By James Carl Nelson, Caliber, New York, NY (2016) Reviewed by Captain Kevin M. Boyce, USMC The annals of American military history reveal a breadth of scholarly writings, encompassing the stories of countless heroes of war and the battles in which they fought. These legends are often remembered for acts of heroism that imbue the
BOOK REVIEW – Letters of Seamen in the Wars with France, 1793-1815
Helen Watt and Anne Hawkins, eds., Boydell Press, Woodbridge, VA (2014) Reviewed by Lisa Vandenbossche Recent trends in contemporary criticism to recapture and understand the experiences of those from below have left scholars searching for artifacts and narratives from outside the upper ranks of society and leadership. In Letters of Seamen in the Wars with
BOOK REVIEW – Where Divers Dare: The Hunt for the Last U-Boat
By Randall Peffer, Dutton Caliber, New York, NY (2016) Reviewed by Nicolas Russell Where Divers Dare is an fascinating read for those interested in either World War II’s Battle of the Atlantic or deep-sea diving. The book creates a duality, starting with the events leading to the sinking of U-550 and transitioning to the eventual
BOOK REVIEW – U.S. Military Operations: Law, Policy, and Practice
Edited by Geoffrey S. Corn, Rachel E Van Landingham, and Shane R., Reeves, Oxford University Press, New York, NY (2016) Reviewed by Nathan Albright This book begins with a disclaimer that the views expressed within the publication are those of the respective authors of the chapters/essays and are not necessarily the views of any governmental
BOOK REVIEW – Instruments of Darkness: The History of Electronic Warfare 1939-1945
By Dr. Alfred Price, First published by William Kimber 1967, expanded 1977, revised 2005, reissued 2017 by Frontline Books, S. Yorkshire, England. Available from the USNI Press. Reviewed by Robert P. Largess Although Dr. Alfred Price died in January of 2017, it is entirely fitting that the first brilliant book by this superb analyst and
BOOK REVIEW – The Leader’s Bookshelf
By Adm. James Stavridis, USN (Ret.) and Ancell, R. Manning, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD (2017) Reviewed by Cdr. Peter Mersky, USNR (Ret.) Advisory books like this are often difficult to organize and write, no matter who the author is. Post-publication comments always include books that were not noted for whatever reason the correspondent expresses,
BOOK REVIEW – The First World Oil War
By Timothy C. Winegard, University of Toronto Press; Toronto, Buffalo, and London, UK (2016) Reviewed by Phillip G. Pattee In his latest book, The First World Oil War, Oxford Ph.D. and Colorado Mesa University professor Timothy C. Winegard argues that the Great War was the first time in history that territory was conquered and occupied
BOOK REVIEW – The Heroic Age of Diving: America’s Underwater Pioneers and the Great Wrecks of Lake Erie
By Jerry Kuntz, State University of New York, Albany, NY (2016) Reviewed by Charles H. Bogart Readers of this book encounter the fascinating story of the development of hard hat diving in the United States between the years 1820 and 1880. This period saw hard hat diving develop from being a scientific curiosity to one
BOOK REVIEW – Shadow Over the Atlantic: The Luftwaffe and the U-Boats: 1943-45
By Robert Forsyth, Osprey Publishing, UK (2017) Reviewed by Cdr. Peter Mersky USNR (Ret.) Most readers probably think that by 1943 the U-Boat threat was over. But, it wasn’t. After the so-called Battle of the Atlantic 1940-1942, which pitted German submarines and their crews against the lightly defended Allied convoys, often with disastrous results for
BOOK REVIEW – MiG-21 Aces of the Vietnam War
By Istvan Toperczer, Osprey Publishing, Ltd. UK (2017) Reviewed by Cdr. Peter Mersky USNR (Ret.) When the Soviet Union’s MiG-21 appeared in the early 1960s, very little was known about it, which was typical of most new designs from the USSR. Grainy, out-of-focus photos taken at parades and aerial displays did little to add to
The Superintendent’s Annual Leadership and Vision Award: Voices of Maritime History Competition
The “Superintendent’s Annual Leadership and Vision Award: Voices of Maritime History” promotes the study and interpretation of the lessons of naval history to address today’s maritime challenges, combining scholarly review and oral presentations with the advancement of new perspectives and innovative thought leadership in public forums. Sponsored by Dr. Jennifer London and administered by the Naval
