Several weeks ago, during a phone call with an uncle on my father’s side, he opened up about his service in Vietnam, in particular, his return to the United States after his tour was over. He painfully recalled being confronted by mothers wanting to know why he returned, and their sons did not. He continued by describing the hostile environment soldiers returning from Vietnam faced due to the unpopularity of the war. Years would pass before Vietnam veterans finally received the attention and understanding they deserved regarding their experiences in Southeast Asia. The war is far in the past, but I know my uncle carries with him dark memories of what he saw and had to do in order to survive his tour. In 1988, the television show China Beach (1988-1991) premiered and became a hit with viewers. One of the producers, William Broyles, had served in Vietnam and served as a technical consultant. Viewers might not have been aware that before the show made its debut, Broyles had made a return trip to Vietnam to understand how and why the American mission failed and the effects of the war upon the Vietnamese people. This book is the story of his return trip and what he learned from the people he was once required to kill as a soldier. 

Readers may wonder why any soldier would return to the place where they once faced death. But as Broyles explains in the book, there were things he needed to understand that could explain his experiences. The war is considered a failure from a mission objective point of view. But the question still remains, what exactly was the mission in Vietnam? On April 30, 1975, after American troops were withdrawn, Saigon quickly fell to the North Vietnamese Army (“NVA”). Without the support of the United States, South Vietnam faced the reality that unification would take place but not exactly in the way that anti-communists had hoped. Broyles is under no illusions and bluntly states: 

“We had our own myths, of course, chief among them that we were helping the people of Vietnam as we bombed their villages, their crops, and their country into a bloody, soggy mess. And in our own history we have customarily gone to war as the protectors of virtue and morality, battling the evil empires of the Huns, the Nazis, the Communists. Our cause was just, therefore we were just. But in Vietnam we came to terms with history.” 

Early in the book, Broyles points out that he was not a supporter of the war but did honor his draft notice, reporting to duty for eventual service in Vietnam. He proved to be an adaptive commander and during the book, he shows how his men helped him become a better squad leader. However, it is also clear from his words, that Vietnam would be a loss if America continued the war with a disjointed approach. Upon his return to Vietnam, he finally had the chance to speak with former enemies who embraced him openly and without hostility. The Vietnamese had the uncanny ability to accept that the war was a different time and that life goes on. I cannot say the same would apply universally to other nations once at war with the United States. Broyles learns critical information about the North Vietnamese effort and the weaknesses they found and exploited on the American side. What they reveal will shock readers and cause them to wonder why American commanders did not understand these concepts. Broyles provides a clue: 

“The men who got us into these wars are my generation, but they didn’t serve in Vietnam. They avoided it, dodged it, found reasons not to serve, just as their children don’t serve in their wars today. Anyone who fought in Vietnam could have told them how this story turns out, but they never asked.”

The wealth of information provided by the former NVA commanders is unreal. While America had superior weapons, we lacked key fundamental principles that the Vietnamese understood and exploited. And after reading what they tell Broyles, the American failures throughout the war are easier to understand. The author also discusses the role of Ho Chih Minh (1890-1969) and how the United States lost an opportunity to develop a critical ally. And the drafting of the Vietnamese constitution might result in readers recoiling in disbelief. Readers familiar with the name Archimedes Patti (1913-1998) will quickly understand the missed opportunity with the North Vietnamese government in the wake of World War II. 

