. This book reads a lot like sitting down to have a conversation with a dear friend and listening to them regale you with all the interesting stories of their past.

Fortunately there is a bit more lead into each story then you might get in a conversation, and the careful separation of Terrys law enforcement days from his time in the border patrol etc were useful if you wanted to skip ahead.

I really liked the personal touches he added to the book by inserting photographs from his life in at relevant points.

All in all, I think its an interesting book about an interesting man.
1045602
James Beebe's memoir of his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines is a quick, enjoyable read. I recommend Those Were the Days to the general reader and specifically to anyone interested in the Peace Corps, development work, or education abroad. The book's best parts are those where Beebe explains how his experiences helped shape his worldview and his future. As someone who has worked in both development and education abroad, I found Beebe's perspectives a useful corrective to the cynicism many of us engaged in such work sometimes feel. His account of a productive Peace Corps stint could really help people interested in this line of work think through their own goals and prepare for the challenges (and joys!) of living abroad.
1196466
Dixon wrote a great book. He connects with the reader immediately in describing his initial experience with Marine Recruit training with his humor and honest descriptions of who he was with and what happened. The story has his great sense of humor sprinkled throughout the beginning and middle stages of the book. When he and his buddies are sent from the MPs to the grunts for the last half of their 13 month tours, his experience remains riveting but becomes darker as he has to describe the horrors he saw take place.

I prefer first hand accounts of Vietnam War experiences to historical accounts - this book is not a timeline of battles and their outcome on the war.
Many of the movies made about the Vietnam war paint the men who had to fight it as monsters or criminals or lazy draftees. I think these accounts, especially Dixon's, give people who did not live in that time  a better idea of who the soldiers were and what they saw.
4327893
This was a very good book, one that I could see finding its way into school summer reading lists, book clubs, and reading circles.  It gives the reader a detailed window into the world of the Berber people in Algeria and North Africa in the 1980s and '90s.  You will experience them through the eyes of the author, as he shares his life story.

I initially made the mistake of judging this book by its cover (and by quickly reading the first and last pages only - sorry, Djaffar!).  Once I committed to reading it I was enthralled.  This is Mr. Chetouane's first book, hopefully the first of many.  It contains recollections of utter despair and detailed accounts of imprisonment and torture.  But "Donkey Heart, Monkey Mind" also contains many moments of joy and human compassion as well.

A line from the book: "Life is even better when you earn it yourself." Read this story, and see if you don't agree.
1831088
Rick Atkinson's account of the First Gulf War captures the essence the conflict and calls out the many sacrifices made by our service members in a war portrayed in the media (manipulated by the military) as a nearly bloodless computer game for the allied forces. Crusade's attention to detail brought back memory's of the time and put somethings in a historical perspective for me. What was interesting is that this account firmly meshed with the personal accounts of the war that other veterans have shared with me (from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps).  With the book published so soon after the war, the only thing I can fault in is Mr. Atkinson's ability to predict the future. Calling out the conflict as insignificant with no impact, we can see clearly now (with hindsight being 20/20) that we were setting off the fuse for a chain of events leading to Global War On Terror.  I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in history or current political events.

John O'Farrell is an interactive marketing expert in the metropolitan New York area. You can visit his blog: AllThingsInteractive.com
3483700
I found this work to be a well-written first-person account of the worst time in Cambodia. The book is a harrowing detail of the author's flight from Cambodia, and the narrative is straight-forward and easy to follow. I'm not sure one 'enjoys' a work that details such suffering, but the author does the world a service by bearing witness to the worst aspects of human nature and group-think.
1711451
Jerry Ellis has written a very personal account of his Adventures in Trastevere--from the apartments he rents and the people he rents them from, to the neighbors he meets and the cafes, restaurants and sites he visits in the Eternal City.  He infuses historical facts from the Ancient Roman Era with the customs and idiosyncrasies of the Romans today. He delights in all he encounters and thrives on being included in the 'family of friends' he has gotten to know along the way.
 He writes in a way that includes us the reader in his friendship's circle and we feel as if we are with him drinking coffee, talking and laughing with his companions and wondering and hoping because of this that we might also have a similar type of experience in Rome and Italy if we just open ourselves up and follow his lead! One hopes Jerry will write a sequel so we may know of his further adventures and the outcome of the situations with his various friends.
 I recommend this book to all who enjoy Rome and to those who soon will after reading this book.
 I think it would also be helpful to persons planning trips to Rome and/or Italy to help them see how enticing it is to just sit, have a coffee, meet those around you and let these types of experiences--rather than rushing to see every museum, monument, or statue-- bring you closer to the 'real' Rome & Italy.
745470
An honest account of an interesting man's life.
1260755
This book is a well-written account of something that hopefully doesn't happen often.  I am a very religious, spiritual person.  While one can see God's hand throughout the story, I almost felt like the faith and religion was mentioned too much in the very beginning and made the story somewhat syrupy.

