They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan

They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan
Average customer rating:

A life-changing experience

A must read

True, Real, Humbling

Must Read

Must Read

They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan
Alphonsion Deng , Benson Deng , Benjamin Ajak , and Judy A. Bernstein
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books
Sudan | Africa | History | Subjects | Books
North Africa | Africa | History | Subjects | Books
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God Grew Tired Of Us: A Memoir

The Lost Boys of Sudan: An American Story of the Refugee Experience

The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called "The Lost Boys of Sudan"

Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books)

Lost Boy No More: A True Story Of Survival And Salvation

ASIN: 1586483889

Book Description

A stunning literary survival story, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as a "moving, beautifully written account, by turns raw and tender."

Across Sudan, between 1987 and 1989, tens of thousands of young boys took flight from the massacres of Sudan's civil war. They became known as the Lost Boys. With little more than the clothes on their backs, sometimes not even that, they streamed out over Sudan in search of refuge. Their journey led them first to Ethiopia and then, driven back into Sudan, toward Kenya. They walked nearly one thousand miles, sustained only by the sheer will to live.

They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky is three boys' account of that unimaginable journey. With the candor and the purity of their child's-eye-vision, Alephonsion, Benjamin, and Benson recall by turns how they endured hunger and strength-sapping illnesses. How they dodged the life-threatening predators-lions, snakes, crocodiles and soldiers-that dogged their footsteps. How they grappled with a war that threatened continually to overwhelm them. Their story is a lyrical, captivating portrait of a childhood lost to war, and of the perseverance of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews:

A life-changing experience.......2007-10-04

I never thought that a book could move me in the way that this has. It is gripping, inspirational, horrifing, beautiful tear-jerker that will keep your jaw dropped. You will be forever changed by this true account of a tragedy that sadly many Americans do not know about. Amazing book. Make sure to have a box of tissues by your side!

A must read.......2007-09-26

I couldn't put the book down and at the end I cried. It was hard to believe that boys so young had been through so much. If your interested in whats going on in Sudan than I think its a must read.

True, Real, Humbling.......2007-09-26

This book is so powerful, these boys journey is so humbling, there is no way that you could read this book and not look at your life in a different way. The crazy thing about it is that it is ALL TRUE, this is thier account of their lives, this book has encouraged me more to want to fight for social injustices.

Must Read.......2007-08-11

I have a BA in English and taught high school literature courses for seven years before becoming the administrator of an alternative school. I consider myself well read. Therefore, when I say this was the most moving book I have ever read, I do not say so lightly. I had the honor of meeting one of the authors, Benjamin Ajak, at a recent conference. While his English is not articulate, his message is gut wrenchingly moving. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is not a summer beach romance. It is the story of the survival of the human spirit at its most base level. It is both appalling and inspiring. It is a must read. If you are not a humanitarian before you read it, you will be after you read it.

Must Read.......2007-06-27

Amazing!
This sad true account of the lives of the people of Southern Sudan is a must read.

AFTER JACKIE: PRIDE, PREJUDICE, AND BASEBALL'S FORGOTTEN HEROES: AN ORAL HISTORY

Average customer rating:

Good Historical Read
This Oral History Tells A Real Story

AFTER JACKIE: PRIDE, PREJUDICE, AND BASEBALL'S FORGOTTEN HEROES: AN ORAL HISTORY
Cal Fussman
Manufacturer: ESPN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Essays & Writings | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

History | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season
The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America
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Carrying Jackie's Torch: The Players Who Integrated Baseball-and America
Branch Rickey: Baseball's Ferocious Gentleman

ASIN: 1933060182
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

To commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the breaking of baseball's color barrier, an exploration of Jackie Robinson's impact and legacy by the people whose lives were transformed by his courageWhen Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, he forever changed the game ofbaseball -- and America itself. In After Jackie, author Cal Fussman traces Robinson's enormous legacy in sports, politics, and the civil rights movement through the men (and women) who came after him. With moving and intimate interviews of more than one hundred former major league players of African-American descent, as well as such luminaries as Jimmy Carter, Muhammad Ali, and Walter Cronkite, among others, After Jackie recalls the day one man altered history for so many, and the history that followed.

Customer Reviews:

Good Historical Read.......2007-05-23

Being a fan of baseball & Black history, I loved it. It has interviews with living Negro League players, their widows & or children, other celeb
rities who lived through that era and white ballplayers as well.
It is full of insight from a lot of different viewpoints.

This Oral History Tells A Real Story.......2007-04-05

This nation's leaders in fields such as politics, sports and history do a great job with race. You see, they mostly race away from the real questions and answers surrounding slavery, prejudice and the lies from the past that are taught as fact today. Race fast enough and the truth may just get left far behind.

