Customer Reviews:
Winning My Wings: A Woman Airforce Service Pilot in World War II.......2007-09-08
This was a wonderful book. I belong to a book club and I like to choose books about women. I was visiting the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington several months ago and came across this book. It looked so interesting that I decided to choose it for my book club to read. Everyone LOVED the book and we plan to read more books about the WASPs. You will thoroughly enjoy this book --- I love how a lot of the book is written through letters that Marion Stegeman Hodgson actually wrote to her mother and a man friend, whom she eventually married. The only thing I wish is that the book was LONGER!!! It was one of those books that you can't wait to pick up again!! ENJOY!!
Outstanding insight to the joys and tragedies of flying.......1999-06-01
Marion has written an excellent insight into the experience of flying. As a fellow pilot, I greatly enjoyed reading about the experiences of Marion and the other women pilots during WWII. The story is filled with joy and tragedy splashed across her story of becoming a military pilot. Just as important as the flying, she relates how she came to marry her husband of over 50 years, Ned Hodgson. This is a wonderful book that anyone interested in flying and the romance of the air should read.
Book Description
With a sharp eye and wry wit, Roger Hall recounts his experiences as an American Army officer assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II. First published in 1957 to critical and popular acclaim, his book has become a cult favorite in intelligence circles. The story follows Hall's experiences from a junior officer fleeing a tedious training assignment in Louisiana to his quirky and rigorous OSS training rituals in the United States, England, and Scotland. Quick to pick up on the skills necessary for behind-the-lines intelligence work, he became an expert instructor. But he was only reluctantly given operational duties because of his reputation as an iconoclast. In his droll story-telling style, Hall describes his first parachute jump in support of the French resistance as a comedy of errors that terminated prematurely. His last assignment in the war zone came when William Colby appointed him section head of an operations group that made its way on foot through Sweden. Called one of the funniest and most perceptive works ever written about life in the OSS, the book includes a wealth of unforgettable personalities that Hall encountered over the years. 220 pages. Paperback. 6 x 9 inches.
Customer Reviews:
you're stepping on my cloak and dagger.......2007-10-10
I first read this book when I was in England, in 1958,
enjoyed it greatly, it was very well done..
I had been looking for this book for the last 20 years, and over joyed
I found it. Thank you, Amazon
Russ
You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger.......2007-02-08
Who thought spying could be funny. If you like to laugh, this is the book for you. Hall's life as a spy was hardly 007-ish, but you can't find a spy with a better sense of humor. It's hard to believe that one Army officer could find himself in as many laughable predicaments as he was. This book will ring even truer for those who have see military service. More than once I had to wipe tears of laughter from my eyes so I could continue reading. Not a long read, but certainly one high on the laugh scale.
You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger--review.......2006-04-30
Sometimes, just sometimes, the things of your youth are
better than when you experienced them the first time: things
like "You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger," Roger Hall's
memoirs of his experiences in the OSS (Office of Strategic
Services, forerunner of the CIA) during WW2.
In 1966 Miss Estele, Greenon High School's librarian, once
very sternly suggested to me that I get my own copy of Mr.
Hall's book. Seems that I had checked out the school's copy so
much that it was in danger of disintegration.
Not wishing to run afoul of the lady with the piercing
eyes which could wound at 50 paces, I broke down and bought a
copy for myself.
I destroyed it with repeated readings.
I bought a second.
I destroyed it. Read the words off the page.
I went for a third copy. But alas the book was not to be
found. Literally for decades I searched used book stores and
book sales. Libraries. No dice. Gone. Phfttttttt.
But the book was always with me. I have never attended a
briefing or presentation without thinking of the great
exploding map overlay caper. Phrases and descriptions stalked
their ways into my daily vocabulary like two great stalking
things. I mean, how can you top, "...the account being one in
which the fact quotient was in inverse ratio to the difficulty
of the feats of derring-do allegedly performed"? I even once
wrote on a subordinate's performance evaluation, "...highly
praised for his capabilities and performance and resoundingly
damned for his irreverence."
Great stuff there.
Then a co-worker, to whom I had mentioned the book, found
that Bluejacket Press had republished it and it was available
through Amazon.com.
So as fast as I could, I got my third copy.
Would it be as funny? Well, actually, it was funnier.
Mr. Hall's wit can be rapier-like and delicately subtle.
Mr. Hall's wit can also cut a swath through inefficient
bureaucratic nonsense like a claymore. His ability to turn
ordinary words into lasting memories would make Mr. Hall a
blast with whom to split a pizza and a six-pack.
It's funnier because having spent 6 years and 3 months on
active duty in the service of His Majesty the Commandant of the
Marine Corps, I have a much deeper appreciation for the surreal
ambiance which permeates the military and which almost seems
designed to impede progress.
