Double Tap (Paul Madriani Novels)

Book Description

Paul Madriani's defense of a soldier on trial for murder-and the explosive government secrets it could reveal-propel Steve Martini's latest thriller.

The Arraignment, Steve Martini's most recent bestseller featuring defense attorney Paul Madriani, has proved his most popular yet. Now Madriani is faced with daunting ballistics evidence: a so-called "double tap"-two bullet wounds tightly grouped in the victim's head, shots that could have been made only by a crack marksman. Paul's client, Emiliano Ruiz, is an enigma-a career soldier who refuses to discuss his past though it is clear that he is a battle-tested pro. Ruiz is accused of killing a beautiful businesswoman and guru of a high-tech software empire catering to the military. A key to the case: the murder weapon is one used solely in special operations, where the "double tap" has become the signature of the most skilled assassins.

Ruiz is sitting on secrets-there's a seven-year gap on his military résumé, for which Madriani can find no details. And, more troubling, he discovers that the victim and her company were involved in a controversial government computer program designed to combat terrorists. Madriani finds himself in a deadly legal quagmire-with a client who is unwilling to cooperate and prosecutors who stonewall his every question about the victim's shadowy business and his client's past. Justice, and the unvarnished truth, has never been so elusive-or so dangerous.

Customer Reviews:

One tap for Martini's strengths (many), and one for his weaknesses (few, but notable).......2007-05-29

In the eminently readable page-turner "Double Tap", Martini's many strengths shine; unfortunately, the book also has a few flaws. Interestingly, I was not bothered by the dialogue, noted elsewhere as a weakness, although I must agree that the overdescriptions were occasionally distracting. Rather, my major objection is the lack of originality of the premise to this book.

More specifically, Martini employs the overused theme of a conspiracy to deprive citizens of their privacy in the name of national security. He also spices it up with the figure of a former general cast as the untouchable villain, which I found a little too convenient and quite unrealistic. The combination of the two, while expedient in a day and age when the public is only too sensitive to these themes, is also woefully lacking in originality, certainly enough to knock the rating down by one full star.

My other complaint is the formulaic structure of most of Martini's books, but then I'll be the first to say that the formula generally works. The problem is that, to those familiar with the author, identifying the perpetrator from an early scene, or at least harboring strong suspicions, is quite easy. Still, motive and means take a while to be revealed, and there are a few red herrings here and there, so not all elements of the mystery are given away. And while I saw any references to Madriani's uncle Evo as stagnation points rather than welcome insights, the plot is generally taught and flows well. In their aggregate, these points may not seem enough to knock the book down another full star, but three and a half were not an option.

As for the book's strengths, the legal proceedings, realistic or not, keep the reader on the edge of his seat and, in general, Martini's style puts you right there in the courtroom, or wherever else the action is. Also to the author's credit, Madriani is spared from starring in a protracted "action scene" requiring razor sharp reflexes and the resourcefulness of a recon ranger to survive. These elements, as inconsistent with the middle aged lawyer's character as they are, would still be considered necessary by some authors, and it is to Martini's credit that he manages to reduce them to a very tolerable level both in duration and intensity. Equally inconsistent love scenes are absent altogether without the book's value losing one iota.

All in all, while not Martini's best, this one will keep your interest to the last page.

Martini does it again.......2007-05-17

What more can I say. Martini's Madriani seris is one of the best and Double Tap is no exception

Another Great Book by this Author.......2007-03-01

While I am a huge Steve Martini fan, I was a little concerned when I read the dust jacket blurb about this book. I'm not a big fan of military thriller style books, and from the description, it appeared that he had moved closer to that genre than to the legal mystery category. However, judging books by their covers can be very deceptive, and this proved true with this book.

This is a wonderful legal mystery with numerous twists and turns. Steve Martini provides just enough peripheral characers as to make it difficult to really figure out who did it, and why. He also keeps you hanging until the end trying to figure out how the trial will end and whether his client will go free or fry.