That is what makes After Jackie: Pride, Prejudice, and Baseball's Forgotten Heroes - An Oral History, as important a book as you can read this year, or ever. It gives you a foundation to discuss with your children true American history from the voices of true heroes.

Each person chronicled by author Cal Fussman - either in recent interviews or through past public statements - lived through the racial hatred that did not cease after Jackie Robinson donned the uniform of the Brooklyn Dodgers. That is because of the race away from the hard questions and tough answers.

"The more I spoke with the men who came after Jackie, the more certain I became of one thing: The only way to unlearn is to learn," writes Fussman. "The surest way for us to move forward is to know where the old have been."

And to put one issue in perspective - Major League Baseball's "Glory Road" - it really isn't "ancient" history. The first all-minority starting lineup - blacks and Latin players - was filled out by manager Danny Murtaugh on September 1, 1971, when his Pittsburgh Pirates played the Philadelphia Phillies. For the record, the Pirates won the World Series that season.

Former Dodgers star, Lou Johnson - whose life is equally uplifting and chilling due to the prejudice of society - captures the powerful message of the book through a story of sharing:

"The other day I was at my mother-in-law's funeral and there was a kid who was wearing a jersey with No. 42 on it. He had no idea what the 42 meant. In the heart of the hood, and this kid had no idea.

"I put my arm around this kid and I showed him my world championship ring. I said, 'It was No. 42 who got me this ring.'

"And then I told him about No. 42."

It is not enough to simply remember the past. Without a true comprehension of history, a society is doomed to repeat the same mistakes - in various degrees - over and over again.

And that will unfortunately make No. 42 just another number.

Dirty Little Secrets About Black History : Its Heroes & Other Troublemakers

Average customer rating:

short quick and to the point
Excellent Experieince
Dirty Little Secrets Continued
My kids needed something.
A MUST HAVE

Dirty Little Secrets About Black History : Its Heroes & Other Troublemakers
Claud Anderson
Manufacturer: Powernomics Corporation of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

PowerNomics : The National Plan to Empower Black America
Black Labor, White Wealth : The Search for Power and Economic Justice
More Dirty Little Secrets About Black History, Its Heroes and Other Troublemakers
The Best of the Little Known Black History Facts
The Willie Lynch Letter and the Making of a Slave

ASIN: 0966170202

Book Description

This book of brief antidotes, presents easy to read little known factiods about blacks in America and their extradordinary achievements under oppressive and inhumane conditions.

Customer Reviews:

short quick and to the point.......2007-05-28

Dirty little secrets by Claude Anderson

Glossed over and misrepresented, virtually the most misunderstood of all subjects ....the history of the black race...a compilation of bits of facts, coincidences, contradictions, sexual exploits and tantalizing stories corrected and brought forth. Be introduced to heroes, warriors, and statesmen (Don Pio Pico, John Horse, David Walker, Khufu, Sabastian and Lari Giles). Others who fought for the people (Thad Stevens, Gen Santa Ana, John Brown, J.C. Harris), and some who were the ward connally and david duke of the day (Davy Crockett, William Penn, Haywood Shepard, John Chaves). Be introduced to arab slave trading to the tune of one million people over a 100 years confused under smothered religious conflicts, the folsom people, the berlin conference of 1876, slave Russians captured by the Germans, the buying and selling of slaves that occupied major places in newspapers....and tons of similar information, well worth the purchase.

Excellent Experieince.......2007-05-17

I received my books in a timely manner and in great shape. Thank you.

Dirty Little Secrets Continued.......2007-03-12

Dr. Anderson (and his son) have done it again! Excellent follow-up to volume one. Recommended reading not just for African Americans but for all who have a sincere desire to know more about American history.

My kids needed something........2006-11-06

It was amaizing to watch my two teen girls get some of the history of America filled in. They now have a better understandign of the why's and hows of history in the Americas.
My girls are now ready to not allow anyone tell them that they are inferior just because they are Black. They know if they fail it is because they are not working hard enough and/or not in the right place at the right time. They know that they can because despite the Americas prejudice, there were blacks that were so successful that they had to be removed from history by jealous writers of American history.
Thanks for the new pride.

A MUST HAVE.......2003-03-26

I ENJOYED THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WAS NOT TAUGHT ANY OF THIS INFORMATION IN SCHOOL. IF YOU'RE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, YOU SHOULD POSSESS ONE COPY OF THIS BOOK LIKE YOU MAY HAVE A BIBLE IN YOUR HOME. ALSO, MAYBE A LOT US US NEED TO START SEARCHING OUR FAMILY TREE.

