In the Presence of My Enemies

Book Description

2004 ECPA Gold Medallion winner!

Soon after September 11, the news media stepped up its coverage of the plight of Martin and Gracia Burnham, the missionary couple captured and held hostage in the Philippine jungle by terrorists with ties to Osama Bin Laden. After a year of captivity, and a violent rescue that resulted in Martin's death, the world watched Gracia Burnham return home in June 2002 with a bullet wound in the leg and amazing composure.

In this riveting personal account, Burnham tells the real story behind the news about their harrowing ordeal, about how it affected their relationship with each other and with God, about the terrorists who held them, about the actions of the U.S. and Philippine governments, and about how they were affected by the prayers of thousands of Christians throughout the world.

Customer Reviews:

Modern Day Heroes.......2007-09-24

It's hard to express how much I admire Martin and Gracia Burnham. It's been at least two years, I suppose, since I read this book but I still remember most every chapter. So, if it's a riveting on-the-edge-of-your-seat book you're looking for, here's a good one.

However, if you're looking for God working incarnate, this may be where to start. God took two "ordinary" people and made something most extraordinary out of their tragedy. Two things I especially appreciate from the book are 1) Gracia's brutally honest, no-holds-barred look at herself during the ordeal and 2) Martin's "speaking" through the book though he didn't physically write a word.

I would love to meet Gracia someday and would have loved to have met Martin. Read this book and you'll still somehow carry them both around with you.

Great Book.......2007-07-04

This is an excellent book written by a courageous woman. The main reason that I bought it was to learn more about the insurgents that captured Gracia and her husband. Gracia did a very good job in portraying the trials and tribulations endured by all of the hostages during her year in captivity. She also provides invaluable insights into the insurgents and the faults in their beliefs in Islam that did not match what is written in the Koran.

Burnham Story in Print.......2007-05-02

I found this book fascinating. It's definitely the words of a missionary, as Christianity is celebrated throughout the ordeal in print. Martin Burnham is revealed as a true man of men and he kept Gracia grounded throughout the book, she makes sure of it. Their story was tragic. The book was written quite simply and I finished it in 2 sittings. I could not put it down and it was put very clearly and simply. It was less biased in print than the interviews I've seen with her. She is certainly entitiled to her views of the Philippine government and US support. It was a delicate dance for the U.S. and she acknowledges this. The whole situation was unfortunate. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING.

I was surprised to see so much about Islam itself and why her captors did such rational and irrational things while she was in captivity. It's biased at times, but being written by a Christian missionary it should be. Thats accuracy of HER JOURNEY.

encouragement.......2007-04-28

Gracie recalls, in amazing detail, her year in the jungle as a hostage. This book is a must read for anyone who is ever bothered by their own problems.

More Al Quieda activities.......2007-03-07

This book is about the kidnapping of Christian Missionaries Martin and Gracia Burham in the summer of 2001. The Phillipino Abu Sayyaf branch of Al Quieda was responsible. Taken with a group of rich tourists from various foreign countries, their abduction was originally done for quick randsoms. But, the American government refuses to participate in this so they were in captivity for over a year! Other tourists were either killed or their ransoms were paid. No other source I've read mentions this as one of the financial operations of Al Quieda.

I loved this book because it really makes you think about what is important in life.

Average customer rating:

Made Me a Havers Fan...Finally!
A Who-done-it that's a cut above
A Jolly Good Read
A Very Disappointing Read
Top notch story, top notch mystery!

In the Presence of the Enemy
Elizabeth George
Manufacturer: Bantam
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553576089
Release Date: 1997-05-05

Amazon.com

In her previous novels, including the bestselling Playing for the Ashes, George has developed the characters of forensic scientist Simon St. James, Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers to a fine degree. In this, her eighth novel, the secret love child of an ambitious politician and a sleazy tabloid publisher is kidnapped. When Scotland Yard gets involved, Lynley and Havers must elude death as they search for the child and her kidnappers. An insightful and haunting novel of ideals corrupted and retribution visited upon the heads of the innocent.

Book Description

Hailed as the "king of sleaze," tabloid editor Dennis Luxford is used to ferreting out the sins and scandals of people in exposed positions. But when he opens an innocuous-looking letter addressed to him at The Source, he discovers that someone else excels at ferreting out secrets as well.

Ten-year-old Charlotte Bowen has been abducted, and if Luxford does not admit publicly to having fathered her, she will die. But Charlotte's existence is Luxford's most fiercely guarded secret, and acknowledging her as his child will throw more than one life and career into chaos. Luxford knows that the story of Charlotte's paternity could make him a laughingstock and reveal to his beautiful wife and son the lie he's lived for a decade. Yet it's not only Luxford's reputation that's on the line: it's also the reputation—and career—of Charlotte Bowen's mother. For she is Undersecretary of State for the Home Office, one of the most high-profile Junior Ministers and quite possibly the next Margaret Thatcher.

