In the Name of Freedom: Veteran Recollections of World War II In Their Own Words Book One (In the Name of Freedom)

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This book changed my life!!!!

American Heart Association: To Your Health! A Guide to Heart-Smart Living
American Heart Association
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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The New American Heart Association Cookbook, 7th Edition

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ASIN: 0609807021
Release Date: 2001-12-18

Book Description

Whether you're a couch potato, diet dropout, or heavy smoker, it's hard to change old habits. But with this step-by-step guide, you can do it!

You'll learn how to set realistic goals and follow through on them, plus stick to your new healthful habits. Stories of how other real people overcame the same hurdles will motivate you.

* Find physical activities that are fun for you. Reward yourself in healthful ways for your fitness achievements.
* Create a personalized eating plan that you can really live with
*Learn how to identify your most common smoking triggers. Discover ways to beat those urges and kick the habit for good.
* Find out how to get reliable information and become proactive about your health.

This friendly little book is filled with tips and can help you change for the better. You'll take charge of your health and celebrate again and again. To your Health!

Customer Reviews:

This book changed my life!!!!.......2003-09-29

I read this book about a year and a half ago and have since lost 55 pounds! Everything in this book makes so much sense, you'd be a fool not to follow it. Everyone asks me what sort of diet I went on to lose the weight and everyone gets the same response from me, "I never went on a diet, I changed my life." That is the whole essence of the food and exercise parts of this book. It focuses on "life changes" rather than dieting. I had already quit smoking about a year before reading this book, but even that section was helpful to me. If you're ready for a life change... READ THIS BOOK!

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sugar control bible

Western Mass

Don't Waste Your Money

Saved my life

What A Life Transformation

The Sugar Control Bible and Cookbook
Jacqueline L. Paltis
Manufacturer: New Energy Dynamics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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How to Prevent and Treat Diabetes with Natural Medicine

ASIN: 1892241021

Book Description

Complete nutrition guide to a pleasurable and satisfying program that revitalizes your health by getting you off the sugar/refined foods roller coaster. This prescription for health uses higher protein, low glycemic foods and healthy fats for greater energy, clearer thinking, balanced emotions, and a stronger immune system. How the popular high-carbohydrate/low-fat diets have been making you sick and what to do about it.

Customer Reviews:

sugar control bible.......2007-03-08

fantastic book packed with both evidence and practical advice a
must for any one wanting to improve their health. buy this book

Western Mass.......2007-03-08

I can't thank Jacqueline Paltis enough for this OUTSTANDING and exceptionally well written book. I found the information to be informative and referenced appropriately. This is a book that is easy to read and even easier to understand. Because my education is in healthcare, I found the physiology of nutrition to be accurate and enlightening. I loved reading it!

Don't Waste Your Money.......2007-02-22

This book is really of very poor quality. The writing is poor, it's repetitive, and there are lots of typos. It almost seems self-published, in fact, without editing or proper layout.

But most importantly, the book just doesn't make sense. It mixes what seems like truth with total nonsense to such a degree that I didn't know what to believe. Many of the premises seem true: what you eat can make you sick, processed foods are less healthy, drink more water, eat more protein, etc. But I think there is lots of bad advice in here too, based on how lousy the book is.

Here's an example of what I found so irritating. It's from the recipe section. "Essene Flatbread...This is a recipe I picked up watching TV. Unfortunately, I never got the name of its author. On the other hand, I have tried it several times without success. I'm including it here in case someone can do something with it. If you can, let me know, please." In other words, the author has done no research or preparation for this recipe, but put it in as filler, hoping someone else will do the work for her.

Also, the author says right in the beginning, "The Sugar Control Program is intended to be used under the supervision of a TBM physician so that the Program can be tailored for individual needs." Throughout the book, the author often refers to TBM, or total body modification. So the book is also like a very long ad for TBM, which the author just happens to practice.

My advice is to look intead for a book aimed at diabetics, which has somewhat similar, but more proven advice on diet. If you really want conspiracy theories on water quality, "the government", etc etc, you can find all you want for free, online.