Climbing Jacob's Ladder: Heroes of the Bible in African-American Spirituals

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Climbing Jacob's Ladder: Heroes of the Bible in African-American Spirituals
John Langstaff
Manufacturer: Margaret K. McElderry
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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What a Morning!: The Christmas Story in Black Spirituals
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ASIN: 0689504942

Average customer rating:

A great little tale full of intrigue and local color
great characters
Intriguing, Involved Fast Paced Murder Mystery
Good Murder Mystery
Cajun Snuff will keep you guessing.

Cajun Snuff
W. Randy Haynes
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Gay | Mystery & Thrillers | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books
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L.A. Heat
Stain of the Berry: A Russell Quant Mystery (Russell Quant Mysteries)
Habit For Death: A Nicky D'Amico Mystery
In the Shadow of Stone
Queen's Park: A Detective Lane Mystery

ASIN: 1413783570

Book Description

Loner. Free spirit. Rebel. Not words normally associated with an agent of the ultra-conservative FBI Counterterrorism Division. When the mutilated body of a black U.S. Congressman and Christian minister was found in the steamy bayous of southwestern Louisiana, Special Agent Adam Stephen had the perfect qualities needed to be the lead investigator. Adam discovers that the Congressman may have appeared respectable, but finds muddy surprises and vicious enemies instead. From a New Orleans Garden District widow to a bizarre Neo-Nazi group, the suspect list reads like a recipe for a spicy bowl of swamp snake gumbo, and Adam appears to be the next ingredient.

Customer Reviews:

A great little tale full of intrigue and local color.......2007-01-06

It took W. Randy Haynes five years to write his first mystery, but the effort was worth it. The first time "out of the gate," as he says, he garnered a selection as a finalist for the prestigious 2006 Lambda Literary Award. Haynes is a disabled Vietnam vet who found time on his hands during the long Lake Tahoe winters. But Haynes is originally a Texan, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a member of the Cherokees of California and started up
a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Lake Tahoe. He is presently working
on a sequel to CAJUN SNUFF.

Special Agent Adam Stephen is inexplicably tapped by his somewhat boorish boss to investigate the mutilation murder of a U.S. Congressman who happens to be Black. On his way to New Orleans, Adam meets up with a woman named Adaline Fontenot, a widow from New Orleans, who not only opens doors for him during his investigation, but who will change his life forever:
"'Mr. Herndon? I'm Adam Stephen. I really appreciate your talking to me."

Adam handed over the letter of introduction.

'Come in.' The man unlocked the office door and turned on the lights. The office was unsophisticated but functional. Herndon took a seat behind the desk and motioned for Adam to sit in a chair. 'So, you're a friend of Ms. Fontenot, huh? How did you get so highly connected?'

'It was an accident. We met on a flight to New Orleans, and I've visited her home since. She's well-known in the state?'

'You could say that. Ada is the power behind the progressive politics here in Louisiana. She prefers to work behind the scenes and avoids publicity.'"

CAJUN SNUFF is an understated, yet passionate whodunit that is character-driven and examines the politics of the South and the attempt by right-wing zealots to take over our country. Adam Stephen is a dreamboat of a character who is both as spicy as New Orleans and, at the same time, is vulnerable and strong. When Adam meets up with Homer, a neurotic bloodhound with separation anxiety, Haynes injects just the right amount of humor to enliven and lighten the tale. But Adam and Homer bond, Adam saves the day, and Haynes sees fit to give us a reverse ending. CAJUN SNUFF is extremely well done and is a great little tale full of intrigue and local color.

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

great characters .......2006-06-24

This is a new and exciting book with colorful characters! I hope this is the beginning of an adventure with Adam. Randy Haynes has the ability to bring the characters to life. This reader wants to have more!

Intriguing, Involved Fast Paced Murder Mystery.......2006-05-27

Having been raised on a bayou in Louisiana, gone to school in Lafayette and lived in New Orleans for 22 years I found Mr. Haynes book fascinating, imaginative and insightful of the darker side of Louisiana Politics, criminal aspects plus the goodness of Southern hospitality. The characters are from every aspect of life in Louisiana, from down home country people through the flamboyant Gallery owner to the bigots, criminals and every other group that populates the landscape.

This is a great murder mystery with many twists and turns. The descriptions of the locations are wonderful with great details. I am looking forward to the next book with Adam Stephens.