The characters created by Mr. Martini are fantastic, with enough detail to make them interesting and little enough detail to know them too well. I particularly liked the prosecutor, whom Mr. Martini gave the nickname of the "Death Dwarf".

Finally, his characterizations of Harry Hinds and Paul Madriani are great. Unlike many writers of legal mysteries, his attorneys do not speak as if they came from a "silk stocking" law firm, but rather from the real world they would occupy. Harry is his usual smart mouthed self, while Mr. Madriani continues to be the calmer, and smarter of the two.

I highly recommend this book, along with the others written by Mr. Martini. I am now looking forward to my next chance to catch up with Harry, Paul and the others in his next book.

An interesting case but a little dry.......2006-10-13

Paul Madriani is a lawyer facing one of the toughest cases he has had for a while. A case that has already been walked away from by a high profile lawyer for undisclosed reasons. His client, Emiliano Ruiz, is accused of killing the head of a large software company, Madelyn Chapman, in an unusual style used by Special Forces called double tap. Given his military background, the placement of two shots in rapid succession into the target's head is something that Ruiz knows how to do. Add to that the fact that he served as Ms. Chapman's bodyguard, had an affair with her, and his gun was used in the killing, and the net of circumstantial evidence around Ruiz is pretty tight.

Paul and his partner set out to gather evidence that can either clear Ruiz or at least cast enough doubt on his guilt to save his life. The way the two of them go about their task reminded me a bit of Joe Friday and his partner Bill from the old Dragnet series. Their investigation keeps hitting roadblocks whenever they look into a seven year gap in Ruiz's records or try to find out about a shadowy general who was working with Madelyn on a secret software contract. The trial begins with Paul in possession of little evidence to help his client. Someone, it seems, wants to keep a lid on things and the lengths they are willing to go to keep their secrets may be the only hope Paul has of saving Ruiz.

I found the story engaging and the plot very plausible, but the book didn't always flow smoothly. At times it seemed like Steve Martini left off without finishing some thoughts and I couldn't tell whether it was his writing style or laziness. I also had to go back over the dialog in several places to understand just who was speaking. The inclusion of some historical perspective in the glimpses into the life of Paul's uncle Evo added depth to the book. Still, if he weren't an established author, I wonder if Mr. Martini could catch the eye of an editor with this offering.

If a book doesn't keep my interest I will drop it in the middle and I don't review books that I don't finish. The fact that I post a review means that the book is pretty good. I'm not a fan of lawyer stories (I don't think I've ever stayed awake through an episode of Perry Mason) but I finished and enjoyed Double Tap. If you like courtroom drama and a good mystery, I recommend reading this book.

[...].

Non-stop intrigue.......2006-09-19

This 400 page book hooked me in right at the beginning and kept my attention until the very last page - not the usual quick read. The story centers around a murder investigation involving the death of Madelyn Chapman, a provocative, successful, software magnate. For those who love courtroom drama, the author takes the reader into a trial scenario that is both riveting and clever; complete with a vast array of unpredictable characters. It is a savvy murder-mystery tale that synthesizes government controversy, military scandals and contentious corporate decisions.

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Willie's Last
A look into the soul of Willie Morris
Style Over Substance
Okay, but not great
Lacks a strong narrative drive

Taps: A Novel
Willie Morris
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618219021

Book Description

The final work from one of America's most beloved authors and an instant classic, TAPS takes readers on one last fictional journey to Willie Morris's South and spins a tender, powerful, very American story about the vanishing beauty of a charmed way of life and the fleeting boyhood of a young man coming of age in a time of war. In Fisk's Landing, Mississippi, at the dawn of the Korean War, sixteen-year-old Swayze Barksdale is suddenly called to an unexpected duty - playing "Taps" at the gravesides of the town's young casualties sent home from the front. Gradually, Swayze begins to pace his life around these all too frequent funerals, where his horn sounds the tragic note of the times. At turns funny, at turns poignant, TAPS abounds with colorful characters and yet "sings and sighs . . . with a kind of minor key wistfulness" (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) as Swayze learns what it means to be a patriot, a son, a lover, a friend, a man.