Saved my life.......2007-02-13

This book saved both mine and my husbands life. We each lost 40lbs (no exercise!) - and for the first time in my 33 years of life my body responded to it by giving me a regular menstrual cycle - since i was a teen I would only get my period every once every couple of years. It had been 6 years since my last cycle when i started this diet within 7 days I got my period and have had a 28 day regular cycle ever since. It blew my doctors away.

My husband who comes from a long line of sleep apnea sufferers, within 5 days on this 'diet' stopped snoring completely. He went from only sleeping 2 hours a night to 8 straight hours. His depression (from us losing everything in hurricane Katrina) went away and I can even tell when he does accidentally get some sugar in his diet becuase he snores a little. But when he is strict on the program - no snoring - no leg kicking - no sleep apnea. AMAZING!
I feel like the love child of Tom Arnold and Robin Williams this way of life gives my body so much energy and my mind so much focus. Awesome Awesom Awesome!

What A Life Transformation.......2007-01-30

My Kinesiologist/Chiropractor/Homeopathic doctor recommended this book along with his treatment. He stressed to me that weight loss is a side effect of the program--feeling good is the goal. I've lost 16lbs; referred my mom who has cut her cholesterol and reflux meds in half(and lost 22 lbs; my dad who has lost over 30 lbs and is no longer on high blood pressure medication(he was on 3); and my supervisor who hasn't 'fessed up any specifics but says she feels a lot better overall. We all still go to our internists for medication management and keep each doctor informed of the other's treatment plan. GREAT RESOURCE BOOK!

Book Description

"...Tilford combines his skill in technical photography with his lifelong passion for wildlife to produce this handbook...covering purchase, care and maintenance, health, and genetics and breeding....a 30-page compendium of the most popular bird groups and the different species....comprehensive, well-written, interesting, and useful....stunning, full-color photographs set this book apart from other similar manuals and make it fun to browse as well as to read....Recommended for all public libraries."--Library Journal.

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Aviculturists Handbook (Cage & Aviary)
Leon Goodman
Manufacturer: Diamond Farm Book Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

THE COMPLETE CAGE AND AVIARY BIRD HANDBOOK

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THE COMPLETE CAGE AND AVIARY BIRD HANDBOOK
DAVID ALDERTON
Manufacturer: BLITZ
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S7ZQSG

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The Complete Cage and Aviary Bird Handbook
David Alderton
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Birds | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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THE COMPLETE CAGE AND AVIARY BIRD HANDBOOK.
David. Alderton
Manufacturer: Pelham
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Birds | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0720716527

A handbook for ladies: On in-door plants, flowers for ornament, and song birds

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A handbook for ladies: On in-door plants, flowers for ornament, and song birds
E. A Maling
Manufacturer: Smith, Elder & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

House Plants | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008BVEEM

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The Handbook of Cage and Aviary Birds
David Alderton
Manufacturer: Blandford Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Birds | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0713723467

The Handbook of Foreign Birds in Colour: Their Care in Cages and Aviary

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The Handbook of Foreign Birds in Colour: Their Care in Cages and Aviary
A. Rutgers
Manufacturer: Blandford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JV993O

Aviary Design and Construction (Blandford Pet Handbook)

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Aviary Design and Construction (Blandford Pet Handbook)
David W. Pearce
Manufacturer: Blandford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 071371218X

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Handbook of Birds, Cages,& Aviaries
ABK Publications
Manufacturer: Avian Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

“An overview of current trends in the field [with]...profiles of prominent fiber artists, with generous samples of their work...a good choice.”—Library Journal. “Lavishly photo-graphed...I defy any devotee of great textiles and powerful design not to find something in these pages they’d be thrilled to wear.”—Threads. “Inspirational...jam-packed with ideas, tips, and techniques....Get a copy and start the creative juices flowing.”—Vogue Patterns.

