Reviews (11)

Best book on the subject
Having read a lot of WWI books and books on sniping this one takes the cake.It's written in the autobiographical tradition of Teddy Roosevelt and will impress the old and young alike with its vivid imagery and colorful prose. Great read.

Straight talking
As a rifle shooter with a historical interest i bought this book. If your looking for an overly dramatic or gruesome account of life in the first world war trenches dont by this book. From what i can tell it is a written collection of memories by the author. These memories are written in a matter of fact, straight talking way which does not hide the authors zealous approach to his task of being a soldier.
Excellent Book
It might not be written in perfect English, and it's not always politically correct, but it's definitely always enjoyable.
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Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Canadian Army    3. McBride, Herbert W    4. Personal narratives, American    5. World War, 1914-1918    6. History    7. Warfare & Defence    8. Military history, World War I   

Editorial Review

Jack Todd made a fateful decision in 1969. A farm boy from a time and place where the obligation to serve in the military was taken for granted, Todd had just completed basic training at an army post near Seattle when he opted to take a Vietnam-veteran friend's advice and slip across the border into British Columbia rather than risk his life fighting in an unpopular war. His life in Canada was by no means easy; he spent time on Skid Row among fellow deserters and draft evaders, many of them parasitical criminals, and, although he was a veteran journalist, he had to start from scratch at a Vancouver paper, slowly winning the acceptance of his colleagues.Read more

Reviews (12)

Born In The U.S.A.
Toward the end of his treacly memoir, Jack Todd lists all the things he lost when he deserted the Army and fled the country during the Vietnam War, or as he so euphemistically moans, was "forced into exile". Country. Citizenship. Profession. Family. Love. He acknowledges that he will be called a coward and perhaps "... the people who say that are right". Well, if the shoe fits, wear it. A coward?
If you're not afraid of ideas and opinions that may differ from your own, read this book. Breaking the Silence
Between 50,000 and 100,000 young men and women fled northward to Canada during the Vietnam War era.Yet, their voices have remained largely silent during the past three decades while a significant body of literature concerning the war experience has been evolving.Jack Todd has broken that silence with the publication of Desertion: In the Time of Vietnam, a moving memoir of a young man who followed his conscience to Canada in 1970 and waged his own private "war" as an exile in search of himself in an unknown land.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1946-    2. Americans    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Canada    6. Desertions    7. General    8. History    9. Military    10. Military - Vietnam War    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Todd, Jack,    13. U.S. History - Vietnam Conflict (1965-1973)    14. United States    15. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    16. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975    17. Biography & Autobiography / Literary    18. Todd, Jack   

Editorial Review

Assiduous research, beautiful writing, and a great talent for historical reconstruction make Laura MacDonald's Read more

Reviews (11)

Colossal Disaster
This is a true a true story of the gigantic explosion in Halifax harbor in Nova Scotia on December 6, 1917, resulting from the collision of the Imo, a Belgian relief ship, with the Mont Blanc, a munitions ship carrying almost three thousand tons of explosives. The explosion was so great that its effects were later studied by Opphenheimer to predict the results of an atomic bomb explosion. It is an event that is probably not well known by later generations, but is interesting to learn about, both on account of its enormity, and because of the manner in which it was handled by those so devastated.
The Winter's Tale
My great grandparents were young people around the time of the First World War, and with the boys called away to service overseas, my great grandmother and plenty of other "land girls" were called to man the plows of the little farms in upstate New York, where a struggling rutabaga truck farm kept all the neighboring women pon the job morning, noon and night, with time only off for Sunday school and church worship at the nearest community center, some twelve miles out.My great grandmother heard the noise of the Imo explosion and never forgot it, for the mule she was behind got skeered and ran into the next man's acreage, a feat he never did again, that lazy gray mule they called Buster.The harvest was long gone, for this was the beginning of winter right after American Thanksgiving, but my great-grandmother was once again tearing up the ruts, a weekly chore even in a nor'easter or snowstorm.
Superb
Totally engrossing. A heck of a tale, and all true. And the medical detail is wonderful. Chloroform!
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Canada - Post-Confederation (1867-)    3. Explosions    4. General    5. Halifax    6. Halifax Explosion, Halifax, N.S., 1917    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Imo (Steamer)    11. Maritime History    12. Military - World War I    13. Nova Scotia    14. World History   

Reviews (4)