No story about Vietnam is complete without an understanding of the devastation caused to the Vietnamese people and their land. Broyles does not shy away from the topic and is fully aware of how much they suffered during the conflict. Further, he highlights the tragic results of the misunderstanding by American forces of the Vietnamese way of life. Frankly, it seemed as if no one had taken the time to understand how the Vietnamese viewed themselves. Due to either arrogance or reluctance, young men like Broyles and my uncle were sent to war in a conflict that claimed 58,000 American lives and resulted in over 1 million Vietnamese deaths. But if we are to prevent another Vietnam, Broyles’ account of his return to the country will be invaluable. Soldiers go when they are called sometimes without knowing why they are sent. But they understand they have a job to do even if it is not popular. For the veterans of the Vietnam War, acknowledgment and acceptance have taken a long time to come to fruition. There was once a time when veterans of the war would not tell people they had served. The reason is best explained by Broyles as he brings his story to a close: 

“We had been willing to give our lives for our country, no less than our fathers had been at Normandy and Iwo Jima. This war, however, was different. We lost. And the country that sent us did not take us back into its arms. It either hated the war or simply wanted to forget it.”

ISBN-13: 9781480404335

Fifteen days from now, the fifty-eight anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s (1917-1963) murder will be upon us. His death continues to remind America of a lost opportunity and leader taken before his time. His presidency inspires debate to this day with some believing that he brought the country dangerously close to nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Others feel that he had yet to reach his full potential as a leader. The truth is far more complicated and both sides often omit the difficulties Kennedy faced behind the scenes from those within his own administration. After the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion which led to Kennedy firing top officials of the Central Intelligence Agency,  he then found himself under pressure to intervene in the nation of Laos. Again, Kennedy resisted, drawing the ire of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Cold-War hawks in Washington. But the hawks were determined and saw Vietnam as the next battlefield to confront “Soviet influence”.  But the question that has always haunted this nation is why did we get involved in Vietnam? What threat did North Vietnam pose to the United States even though it is more than thirteen thousand miles away from American soil? My uncle who served in Vietnam has only spoken of his experiences a handful of times. He keeps the war suppressed in his memory and does his best to stay secluded during July 4th celebrations as the fireworks remind him of being in combat. I often wondered if he has asked himself why he was deployed thousands of miles away from home to a country some Americans did not know existed prior to the conflict. Michael Swanson asked himself about Vietnam and has explored the war  paying close attention to its origins and this book is the first of what will be a multi volume set about America’s involvement in Southeast Asia.

Swanson quickly establishes that the Vietnam War started sixteen years earlier than 1961. In fact, the war has its origins in the ascension of North Vietnam to power in the wake of World War II. The evacuation of Japanese military personnel created a power vacuum that allowed the North Vietnamese to take control and establish its headquarters in Hanoi. Washington was paying close attention to the developments and the rise of Ho Chih Minh (1890-1969).  He was known as Uncle Ho and proved to be a charismatic figure as well as an icon for millions of Vietnamese who strongly favored an independent Vietnam, free of French colonial rule. And this is what policy makers in Washington failed to realize. However, there were those on the ground who saw Ho Chih Minh’s potential and the futility of French attempts to reclaim Indochina. In the book, we learn the name of former Lieutenant Colonel Archimedes Patti (1913-1998), a former Office of Strategic Services officer who emerges as the voice of reason no one wanted to hear. Patti warned officials back in Washington of what he saw firsthand but sadly, his reports were shelved. And when reflecting back on the war, Patti stated:

“Ho Chi Minh was on a silver platter in 1945,” remembered Archimedes Patti, “we had him. He was willing to, to be a democratic republic, if nothing else. Socialist yes, but a democratic republican.

I recall a Vietnam veteran years ago telling me that he couldn’t understand why America got involved after seeing the French evacuate. He was drafted at 19 and has always maintained that Vietnam was one of the scariest experiences in his life. His question was valid. Why did we take the place of the French and why did we help them in the first place? The author pieces together the story to show Washington’s early involvement in French affairs and I could only shake my head at what he reveals. But there is always more than meets the eye. Swanson knows this and proceeds to explain what was taking place back in Washington that paved the way for such disastrous foreign policy. In fact, he bluntly states that after World War II:

“The United States, however, sought to control societies in order to improve them, in order to incorporate them into the modern capitalist world order through nation building. But becoming an empire changed the United States forever, and led it to fight a disastrous war in Vietnam.” 