Amazon.com

Gardeners need to lift their eyes up from their own patch of ground and explore other gardens. We learn most about garden design and all the possibilities of using plants by seeing what we like and dislike about what others have done. Close observation teaches more than any textbook, and Great American Gardens is packed with full-page photographs to delight the eye and intrigue the mind.

A nationwide garden tour is packaged between the covers of this slim, oversized volume. Arranged by section of the country, this book takes the reader through the gardens of New England, the Old South, the plains, and the mountains to the far West. Colonial gardens, hedged and tidy, burst with tulips, pansies, and herbs; classical statuary and clapboard houses, as well as the grandeur of Monticello and Mount Vernon, show both the English and French influences on early American gardens. It moves from the formal and European to the topography-driven gardens and more casual style of the western states. Rock gardens, meadow gardens, and cottage styles are fairly recent developments in American garden history; all are displayed here in glowing color, and in context of housing styles and major public gardens.

The final chapter, "Developing an American Style," introduces the influence of Asian gardens, modernism, naturalism, the ecological garden, and environmental concerns that have changed our gardens in the latter part of this century. This book can be enjoyed as an introduction to American gardens, their history and diversity, or simply as a photographic exploration of beautiful garden style. --Valerie Easton

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The No-Diet Diet

Toxic environmental chemicals can make you fat

Enjoy the taste of good wholesome food again

Unbelievable results!

The Body Restoration Plan: Eliminate Chemical Calories and Repair Your Body's Natural Slimming System
Paula Hamilton
Manufacturer: Avery
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Weight Loss | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Toxic Overload: A Doctor's Plan for Combating the Illnesses Caused by Chemicals in Our Foods, Our Homes, and Our Medicine Cabinets

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Chemical Sensitivity

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1583331638
Release Date: 2003-03-27

Book Description

Dr. Baillie-Hamilton, an expert in human metabolism, argues that our own natural weight-regulation system is being poisoned by the toxic chemicals we encounter in our everyday lives, and that this damage makes it increasingly difficult for our bodies to control and lose weight. Toxins in food, water, air, packaging, cosmetics, and household products enter our bodies as Chemical Calories, hampering our metabolic and appetite-regulating systems and making us fatter.

In her groundbreaking book, Dr. Baillie-Hamilton shows readers how to identify, avoid, and manage the negative effects of fattening Chemical Calories with:

* detailed food guides revealing levels of Chemical Calories in common foods;
* tips on how to prepare food and clean your home; and
* body cleansing and detoxifying menu plans.

The Body Restoration Plan demonstrates the potential health benefits of a diet free from chemicals, processed foods, and additives, and offers a plan to overcome persistent weight problems, to boost energy levels, and to rejuvenate health.

Customer Reviews:

The No-Diet Diet.......2006-06-16

Dr Paula Baillie-Hamilton has thoroughly researched the ever-hot topic of what she defines as "Chemical Calories." In other words, the pesticides and hormones and other chemicals passed onto our bodies through food and our environments. In this book, the Dr. details easy ways to choose foods low in chemical calories, make simple changes in your home or environments, and supplements that aid in reducing chemical calories. Why would you want to reduce your chemical calories? By doing so, you naturally help your body to repair its "Slimming System" which aids in helping you to lose weight and change your body shape without going on severe food restriction diets.

Overall it is an informative read and Paula has the research to back it up. If you even follow 2 or 3 of the 30 tips summarized at the end of the book, you will be on your way to better health and helping your body naturally stay at its slimmest.

Toxic environmental chemicals can make you fat.......2003-11-14

Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton is a British medical doctor who also has a doctorate in human metabolism from the University of Oxford. As a Visiting Fellow in Occupational and Environmental Health at Stirling University and an adviser to the Soil Association in England, she is an acknowledged expert on the information covered by this book.

Dr Baillie-Hamilton's research has revealed that our bodies' natural weight-regulation system can be severely damaged by toxic chemicals we encounter in our everyday lives in our food, water, air, cosmetics, household products and the packaging of consumer items. These toxins interfere with our metabolic and appetite-regulating systems and make us fat by causing us to store more fat than we would if our bodies weren't invaded by toxins.