Good Murder Mystery.......2006-03-27

I can only hope that this is the first of many mysteries to be produced by Mr. Haynes. The lead character Adam Tyler Stephen is a fascinating blend of sleuth, hard-nose FBI agent, and a sexy single gay guy. He solves the mystery of the murder of a Congressman, and in the process upsets most of officialdom in Washington, at FBI headquarters, New Orleans, and the Louisana bayous. In the process, he befriends the doyen of New Orlean's Garden District, a sassy FBI secretary, an aged butler, and a college age gay kid who is allegedly a Neo-Nazi. Needless to say, the convoluted plot keeps the reader guessing until the very last few pages.

The character development of Adam is such that he could theoretically become a new gay super slueth if his creator decides to make him such. I can only hope that there are more stories for Adam in Mr. Haynes imagination.

Cajun Snuff will keep you guessing........2006-03-04

This is an excellent mystery that introduces a new hero, who I hope will appear in a series of books. The atmosphere will draw you in. I am looking forward to the next book.

Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes

Average customer rating:

great WW II book
Very Moving
Brothers in Arms, Aptly Subtitled "Forgotten Heroes" - African-American Tankers Honored in Prose
Not worth it.
Mistakes Mistakes Mistakes

Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , and Anthony Walton
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Patton's Panthers: The African-American 761st Tank Battalion In World War II
Hidden Heroism: Black Soldiers in America's Wars
Black Profiles in Courage: A Legacy of African-American Achievement
On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance
Fighting for America: Black Soldiers--the Unsung Heroes of World War II

ASIN: 0767909135
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Book Description

A powerful wartime saga in the bestselling tradition of Flags of Our Fathers, Brothers in Arms recounts the extraordinary story of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first all-black armored unit to see combat in World War II.

Download Description

A powerful wartime saga in the bestselling tradition of Flags of Our Fathers, Brothers in Arms recounts the extraordinary story of the 761st "Black Panthers," the first all-black armored unit to see combat in World War II.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar first learned about the battalion from family friend Leonard "Smitty" Smith, a veteran of the battalion. Working with acclaimed writer Anthony Walton, Abdul-Jabbar interviewed the surviving members of the battalion and their descendants to weave together a page-turning narrative based on their memories and stories, from basic training through the horrors on the battlefield to their postwar experiences in a racially divided America.

Trained essentially as a public relations gesture to maintain the support of the black community for the war, the battalion was never intended to see battle. In fact, General Patton originally opposed their deployment, claiming African Americans couldn't think quickly enough to operate tanks in combat conditions. But the Allies were so desperate for trained tank personnel in the summer of 1944, following heavy casualties in the fields of France, that the battalion was called up.

While most combat troops fought on the front for a week or two before being rotated back, the men of the 761st served for more than six months, fighting heroically under Patton's Third Army at the Battle of the Bulge and in the Allies' final drive across France and Germany. Despite a casualty rate that approached 50 percent and an extreme shortage of personnel and equipment, the 761st would ultimately help liberate some thirty towns and villages, as well as the Gunskirchen Lager concentration camp.

The racism that shadowed them during the war and the prejudice they faced upon their return home is an indelible part of their story. What shines through most of all, however, are the lasting bonds that united them as soldiers and brothers, the bravery they exhibited on the battlefield, and the quiet dignity and patriotism that defined their lives.

Customer Reviews:

great WW II book.......2007-08-13

I really did like this book and found it to be very well done; I couldn't put it down. Kareem abdul-jabbar did a great job of tying the history of the unit into is his life (one of the main characters was friends with his father). It wasn't only intresting because of the whole Black Soldiers in WW II subject area, but was also a great read concerning WW II tankers in general (not just black tankers). Mr. Abdul did an outstanding job and I would recommend this book to anyone.

Very Moving.......2006-07-07

Not knowing where to start, let me say this was a very moving book. It was very dishartening to hear how American Soldiers were mistreated by fellow Soldiers and the American public. It really speaks to their character that they were willing to fight for a country that did not recognize them as first class citzens. Before reading this book, I had no idea that there were all Black tank units. Even when reading other books about some of the battles that the 761st fought in, I never incountered mention of the 761st or that there were even all Black units fighting in the same battle. This book was a real eye opener.

I am not a historian or even a history enthusiast, so I was unaware of the errors that were in the book. Nevertheless, I feel that the story is about the Soldiers of the 761st, and that the book is not meant to be a treatise on WWII. This is just my opinion, so if you are someone who cares about the errors, then you will need to read this book with a grain of salt.