When John F. Kennedy took office, he had to have known the difficulties he faced from what his predecessor Dwight E. Eisenhower (1890-1969) called the military industrial complex. However, what Kennedy may not have known is that America’s involvement in Vietnam did not start with Eisenhower but with another president, Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). This part of the story came as a surprise because the focus on Truman’s actions in office are often related to World War II and the National Security Act of 1947. But it does make sense that his role is revisited as Vietnam began to draw Washington’s attention not long after the Japanese surrender. I could not help when reading the story that had Truman decided not to get involved in Vietnam, world history might have taken a different course. As the story moves forward, Eisenhower’s administration passes with Vietnam remaining a French issue. It remains dormant until, when the intelligence community and military found itself irate over the president’s refusal to support military intervention across the globe. And it is here that the Vietnam story heats up and Swanson takes us deep inside Kennedy’s administration to explain the true reasons for military engagement in Southeast Asia.

Kennedy had sought to prevent Americans from getting engulfed in a ground war in Vietnam. Swanson captures the essence of the story here and I strongly recommend John Newman’s JFK & Vietnam: Deception, Intrigue and the Struggle for Power which discusses JFK’s battles with his own cabinet and the Joint Chiefs over escalation. Newman leaves no doubt that Kennedy knew Vietnam was a deathtrap for American forces. But war hawks were not ready to admit it and as Swanson shows, a power struggle did in fact take place with a majority of people pushing Kennedy to approve troops and the president pushing back against them. Readers will express surprise at the actions of  those working “for” the president.  Kennedy was struggling to maintain control over his own administration.  Readers with an interest in his assassination will find this aspect of the story highly relevant.

Vietnam veterans known dark truths about the war that many would prefer not to know. Swanson’s job here was not to pacify anyone but to explain why Vietnam happened. And in order to understand the war, it is crucial to understand the importance to Washington of South Vietnam and its former leader Ngo Dinh Diem (1901-1963). Admittedly, there is much about his life I am still learning of, but I now have a better understanding of the truth in regard to South Vietnam and why personnel stationed in the country were sounding the alarm bells to those in power in Washington. And what I read resulted in anger at those who knew the issues in South Vietnam and the low chance of success. Frankly, Washington knew it could not win in Vietnam without a massive commitment of troops and the use of nuclear weapons. But the public backlash at those two concepts would have been political suicide so America had to operate in a limited capacity. But the pressure to invade never let up and as the story moves forward, the stage is set for a showdown between Kennedy and the military industrial complex. However, the book ends before the tragic fates of Diem and Kennedy play out. As Swanson explains, that will be the focus of the next part in the series. But he does summarize the story contained within with this statement that sent chills down my spine:

“The more hawkish members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff viewed Southeast Asia as simply part of a conflict with China over who would control the entire region. When they advocated intervention in Laos in 1961 their plans were for a regional conflict that carried with it a ladder of escalation, the final step of which was an atomic attack on China if they retaliated, one in which they thought they could break the back of Red China.” 

Kennedy himself said it best when he observed: “These brass hats have one great advantage, if we … do what they want us to do, none of us will be alive later to tell them that they were wrong.” We can only speculate as to what would have transpired had he lived.  I personally believe that the Vietnam War would have never happened. Kennedy was determined to resist the military and dismantle the Central Intelligence Agency but the events in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, changed that permanently. His successor Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) had different plans for Vietnam, and they included the flexing of American military muscle that claimed the lives of  fifty-eight thousand Americans and over one million Vietnamese. It remains the war that America did not win.  And there thousands of veterans alive today still carrying the scars from that war. If you want to know why the Vietnam War happened, this is a good place to start.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08FHBS17K

A friend whom I have known since elementary school recently finished twenty years with the New York City Police Department. Though eligible for retirement, he continues to serve the city where he was born. I and other friends have never failed to remind him to be careful on the dangerous streets of New York. Long hours, dangerous criminals and bureaucratic obstacles can sometimes make being a police officer a difficult and thankless job. And when I watch the hit show The First 48, I am  always amazed at the skills of homicide detectives as they solve crimes in cities across America. Danny R. Smith served as a homicide detective in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for seven out of the twenty-years he reported for duty. This is his story as part of law enforcement in the City of Angels. 