Since fat is the major place where toxins are stored in our bodies, the doctor offers an eating plan that will take off weight slowly through mild calorie reduction to avoid flooding the bloodstream with poisons that were stored in fat, which can sometimes lead to "detoxifying" symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea and headaches. In addition, the doctor's eating plan consists of three main factors: (1) Try to eat only organic foods, but if you can't, use the food lists the doctor provides which rate foods by how compromised by pesticides they are and/or prepare your food in a way that removes as many toxic chemicals as possible; (2) drink filtered water; (3) avoid using toxic chemicals in your home (e.g., pesticides, chemical cleaning products, strong perfumes and dyes, smoking), and air out your house to avoid toxic air buildup.

One of my favorite parts of the book is an extremely well-done section on common environmental toxins and how they get into our food supply, including: (1) the class of chemicals called organophosphates were initially developed for biochemical warfare and are now used as one of the most common pesticides on fruit and vegetables as well as routinely fed to livestock to fatten them up; (2) carbamates are used as fungicides and pesticides on fruits and vegetables and are also used to fatten up livestock; (3) anti-thyroid drugs are banned in England (she makes no mention of banning in the US) for direct use in livestock to suppress the function of the thyroid so they will get fatter, but similar compounds are still commonly used in the UK and US as pesticides on fruits and vegetables--which people and livestock eat; (4) steroids fatten up livestock by causing water retention and creating a ravenous appetite for carbohydrates--recently banned in Europe, they are still widely used in the US; (5) antibiotics aren't merely given to livestock to wipe out disease, they are also purposely routinely given in minute dosages in order to destroy weight-control hormones and greatly lower metabolism, both of which cause livestock to store excessive fat; (6) organochlorines are extremely toxic pesticides whose most deadly forms (DDT, lindane, PCBs) have been banned in Europe and the US, but they are still almost universally present in animals and humans in North America and Europe for two main reasons: they have not been banned in many countries from which produce is imported into the US and Europe, and animal and human bodies find it almost impossible to throw them off, causing them to persist in fat tissue for decades.

This book is clearly written, flows logically from topic to topic, and provides a detailed table of contents, an index, an appendix of toxic chemicals, a glossary, a comprehensive list of references, and a list of referral websites, including the author's. I especially applaud this book's "hook," that being environmentally poisoned can make you fat. Hopefully this approach will catch the attention of a large number of the millions of dieters in this country who currently are only wanting to lose weight for vanity's sake, rather than for health reasons. Fortunately for them, if they follow this book's recommendations, they can kill two birds with one stone, satisfy their mirror and stave off future health problems, too.

For those people who aren't just overweight but have health problems as well, particularly an inflammation-based disorder (a tip-off you have this is that your doctor is prescribing anti-inflammatory medication), I highly recommend reading in addition to this book the following: The Inflammation Cure : How to Combat the Hidden Factor Behind Heart Disease, Arthritis, Asthma, Diabetes, & Other Diseases, by William Joel Meggs, et al., and The Inflammation Syndrome, by Jack Challem. They cover a vital issue regarding environmental toxins which Dr. Baillie-Hamilton does not: toxins in food, water, air, etc. not only make you fat, they also create an inflammatory process in the body which can lead to many serious diseases. In addition, obesity itself can become an inflammatory condition--very likely because bodily fat, as Dr. Baillie-Hamilton points out, it is a storehouse for toxic chemicals.