Horseshit...
Not only is the author a bad writer.....jumping from timeline to time line...not able to tell a story in order.....he tries to pose the Hell's Angels as the bad guys. Anyone with a solid head on their shoulders will see thru his rhetoric and realize HA is a stand up orginization that takes care of business like any normal person would. The crimes they were accused of, weren't crimes at all......they were simply the exercising of human rights against agressors that would try to deny said so rights......in fact in the entire book, i found no fault with the Angel's actions, and applaud them for their efforts.

facts and names lacking storytelling
The author have gone though a great deal to find the facts in hundreds of events during many years. He covers hundreds of people. Hundreds of crimes and killings. He could have picked a few events, clubs or people and written their full story. Instead the book hops between people and clubs, between centuries and continents like a school book. Theres no story, but namedropping enough to confuse anyone. Stadnik is one of hundreds of figures skidding though events, none of them with depth. People are shot and stabbed, but you find it difficult to care, since none is in the book for more than a page, and you dont get to know them. It feels disorganised. If it was in cronical order, or at least with chapter names reveiling what every chapter will cover it would be easier. Perhaps its interesting and understandable for the surviving few who were there. If your looking for facts its fine, but its too packed with facts for me. I need a story.

Disturbing Errors for an
This book provides a lot of information on Walter Stadnick and the Canadian Hells Angels along with information on lesser clubs in Canada.The author, Jerry Langton, however, has made numerous disturbing errors in reporting on certain aspects of the Hells Angels and other clubs.Langton reports on page 26 that prospective members (prospects) are awarded the top rocker (Hells Angels) along with the center patch. Langton then states that the prospects recive the bottom rocker which identifies the chapter's geographical location upon earning full membership.THE OPPISITE IS TRUE for the Hells Angels and ALL OTHER CLUBS!It is hard to believe that Lanfton could make such an obvious error in his writing.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Crime And Criminals    3. Criminology    4. Gang members    5. General    6. History    7. Motorcycle gangs    8. Ontario    9. Quâebec (Province)    10. Sociology    11. True Crime    12. Biography & Autobiography / Military    13. Canada    14. Organized crime   

Reviews (3)

Avro Arrow
Bought this for my husband's birthday and he loves it.Enjoyed the technical part and feels the story line is pretty close to the facts.Pictures are great.

truly engrossing
One of the finest book dedicated to this controversial program! Being interested in technical details and aircraft perfomances,I found many factory drawings about structures, internal systems arrangements, armamentlayout and cutaway views. Important performance figures are available fromtables and charts. But the most interesting feature is the the descriptionof the development and testing phase that shows all the potential of thisdoomed plane. Finally some basic facts on an aircraft still surrounded byan halo of mistery about its birth and its death!

Engrossing
An exhaustive book on one of great "mystery" of jet fighter history.The aircraft program is fully narrated from the enthusiastic "go ahead" to the painfull termination.Direct testimonies ofexecutives,engineers and test pilots make the plot really vivid showing thefeelings behind this endeavour:the epilog still looks like the end of adream. Illustrations,pictures,factory drawings are truly intriguing,sincefew were previously available.Particularly impressive is the"log",where significant figures are released on aircraft data andperformances. Finally some light on a cold war aicraft that "mighthave been"! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aviation - History    2. Avro Arrow (Turbojet fighter p    3. Avro Arrow (Turbojet fighter plane)    4. Canada    5. Canada - Post-Confederation (1867-)    6. Design and construction    7. History - Military / War    8. Jet planes, Military    9. Military - Aviation    10. Military Science    11. Transportation    12. Air forces & warfare    13. Military vehicles    14. Transportation / Aviation / History    15. World history: postwar, from c 1945 -   

Reviews (5)

A FANTASTIC read!
For various reasons, the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain to lay claim over Canada is sometimes referred to as a forgotten war. There was no well known American president involved such as George Washington, nor was there a popular general involved such as Ulysses S. Grant to capture the imaginations of the American people. Many Canadians feel military accomplishments have never been a focal point in our national conscience, but the War of 1812 was the bloodiest conflict fought on Canadian soil and was an essential event in forming the foundation of the Canadian identity.
Diana & Lord Nelson Together in 1812.
Historical documents, especially those drafted in time of war, often suffer from the ignorance or outright bias of the authors, based on their individual opinions.A ship's log is factual.Two American ships were lost August 8, 1813, when a squall bursts directly over them and they hit bottom within minutes.
Excellent
I checked this book out of my local library and was quite impressed with it.Now that I am aware of it, I am going to purchase it.Read more