Brothers in Arms, Aptly Subtitled "Forgotten Heroes" - African-American Tankers Honored in Prose.......2006-03-01

Despite being quite intrigued by the story of the 761st Tank Battalion this reviewer was initially quite leery about picking up this book, for the same reasons articulated by Lt. Col. Mark Reardon in his review of Brothers in Arms - why would we expect a historical work developed by a former pro-basketball player to be of particular value beyond a novelty? However, Reardon gave Brothers in Arms a quite positive review and thus this reviewer decided the time commitment to read it was justified. Having said all that this reviewer found Brothers in Arms a compelling, easy and informative read.

It is worth mentioning that Abdul-Jabbar's tale of the 761st is not the first or only documentation of this storied battalion; previously published accounts include T.W. Anderson's "Come Out Fighting" (1979) and J. Wilson Jr.'s "The 761st 'Black Panther' Tank Battalion in World War II (1999). Yet, Abdul-Jabbar's account is a well-written and engaging story, targeted to a wide audience. The prose set forth by Abdul-Jabbar starts with a brief description of why the author chose to take on such and project and why the reader should be engaged and interested. Abdul-Jabbar then introduces the three gentlemen who anchor the story of the 761st as he tells it, the pre-war lives of these men and what led them to volunteer for the Tank Corps. Within this section of the book and the next section dealing with the training of the 761st, Abdul-Jabbar provides considerable insight into the racial discrimination that these American heroes suffered in 1940's American culture, including the US Army - which at the time was still a quite segregrated institution, as was American culture in general. These discussion points (which are also brought out in subsequent sections of the book) are the real selling points for this book - ALL Americans should read this book for this contrast in sacrifice of the men of the 761st to the respect and honor they received for their sacrifices.

The major portion of the prose is dedicated to discussion of the combat situations in which the 761st found themselves. The 761st was one of several independent Tank Battalions that was not permanently assigned to any Division, but rather attached to various units, Armored or Infantry, as needed. Thus the 761st functioned to large extent as a 'fire brigade' to deal with recalcitrant combat zones or details. While no clear evidence exists to suggest that this was an overt discriminatory act of the US Army to sacrifice African-American versus white troops is difficult situations, Abdul-Jabbar makes a compelling case that this could have in fact been true. The combat history of the 761st is indeed impressive both for its scope of action and depth of nearly impossible situations into which they were placed by rear command decisions. Despite the adversities facing them the men of the 761st were generally successful in their assigned tasks.

The last section of the book deals with what happened to the men of the 761st from V-E day onwards. While these stories are themselves fascinating, it is the injustice and prejudice these American heroes suffered after the combat was over that really capture the readers attention. In fact, it took decades for African-American soldiers who carried arms in the Second World War to be recognized for their acts of heroism. Abdul-Jabbar does a fair honest tribute to these men in his writings.

So how well done is the military history in Brothers in Arms? OK but not perfect; some errors are simply too silly to believe. Two examples illustrate this perfectly: First, in multiple places Abdul-Jabbar refers to the Tactical Air Command as the Air Tactical Command. Second, on p. 240 the following statement is made: "Hitler's propaganda minister, Hermann Goering, had a castle on a high bluff just beyond Neuhaus." Goering did in fact own a castle at Neuhaus [Burg Veldenstein, now a hotel] that was given to him by the widow of previous owner, Dr. Hermann Von Epenstein, Joseph Goebbles, not Goering, was propaganda.

Problems aside, Brothers in Arms represents a fun, entertaining and educational read, not perfect in historical content but sound enough to merit a look by serious and casual history buffs. 4 stars.

Not worth it. .......2005-03-18

"Brothers In Arms" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anthony Walton. Subtitled "The Epic Story Of The 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes". Broadway books, New York, 2004.

Studying History gives you exposure to the overall events of World War II, and the general ebb and flow of the European Theater of Operations, such as which unit attacked which enemy unit and the results. After an MA in History, I am always seeking more interesting personal accounts, i.e. personal reminiscences, describing what really happened. This book, "Brothers In Arms", appeared to be just that: the personal memoirs of black soldiers in a tank battalion in the EOT, with all those daily minimal details, woven into a real and personal story of the men who served. Even more interesting, these soldiers were black.

Unfortunately, however, the book did not live up to its promise. The stories about the individuals involved, with the possible exception of Leonard "Smitty" Smith, did not, in my humble opinion, bring those individuals alive. Even the nice repetition , (but disrupting to the continuity of the book), of Baseball's Jackie Robinson's wartime experiences were not truly a personal remembrance.