Finally, there is one toxic chemical found in our air, water and food (it is yet another fattening agent given to livestock) which neither Baillie-Hamilton, Meggs nor Challem directly discuss: the estrogen-like compounds called xenoestrogens. These toxins also store in body fat and wreak havoc on both female and male endocrine systems--they are linked in females to onset of puberty as early as age nine and breast cancer later in life, shrinking sexual organs and loss of potency in males, and sterility in both sexes. Fortunately, the recommendations of this book will also defend you from xenoestrogens, but if you want further information, and even more protection, I highly recommend any of the several books by Dr. John Lee who has written extensively about using natural progesterone to counteract the damage of xenoestrogens to the body. His books are directed at women, but mention is made in them that men can use natural progesterone, too, to combat xenoestrogens. Dr. Lee's work will also make clear why some women find that when they lose weight they experience distressingly heavy menstrual flow--this can sometimes result due to a too-rapid release into the bloodstream of xenoestrogens previously stored in fat.

Enjoy the taste of good wholesome food again.......2003-08-20

Like so many people I have often tried out the latest fads and diets which have always proved unappetising and sometimes even
downright dangerous to my health.
Now Dr.Baillie-Hamilton has discovered that by largely eliminating food grown by chemically contaminated means it is perfectly easy to enjoy the taste of good,wholesome food again and still manage to lose weight.
Since starting this largely organic way of eating I have felt very energetic with a new zest for life.
This is certainly the way forward for me and my family.I definitely advise others to do the same.

Unbelievable results!.......2003-04-16

Dr. Baillie Hamilton's theory of Chemical Calories is truly groundbreaking. The results achieved by the reduction of chemical calories in my diet has enabled me to achieve weight loss when nothing else worked. Doesn't it make sense that the same chemicals used to slow down the metabolism of the animals we use for our food sources can slow down our metabolism as well?
She gives us alternatives to the chemical laden food we are used to consuming on traditional "diets" and offers a life-long alternative...reduce chemical calories and enjoy food once again. Along with proper supplementation, you can be healthy and slimmer, restoring your metabolism to its normal rate.

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A Hero in the Company of Heroes

Michael Durant's incredible, exciting story of his crash and captivity

In the Company of Heroes

Amazing!

Combat action as literature

IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES: True Story of one of the most harrowing in the history of the american military.
Michael (CWO 4, Ret.) Durant
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

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If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story

Night Stalkers: 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (Power)

ASIN: B0006H9C8I

Book Description

The New York Times bestseller and gripping personal story behind Black Hawk Down

Piloting a U.S. Army Special Operations Blackhawk over Somalia, Michael Durant was shot down with a rocket-propelled grenade on October 3, 1993. With devastating injuries, he was taken prisoner by a Somali warlord. With revealing insight and emotion, he tells the story of what he saw, how he survived, and the courage and heroism that only soldiers under fire could ever know.

Download Description

"Michael Durant the U.S. Army helicopter pilot captured in Somalia (and who was an integral part of the dramatic story chronicled in Black Hawk Down), tells his personal story of his involvement in the events of October 1993. His battered face appeared on the cover of Time, Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report to the shock and horror of all Americans. Black Hawk pilot Mike Durant was shot down and taken prisoner during America's biggest firefight since the Vietnam War. Published in the tenth anniversary year of the Somali conflict, this gripping personal account at last tells the world about Durant's harrowing captivity and the heroic deeds of his doomed comrades. And, as readers will discover, Durant proves himself to be nothing less than a hero."

Customer Reviews:

A Hero in the Company of Heroes.......2007-08-03

Durant's story takes us from Black Hawk Down and gives us a persalized look into his ordeal in Somalia. But he also gives an itimate look into the lives and beliefs of his captors. This is must read book for anyone interested in the survival of the human spirit.

Michael Durant's incredible, exciting story of his crash and captivity.......2007-06-22

Wow! This book is a terrific! I could hardly put the book down after I started reading it. Durant and Steven Hartov recount all the vivid and unforgettable details of the Black Hawk's crash into the heart of the most unfriendly territory - Aidid-controlled Mogadishu.
The two truly heroic and fearless Delta operators, Gary Gordon and Randy Shugart, attempt to rescue Durant from a massive mob of hate-filled Somalis. Unfortunately, the operators run out of ammo and are overwhelmed by the Somalis' huge numbers. Any minute Durant expects to be literally torn or cut apart limb by limb. With a broken back and leg, Durant can do little to protect himself or get away. And then, like a miracle, he is literally pulled out of the hands of the mob and into custody by a rival warlord's clan.