The book begins with Smith revisiting the day when he knew that the time had come for him to make his exit from the force. The scene he arrives upon is macabre, but we learn towards the end of the book when he explains the full details surrounding the discovery, that the reason for the find is far simpler and less sinister. However, Smith had reached his breaking point but in order for us to understand why, we have to go back in time to the beginning of the wild ride he took during two decades of service. Expectedly, he explains how he joined the Sheriff’s Department and the path he took to homicide. And it is at that part of the book that the story heats up. As we follow him from one case to the next, the dark side of Southern California comes into vivid focus. But the book is far more than just a former officer’s tales of war on the streets. In the mix of murders, burglaries and other crimes, Smith shows us his personal life and the struggles he endures due to injuries on the job and the mental challenges that come with daily exposure to the deadly side of humanity. It will be hard for any reader not to appreciate the enormous sacrifices made by the people in law enforcement. 

As expected, there are dark moments in the book, but Smith also adds the right amount of humor at times to take the edge off. And what he shows is that the life of a homicide detective is anything but orthodox.  His journeys took him across the United States in pursuit of fugitives who could not escape justice. And the stories he tells of transporting prisoners back across the country are both humorous and interesting. The lengths to which detectives go to capture a suspect are eye opening. But not all suspects are apprehended and crimes do remain unsolved as we see in the book. But it is not for lack of effort.  Smith was a first-class detective who was thoroughly committed to his job and the people of Los Angeles. 

The riots in Los Angeles after the acquittal of police officers charged with beating motorist Rodney King (1965-2012) remain fresh in the minds of all who remember them. I remember watching the aftermath play out on television as Los Angeles went up in flames.  Smith was on the ground and discusses the riots highlighting how dangerous the situation was. But during his career, he experienced the loss of fellow officers.  Each death hits home for Smith and he remembers his fallen officers with grace and how it affected those who continued to do the job. And the harsh reality that the show must go on is apparent as more calls come in for Los Angeles’ finest. The hours are long and the work is dangerous, and I can only imagine the number of stories that did not make it into the book.  Smith’s eyes have seen things that can haunt a person for a long time or make them smile on occasion. 

Smith was as seasoned as detectives come but even he could not avoid fate.  The physical and mental toll of being a police officer comes into focus as the job wears him down over time.  And as the book moves closer to the conclusion, the writing is on the wall. Smith was reaching his end, but I personally did not want the book to finish.  His memories had me glued to the screen and I hated to put the Kindle down.  I can now see why the book has a five-star rating on Amazon. This incredible memoir is perfect for anyone who is interested in the life of a police officer/homicide detective. Smith is now retired but he will forever be a part of Los Angeles history. 

“For those who haven’t been there, know that the great majority of cops are kind and caring souls, driven to the profession with the desire to help others, to protect the weak from bullies and predators, and to stand up for those who are unable to stand up for themselves. We sacrifice holidays and special occasions and sometimes much, much more, to make a difference in our communities. To make a difference in your communities.”