Subjects:  1. History - U.S.    2. Military    3. United States - 19th Century    4. History    5. History / Canada / Pre-Confederation (to 1867)    6. War of 1812 - Military History    7. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (1)

Great study from a great historian

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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - U.S.    3. History: American    4. Latin America - General    5. Military - United States    6. United States - Civil War    7. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    8. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    9. USA    10. filibusters; private armies; Cuba; Nicaragua; Mexico; Canada; Central America; Ecuador; manifest destiny; slavery; William Walker; U.S. Neutrality Act of 1818; international law;   

Reviews (3)

CEF Researchers Must Read!
CEF Study Group:
Berton is always worth reading
I have read many of Pierre Berton's books, and this one is typical Berton in many ways.He always attempts to take a look at events through a different slant.This book is no different.It both describes Canada's development and maturation of a nation through its participation in four separate international conflicts, and it also uses those conflicts as a measure of the nation itself.The two word wars were the major interest points in this book.Of particular significance is when Berton smashes Canada's storm trooper image in the second world war, that it had acquired in WWI.He effectively discredits both the armed forces and political leadership during WWII, revealling Mackenzie King's once revered "Not necessarily conscription but conscription if necessary" stance as what it truly was, political indecision that resulted in the needless loss of soldier's lives.The book starts and ends slowly, with the chapters on the Boer and Korean wars not being as compelling.Overall, the book is very informative read.It loses a star in that it is not as entertaining or as smooth flowing as some of Berton's previous works, particular his two on the War of 1812 and the Arctic Grail

A Forgotten Aspect of Canadian History
Of course, most Americans dont know much about Canada at all. What we have forgotten is the reputation that Canada had in the early 20th Century as a, believe it or not, military nation. Pierre Berton, the dean of Canadian popular historians (I highly recommend is books on the War of 1812 and the Canadian Pacific Railway) has written a book that, by tracing the way Canada fought and approached the wars it fought in the 20th Century (give or take a couple of years), shows how a raw, immigrant, frontier society, with significant social and ethnic divisions, can come to maturity and take a constructive place in world affairs.Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Canada    3. Canada - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History, Military    7. History: American    8. South African War, 1899-1902    9. World War, 1914-1918    10. World War, 1939-1945    11. History / Canada   

Subjects:  1. 1755-1763    2. Canada    3. French and Indian War, 1755-1763    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. Influence    9. Military - Other    10. Military - United States    11. Native American    12. United States    13. United States - Colonial Period    14. United States - General    15. History / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775)   

Reviews (12)

A Great Read...
This is a great and very accurate book on life in the salvage business. I paid my dues on the deck and engineroom of a salvage tug and this book completely captures the life. I just read it again for the second time.
Foundation Franklin: The Salvage Tug Sans Peur
As a sea officer, I learned about salvage tugs,the men who man them and the ships they've saved from stories told around the dinner table in the officers' saloon and in bars around the world.You just pray you and your ship will never have need of their services.
Tug Salvage at its Best
This tale of the Foundation Franklin and her crew is a must read for any tugboat lover. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Atlantic Coast (Canada)    2. Foundation Franklin (Salvage v    3. Foundation Franklin (Salvage vessel)    4. General    5. History - General History    6. Maritime History    7. Modern - 20th Century    8. North Atlantic Ocean    9. Salvage    10. Ships & Shipbuilding - History    11. Transportation    12. Travel    13. History / Military / Other   

Reviews (1)

The Italian Campaign in all of its glory
This is an amazing story of heroism, tragedy, and family. The author John Nadler does an excellent job portraying the soldiers as they really were. "A Perfect Hell" tells the story of the First Special Services Force or FSSF. The FSSF is the forefather of our modern Special Forces teams; however, they are not accurately remembered this way. This is a paratrooper force that went through months of training in Helena, Montana before battle. The force was an idea of a British Colonel and British Scientist. The FSSF almost never found a way to the battlefield because the Armed Services fighting the War did not have a place for a small force that carried out "special missions".
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Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Canada - General    3. Commando operations    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History - Military / War    7. Italy    8. Military    9. Military - United States    10. Military - World War II    11. Military Land Forces    12. Regimental histories    13. United States    14. World War II    15. World War, 1939-1945    16. History / Military / World War II   

Reviews (1)

Excellent - It Should Be Mandatory Reading In Schools
As a lifelong amateur WWII history buff I was delighted to read this marvellous companion to the television programme. Lance Goddard's book provides a fascinating perspective of Canada's involvement in the D-Day landings at the level of the individual participants. Read more