The story then goes on to cover Durant's initial captivity in dismal and dangerous conditions. His bone-jarring and pain-racking transfers across the pothole-filled streets of Mogadishu, being used as a seat cushion to make it past guarded checkpoints. Despite the obviously searing pain he must have felt, he managed to keep a diary and hold onto his sanity.

The story goes on to describe TF Ranger's search and rescue efforts to locate him (provides a good argument for electronic tracking devices placed in military pilots) and also some behind-the-scenes American diplomatic maneuvers to secure his release (which did work). The Red Cross also visited Durant and helped get essential medicine & emotional support to him. Durant also describes the Somalis he was guarded by and his unusual Somali doctor who carried his limited medical supplies in a fishing tackle box.

Besides the captivity narrative, the book is interspersed with progressive snapshots of Durant's military piloting career as an army helicopter pilot. Durant talks about his training and experiences in the blizzards of South Korea, the jungles of Panama, and gruellingly intense survival-evasion-resistance-escape school in the US. The book winds up with his repatriation, recovery, and eventual return to marathon-running and off-duty flying.

The entire book is packed with action and fascinating military experiences. This book rocks! You'll be dogging bullets right next there to Durant while you're reading it!

In the Company of Heroes.......2007-06-06

Book came in the time frame and in the condition specified.

Amazing!.......2007-05-31

I looked at this book several times in the store before I actually bought it and read it. I was avoiding it, I guess, because this battle has already been so thoroughly covered I didn't think there could be much more to tell. If that's what you've been thinking, I say get this one! This is one of the best firsthand accounts I've read. First of all, there is plenty of new stuff from Mogadishu in it. Second, seeing this whole thing through Durant's eyes is brutal and honest. The letter from the wife of one of the Delta operators that helped save the author is well worth the price of the book.

Combat action as literature.......2007-05-01

It is a rare pleasure to discover a book about intense combat action, bravery under fire, and the painful realities of capture and privation that does not read like an Army Field Manual. Instead, "Company of Heroes" reads like a well-crafted novel. It opens with the crash of one of the Black Hawk helicopters described so grippingly in Mark Bowden's best seller "Black Hawk Down." In that superb true action thriller, we get the big picture of the successful but costly snatch and grab operation in Mogadishu. In "Company," we relive the operation from one of the pilots who crash landed in the midst of thousands of angry Somali rebels.

Durant cuts back and forth from describing his existing plight, to flash backs describing how he became a special ops Night Stalker helo pilot. The technique works wonderfully, filling-in ever more details of his training and combat experiences, and culminating in his crash, capture, imprisonment and astonishing release.

As satisfying is the description of the work ethic that imbues our most elite fighting men. These guys do not dissimulate, they do not brag, and they perfect their skills to a degree not matched anywhere on the planet. Then they go out and do their jobs. And they often get shot, and they sometimes get killed.

It is a real eye-opener to compare the behavior of these men and women in uniform to the men and women of our mainstream media. Durant's wife flies to Germany to finally meet her badly injured husband who has just been released from his imprisonment. A Hollywood type cleverly buys the seat next to her, bent on cajoling from her the movie rights to her husband's story. Ah, yes, that's a scene we see portrayed so often on the silver screen--almost as much as the evil business tycoon threatening to destroy the world. And her phone never stops ringing with columnist determined to get the scoop on "how she feels."

The victory lap was also handled extremely well. It is so easy today to become maudlin at the relief of surviving, of coming home, of recovering fully from sever injuries, of rightly being called a hero. Well, nearly everyone involved in this operation was a hero and behaved heroically. And then shut up about it. What a relief to know there still are people like that; what joy to know they are defending our country. Unlike the self-proclaimed media celebrities whose self-importance ego-mania is exceeded only by their incomes. And who have such little air time to waste on people like these a week after they return from defending our country, when they can be talking instead about a much more fascinating subject--themselves.