Customer Reviews:

Willie's Last.......2007-09-12

I'm going to admit right up front that I have always had a soft spot when it comes to Southern writers who write well about growing up in the American South of the first half of the twentieth century. That positive prejudice comes from how easily I can identify with the stories that these writers have to tell. Willie Morris is one of those writers and, sadly, we lost him in 1999 at the relatively young age of 64.

Taps turned out to be Willie's last book and it was not published until 2001 after his wife, JoAnne Prichard Morris, working from notations that Morris made on the original manuscript, released it to Houghton Mifflin for publication. Willie Morris treasured his memories of growing up in Mississippi during the forties and fifties and, in Taps, he does a wonderful job of creating the atmosphere which he remembered so well. The story takes place in early 1950s Fisk's Landing, Mississippi, and is told through the eyes of Swayze Barksdale, a young high school student who finds his life forever changed by the Korean War.

The changes begin when Swayze and a friend of his are recruited by World War II hero Luke Cartwright to play "Taps" at the funerals of the many Fisk's Landing boys who are so steadily being killed in Korea. Fisk's Landing is small enough that Swayze can easily recall each of the boys being buried in the town cemetery and, in fact, some of them had been classmates of his until they dropped out of high school to join the military. The circumstances of 1951-52 force Swayze to mature in ways, and at a pace, that few 15-year-old boys ever face. He has to deal with the fact that his mother is more than just a little "odd," he finds his first love, discovers sex, gets drawn into a conspiracy to help his two best adult friends hide their own love affair, and loses his girl to the football captain.

But it is when Swayze finds himself playing "Taps" for his closest friend in the world that he really understands what it is to be a man. He has learned lessons in that one year that will serve him well for the remainder of his life and he will never forget the people of Fisk's Landing who helped make him into the man that he ultimately became. Taps is a touching story and Willie Morris wrote it in the style that the best southern writers have, a style that seems to come from growing up in the South during a certain period in time. Frankly, I haven't read all that much of his work, but I suppose I can look at that neglect as being a good thing because now I can look forward to reading the rest of it.

A look into the soul of Willie Morris.......2007-07-16

Taps flows at a languid pace, giving the reader ample time to see, and hear, and smell the South of the Mississippi Delta, and to track the protagonist's very painful process of growing up. This is the fourth book I have read by Willie Morris, along with Larry King's fine memoir to him. King argues that Taps may be the truest, most unvarnished account of Morris' life, particularly when compared with his non-fiction work. He also says that Morris kept working on this book for virtually his entire adult life. If King is correct, then Willie Morris lived his life with an underlying sadness and sense of loss that, as revealed in Taps, is overwhelming. For him to be able to fly as high as he did in his impressive career, particularly his editorship of Harper's, and to write so many books with such rollicking good humor, must have required enormous courage and determination.

Style Over Substance.......2005-01-14

Willie Morris was a better writer than most others. His non-fiction works (North Towards Home and New York Days) make better use of his gifts. This book, on the other hand, is limited by his decision to spend most of the book in the head of his 15 (or 16) year old narrator.

Okay, but not great.......2003-02-18

Morris captured the "Big Picture" of how the Korean War affected a small town in Mississippi well, but his writing style was very inconsistent. The story is good and the narrator, Swayze is compelling, but I didn't find it worthy of more than three stars.

Lacks a strong narrative drive.......2003-01-17

Gifted, with a clear distinct voice, Willie Morris' TAPS while insightful to a time past, yet lacks a strong narrative drive. With all the well-drawn characters, Morris sets up the reader in a way that suggests something is going to happen. It doesn't. I would recommend the book, but don't expect to be riveted, rather rocked by the wonderful prose.

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Happy Feet. (JR. Cine-Manga)
Warner Bros.
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1598169971
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Book Description

Mumbles is the worst singing penguin in Antarctica. And in this land of the Emperor Penguin, if you can't carry a tune, you won't to attract a soul mate! Will Mumbles ever find the key to love?