Knowing that her political future hangs in the balance, Eve Bowen refuses to let Luxford damage her career by printing the story or calling the police. So the editor turns to forensic scientist Simon St. James for help. It's a case that fills St. James with disquiet, however, for none of the players in the drama seem to react the way one would expect.

Then tragedy occurs and New Scotland Yard becomes involved. Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley soon discovers that the case sends tentacles from London into the countryside, and he must simultaneously outfox death as he probes Charlotte Bowen's mysterious disappearance. Meanwhile, his partner Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, working part of the investigation on her own and hoping to make the coup of her career, may be drawing closer to a grim solution—and to danger—than anyone knows.

In the Presence of the Enemy is a brilliantly insightful and haunting novel of ideals corrupted by self-interest, of the sins of parents visited upon children, and of the masks that hide people from each other—and from themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Made Me a Havers Fan...Finally!.......2007-03-21

I listened to the unabridged audiobook of this story narrated by Davina Porter who was excellent. After starting the Lynley/Havers series backwards with "No One As Witness" (didn't know it was a series) I got a list of titles and began with the first story. Liked Lynley and the other characters from the start but had mixed feelings about Sgt. Barbara Havers. She was a bit overbearing when first introduced and her pairing with Lynley seemed a bit strange but it worked. Their work relationship has grown throughout the series and they are now a great team. Funny as heck at times too! However, Barbara still was a bit annoying at times.In this story, she really comes across as a courageous, heroic and dedicated professional and I was rooting for her all the way. If this had been a movie, I would have been on the edge of my chair towards the end. Must say I never guessed who the villian was and it caught me completely by surprise.Elizabeth George is a terrific writer and has created a very satisfying series filled with complex characters and solid stories. I look forward to reading or listening to the remaining stories and will then look at the TV series based on the books that PBS periodically airs.

A Who-done-it that's a cut above.......2007-01-27

Fast moving, got to like the character Barbara Havers so much. Had no idea this was part of a large series until I went to look for more titles by same author. To my mind Elizabeth George is far superior to Nora Roberts, Iris Johansen, Mary Higgins Clark, or Sue Grafton who seem too formulaic after you read George. She is just much better at drawing characters that live and breathe. You're not just reading a book about them, you're in their company.

A Jolly Good Read.......2006-03-23

I really wanted to title this review using one of Barbara Havers favorite phrases but was afraid it wouldn't make it past the censors so I substituted the word "jolly!" This is a terrific book in which Havers really comes into her own.

It starts with the kidnapping of the daughter of a member of Parliament and a demand that the child's father, a tabloid newspaper editor, acknowledge her on the front page of the paper. MP Eve Bowen, who has kept the identity of her daughter's father a closely guarded secret, believes the kidnapping is a publicity stunt and an attampt to embarass her by newspaper editor Dennis Luxford. Although Luxford is willing to run the story, Bowen refuses to allow it and also refuses to have the police called in. Even after her daughter's dead body is found, Bowen continues to insist that Luxford is responsible- a charge that is given credence when the child's glasses and some of her hair is found in Luxford's car.

Then Luxford's son is kidnapped and the kidnapper makes the same demand. This time Luxford follows the kidnapper's instructions with a front page story, only to receive a phone call telling him that he'd gotten the story wrong and that his son will be killed unless the correct story is run.

This book has some delightfully humorous dialogue between Sgt. NKarta and Inspector Lynley, but it is a terrific book for Havers, who is in charge of the investigation at the site where the little girl's body was found. She even has a little romance, which, in typical Havers fashion, she doesn't have the faintest idea how to handle.

I would like to have seen some sort of scene at the end where MP Bowen is forced to face the realization that she is largely responsible for the death of her daughter but otherwise, this is an extremely satisfying book in an excellent series.

I listened to the audio version of this book and I several times found Derek Jacobi's voice jarring and not at all a match for how I had thought the characters would sound-- however, when he read the dialogue for Havers, he had her spot on so I'm willing to forgive him for making St. James's voice much too deep. He also used very thick accents for a couple of characters that made it difficult for me to understand what they were saying, but I still managed to figure out what was going on.

A Very Disappointing Read.......2005-06-28

Elizabeth George's series featuring Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers is a distinguished one. Most books in the series are masterpieces of character development. The best ones are also marvelous plots that will leave you thinking.

In the Presence of the Enemy is by far the weakest of the books in the series. Unless you feel compelled to read every book in the series, I suggest you skip this one.

The character development is mostly about two narcissists, the career obsessed Eve Bowen, M.P., and her one-time lover, tabloid sleaze-jockey, Dennis Luxford. Now if you really find it entertaining to read about successful people who are hollow inside, feel free to read this book. But there's no reward for staring at the hollows in these two.

The plot provides an above-average mystery, but one that will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.