Book Description

This book tells the profound and inspirational story of a girl who was plucked from deep rural Germany after witnessing the horror of Kristallnacht and her familys eviction from its village. Ruth L. David was sent to England as part of the Kindertransportone of the few routes to safety and survival for many children who would lose their parents in the Holocaust. This story tells of her subsequent life in an orphanage, and her enduring and moving struggles.

Customer Reviews:

Compelling tale of a different kind of Holocaust survivor.......2004-04-19

Ruth David (neé Oppenheimer) grew up in Nazi Germany, and although she was spared from ever having to step inside a death camp, her life was to be forever altered due to the Holocaust.

The title of the book, "Child of Our Time," is from British composer Michael Tippett's oratorio about 17-year-old Herschel Grynspan, a Polish Jew. Grynspan asked the German embassy in Paris to help his parents, who were caught in the border between Germany and Poland, rejected by both countries. The embassy personnel laughed at the situation, and as protest, Grynspan returned with a gun and fatally shot a Third Secretary of the nazi party. In Germany, it was hastily and venomously decided that all Jews were responsible and would pay for Grynspan's actions. And thus, the plan for what was to be known as Kristallnacht moved into operation on 9 November 1938.

As a child, Ruth David was caught in the midst of not only Kristallnacht, but the perpetual persecution of herself and her family by the nazis, later the separation from her parents, and the effects of emigrating solo to a foreign country (Britain) as a nine-year-old, where she spoke nary an English word.

Mrs. David was one of the nearly 10,000 children who was brought to England via the kindertransport system, enacted by Parliament to offer sanctuary to children under the age of 17. Most children either initially or eventually settled in with families who would become their foster parents during WW II. However, young Ruth was one who was to be raised in what was called a hostel (an orphanage for refugee children) financed by a Jewish group in Newcastle. The hostel was run by two Viennese women who knew almost nothing of raising girls but took the job as a way to escape persecution themselves. They fully expected that within six months, the parents of each of the almost two dozen girls would arrive and take their daughters home. Nine-year-old Ruth arrived in June 1939. She emerged a young woman, in 1946.

The war years spent in the hostel were nearly an incarceration all their own. The two matrons responsible for the girls seemed to despise their young charges almost as much as the situation which stole them from their flourishing and respectable careers as a chef and cinema owner in Austria. Mrs. David's stories are compelling to read, as she writes with a confident, polished, yet congenial manner that genuinely serves us slices of her young, but often anguished life.

The girls with whom she shared her life were to become her foster family. Ruth was witness to the almost daily beatings of a six-year-old girl named Lore whose crime was enuresis. When another girl responded to the question, by one matron, "What do you want to do when you grow up?" with an answer that she would like to be an artist, she was subjected to a sharp slap across the face and the insult of being called a bohemian. At various times, the matrons seemed to adopt one girl as the enemy child, and she became the focus of harassment and harsh, undeserving punishment until another unsuspecting victim was chosen. Throughout the years, Ruth suffered not only the rath of the matrons' inexperience and malice, the separation from her siblings and parents, and the isolation in a foreign land and tongue but also through the humiliation of a head shearing during a lice outbreak, a simultaneous dose of diphtheria and scarlet fever, a near drowning in a lake, and the eventual knowledge that, although all of her siblings had physically survived the war, her parents had been slaughtered at Auschwitz.

Never overbearing but always captivating, "Child of Our Time" chronicles Ruth David's life from the mid 1930s -- when her innocent, joyous life began to change as a result of Nazi rule -- to just after the war, when she surfaced from her experiences much older, wiser, and bearing her own scars. Her story is one not often told, but it needs to be heard. Fortunate are we that a woman with courage and talent for the written word is here to tell it. This review is being written on Yom HaShoah, 27 Nisan 5764 (Hebrew year), which is the Holocaust Remembrance Day, based on the anniversary of the uprising of the Warsaw Ghetto. Let us never forget.

Jennifer Metcalf

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