It's funnier because in spite of the institutionalized
blood-mindedness, we still manage, somehow, to weave our way
through lunacy's labyrinth.
It's funnier because I've lived in the Slidell, La area;
and, by-jingoes, it IS a place perfectly suited to rot away in.
This time around when I read of his experiences and
friendship with a Major William Colby, I know that William
Colby went on to become the head of the CIA.
If you like memoirs, this is the book for you. If you
like military history, this is the book for you. If you just
like funny books, this is the book for you.
Rick roberts
What a joy this book is back in print..........2006-03-06
Having first read this book back in the 60s, it's the one I would have said most deserves to be back in print after all these years, so it's great to see that this is the case. The book is the autobiographical narrative of Roger Hall's time in the OSS, starting from his initial arrival for training, through his deployment in the European field, and finally arriving back after the war to debrief German POWs. It could have been a very dry and dull book, but Hall puts humor in nearly everywhere, and you get the idea that this is not because he's a masterful writer, carefully crafting the humor, as would Dave Barry, but rather because he and his pals had quirky sense of humor and a joy of life no matter where they were. And the book reads as well now as it did back in the 50s and 60s. Now if only a movie were made of it...
A must read!.......2006-03-06
This book is definitely one of my favorite books! From the first sentence I was laughing and I read it in one enjoyable sitting. For anyone interested in the OSS it is a must read. Not only is it a page-turner, but when you are finished you can't help but be amazed by what the OSS was able to accomplish and how they went about it. It is informative and personal and at the same time you just can't stop laughing. Thank you Roger Hall for sharing your experiences!
Average customer rating:
- Could have been even better
- History Without Reflection
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Hitler at My Side
Hans Baur
Manufacturer: World War 2 Books & Video
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1930571003 |
Book Description
Lieutenant General Hans Baur, Adolf Hitler's chief personal pilot, tells his story in a gripping first person account of his experiences and observations during the eleven years he spent with Adolf Hitler when he was Fuhrer of the German Third Reich. Written in a non-political style that commands the reader's attention from cover to cover, it is a must read for those who seek to know what really went on in Hitler's Headquarters and inner circle; for Hans Baur was there. This is a first person account with many interesting details by one of the very few members of "inner circle" to survive the final days in Hitler's Berlin Bunker.
Customer Reviews:
Could have been even better.......2003-07-05
Hans Baur was Hitler's pilot from 1932 until his death in 1945. He had unique personal access to Hitler and spent many hours in his presence. Unfortunately, Baur is not a particularly gifted storyteller and his personal characterizations of Hitler and other leading Nazi figures leaves something to be desired. Baur's memory is also highly suspect, as his years in Russian captivity proved conclusively. Baur continually changed his story, mis-remembered salient points in history and just plain forgot the gist of many historical moments.
Still, the memoirs are are interesting read. Baur gives his reflections and opinions on such diverse people in Hitler's entourage as Eva Braun, Goebbels, Himmler, Goering and Hess. He narrates the story of when he begs Hitler to flee Berlin in April, 1945 and allow Baur to fly him to safety. Hitler says wearily, "I will die here in Berlin."
Unfortunately, Baur doesn't tell much about losing his leg and spending 11 torturous years in Russian captivity. Now that would have been fascinating! Another missed opportunity, but there's enough interesting material elsewhere to justify the purchase of his recollections.
History Without Reflection.......2002-07-19
Hans Baur deserves a reputation of more than just being "Hitler's pilot." He was a WWI ace and a distinguished pioneer of early European aviation. Indeed, a good part of this memoir recounts his days between wars, flying over the Alps, when the job was done literally by the seat of the pilot's pants and only the most skillful survived. Severely wounded in Berlin during the last hours of the Third Reich, Baur survived ten years incarceration in a series of Russian prisons. But it's as Hitler's pilot that Baur is best known today. Baur does give us some small insights into what it was like to have been a member of Hitler's innermost circle, but his narrative is scrupulously apolitical and while he must have known Hitler and his cronies rather well, he refrains from giving us any personal assessment of what they were really like as individuals. It is evident he admired and respected Hitler and he claims to have been a friend of Rudolph Hess, but what did he really think of these men? Even more frustrating to the historian, after serving Hitler for more than a dozen years and then, as a result of this loyal service, spending a decade in Soviet hands after the war, Baur just ends his story with a description of his homecoming. We do not know at the end of this book what Hans Baur thought about National Socialism and what it did to Germany and millions of his countrymen, much less himself (he lost a leg in the Berlin fighting). Perhaps he remained an ardent admirer of Hitler? Fine, a man like Baur is entitled to his opinions, but he doesn't say. Baur was a brave, skillful and admirable man in many ways who witnessed close up the most dramatic events of the 20th century. But in "Hitler at My Side" he emerges in the end as just "Hitler's pilot."