Danny R. Smith 

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09FGWT2WV

A few years ago, I visited San Francisco and decided to take the boat ride around the bay under the Golden Gate Bridge.  As the vessel made its way back to the dock, it traveled around the eastern side of the defunct prison once known as Alcatraz.  The facility has long been closed but seeing it in person puts the stories about it into a new perspective.   To some, the prison was  simply known as “the rock”.  Regardless of what it was called, it was home to some of America’s most dangerous criminals. And make no mistake, a decision to send an inmate to Alcatraz was not made lightly.  Further, inmates knew that if you were sent to Alcatraz, you better be prepared to spend a lot of years there.  Alvin F. Karpis (1907-1979) spent three decades at Alcatraz and in the annals of American history, he remains one of the most prominent crime figures from the outlaw era that saw the rise of such as John Dillinger (1903-1934), George “Baby Face” Nelson (1908-1934) and the deadly duo of Bonny Parker (1910-1934) and Clyde Barrow (1909-1934).  Unlike many other outlaws, Karpis not only survived the 1930s but was eventually released from Alcatraz.  This is the story his time on the run, capture by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and later years as a free man.

The story is undoubtedly focused on Karpis, but the book is not a standard biography.  Instead, the focus is on the mission to apprehend him and his life after being convicted.  Thompson does provide a fair amount of background information on Karpis, but it is not long before the story progresses to the time when Karpis becomes fully engulfed in the criminal underworld.  And once he did, there was no turning back.  However, in comparison to well-known killers from that time, Karpis comes off the complete opposite.  But behind the quiet demeanor was a highly intelligent and crafty individual.  And I believe that aspect of his character is what makes the story is so interesting.  Karpis is not the typical outlaw and in some cases, he was certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time.  That is not to say that he was completely innocent.  In fact, he was far from it. But Thompson does show that he was not the person that came to mind when people thought of America’s most wanted.  But eventually, he caught the attention of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972) who had committed himself to purging the outlaw from American society and capturing Karpis at all costs.

As readers will see in the story, there is no love lost between Karpis and Hoover.  The outlaw once remarked that when it came to Hoover, he “made that son a bitch”.   I can still feel the venom in Karpis’ words so many years later.  The statement seems outlandish, but is it?  His arrest by the FBI and Hoover’s role in it is explored in the book and I believe that the author addresses it as fairly and accurately as possible.   Was Hoover there? Yes, he was.  Did he personally walk up to Karpis and arrest him?  We may never know for sure.  But what is clear is that Hoover added more prestige to his reputation and was finally able to fend off criticism that he lacked actual field experience.  For Karpis, his ordeal with the law was only beginning. And after a stint at United States Penitentiary Leavenworth, Karpis is moved to Alcatraz where he remained incarcerated for the next twenty-six years.

Karpis’ time at Alcatraz is discussed and we also see the entrance into the story of other famous prisoners there such as Alphonse “Al” Capone (1899-1947).   Also discussed is the reason behind Karpis’ nickname of “creepy”.  I did not expect this part of the book but considering he was in prison, I guess I should not have been too surprised at what is alleged.  And I am sure that other readers will have a similar reaction.  Overall, Karpis’ stint at Alcatraz is quiet compared to his time on the run.  While far from a model prisoner, he was not a problem inmate.  But I have no doubt that Karpis most likely had his hands in some things common in a penitentiary.  In 1962,  Karpis finally left the prison for the last time. and ironically, it was Hoover’s boss, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968) who finally closed Alcatraz for good.  Karpis spent several more years behind bars before finally being paroled in 1968.  But the conditions of his release may surprise some readers. Personally, I shook my head at what transpired.  But, that chain of events led Karpis to his final residence in Torremolinos, Spain.   On August 26, 1979, he died there at the age of seventy-one, outliving his nemesis Hoover and nearly every major gangster from the depression era.

The story Alvin Karpis is one of violence, politics, love, and disappointment.  Author Julie Thompson did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of Karpis’ chaotic life and the outlaw era.  As he moved through life, Karpis left a trail of destruction that affected two former wives, a son and family members trying to understand where he went wrong.  But to Washington, his life story did not matter because of all intents and purposes, Karpis had become the last public enemy.  The book has all of the elements that are part of the American way.   For those who are interested in American history and a time when the outlaw was also a pop culture icon, this book will satisfy that hunger.