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Double Tap - A Paul Madriani Novel
Steve Martini
Manufacturer: G. P. Putnam's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RIWD6E

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Double Tap: A Paul Madriani Novel
Steve Martini
Manufacturer: Jove Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NV3A0S

NOVEL: Biological Cells May Tap Body Power.(Brief Article): An article from: Fuel Cell Technology News

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NOVEL: Biological Cells May Tap Body Power.(Brief Article): An article from: Fuel Cell Technology News

Manufacturer: Business Communications Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008ICHXC
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Fuel Cell Technology News, published by Business Communications Company, Inc. on October 1, 2001. The length of the article is 728 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: NOVEL: Biological Cells May Tap Body Power.(Brief Article)
Publication: Fuel Cell Technology News (Newsletter)
Date: October 1, 2001
Publisher: Business Communications Company, Inc.
Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Page: NA

Article Type: Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Taps; a Novel

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0618146121

A comparison of the critical receptions of Jesse Stuart's novels, Taps for Private Tussie and The land beyond the river

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A comparison of the critical receptions of Jesse Stuart's novels, Taps for Private Tussie and The land beyond the river
Doris Newcom Case
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007ATT3W

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Double Tap: A Paul Madriani Novel
Steve Martini
Manufacturer: Jove Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GRMK5A

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The tap on the left shoulder, a novel
Ricardo SicreÌ
Manufacturer: Cassell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007IU6AY

Book Description

Winner of the Bancroft Prize: Through a gripping narrative based on massive new research, a leading historian reshapes our understanding of the Civil War.

Our standard Civil War histories tell a reassuring story of the triumph, in an inevitable conflict, of the dynamic, free-labor North over the traditional, slave-based South, vindicating the freedom principles built into the nation's foundations.

But at the time, on the borderlands of Pennsylvania and Virginia, no one expected war, and no one knew how it would turn out. The one certainty was that any war between the states would be fought in their fields and streets.

Edward L. Ayers gives us a different Civil War, built on an intimate scale. He charts the descent into war in the Great Valley spanning Pennsylvania and Virginia. Connected by strong ties of every kind, including the tendrils of slavery, the people of this borderland sought alternatives to secession and war. When none remained, they took up war with startling intensity. As this book relays with a vivid immediacy, it came to their doorsteps in hunger, disease, and measureless death. Ayers's Civil War emerges from the lives of everyday people as well as those who helped shape history—John Brown and Frederick Douglass, Lincoln, Jackson, and Lee. His story ends with the valley ravaged, Lincoln's support fragmenting, and Confederate forces massing for a battle at Gettysburg. 26 illustrations, 1 map.

Customer Reviews:

The Civil War on a personal level.......2007-10-05

Most Civil War books concentrate on the battles fought; Edward L. Ayers, in this superb account of the War in the eastern theatre from the election of 1860 to Gettysburg, focuses on the consequences of not only the major battles but also the politics and motivations of the citizens of two near-border counties - Augusta in Virginia and Franklin in Pennsylvania. Using contemporary newspapers and diaries, Ayers reveals how the border inhabitants from these two counties interpreted Lincoln's election, thought about slavery as the major issue of the war, supplied recruits, and responded to the results of battles and strategies waged by their leaders. It's interesting to see how many Augustans were Unionists at the time of the election, even after Lincoln was nominated, but had turned "Yankee haters" by the end of 1862 as they saw their property destroyed by Federal soldiers as the war raged on Virginia soil.

Ayers writes extremely well and in the early pages is able to create a great deal of suspense: the book is a real page-turner. A couple of places he leaves the reader wondering, though: after spending over 30 pages on the 1860 election and revealing certain poll returns, he never says how many Augustans voted for Lincoln (any?) or how many Franklinites voted for Bell or Breckinridge, the two Southern candidates. Also he tells the story of a free black man named Frank Jones who is attacked by Union soldiers in Chambersburg and murdered in broad daylight, but not what, if anything, happened to the guilty soldiers afterwards.