Then there are the unnecessary mistakes. As other reviewers have mentioned the worst gaffe, the German word for panther, is "Panther" and "Panzer" means, basically, armor or tanks. See page 47. The Luftwaffe's rotund Hermann Goering is probably rotating rapidly in his grave since this book identifies him as the skinny Nazi propaganda minister. On page 45, the authors state that in the Pacific theater, in 1942, "American and Japanese forces were at a stalemate". Sorry! The Battle of Midway, June 1942, was the turning point and it was downhill for Japan after that. The "stalemate" characterization was wrong. On page 70, the authors have General George S. Patton being born in 1895; he was born in 1885. Just as another example, the book states that the German "Teller" Anti-Tank mines had about one pound of explosive in them. I could not understand why a "Teller" mine should threaten a Sherman tank, so I went on the Web. There I found that the early models of the German Teller mines had about 23 pounds, or about ten kilograms, of explosive. I could see that this concentrated explosive force could do damage to some parts of the Sherman. My complaint is the book's authors let this poundage gaffe go into print.

So , for the personal memoirs, I gave four stars. For the mistakes , (too many!) and evident lack of knowledge about the History of the EOT, I gave zero stars. Average: two stars.

Mistakes Mistakes Mistakes.......2005-02-23

This book is filled with interesting stories. It is also filled with many, many unforgiveable mistakes. Previous reviews have pointed out the mistake of Panzer means panther in German...come on! But towards the end of the book it refers to Hermann Goering as Hitler's propaganda minister. Wow, where was the editor on that one. I think Joseph Goebbels would have something to say about that. And if Goering was hard at work on propaganda, who was running the Luftwaffe? It moves on to talk about Hitler's suicide by poison in the Bunker. Except that Hitler shot himself in the temple, prefering a soldiers death. Yes Hitler did have a poison pill in his mouth, but that was only as backup in case the shot was not fatal. The book is filled with stuff like this.

I started reading this book with great excitement because the subject matter is fascinating and I have not heard about the 761st Battalion. I was hoping this book would be breaking new ground. But instead I find myself NOT trusting any of the information in this book since they obviously don't even know who Hermann Goering was.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and 761st Battalion should get an apology from coauther Anthony Walton and the Editor of this book.

Fighting for America: Black Soldiers-the Unsung Heroes of World War II

Average customer rating:

Nothing short of an excellent walk through history
Interesting
A special piece of history
AFRICAN AMERICAN HEROES!

Fighting for America: Black Soldiers-the Unsung Heroes of World War II
Christopher Moore
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Patton's Panthers: The African-American 761st Tank Battalion In World War II
Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes
Hidden Heroism: Black Soldiers in America's Wars
Taps for a Jim Crow Army: Letters from Black Soldiers in World War II
We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans, from World War II to the War in Iraq

ASIN: 034545961X
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Book Description

The African-American contribution to winning World War II has never been celebrated as profoundly as in Fighting for America. In this inspirational and uniquely personal tribute, the essential part played by black servicemen and -women in that cataclysmic conflict is brought home.

Here are letters, photographs, oral histories, and rare documents, collected by historian Christopher Moore, the son of two black WWII veterans. Weaving his family history with that of his people and nation, Moore has created an unforgettable tapestry of sacrifice, fortitude, and courage. From the 1,800 black soldiers who landed at Normandy Beach on D-Day, and the legendary Tuskegee Airmen who won ninety-five Distinguished Flying Crosses, to the 761st Tank Battalion who, under General Patton, helped liberate Nazi death camps, the invaluable effort of black Americans to defend democracy is captured in word and image.

Readers will be introduced to many unheralded heroes who helped America win the war, including Dorie Miller, the messman who manned a machine gun and downed four Japanese planes; Robert Brooks, the first American to die in armored battle; Lt. Jackie Robinson, the future baseball legend who faced court-martial for refusing to sit in the back of a military bus; an until now forgotten African-American philosopher who helped save many lives at a Japanese POW camp; even the author’s own parents: his mother, Kay, a WAC when she met his father, Bill, who was part of the celebrated Red Ball Express.

Yet Fighting for America is more than a testimonial; it is also a troubling story of profound contradictions, of a country still in the throes of segregation, of a domestic battleground where arrests and riots occurred simultaneously with foreign service–and of how the war helped spotlight this disparity and galvanize the need for civil rights. Featuring a unique perspective on black soldiers, Fighting for America will move any reader: all who, like the author, owe their lives to those who served.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing short of an excellent walk through history.......2005-07-23

Chris Moore's chronicle of black patriotism from Colonial times through World War II is nothing short of an excellent walk through history. As a history buff I found myself eager to turn each page. I would sit with highlighter in hand marking special passages as though I was still a college student studying for an exam. Moore has a special way of transporting the reader back in time, allowing one to almost hear the voices of those who wrote the letters featured in the book. I never realized just how much we as a people contributed to the early Colonial battles that set America as a country free.

