Embattled Rebel: Jefferson Davis as Commander in Chief


James M. McPherson - 2014
    His cause went down in disastrous defeat and left the South impoverished for generations. If that cause had succeeded, it would have torn the United States in two and preserved the institution of slavery. Many Americans in Davis’s own time and in later generations considered him an incompetent leader, if not a traitor. Not so, argues James M. McPherson. In Embattled Rebel, McPherson shows us that Davis might have been on the wrong side of history, but it is too easy to diminish him because of his cause’s failure. In order to understand the Civil War and its outcome, it is essential to give Davis his due as a military leader and as the president of an aspiring Confederate nation. Davis did not make it easy on himself. His subordinates and enemies alike considered him difficult, egotistical, and cold. He was gravely ill throughout much of the war, often working from home and even from his sickbed. Nonetheless, McPherson argues, Davis shaped and articulated the principal policy of the Confederacy with clarity and force: the quest for independent nationhood. Although he had not been a fire-breathing secessionist, once he committed himself to a Confederate nation he never deviated from this goal. In a sense, Davis was the last Confederate left standing in 1865. As president of the Confederacy, Davis devoted most of his waking hours to military strategy and operations, along with Commander Robert E. Lee, and delegated the economic and diplomatic functions of strategy to his subordinates. Davis was present on several battlefields with Lee and even took part in some tactical planning; indeed, their close relationship stands as one of the great military-civilian partnerships in history. Most critical appraisals of Davis emphasize his choices in and management of generals rather than his strategies, but no other chief executive in American history exercised such tenacious hands-on influence in the shaping of military strategy. And while he was imprisoned for two years after the Confederacy’s surrender awaiting a trial for treason that never came, and lived for another twenty-four years, he never once recanted the cause for which he had fought and lost. McPherson gives us Jefferson Davis as the commander in chief he really was, showing persuasively that while Davis did not win the war for the South, he was scarcely responsible for losing it.

The Battle of the Bismarck Sea


Lawrence Cortesi - 2017
    This is the story of the men on both sides who fought the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Filled with blasting action, this is a novel of desperate men locked in a savage battle for mastery of the world’s greatest ocean. This was a war without rules or mercy, and one that ended in utter annihilation…

Hurricane Squadron Ace: The Story of Battle of Britain Ace, Air Commodore Peter Brothers, CBE, DSO, DFC and Bar


Nick Thomas - 2014
    Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 'kills' over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in his career include the time, in August 1940, when his flight encountered around a hundred enemy aircraft, including Messerschmitt 110's; he led the flight in attack against them, and soon found himself in a stalled position, out of which he spun, only to be confronted by a Dornier 215, which he shot down, before later destroying a Messerschmitt 109. Scores of these kind of risky maneuvers and winning victories punctuated a career defined by great courage, leadership and initiative in the face of fierce opposition.This new and engaging biography profiles a pilot who, until now, hasn't been the subject of such a thorough book-length study. The story of his career is incredibly entertaining, featuring a number of hair-raising episodes, and is sure to appeal to fans of aviation history as well as the more general reader seeking out an action-packed biography offering fresh insights into one of the most pivotal conflicts of the twentieth century.

LZ Bingo


Reid F. Tillery - 2019
    Boe entered the Vietnam war. Twice wounded during his one-year tour of duty, he endured some of the war's hottest moments, including the Tet offensive. He served honorably, facing an onslaught of bullets, mortars, rockets, hand grenades, and land mines. Through Bill's account, the reader gains a vicarious understanding of the day-to-day life and challenges of an American infantryman in Vietnam. This book's primary purpose is to honor those who made it home and those who did not by telling their story through Bill's eyes and ears. Written in the form of a novel, what makes Bill's true story so compelling is that his experiences likely are similar to those of many other men who served in the infantry in Vietnam. If you served in Vietnam in the infantry, Bill's story will likely bring back vivid memories. If you didn't serve, and if you have a friend who's a Vietnam infantry vet, you'll look at him differently after reading Bill's story. You'll come away with a deeper understanding of the challenges and hardships he faced.

ARMOR #1, The Battle of North Africa: a Novel of Tank Warfare


Craig DiLouie - 2020
    Instead, they land in French North Africa to fight the German Army for the first time. In the midst of the invasion, an M4 Sherman tank rolls into combat. It is manned by five men: John Austin, the commander; Anthony Russo, the driver; Charles Wade, the gunner; Amos Swanson, the loader; and Eugene Clay, the bow gunner. Cocky and confident in Allied victory, they expect the battle for North Africa to be a cakewalk. Soon, the Germans will teach them the harsh realities of armored warfare. To survive, they’ll have to show grit—and learn to work together.

Long Ghost


Jesse Jacobson - 2019
    Eli became a decorated Navy SEAL and Ska became a meth addict and a sex slave to her depraved drug dealer. With help, Ska escaped the world of drug use and rebuilt her life. When her dealer is released from prison years later, he comes after Ska, believing her to be responsible for his brother's death. He vows to rebuild a drug empire on the reservation and kill Ska. 

 Eli and his friend, Matthew Wolf Steel, have a different plan in mind and the action gets wild as the two SEALS face the dark, violent adversary. During the course of the adventure, Ska and Eli are drawn together, and the sparks fly.

Call It Even


Edwin Markham - 2016
    Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan troubled by guilt and sorrow. He is looking for his missing sister, the only family he has left, and for redemption and peace. Bowman finds himself in a small town in New Mexico, where he is arrested for a brutal double murder, which triggers chilling memories of other deaths for which he feels responsible. Circumstance and his guilty conscience drive him to take on those responsible for the murders. His survival skills and combat prowess will be tested as he finds himself in a mortal struggle with vicious drug traffickers and their allies. But not all of the good guys are blameless, and not all of the bad guys are evil. He must use his judgment as well as his fighting skills.