“In the end, can we trust the words of an admitted thief ? Can Karpis’s words stack up against the official records of the FBI and the testimony of J. Edgar Hoover? There is no final jeopardy here. What has been stated with certainty is that Bill Trent, Karpis’s first coauthor, never once in all his fact checking found a Karpis story to be in error.”  – Julie Thompson 

ASIN: B08L9Q2964

When the United States Armed Forces invaded the country of Iraq in March, 2003, I had a very uneasy feeling in my stomach with regards to the future of that Islamic Republic. Occupation by a foreign army is never a process that goes smoothly and even the best military commanders are unable to predict the final outcome.  Yes, Saddam Hussein (1937-2006) was removed from power, subsequently captured and forced to stand trial wherein he was convicted and sentenced to death.  And although he is gone from power in Iraq, his ghost continues to haunt the country and there are many Iraqis who continue to live with mental, emotional and physical scars from the days of his regime and memories of the invasion by American forces.  As a person who lives in the Western Hemisphere, there is much about the Middle East that I have still have yet to learn.  When I saw this book as a recommendation on Amazon, I immediately jumped at the chance to read it.  Mark Kukis covered the conflict from 2006 to 2009 as a correspondent for Time Magazine and saw firsthand the devastation from the invasion.  Appropriately titled Voices From Iraq, it provides readers with the opportunity to read the words spoken by Iraqis who survived one of history’s deadliest regimes and a military invasion by the United States of America.

Readers should be aware that the book is not for the faint at heart. Also, it is not a discussion focused on Hussein himself.  Some of the speakers do mention his name as they remember his reign of terror, but the focus remains on the aftermath of his removal from power.  Be prepared for a graphic descriptions of violence and tragic stories that involve murder, kidnapping and bombings that left paths of devastation in their wakes.  The men and women who sat for the interviews presented in the book are everyday people who had their entire lives turned upside down in a conflict that none of them asked for or desired.  Kukis provides a brief description of their lives and turns the floor over to them so they can tell us exactly what they remember from those dark times in their nation’s history.  And what will happen is that your emotions will embark on a roller coaster ride as you learn the truth about the “liberation” of Iraq.

I believe that it may be of some benefit to readers to learn the back-story of the conflict between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims, which forms the basis for a lot of the sectarian violence that becomes commonplace without a centralized Iraqi government. In the wake of Hussein’s departure, the Shi’ites soon found themselves the targets of Sunnis who had formerly been party of the Baath party in the Hussein’s Administration.  The vengeance with which they go after the Shi’ites is both alarming and heartbreaking, and through the words of the speakers in the book we can see how many individuals were targeted by Sunni militias determined to eliminate those they determined to be enemies of true Islam under the Sunni ideology.

The rise in sectarian violence and sudden disappearances that occur throughout the book sent chills down my spine.  Nearly all of the victims are men, many of them husbands with large families at home.  Further, there is often no explanation given for their abductions and their families typically learn of their fates through third parties or unfortunately, a trip to the morgue. In some instances we do learn as to what exactly did happen but even then there are parts of the story that even the surviving family members have never figured out.   Some of the speakers became translators for American forces and had joined with them in order to eradicate the menace of al-Qaeda.  In a country where smaller cities are occupied by people of the same sects of Islam, keeping one’s identity secret was not always easy. The level of danger involved in this line of work is captured in their stories highlighting just how close some of them came to having in their lives taken from them because of their efforts to assist the Americans. But make no mistake, those who did help the Americans firmly believed in removing Al-Qaeda from Iraq’s soil. However, the American way and Iraqi way are fundamentally different as explained in this quote by Sheik Hamid al-Hais:

“If the Americans found people from al-Qaeda, they arrested them. We killed them. That’s the difference. That’s why we were able to start defeating al-Qaeda in a matter of months where the Americans had struggled to beat them for years. These people, al-Qaeda, are not human. ” – Sheik Hamid al-Hais