The book ends with the Battle of Gettysburg about to begin, and one wonders whether Ayers plans a second volume taking the reader to the end of the war. How Augustans and Franklinites responded to Sheridan's destructive 1864 Valley campaign and the burning of Chambersburg (also in 1864) would be of major interest. One hopes he does. In the meantime, this is an excellent account of how the earlier stages of the Civil War personally affected inhabitants of two border counties, North and South.

Up and Down the Valley.......2007-07-25

I've had the book for so long I didn't know by whom it was given. I don't believe I bought it and it took me a long time to find the time to read it. It is VERY interesting. For one thing, I'm a resident of Staunton and a former member of a descendent unit if the 5th Virginia Infantry and the Stonewall Brigade. The history of the Civil War is part and parcel of living here. But I'm also a native of upstate New York and my family's stories of their part in the ACW have also been prominent in my life. To read what I've heard as a sort of verbal record of the times was quite interesting. As an amateur genealogist I must also note that many of the families mentioned in the Staunton and Augusta County portions of the book are still here and some are still influential in the community.

However, there are differences of opinion. For example, the author seems to believe that slavery was a cause of the conflict. Most Staunton locals seem to think that it was only one point of conflict/discussion that was part of the broader states' rights arguments of the time. I always found it interesting that although there was slavery here the area was strongly pro-Union right up until the firing on Fort Sumter. There was a degree of dissatisfaction with the Virginia Commonwealth government as well which goes unmentioned but this part of the state was not nearly as disaffected as the counties that became West Virginia. The railroads and one less mountain barrier is what made the difference. For more on that, read "Rebels at the Gates" by W. Hunter Lesser.

All in all, this book is a good first effort in this series and a worthy addition to any library focused on the Civil War. I think it likely to be a necessary addition to local libraries in the Staunton, VA and Chambersburg, PA areas as well.

Good but not great.......2007-01-27

First off, Ayers' book has won two of the most prestigious prizes that can be awarded by the American historical profession: the 2004 Bancroft Prize and the American Historical Association's Albert J. Beveridge Award. Ayers writes well, and in any case, an author would have to be an unusual bungler to write a totally boring book about the American Civil War. Nevertheless, although this is a good book, it is not a great one.

Ayers describes the conflict through the stories of two counties in the Great Valley, one in Pennsylvania and the other in Virginia, based on one of the earliest history websites, the Valley of the Shadow Project hosted by the University of Virginia. Many things can be learned about the home front of the Civil War through such a study, although they are not necessarily the things that the author intends the reader to learn.

For instance, Ayers offers repeated examples of obtuse newspaper commentary on the War, including seemingly logical but totally erroneous predictions about the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation. One can almost predict that when journalists are quoted, they will be quoted as saying something dumb. It is hard to imagine an academic history of a more recent war in which the media could be so thoroughly derided.

Nevertheless, there are weaknesses to writing a local treatment of national history. For one thing, the big picture has to be worked in around the story of the two counties because major action frequently takes place off-stage. Ayers also introduces many people to his readers, but few are treated at the sort of length that makes them rounded individuals. (Jedediah Hotchkiss, Lee's mapmaker, is an exception.)

Usually I either read histories quickly or give them up, but Ayers I read slowly. Like eating my vegetables, I knew reading Ayers' book was good for me. But it's no page-turner.

10 starts! One of the most unique books on the civil war yet.......2006-12-14

If you are looking for a truly unique perspective on the civil war this is it. This takes a look at two counties one in the north and one in the south and gives a perspective of how the civil war took shape. It chronicles the start of the war and gives an excellent sense of what happened in the north and the south. It is really the perspective on the south that gives the best example and although this is part one of two (two is unpublished at this time) there is no other history like it. If you are a true civil war buff this is a must read. There is very little literature on the southern perspective of the war and Ed Ayers is looking to fill that gap.

The Most Brilliant Civil War History Ever Put On Paper!.......2005-12-21

Without doubt, this is the most brilliant civil war history of have ever been printed! You can go on reading Shelby Foote, etc., but you'll never see the war as it was until you've read Ayers! Ayer's is, thankfully, the future of historical studies in academia!