Even though black Americans have fought and died in every war this country has faced, only the heroes of recent history get recognition. Yes, we grew up with a knowledge of Crispus Attucks, but what about heroes like Seaman Doris 'Dorrie' Miller and Pfc Robert H. Brooks. Miller was aboard the USS West Virginia, when she was attacked December 7, 1941 by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Miller, a naval messman, managed to save several lives when he shot down four enemy planes with a .50-caliber anti-aircraft gun he'd never been trained to use. Miller was later presented the Navy Cross for his efforts. I was never taught in school about Pfc Robert H. Brooks was the first soldier to die at Fort Stotenbugh in the Phillipines, when the Japanese attacked December 8, 1941.

There was also airmen Eugene Bullard, who was not allowed to fly combat missions for America. Bullard was however, welcomed by the French army and became an ace pilot during World War I. Bullard flew more than twenty missions against the Germans and was credited with shooting down at least five enemy aircraft. Moore introduces us to black female heroes like pilot Willa Beatrice Brown. In 1941 Lieutenant Brown became the first woman officer in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. Throughout WWII Brown served as an instructor in the Civilian Pilot Training Program.

Moore's research on the Red Ball Express, the 320th Barrage Ballon Brigade, the 161st Chemical Smoke Generating Company and the countless Engineer Aviation Battalions such as the 810th and the 811th paved the way for Allied victory. Moore allows the reader to feel the shear determination of black enlisted men and women who fought a duel war. One war was against the Germans and Japanese and the other war was against the prejudice they faced daily from their fellow American service men and women. Although this book began as a tribute to Moore's parents S.Sgt. Bill Moore and Pfc Norma K. DeFreese Moore his four year journey turned out to be so much more. Though not written as a text book, this book should be incorportated into the half written history books our children are taught from. It is a book that my family will read again and again.

Reviewed by Felecia R. Ellis Memphis RAWSISTAZ

Interesting.......2005-05-25

What an interesting subject, presented with historical perspective in Fighting for America, written by Moore to honor his GI Joe Mom and Dad.

I found myself saying out loud, "I didn't know that" as I got a history lesson about the role African-Americans played in fighting for America since they became "Americans."

Even in a movie like "Saving Private Ryan," the important role of several hundred black soldiers at Utah and Omaha Beach on D-Day was not shown. Throughout the book that focuses on World War II, we learn about heroism, camaraderie, segregation, exclusion, demoralization, prejudice -- and patriotism.

Often black men were sent on the most difficult missions - ands then their efforts were greatly downplayed or excluded from history (both when it happened) and in written-down history.

Black women also served as nurses and with other support units. The 6,888th Central Postal Direction Battalion, an all-black unit, assigned some 80 black women to handle mail sorting at a base in Birmingham, England. Those women were the first black people many English had seen, and they helped to shatter stereotypes.

Many of us have heard of the Tuskegee Airmen and all they accomplished. Other black soldiers, trained as paratroopers, were sent to the West Coast of the United States and became firefighters. Their job was to jump into remote forested area and put out fires caused by airborne incendiary bombs sent aloft by the Japanese.

Also, a third of the 10,500 soldiers who built the Alcan Highway (from Canada through roughest Alaska) were black. This major construction project was rushed to ensure that America had a way to get supplies to northward to defend our borders if the enemy blocked our supply ships.

The book was filled with such interesting facts that any history buff will love it. And if you just like to read good stories about good people, it will meet that requirement.

A special piece of history.......2005-01-09

If you are a fan of history or not this is wonderful book. Having read a several other history books on WWII in college, this is the first book that has captured me. The journey the reader takes through the life of the author's family and through other soldier's personal experiences allows the reader to relate to the war rather then simply read about it. If history books in school were written like this one, history class would not have been dreaded.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HEROES!.......2004-12-29

To anyone with any common sense, it should come as no surprise that African American soldiers carried the load, literally, during the Second World War. FIGHTING FOR AMERICA does a superb and meticulous job in detailing all of the many ways which black soldiers helped to win the war. It is simply a national shame that most black soldiers who fought in WWII have gone to their graves without any recognition for their bravery and heroism. This book is loaded with bonafide heroes who are worthy of our applause and any monument which can be erected in their honor. I recommend this book highly.