It should be noted that not all of the Iraqis interviewed were thrilled to see the Americans arrived and some picked up arms in defense of the country from those they saw as occupiers.  I think it is important for American readers to understand that there are many things we did not see on television here at home.  As I read through the stories, I began to form a more accurate picture in my mind of the daily reality of life in Iraq after Saddam Hussein.  The fallen dictator’s legacy is largely negative but some supporters did remain and in spite of the terror he inflicted upon Iraqis, he was seen by some as the lesser of two evils.  Azhar Abdul-Karim Abudl-Wahab is a former instructor who firmly believed in the American mission, yet his students offered varying views of the invasion.  He emphasizes that:

“Of course you cannot discuss Iraqi history without mentioning Saddam, whom I viewed as a kind of occupier. I tried to put it in those terms to my students. Saddam stole freedoms from Iraq. He stole money from Iraq. He brought wars on Iraq. All the bad things an occupier might do Saddam actually did. I told them this. For the most part their reply to me was the same. At least he was an Iraqi, they would say. At least he was an Iraqi ” – Azhar Abdul-Karim Abudl-Wahab

Other were more forceful in their views of the Americans whom they viewed with suspicion and in some cases anger.  Regardless of Hussein’s tyrannical reign, the country did have a central power structure. But with the tyrant gone, a free for all commenced during the development of a power vacuum.  And for the people of Iraq, the violence escalated to levels that none of them wanted or could have ever conceived.  Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Risha is quite blunt in his assessment of the American effort:

“Yes, they are to blame. The first thing the Americans did when they entered Iraq was to disband the Army. They opened up the borders and allowed people to come in. They did not work with us, the people, in the beginning. Al-Qaeda was able to come in and gain influence with the people instead. I don’t think there is any American who can deny that, because that’s the truth.” – Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Risha

If you have decided to pick up this book then I believe I do not have to tell you that there are no “happy endings”.  Every story is a tragedy on its own and will require sensitive readers to take a break while reading. I personally had to take moment to gather my thoughts while reading some of the stories.  The recollections presented show a lifestyle that is more than any person should bear.  Death lurks around the corner for everyone and even the suspicion of helping the Americans or not practicing what extremist call “true Islam” was an instant death sentence. Quite frankly, this book fully shows why war truly is hell. As an American, I was forced to ask myself: did we truly succeed in Iraq? And if so, at what cost was it to the Iraqi people?

The 2003 Iraq War has largely faded into distant memory for the average American.  Yet, it was less than twenty years ago that an entire country was destabilize in the name of democracy.  A brutal tyrant was removed from power but in the process, the people he left behind were forced to endure hell on earth.  These are the voices from Iraq that tell the truth about a war that continues to haunt two countries.  Highly recommended.

ASIN : B007QXW76Y

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most important historical events in American history.  Honest Abe, as he was known, had been elected as the first Republican president to serve in the highest office in the land.   The Grand Old Party (GOP) had been founded in 1854 and Lincoln was the icon for what the party stood for.  In the wake of his death, John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865) was shot and killed by law enforcement officers and several of his co-conspirators went the gallows including the first woman to be executed by the United States Government, Mary Surratt (1823-1865). Lincoln’s widow, Mary Todd Lincoln (1818-1882) grieved deeply for her husband but what I was not aware of, was her close friendship with a former slave and dress owner by the name of Elizabeth Keckley (1818-1907).  When I saw the title of the book, I had to do a double-take and quickly realized that I needed to read this book.  And I can after having finished it, that it is an incredible story from a first-hand witness to the personal lives of Abraham Lincoln, his family and important figures in Washington who do not escape Mary’s skeptical eye.