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Harry Turtledove wrote this?
A new twist on a well-worn theme
A Great Mix
Everything that's good - and bad - about Turtledove
My first Turtledove book but it won't be my last

In the Presence of Mine Enemies
Harry Turtledove
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451459598

Book Description

In the twenty-first century, Germany's Third Reich continues to thrive after its victory in World War II-keeping most of Europe and North America under its heel. But within the heart of the Nazi regime, a secret lives. Under a perfect Aryan facade, Jews survive-living their lives, raising their families, and fearing discovery...

Customer Reviews:

Harry Turtledove wrote this?.......2007-05-26

sorry Harry..... this particular piece just isn't what i have come to expect of you.

i felt like i was reading a romance novel about people who like to play cards.

oh and it just so happened that these folks were "hiding inside a society that condemns them"

it was a real struggle to get thru this, and i am sorry i spent the time to read it all the way thru. i will probably be a little gunshy about picking up another Turtledove book for a while

A new twist on a well-worn theme.......2007-03-16

Almost every talented science fiction writer has been unable to resist at least a short-story about the ghastly question of what the world would have been like if Hitler had won WWII.

The first chapter or so of this book was originally written as a short story, and was first published some years ago in one of Turtledove's short story collections. Turtledove has now extended the short story into a full length novel.

Until now, far and away the best "What if the nazis had won" story was "Fatherland" by Robert Harris, but "In the presence of mine enemies" is in the same class. Harris has the edge in the meticulous quality of his research and the historical detail which made his novel chillingly believable: Turtledove wins points for his grasp of the sweep of history and how a fascist regime might have had to cope with the same pressures which a changing world presented to other totalitarian regimes.

And in telling his story through the eyes of a small group of Jews who have survived by posing as Aryans, he brings home to you what it must have been like to be a Jew hiding in the 1000 year Reich, knowing that one mistake would doom not just yourself but every member of your family.

Turtledove does not forget the seriousness of the subject - the book is dedicated to people who "helped ensure that this is alternate history" - but he displays a wicked sense of humour in suggesting what positions certain real-world modern politicians might have held in a world run by the nazis. One of the characters in the story is the chairman of the British Union of Fascists, Mosley's party, which has effectively become the British wing of the Nazi party. A certain very prominent real world British politican of about the same age and description has the name of this character as his middle names. (If you don't realise who it is, Google the name of the character in the book and the name of one of George W Bush's closest allies will come up.)

He also has fun creating the Nazi equivalents of Gorbachov and Boris Yeltsin ...

One of Harry Turtledove's other books was criticised as containing the same events as real history but with different actors. There's some truth in that, and the point certainly does apply to this book. However, even though most people will spot the parallels, Turtledove leaves you uncertain until almost the last page whether things will turn out the same way as happened to a certain totalitarian empire in real history. I couldn't put this book down.

A Great Mix .......2006-08-16

I had been getting a little tired of Turtledove's work recently, phrases repeated, similar plots, but I think he has returned to his better early works.
I loved the story of a Jewish family hiding and the many concessions they had to make to their own faith to survive.
And I also loved the way the author retold the Gorbachev/Yeltsin years. It made me realize how lucky Russia was with the way things turned out. (Too bad Russia looks to be slipping back.)

