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Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "Gulf", sorted by average review score:
The Irritable Heart: The Medical Mystery of the Gulf War
Published in Hardcover by W.W. Norton & Company (January, 2001)
Average review score: 
A humanist classicA brilliant investigation into and meditation on the intersection of epidemiology, journalism, politics, and human suffering known as the Gulf War Syndrome. The book is sui generis, and as with many works of surpassing originality it may be overlooked today, but I predict people will be reading this humanist classic in a hundred years.
A gripping readThis book is a remarkable portrait of a difficult and highly politicized medical phenomenon -- Gulf War Syndrome -- and its subsets, chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical sensitivities and fibromyalgia. Because of this overlap, many, many Americans will be tremendously interested by this book. It is deep and broad, and rich. Journalists and historians will also be fascinated by the writer's unusual and intelligent method, and the implications of the story. Wheelwright not only keeps you reading way past your bedtime, but reveals the complexities for victims, doctors, and the public's attitudes. Not glib, this book manages to paint a vivid picture of people and medical ideas without taking any shortcuts. A tremendous and really entertaining achievement which may sadly be overlooked in the trend towards simple blockbusters. You will be recommending it to others.
Take heartThis book is a stunning achievement: it makes obscure and confusing science understandable, and discusses with accuracy and compassion the many different aspects of Gulf War Syndrome. I found that Wheelwright's voice, always confident and clear, was greatly reassuring. Very powerful. A must read for those interested in science, medicine and politics, and how they overlap.
Rumors of War
Published in Paperback by Lunatic Fringe Publishing (29 February, 2000)
Average review score:
Prepare yourself to read it twiceYou feel yourself falling into their trap through the skin of Ilene Singleton as you become wrapped up in the tale. Tibbetts has written a plot of demanding twists, then seemlessly wove them into a captivativing story of life, love and the greater lie. Make sure you set aside plenty of time, because once Rumor of War draws you in it doesn't let you go until the final page, then this great story demands a second read.
Rumors of War Offers a Wild RideI'm not easily surprised, but the twists and turns offered up in Peggy Tibbetts' Rumors Of War kept me on the edge of my seat. In Ilene, she gives us a not entirely sympathetic heroine, and makes us like her. She deftly explores the vagaries of human nature, and makes us question all that we thought we knew. A novel just about war this is not. Instead, it's a multi-faceted romp with ties to the Chicago Mafia, the FBI, and the very frailty of human nature.
A must read, especially for those tired of writers with plots easy to guess.
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!An exciting story you just can't put down!
3 Plays: The Boys in the Band, a Breeze from the Gulf, for Reasons That Remain Unclear
Published in Paperback by Alyson Pubns (June, 1996)
Average review score:
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Boys in the band is hilarious
Great Plays
Boys in the band is hilariousI found this play to be one of the funniest I have ever read. Black humour at its most hilarious.
Great PlaysI wonder sometimes why so few people know who Mart Crowley is. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me to call him one of the most gifted and important American playwrights, and yet nobody I've talked to, outside a handful of gay men who are in the theater or who read too much, has known even his name.
The Boys in the Band is the best-known of Mr. Crowley's plays: that's because, well, it IS the best, and also because there was an excellent movie made of it, which is as often seen as the play is read or seen on stage. The play is a brutal birthday party one evening in New York in 1969, and the guest of honor is guilt itself: eight gay men in their 30s gather and say horrible things to each other, which reflect more on themselves than on each other. Each in his own way is caught in the war zone between his homosexuality and the pressure from society to be something else (and goodness knows, the play opened just a few months before Stonewall). The most incredible thing about the play (in my opinion) is Mr. Crowley's evenness: you get the feeling that he is just showing life as he knew it, and not trying to judge or blame anyone or anything--rather a big feat for all the hate that had poisoned that life-as-he-knew-it.
One criticism has been consistently directed at The Boys in the Band over the years, that it depicts only guilt-ridden self-hating gay men who wish for all the world that they weren't gay. All I can say to this is, well, yes; but I am only 19 and I know exactly why these particular men are so guilt-ridden and self-hating, not because I grew up before Stonewall (I was still in diapers at the beginning of AIDS), but because it's STILL tough to be gay in America. This kind of guilt and this kind of self-hate haven't disappeared--I experienced them first-hand in the 1990s. If The Boys in the Band seems a bit narrow for focusing only on that, then it's remarkably deep in spite of its narrowness.
The other two plays in this collection are also quite good. They too are built on Mr. Crowley's cl! arity and evenness of vision, but it seems (unfortunately) that they'll always suffer in comparison to the first play. They're good reads. I recommend them highly.
I can't justify my claim to you that Mr. Crowley is one of the great American playwrights--how can just one person justify that? The claim, I hope, will justify itself as future theater-goers, movie-goers, and readers (you!!) match Mr. Crowley's clarity and get to know his plays. For all the depressing subject matter, the plays are gripping, quite funny, searingly intelligent, and very rewarding. He sees a lot.
Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Gulf War
Published in Paperback by iUniverse.com (February, 2003)
Average review score:
Tells of a deadly test of skill and courageAlways Faithful: A Memoir Of The Gulf War is the profound and moving testimony of John Hartnett, a U.S. Marine who survived the ground assault during the 1991 Gulf War. A very illuminating, vividly written account, Always Faithful tells of a deadly test of skill and courage where survival is the ultimate success. Always Faithful is very strongly recommended for Military History collections in general, and Gulf War Studies in particular.
The True Meaning of Conflict in Times of WarThis is a wonderful story of real conflict that one marine faced in the First Gulf War. The reader is struck at once by the realization that soldiers are found and mobilized at a precise moment in their private lives and delivered to the battlefield with all that they have gained, lost, or struggled for at home. In "Always Faithful" the stark landscape of the desert and the critical job at hand compels the author to contemplate conflicting commitments he has made to his family, his men, and his country.
"Always Faithful" is a timely book that helped me understand what every soldier must indeed face in times of war.
The Inner vs. Outer BattleThe author takes us through his personal inner struggle versus professional duty. He pulls no punches in facing his human-ness, sins, fears, and conquests of each. This highly readable memoir is written with honesty, humor, bitterness, and forgiveness. It represents Mr. Average Joe in his daily struggles. John Hartnett's daughter is one lucky girl to have a father who is not afraid to share his feelings.
Build the Musashi: The Birth and Death of the World's Greatest Battleship
Published in Hardcover by Kodansha International (January, 1992)
Average review score:
ReprintingThis book has been reprinted with the new title: Battleship Musashi, The Making and Sinking of the World's Biggest Battleship.
If I could give this book more than five stars, I would!This is one of my favorite books on one of these behemoths. Before reading this book, I had very little information on the Musashi, except that which I could gather up from other books I have read. This is one of the best.
Outstanding insight into secret construction of a behemoth!This is an easily readable, attention-holding account of the secret construction of one of the three largest ships ever built up to 1944. The author gives detailed insight into the naval architects, the naval commanders, shipyard workers, and ship's personnel who planned, built, commanded, and lived in the Musashi. Central to this story is the incredible extent the Japanese went to in order to hide the battleship's existence from the outside world. Monumental camoflage efforts, security procedures, and clandestine actions fill the chapters. Detailed descriptions are provided on the technical aspects of building and launching a 68,000 hunk of steel carrying the largest (18.1" dia. shells) naval guns in the world. The political infighting amongst the Japanese military factions in developing the strategies to use the Musashi and her two sisters, Yamato and Shinano (converted to an aircraft carrier) is covered quite well. Photographs and descriptions of the Musashi's combat employment and eventual sinking by an overwhelming amount of ordnance in the Sibuyan Sea in October 1944 are well done and clearly constructed. This book is a fast-reading saga which gives us a fascinating picture of a determined people and the pride they placed in creating a magnificent seagoing monument to the last of the Japanese warrior empire.
Grey Soldier: Poems for the Gulf War Soldier
Published in Library Binding by Gulf War Press (01 May, 2000)
Average review score: 
What I ThinkIt's a really unique book written by the author who has experienced the feelings himself. I really understood where he was coming from. He gave me a clear picture of what it was like in the war.
My friend, John DuBoseAlthough I have not yet read this book, I have gotten to know Mr. DuBose a bit over the past couple of years and am anxious to buy and review his work. John and I share a common bond and I cannot say enough nice things about this man, father, husband and friend. He is always keeping in touch via email and is an asset to wherever he is and whomever he is with. If there are those out there reading this wondering if they should buy this particular book, I can say from personal experience knowing John that it will be very much worth the time and effort. John is one of the most expressive, talented and intelligent men I know. Way to go John! Looking forward to hearing from you again soon.
Fron the AuthorI wrote this book as a way of calming the images that were coming out in my artwork. I have used this medium before with some good sucsess. So I began to use the pen as another way to express the feelings that war in the battlefield and in the inner city streets had left upon me. One day I looked up and I was a father and husband. And I thought "God how did I make it through those wars" I hope those that have not gone to battle will understand after reading this why it is not a nessessity to "Go To War". And for those who have. I hope you have been able to dream. Thank you John Du Bose
Gulf Air War Debrief: Described by the Pilots that Fought
Published in Hardcover by Airtime Pub (1991)
Average review score:
Outstanding event chronologyGreat coverage of the Allied Air Campaign versus Iraq. Largely written by the pilots that flew the missions, Gulf Air War Debrief tells the story through the eyes of the pilots. My only wish is for more diagrams showing actual engagements and a better picture of the Iraqi AF pre-War and post-War. Overall, an excellent and authortative volume.
Gulf Air War Debrief (WORLD AIR POWER JOURNAL)This book is an invaluable reference source for modelers of fast-jets! It shows every single unit that participated in DESERT STORM...IN DETAIL! With plenty of three view drawings and full color photos. It also gives you a 'pilot's eye-view' of the war through their own stories. A must for history and detail maniacs!
