Shmavis Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 I'm reading this book by Colby Buzzell right now and am greatly enjoying it. He was an American infantryman serving in a Stryker unit. I can relate to a lot of the author's experiences. A lot of quotes and comments around here make more sense now, too. For example, I guess that JasonC is a Dead Kennedys fan. Anyway, if no one else has mentioned it here, I recommend it to all. It's got me much more excited about CMSF's release than I previously was. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 REVIEWS: Review from a Flag-Waver, October 7, 2005 Reviewer: Larry R. Kephart (Boca Raton, FL USA) - See all my reviews I'm a baby boomer from Colby's Dad's generation. a long-haired, small L libertarian in the Ted Nugent mold. I was a daily reader of his war blog. When he closed it down, I sent him an e-mail thanking him for his service. A few week's ago, Colby replied thanking me for my e-mail a year after the fact. That's it. Nothing about his book. I decided to try his old blogsite on a whim and that's how I found out about "My War". I read this book at my office. I didn't even put it down when my boss stuck his head in the door unless he needed something specific from me, immediately. As others here have said, Buzzell's writing style is unique. It's clear and concise, blunt at times. It's not a lot of fluffy wordsmithing. You really can't classify Buzzell or his writing. You have to experience it for yourself. I can't say I "enjoyed" this book because It's not fiction. I did learn from it. I feel better about the generation following mine if there are a lot of Colby Buzzell's in it. A Volunteer Soldier's Perspective On The War In Iraq, October 3, 2005 Reviewer: James E. Hill, Jr. "jehilljr" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews Colby Buzzell has candidly written one of the most interesting pieces of work in print today about the real life war in Iraq. This is not some "view from the top" but a look at the war from someone who fought it as a young soldier with mixed feelings about the military establishment and with solid feelings for America and our purpose there. His writing is refreshing, his humor is laugh out loud and his insight is immediately identifiable from those of us who have served our country in the military. I served 4 years on active duty with the Marine Corps from 1970-74 and left the Marines as a newly promoted Captain. Mr. Buzzell was the kind of thinker I'd loved to have had in my platoon. When presented with the mission, he gave it 100% every time, never losing his humanity and morals. For those who want to know the truth (and can handle the truth), this book is highly recommended and will come to be recognized as one of the best books to come out about this war from an infantry soldier's viewpoint. He has my respect. Excellent War Story..., December 19, 2005 Reviewer: John Beowulf "beowulfborealis" (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews Colby Buzzell is an unlikely war correspondent given his education (or lack thereof), and the fact that he was a soldier in the US ARMY in Iraq during operation Iraqi Freedom. Despite those credentials, Colby's Iraq Blog and later his book, represent factual and realistic portrayal of war and how a post-punk, Bay Area kid with a chip the size of Jello Biafra's ego tatoo'd to his collar bone can in fact, tell the story better than any embedded Fox News reporter. I think my favorite moment of focus was his description of a major firefight in Mosul with about 100 Iranian mercenaries, noncompliant Hajjis (my favorite term he uses), and other riff-raff and he looked over his shoulder and saw one of his compatriots shooting at a mosque with one hand, and giving the old heavy metal two fingered sign of the devil with the other. Fact is, whether you for for this war or against, you will find this book worth reading. Even if this is just a fight for bloody oil, its worth noting that America has stolen EVERYTHING it has from somebody, at some point in history. Perhaps the guy shooting the mosque knew that aside from the black gold, perhaps he saw the bigger picture emerging: we are from the government of Hell, and we are here to take your souls and oil... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzermartin Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 Fact is, whether you for for this war or against, you will find this book worth reading. Even if this is just a fight for bloody oil, its worth noting that America has stolen EVERYTHING it has from somebody, at some point in history. Perhaps the guy shooting the mosque knew that aside from the black gold, perhaps he saw the bigger picture emerging: we are from the government of Hell, and we are here to take your souls and oil... Yes..the government of Hell fighting the Axis of Evil..lol [ December 23, 2005, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: panzermartin ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 just for the record this guy said that, Reviewer: John Beowulf "beowulfborealis" (Santa Barbara, CA) I would like to credit the original author for his words and idea's I was just posting some interesting opinions and reviews about the book. " My War " (style and form grogs note the title should be underlined but I don't know how to do that here) -tom w Originally posted by panzermartin: </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally written by John Beowulf Fact is, whether you for for this war or against, you will find this book worth reading. Even if this is just a fight for bloody oil, its worth noting that America has stolen EVERYTHING it has from somebody, at some point in history. Perhaps the guy shooting the mosque knew that aside from the black gold, perhaps he saw the bigger picture emerging: we are from the government of Hell, and we are here to take your souls and oil... Yes..the government of Hell fighting the Axis of Evil..lol </font> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzermartin Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 Yeah I know...I just forgot your name in there...corrected. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassh Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 Tom, Whoa there - easy on the quote clarification pendantry.[1] I may have missed something, but it was fairly clear as to the source of panzermartin's quote.[2] I'm all for correct citation and quoting etc - but it was on the post immediately following the source you had previously quoted!!![3] 1. Self (Now) 2. ibid. 3. ibid. PS: I hope my own annotation will prevent any quote related wrath or accusations of plagiarism! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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