Everything that's good - and bad - about Turtledove.......2006-08-13

As usual, Harry Turtledove has taken an interesting premise and filled it out nicely. The characters he creates are well-developed, and he exhibits his characteristic ability to make a compelling alternate reality, with a story that opens years after the pivotal event (the success of Nazi Germany in WWII) which makes it "alternate".
This story is about an interconnected group of Jews who live in Berlin in the early 21st century, some 60 years after the end of the war. They live in secret, blending in but observing a minimal subset of Judaism to keep their culture alive. And believe me, you can't miss this point, because it's brought up every few paragraphs, in thought bubbles above every Jewish character's head.
Here's an example: Jewish character "A" is being pursued romantically by the German wife of his best friend, German character "B", neither of whom know "A" is Jewish, of course. After thinking for a moment about how nice it might be, he declines because he loves his wife too much, and because he doesn't want to lose his friend. "If 'B' found out we were sleeping together", he thinks, "he'd really do something rash". Then he goes on: "and if he found out my REAL secret, he'd do something more than rash."
We get it, A: you're walking the razor's edge as a Jew in Nazi Berlin, and every decision you make has to be weighed in light of keeping that secret.
If you can handle the repetiveness of this, the story is really quite good. The various ways the Jews keep under cover is interesting, and it's intriguing to see how even Nazi Germany can change with time, mellowing in some respects but keeping some features very alive.

My first Turtledove book but it won't be my last.......2006-08-09

This book has been a fun read for me. This is not the BEST book ever written but it is a great story and Turtledove knows how to pull you in and make you think. An enjoyable read.

In the Presence of Mine Enemies, 1965-1973: A Prisoner of War

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Great Inspiring Book
A telling story of renewed faith...
Flashback
Engaging,1st hand account. Inspiring, but infuriating too.
Powerful, matter-of-fact, and straight forward!

In the Presence of Mine Enemies, 1965-1973: A Prisoner of War
Howard Rutledge
Manufacturer: Fleming H Revell, Old Tappan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Southeast Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006C92CY

Customer Reviews:

Great Inspiring Book.......2007-08-21

We all have problems from time to time and get down. I read this book when I was faced with a great tragedy. After reading this man's account of his captivity as an American POW in Vietnam, and the misery, cruelty, and torture that he had the courage to suffer through, I knew that I would be able to survive and get through the problem and the tragedy I was facing. My problems though daunting, were nothing comparted to his. He was a real inspiration and a very brave and heroic man.

A telling story of renewed faith..........2001-06-02

When I was only 11, I had the pleasure of meeting Captain Rutledge in August of 1976. He was my Dad's Commanding Officer in the Philippines. We all read his book and sat amazed at the God-granted ability to survive. I borrowed the book from my Dad (25 years later) and just finished reading it again. The faith that he and his wife were able to muster is incredible. Makes the rest of us foolish to take our God, our faith, our families, and our freedoms all for granted.

Captain Rutledge went to his greater reward on June 11, 1984. I will never forget that man. He will always be an example for me.

Read it!

Flashback.......2001-02-20

While watching the History Channel on the topic of prisons, Hanoi Hilton came up. A few of the former "guests" were interviewed such as Sen McCain. I had a immediate flashback of Rutledge's book which I read back in the mid-70's. It was one of a few books that was hard to put down.

Engaging,1st hand account. Inspiring, but infuriating too........1999-10-14

"Capt. Howard Rutledge,11-27-65" was the POW/MIA name engraved on a bracelet I acquired in 6th or 7th grade (~1972). A grass roots organization distributed bracelets with the name of missing servicemen. The idea was to wear the bracelet until the missing were returned. To my great joy, Capt Rutledge returned and wrote a very inspiring account of the hell he and others lived through and the spriritual toughness and comradeship that got them through it. I immediately read the book when it first came out. As an 8th grader it had a huge impact on me. The book disappeared after being loaned out to friends. I retain the bracelet and an undiminished bank of gratitude to Capt. Rutledge and all other veterans. The depth of faith and cunning of the prisoners and the brutality of their captors is amazing. This is an excellent book about the POW experience and the true meaning of honor and a military Officer.

Powerful, matter-of-fact, and straight forward!.......1999-02-14

Captain Rutledge gives us his recollection of his experiences as a POW so powerfully you will feel you were there with him and the other men. These men endured and survived and came home with their honor intact and their heads held high. As a nation we should be grateful for men like Captain Rutledge and his fellow prisoners. Sir, thank you for writing this book!