The most comprehensive book on Operation Desert StormThis book is the best book that I have read on Operation Desert Storm. It covers all the major weapons system in great detail, including the units, weapons carried and the roles they played in the war.
Media Access and the Military
Published in Hardcover by University Press of America (12 March, 1998)
Average review score:
A good read and a solid scholarly workReaders in international affairs will greatly benefit from reading "Media Access and the Military." The first and last chapters offer a lively discussion of freedom of speech, of what is considered for public knowledge during a war and how this issue is resolved from the point of view of the press and also from the military point of view.
Journalists and researchers will find the appendix very useful, as it includes the research questionnaire and the list of interviewed persons.
The book also offers a concise history of the Gulf War. Scholarly books have no obligation to be "a good read," but I found it extremely interesting.
Excellent background on how the public gets breaking newsExcellent text for the communication specialist or media analyst in search of background on how the American public gets its news about breaking stories -- especially those in which the US Government has a clear policy interest. "Media Access and the Military," using the 1991 Gulf War as a case study, gets as close to "tell it like it is" as we are likely to get on this subject.
An essential text for all students of the Gulf War.For someone who experienced the Gulf War on assignment in Israel and got the report of the Iraqi attack through CNN moments before hearing the first Scud missiles slam into Tel Aviv, "Media Access and the Military" by Judith Raine Baroody is a fascinating read. An extremely insightful, carefully researched analysis of the Gulf War, the study looks beyond the pyrotechnics and smart and not-so-smart bombs that captured public imagination at the time to the crucial role of the press and its interface with the warriors. It's a story not often told, but told here extremely well -- by a seasoned diplomat who is also a scholar and former TV anchor. It is clear that this book will be the definitive statement on the subject for years to come and an absolute must-read for the military and embassy professionals who are called upon to handle public affairs issues during our next war.
Torpedoes in the Gulf: Galveston and the U-Boats 1942-1943 (Military History Series; No 40)
Published in Paperback by Texas A&M University Press (May, 1995)
Average review score:
Very interestingGreat book on a little covered area of the U-boat war. I recommend it.
An interesting facet of the war that few were aware of.As a former submaring officer, I was particularly interested in the risky and sometimes foolish tactics that U-Boat skippers used in heavily traveled and very shallow coastal waters. It was more incredible when one considers their lack of any sophisticated electronics.
Excellent summary of little known area of WWIIMs. Wiggins has covered the human aspects of this part of World War II submarine operations with a fresh and interesting perspective. Her inclusion of personal interview material make the story more credible. A good read for any history buff.
Cdr. John A. Holt USN(Ret)
Wings of Fury: From Vietnam to the Gulf War-The Astonishing True Stories of America's Elite Fighter Pilots
Published in Paperback by Atria Books (June, 1998)
Average review score:
Stories of US aceAs a hardcore flight simulation fans, I am more interest on the exciting battle fields in the sky. I have read "Strike Eagle" before, I would like it more with comparsion. However, the last parts "Victory in the Desert" can satisfy me, just feel I stay at Eagle, Tomcat's... seat to fire a missile on the Migs to form a huge fireball to shine the dark.
The first three parts, it decribes some ACEs' background, stories, families, careers....Overall, it is a great book for flight readers. Check Six.
The first three parts, it decribes some ACEs' background, stories, families, careers....Overall, it is a great book for flight readers. Check Six.
Master arm on...Master arm on....I've always dreamed of being a fighter pilot....this book really conveys what I imagine it might really be like...it goes beyond "top gun" or some of the other movies of that ilk... If you know any technical details about how jets really work, or even if you don't, this book really will give you a better sense of what really goes through a pilots mind both in combat and in training. As the subtitle says, the period covered by the book is vietnam up through and including the gulf war, and the author does a good job of putting his recounting of pilots stories into context by discussing the contemporary American fighter tactics during each relevant period. You'll feel the pilots frusterations at the limitations of their radar or the information available to them, and you'll feel their excitement as they move in for the kill. Most of all though, I got a sense of the professionalism that is bestowed in our pilots through their training. In any case, I heartily recommend buying this book, you won't regret it. Check six!
Good reading, and not just for fighter pilot wannabe'sHere's a review I posted on a flight simulator forum, for all of us PC virtual fighter pilots. I decided to post it here as well, for those who enjoy aviation and excitement but who don't really do much flight simulator flying.
"An adreneline rush injected straight into your heart. This is some of the best jet combat reports as told to the author by the pilots who flew them. If you like the movie 'Top Gun' but felt it wasn't technically correct, you'll love this book. If you loved 'Top Gun' simply because it featured combat jets going really fast, you'll love this book. Strap on your speed jeans and push the throttle past the final detente, because there's two contacts at angels 10 and they're jinking back across your beam..."