Book of Black Heroes: Scientists, Healers, and Inventors (Book of Black Heroes)

Average customer rating:

Heroes Who Changed the World
Concise and succinct biographies

Book of Black Heroes: Scientists, Healers, and Inventors (Book of Black Heroes)

Manufacturer: Just Us Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History
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ASIN: 0940975971

Product Description

In this volume of the popular Book of Black Heroes series, readers will learn about the many contributions Black men and women have made in the sreas of science, medicine and creative invention. Short entry biological sketches herald the ground breaking work of well-known Black heroes such as scientist, George Washington Carver and surgeon, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, and introduce the trailblazing accomplishments of other Black heroes such as inventor Lewis Latimer and Sr. Halle Johnson.

Customer Reviews:

Heroes Who Changed the World.......2003-04-19

In SCIENTIST, HEALERS, AND INVENTORS, Wade Johnson provides a wealth of information about famous African-Americans who have made ingenious contributions. The book contains not only entries for several well-known individuals such as Benjamin Banneker and Madame C. J, Walker, it also includes several lesser-known individuals such as Susie King Taylor, a Civil War Nurse, and Jan Ernst Matzeliger, the inventor of the shoelasting machine (a machine that allowed for the mass production of shoes).

This volume, the third in the Book of Black Heroes series, is educational and informative. Entries contain a picture and biographical information for each of the individuals. My only criticism is that the book reads like a textbook and may not hold the interest of children. Nonetheless, it is an excellent resource for children and adults alike, and would make a welcome complement to any home library.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Concise and succinct biographies.......2003-01-11

Book Of Black Heroes: Scientists Healers And Inventors by Wade Hudson is an impressive survey of learned and able African-American men and women compiled and presented especially for young readers. Each individual page features a photograph of a notable personage from the nineteenth or twentieth centuries, accompanied by a concise and succinct biography summarizing his or her life and achievements. A truly great introduction to remarkable and intelligent people of color who made their mark on history and science itself, Wade Hudson's Book Of Black Heroes is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, family, school, or community any Black History collection for children.

African-American Heroes and Heroines: 150 True Stories of Black American Heroism

Average customer rating:

African-American Heroes and Heroines: 150 True Stories of Black American Heroism
Kathryn I Bel Monte
Manufacturer: Lifetime Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0811908690

Book Description

Inspiring and amazing stories that showcase 150 black heroes and heroines.

Hidden Heroism: Black Soldiers in America's Wars

Average customer rating:

Edgerton inexcusably omits the Army's 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, among the most storied black combat units in WWII
Great Book on Military History and American Culture

Hidden Heroism: Black Soldiers in America's Wars
Robert B. Edgerton
Manufacturer: Westview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

Discrimination & Racism | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Patton's Panthers: The African-American 761st Tank Battalion In World War II
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ASIN: 081334025X

Book Description

An accessible and well-informed tour through a little-known, important aspect of race in American history.

In Hidden Heroism, Robert Edgerton investigates the history of Afro-American participation in American wars, from the French and Indian War to the present. He argues that blacks in American society have long-suffered from a "natural coward" stereotype that is implicit in the racism propagated from America's earliest days, and often intensified as blacks slowly received freedom in American society. For instance, blacks served admirably in various wars, returned home after their service to short-term recognition, and then soon found themselves even more seriously entrenched in a racist system because they were perceived as a threat to whites. This was true, Edgerton argues, until the Civil Rights movement and Vietnam, though the stereotypes have not been fully eradicated. In this book, Edgerton provides an accessible and well-informed tour through this little-known, but significant aspect of race in American military history.

Customer Reviews:

Edgerton inexcusably omits the Army's 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, among the most storied black combat units in WWII.......2006-08-17

In writing a book which attempts to cover all of the history of black soldiers in "America's Wars", obviously not every black combat unit can be mentioned much less discussed. But here, Edgerton purports to recognize the "hidden heroism" of America's black soldiers. That he has failed in his book to uncover the astounding WWII combat accomplishments of the US Army's 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)(colored[sic]) Battalion provides evidence that even now, where the combat record of a combat-specialized all-black Battalion surpassed the record of comparable white units, those records remain "hidden" -- very deeply hidden. But even the fact that the number of attacking German warplanes which the 452nd shot down as confirmed "kills" - 68 -- exceeds that of any white AAA Battalion operating in the European Theater is just the tip of the "hidden" iceberg.

But little can be totally "hidden" in these days of online research, and Edgerton would have found the 452nd's record in bits and pieces throughout the Internet if he had bothered to try. Maybe he will next time.

Great Book on Military History and American Culture.......2001-11-09

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in understanding the contribution of African-American in U.S. wars. I am a former Army officer and an African-American. Until I read this book I never knew the extent that African-American's heroism despite being oppressed by their fellow soldiers and civilians. I appreciate Mr. Edgerton's efforts in researching facts that where previously forgotten or otherwise went untold for many year.

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