Subjects:  1. Canada - General    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. History: World    5. Military - World War II    6. Battles & campaigns    7. Central America    8. History / Military / World War II    9. Second World War, 1939-1945    10. World history: Second World War   

Subjects:  1. History - Military / War    2. Military - Aviation    3. Military - General    4. Military - World War II    5. Reference    6. Air forces & warfare    7. Aircraft: general interest    8. American history: Second World War    9. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    10. British & Irish history: Second World War    11. Canada    12. History of engineering & technology    13. Japan    14. Military vehicles    15. USA    16. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. History: World    4. Military - Canada    5. Military - World War II    6. American history: Second World War    7. Battles & campaigns    8. Canada    9. Europe    10. European history: Second World War    11. History / Military / Canada   

Reviews (1)

Good Story of the Raid, Excellent Analysis of the Aftermath
This is an excellent story of the Dieppe Raid conducted in 1942. This raid was, of course, a disaster with the Canadian division losing an incredible number of men. The story of the raid is well told, and the details well told.
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Subjects:  1. Dieppe Raid, 1942    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Military    5. Military - Canada    6. Military - World War II   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (11)

A great introduction...
One's opinion of the book "The War That Made America..." basically revolves around whether or not one liked the PBS series that forms the basis for the book.I liked the series and so I enjoyed the book on CD. Its a good example of accesible history...good scholarship but well-written and fast moving. The book on CD is well produced and well read. Anytime you try to cover sucha broad topic in "one sitting" you tend to gloss over certain details, but there is enough meat here to satisfy the casual history reader and inspire them to look formore. A very well done job.

Prelude to the American Revolution
The author, Fred Anderson, having written a scholarly account of the French and Indian War in his book Crucible of War, in this book writes a shorter account of that war that was the North American component of Europe's Seven Years War. In the Prologue, the text states "....by sheer force of numbers, if nothing else, they would overwhelm the French who claimed that territory....Anglo-American mastery in North America was effectively determined before the first shot was fired." However, defeating the French in North America was no "push-over."
A great introduction or revisit.
A concise overview of an event much less studied than that which it set the stage for - the American Revolution. Well written and informative, the subject matter is presented in a manner that makes the geopolitical motives, the roles of the various protagonists, and the momentum of the war extremely clear. Of particular interest is the role played by a young and inexperienced George Washington. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audiobooks    2. Canada - Pre-Confederation (to 1867)    3. Europe - France    4. French and Indian War, 1755-1763    5. History    6. History: American    7. Military - Other    8. Modern - 18th Century    9. Unabridged Audio - History    10. United States    11. United States - Colonial Period    12. Chronological Period/18th Century    13. Cultural Region/British Isles    14. Cultural Region/French    15. Ethnic Orientation/Native American    16. History / Military / Other    17. History/Europe - France    18. History/Europe - Great Britain - General    19. History/Native American    20. History/United States - Colonial Period    21. Unabridged Audio / History   

Subjects:  1. History & Theory - General    2. International Relations - General    3. International relations    4. Military - Canada    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. War    9. Political Science / General    10. Sociology, Social Studies    11. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (2)

THE Burning of the Valleys:Daring Raids form Canada...
This is a must have book for an American Revolutionary War reenactor.That is, if you are on the side of the Crown.Especailly if you are portraying a Loyalist/Tory.God Save King George III! A very well written History of the American Revolution
A Fantastic work and a pleasure to read the History of a forgotten area of history, the American Revolution as it happened in New York state.Very well documented, good selection of paintings, modern photographs and maps of the region.The indices are unquestionably the most complete that I have ever seen.Read more

Subjects:  1. Canada - General    2. History - General History    3. History - U.S.    4. History: World    5. United States - Revolutionary War    6. History    7. History / Canada    8. Military   

Reviews (1)

Interesting read
Juno is a highly detailed account of the Normandy invasion, on all three fronts, air, land, and sea. Its focus is on the Canadian participation of units and their actions on June 6th. Normally, Canadian participation in this pivotal World War 2 battle is usually glossed over by other historians, if mentioned at all.Read more

Subjects:  1. Canada - History - 20th Century (General)    2. Canada - Post-Confederation (1867-)    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. Military    6. Military - World War II    7. World War II    8. American history: Second World War    9. Canada    10. Second World War, 1939-1945