Keckley was born a slave and she recalls her early life which is quite tragic.  Readers who are sensitive to material about slavery in the United States and acts of violence might find the early part of the book slightly difficult to read through but I promise you that it does get better in some ways.  Keckley’s story picks up pace after she earns her freedom due largely in part to the generosity of Mrs. Anne Garland who helps her raise the twelve hundred dollars required by her owner.  After satisfying the price and repaying her debt, she is free to move on in life but I am sure that she could never have imagined that she would not only serve the Lincoln family but also the family of Confederacy President Jefferson Davis (1808-1889).  I was not prepared for this part of the story and I believe it is one of the most curious moments as well.  The section on Jefferson Davis is brief, mainly because she did not spend much time with them as it occurred before the war broke out and the Davis family moved south.  And Mrs. Davis makes some comments that are quite interesting about the impending conflict.  History proved her wrong but her comments are revealing.  Keckley had gained fame as a dress maker whose skills were in high demand and it is because of this that she came into the life of the Lincolns.

Mary Lincoln takes on Keckley as sort of a personal assistant who assumes many roles, even confidant.  Keckley is full of endless memories of many private aspects of the first family’s life.  The death of Willie Lincoln (1850-1862) hits hard and we are allowed to bear witness to their enormous grief.  It is a very intimate portrait of the Lincolns that the public did not see. And when Lincoln himself is assassinated, it is Keckley who comes to Mary’s aid in her time of grief.  But, that is only half the story as the two develop a deeper friendship.  Each moves around the country, often with Keckley meeting Lincoln in yet another city.  But in the end, they were separated by distance and reliant upon written correspondence. Regardless, it is a touching story of friendship in a time where relations between blacks and whites was largely that of upper and persecuted lower class.

I did find Mary’s comments about members of Lincoln’s cabinet to be interesting and in some cases, she was vindicated.  Keckley absorbs all and makes her own comments on occasion about those figures.  The Vice-President Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) is shrouded in infamy through Keckley’s revelations about his non-actions as Lincoln lays dying.  His actions are direct proof in regards to the negative view held by Keckley and others of the man who succeeded Lincoln.  The author does not encounter him herself but does meet members of his family who stand in stark contrast to him.  Johnson’s actions during the Reconstruction Era nearly resulted in his impeachment. The vote of a single senator saved him from eternal embarrassment. Some might say that he did that before impeachment but I leave that to readers to decide.

As Mary and family move on from Washington, Keckley goes out west with them as Robert and Todd continue to grow without their late father. We see some of the lighthearted moments between mother and sons but Abe’s ghost is never far away.   And Mary has a secret about finances that Keckley reveals which may cause readers to stare in disbelief.  That secret also sets the stage for the remainder of the book, in particular the duo’s trip to New York City.   Mary is determined to regain financial stability due to the loss of her husband and status as first lady.  Keckley becomes her crutch and does her best to help Mary in her financial endeavors.  And to show Mary’s increasing concern for money, Keckley includes transcripts of the letters that she received from Mary.  In them, we can see the change in her mental state and concern for her pending transactions as time continues to move forward.  We do not see Keckley’s replies (photocopying as we know it did not exist so it is understandable) but it is clear from Mary’s letters that she does receive replies from Keckley.  The book ends without a final word on Mary, who is dependent on her dear Lizzie, as Keckley is known to those who are fond of her.  In later years, Mary was institutionalized and lived her final years moving around both domestically and internationally.  She died at the age of sixty-three on July 16, 1882 after suffering a stroke the previous day.  Keckley died in May, 1907 and rest at National Harmony Memorial Park in Landover, Maryland.

The book is short but it is a great story by a woman who lived in a horrible system of human explanation and through luck, fortune and destiny, rose above it and found a home in the White House with a president whose actions changed the course of American history.  There are some sad moments in Keckley’s own life although she does not go into deep detail about them. She keeps the focus on those she encounters, undoubtedly to show the incredible journey she found herself on.  If you have the time, I think you will find this to be a great selection and I do feel that it should be part of any library which contains literature on the life and death of Abraham Lincoln.  This is a good account from an incredible woman.

ASIN : B01CD4O772