Average customer rating:
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Wings on My Sleeve (Phoenix Press)
Eric Brown
Manufacturer: Phoenix Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Military & Spies
| Professionals & Academics
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| Advanced Mechanics
| Aerodynamics
| Aircraft Design & Construction
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| Gas Dynamics
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History of Technology
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ASIN: 0753822091 |
Book Description
Eric Brown went to Germany in 1939 on an exchange course, and his first experience of the war came when the Gestapo arrested him, not knowing he was an RAF pilot. The rest is history. He is the only man alive to have flown every major and most minor combat aircraft of the Second World War (as well as all the early jets), and has been interviewed by the top Nazis. While testing the Nazi jets in war-stricken Germany, he interviewed (among others) Hermann Goering and Hanna Reitsch. A living legend among aviation enthusiasts, his amazing life story deserves to be told in full—from crashing in front of Winston Churchill to unmasking a Neo-Nazi ring in the 1950s to his terrifying flights in primitive jets and rockets.
Book Description
This is a memoir of flying with the Royal Air Force in war and peace during a career in military and civil aviation covering a half century. The text is filled with personal experiences, reminiscences and impressions and is written in four parts. Part One covers the years leading to the author's graduation and the winning of his RAF Wings. This is followed by action-packed stories of flying propeller-driven fighters, Spitfires and Mustangs, during and just after the Second World War. The author then tells of his unique experiences of front-line fighter operations when he flew jets with the United States Air Force during the Korean War. The final chapter covers the remainder of his RAF Service flying until retirement.
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From Take-Off to Touchdown: My 50 Years to Flying
Tony Farrell
Manufacturer: Cirrus Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Aviation
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ASIN: 1902807014 |
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The Last Airmen: Exploring My Father's World
Roger Rawlings
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Aviation
| Transportation
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General
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ASIN: 0060160845 |
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My Left Mag\' is Out: From the Golden Age to the Space Age
E.R. Wilson
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Scientists
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Repair & Maintenance
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ASIN: 1552127761
Release Date: 2006-07-06 |
Product Description
A collection of excerpts from the career of a professional aircraft maintenance man.
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MY WORLD ALOFT
Charles, Bass Urban
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Aviation
| Transportation
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General
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ASIN: 1420858807 |
Book Description
This book is an account of one boy who became a man though his love of flying. Sometimes scary, sometimes hilarious, the antics of the author illustrate what to do when the unthinkable occurs, and offers some sage advice on operating and instructing in small aircraft. The autobiography expresses one man''s view of life as a true Texas entrepreneur, who operated and owned all manner of land planes and one amphibian. In addition, it poses the question of how could one person survive six crashes with only a broken little finger and what might God have planned for him next?
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My World of Aviation
Johnn Lovaas
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Military & Spies
| Professionals & Academics
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ASIN: 1412013933
Release Date: 2006-07-06 |
Product Description
As a young man just out of high school, I looked to the field of aviation, and as a result experienced many things that were fun, educational and downright frightening. Here isa sampling of those experiences--some true to life and some from this aviation enthusiast\'s imagination. Come with me now into the skies where once only birds were able to soar.
Book Description
This was to be Stanley's last expedition to Africa. He was charged with rescuing Emin Pasha (Viceroy), who had been appointed a governor in the southern Sudan by the British, and had been forced to retreat to the Lake Albert (now northern Uganda) by the uprising led by an Islamic holy man. In 1888 Stanley journeyed up the Congo and to the lake, reaching Emin, who refused to leave. Eventually persuaded by Stanley, they proceeded to the Indian Ocean by way of the Semliki River which was found to connect Lake Albert with Lake Edward. This work is in two volumes.
Product Description
This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1890 edition by Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington, Limited, London.
Book Description
In Two Volumes. This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.
Books:
- 1942-1946 THE WAR YEARS
- A Chain of Events: The Government Cover-up of the Black Hawk Incident and the Friendly Fire Death of Lt. Laura Piper
- A Chance for Love: The World War II Letters of Marian Elizabeth Smith and Lt. Eugene T. Petersen, Usmcr
- A Few Good Women: Memoirs of a World War II Marine
- A Field Guide to Pacific States Wildflowers: Washington, Oregon, California and adjacent areas (Peterson Field Guides(R))
- A Table in the Presence: The Dramatic Account of How a U.S. Marine Battalion Experienced God's Presence Amidst the Chaos of the War in Iraq
- A Victor, Not a Butcher: Ulysses S. Grant's Overlooked Military Genius
- Above and Beyond Parsley: Food for the Senses
- Advertising is Dead: Long Live Advertising!
- Agent of Destiny: The Life and Times of General Winfield Scott
Books Index
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