I didn't see a resemblance between Whitney and Laura other than the fact that they are both blonde, but as an EMT I can totally understand how this mistake was made. The family thought the injured person was Laura because the authorities told them it was Laura.  After seeing her hour after hour, she became familiar to them.  Her injuries healed through a gradual process.  When Whitney became more and more back to herself, they realized she was not Laura.

The book was an excellent account of an interesting, sad, happy, and a real faith-building story.
3043157
This account of the infamous Gacy saga begins with the dissapearance of Gacy's last victim, and details the surveillance, capture, and prosecution of one of the world's most famous serial murderers.  Terry Sullivan's  attention to detail with the account is commendable but at the same time is  the reason I gave the book a four and not a perfect five.  Sometimes his  descriptions of forensic issues drag on past what is necessary and become  boring. Overall the book is enthralling. The accounts of the interviews  with Gacy, before and after his arrest, are mesmorizing. Sullivan's first  hand account of events makes this book a must read.
3213051
Very readable first-hand account that gives excellent insight into the real and personal experiences of a marine. No embellishments and interesting context with the author's post-Vietnam life. A recommended read for anyone interested in the soldier's experience of Vietnam.
4872020
Fun, exciting and entertaining with the genuine insight of one of Pro Boxing's long time good guys.  Dan Sisneros has the perspective of someone who has been a part of the "management" of the sport as a long time Judge and also as a professional observer in the form of a Journalist and he provides an enjoyable look into some of the often bizarre occurrences that happen in Professional boxing more often than one might think.  And, while for the sake of full disclosure I should acknowledge that I provide the insiders perspective in a couple of chapters, Dans inclusion of Boxing Insiders adds a realistic touch as seen through the eyes of those who themselves live the oddities of our wonderful sport.  A quick, easy and enjoyable read that is bound to put a smile on your face and have you shaking your head.  I have to say though, that finishing this book left me with two questions.  Why did he leave out the story of the hail delay at an outside venue in Denver, Colorado?  And when is his next book coming out?
1260953
Having been a long term GD fan, I naturally had to read this book. Bill Kreutzmann was always a less visible member of the group. The book turned out to be more enjoyable than I had expected. The writing style comes across as chatty--like he was recorded after having a few beers sitting on a beach, as much of it likely was. The text generally flows well, probably due to this and to the work of his collaborator Benjy Eisen. Kreutzmann is very honest--you feel like you get the straight story, both good and bad. He is unsparing when discussing unsavory events and characters, including himself. He does not come across as a very likable person in many ways but tells it like it was--or like he recalls it. Given the massive amounts of hard drugs seemingly consumed by most members of the band it is surprising that there are as many survivors of the group as there are. It really seems like a true insiders account of life in the band, more so than bassist Phil Lesh's memoir of several years ago (Searching for the Sound) which seems more self-serving and cleaned-up. There are some surprises, notably Kreutzmann's reluctance to have co-drummer Mickey Hart rejoin the band after a 4 year absence. The author seems to have not been particularly close to anyone in the band except Jerry Garcia, a relationship that may well have been shared by a number of the other band members. Garcia was truly the major life force in the band. Kreuztmann's description of Garcia's decline and death is more stark and tragic than most recollections. Garcia is portrayed as being trapped into a role he hated but felt compelled to persist in (keeping the business entity of the Grateful Dead rolling to continue to provide livelihood to the numerous people being fed by that beast) despite the loss of the collective spirit of the band and the further demands on his failing health. Kreuztmann cites everyone as culpable and self-interested in keeping on with the band when clearly a break would likely have benefited Garcia (and possibly increased both there longevity and vitality of the band).

A lot of myths get shattered here but if you are interested in the band this is a must read.