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in the Presence of Mine Enemies
howard and Phyllis Rutledge
Manufacturer: CP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GRPPS4

In the Presence of Mine Enemies: An American Chaplain in Ww II German Prison Camps

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A Heroic Captivity

In the Presence of Mine Enemies: An American Chaplain in Ww II German Prison Camps
Eugene L. Daniel
Manufacturer: Eugene L Daniel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0961750103

Customer Reviews:

A Heroic Captivity.......2000-09-28

"The privilege of a lifetime" is what the author thought about the opportunity to minister to American prisoners of war. Chaplain Eugene L. Daniel Jr. began his 27 month odyssey as a German prisoner in a manner that was, perhaps, unique in the annals of WWII. While his comrades in the 34th Division evacuated a doomed hilltop position by stealth of night, the Chaplain stayed behind, waiting for dawn. He stayed behind so he could get medical assistance for two wounded German prisoners. The prisoners would never have made it back to an Allied field hospital, and they surely would have perished had they been left behind. Their one hope was delivery to the nearest German medical station. Chaplain Daniel's "surrender" saved the lives of the wounded soldiers, and this singular act of humanity was a fitting beginning to Daniel's years of ministry to his fellow POWs. "In The Presence of Mine Enemies" is a story of a heroic captivity. From the rugged mountains of Tunisia, to the frozen Silesian Plain, Chaplain Daniel buoyed the spirits of his comrades by sharing the scriptures and holding fast to his faith. In his first message to fellow inmates at Stalag Luft III, Daniel wrote: "It is my dominant prayer that together, we may learn more of the grace and love of our heavenly Father." Of the tens of thousands of American servicemen captured during World War II, not one was prepared for captivity. Some thought about death, many imagined being wounded, and most all dreamed about returning to their loved ones unhurt. But no man was prepared for the abject humiliation of becoming a prisoner of war. Many Americans were already wounded at the time of their capture, and there were little or no medical resources to attend to their wounds. For all, hunger and malnutrition were a grim fact of life. Allied officers fared slightly better than enlisted men, in their segregated camps. For that reason, Lieutenant Daniel requested his German captors to transfer him to an enlisted men's prison camp, so that he could minister to those in the greatest need. And so, Eugene Daniel shared the same starvation diet as the enlisted prisoners. Near the war's end, when the Germans desperately marched their captives over a frozen Europe, trying to dodge the advancing Russians, Daniel was reduced 115 pounds. But throughout his ordeal, he continued to serve to his fellow prisoners a steadfast diet of hope and grace. Even some of his captors fell under the influence of Daniel's spiritual light, and more than one German prison guard formed a bond of lifelong Christian fellowship with the American Chaplain. This extraordinary story is told with humor, humility, and elegantly simple prose. "In The Presence of Mine Enemies" deserves special honors in our inspirational literature. It will surely lead the reader to better understand the mysterious promise of the 23rd Psalm.

In the Presence of Mine Enemies/life More Abundant

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In the Presence of Mine Enemies/life More Abundant
Howard and phyllis Rutledge with Mel and Lyla White/charles L. Allen
Manufacturer: Fleming H. Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H3V23Y

Product Description

Guideposts two books in one volume.

In the Presence of Mine Enemies (Guideposts)

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In the Presence of Mine Enemies (Guideposts)

Manufacturer: Guideposts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0800785061

Product Description

A two in one book from Guideposts. Also includes "Life More Abundant"

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An incredible Life story

In the Presence of Mine Enemies

Manufacturer: Nortex Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1141354276

Customer Reviews:

An incredible Life story.......2006-05-08

This is a wonderful story of a family during WWII, and their life during German occupation of their village - and the various situations that affected various members of the family. Through it all was their thankfulness to God for His presence with them, even when life was so difficult. A story of deep family relationships which strengthed each person as they dealt with the disruption of their lives by the events of the War and occupation.

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In The Presence Of Mine Enemies & Life More Abundant
Allen & Rutledge & White
Manufacturer: Guideposts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K6FTVE

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In the Presence of Mine Enemies & Life More Abundant
Howard & Phyllis Rutledge & Charles Allen
Manufacturer: Guideposts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NWUNWA

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