The story? A young girl, Charlotte Bowen, has been kidnapped and her kidnapper threatens to murder her if Luxford doesn't acknowledge his "eldest child." Luxford is willing to do that, but Eve Bowen believes that it's just a publicity stunt that Luxford cooked up to embarrass the Tories. Evidence to the contrary fails to move Eve who seeks out help from Simon St. James instead. Simon involves Deborah and Lady Helen, and that sets them all up for a confrontation with Lynley when he finds out what they have been doing behind his back.

Perhaps the best part of the story comes as Barbara Havers struggles to handle one end of the investigation on her own. It's a challenge . . . that almost exceeds her ability to handle.

Top notch story, top notch mystery!.......2005-01-04

Ms. George just gets better and better. I read one of her books by accident and enjoyed it so much that I went back to the first Lynley/Havers book and am reading them in sequence. Each stands alone, but it is fun to watch the characters develop. This book is the best one yet. Complicated plot with no loose ends, well written fiction as well as a good whodunit. Definitely worth reading!

In the Presence of Mine Enemies: The Civil War in the Heart of America, 1859-1863

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The Civil War on a personal level
Up and Down the Valley
Good but not great
10 starts! One of the most unique books on the civil war yet
The Most Brilliant Civil War History Ever Put On Paper!

In the Presence of Mine Enemies: The Civil War in the Heart of America, 1859-1863
Edward L. Ayers
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0393326012

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!

Average customer rating:

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.

Average customer rating:

Great for Light Reading
I thought it to be good
A good read, a real page turner
Lier, Lier, Pants on Fire!
rephrase

In The Presence of Enemies
William J. Coughlin
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0312951647

Book Description

Attorney and client, they broke the first law: never fall in love.Elizabeth DarenWith evidence missing and key witnesses changing their stories, the battle for her dead husband's fortune is turning ugly. Someone is out to get her, and only one of the country's shrewdest, most battle-hardened lawyers can save her. If he can trust her.Jake MartinHe's a rising star in a powerhouse law firm. Everything he ever dreamed of and sweated for now means nothing to him. He's become Elizabeth Daren's lover-and made her enemies his own. It's a choice the could take him down....and the only one that matters.With all the power and authenticity of The Firm and the Client, Federal Judge and former prosecutor William Coughlin dazzles us with In the Presence of Enemiesthe smash sequel to his best-selling courtroom drama Shadow of a Doubtand his toughest, most absorbing novel yet!

Customer Reviews:

Great for Light Reading.......2007-03-21

It does keep your interest. Fast moving. Another book about a good-hearted lawyer working against the odds, with twists and turns similar to Grissom. Coughlin is good at building up to an unexpected outcome. I read the reviews before I finished and was totally surprised because I, too, was waiting for the relationship between the lawyer and the beautiful widow to heat up. Didn't need that plot twist anyway. There was enough going on.

I thought it to be good.......2000-06-24

If you like books with good attorney drama you'll like this one. Jake is a good character, split between his wife and Mrs. Daren, it gets more complicated by his employer. Sage is a good opponent. The Daren family, the spoiled brat Chip and his sister Gussie add to the plot. If you like Grisham you'll like this. I recommend it. It's not overpowering, but a solid 4 star book.

A good read, a real page turner.......2000-04-20

This was a very good story that kept your attention and kept you guessing with all the twists and turns. Its strange though how the back cover is almost totally false, most of those things didn't even happen in the story, did the person who wrote it even read the book? That aside, it was an entertaining, absorbing read.

Lier, Lier, Pants on Fire!.......2000-02-12

Jake and Elizabeth weren't lovers as the back cover stated! Other than that, it was a good book and I read it twice. It's one of my favorites from WJC.

rephrase.......1999-08-26

sorry. they did kiss, but it was a peck

Fearless Presence: The Story of Lt. Col. Nola Forrest, Who Led the Army Nurses Through Heat, Rain, Mud, and Enemy Fire in World War II

Average customer rating:

An unknown history

Fearless Presence: The Story of Lt. Col. Nola Forrest, Who Led the Army Nurses Through Heat, Rain, Mud, and Enemy Fire in World War II
Eleanor Stoddard
Manufacturer: American Literary Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1561679461
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Product Description

"Fearless Presence: The Story of Lt. Col. Nola Forrest, Who Led the Army Nurses through Heat, Rain, Mud and Enemy Fire in World War II" is a fascinating account of a career Army nurse, decorated for her acts of heroism. Lt. Col. Nola Forrest served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps (ANC) for more than 20 years, ultimately as director of Army nurses for the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II. She led nurses from two field hospitals into Leyte under enemy attack and later conducted the successful rescue of 67 Army nurses from a Japanese internment camp in Manila. Based on a series of personal interviews and a wealth of secondary sources, author and oral historian Eleanor Stoddard adeptly captures Forrest's remarkable story in this dramatic biographical account.

Customer Reviews:

An unknown history.......2007-04-03

Reviewed by A.J. Cooper for Reader Views (2/07)

"Fearless Presence" is a story of World War II and the years just prior to the war from the view of a nurse, Nola Forrest. She was born in Minnesota but wanted so much more than to stay there. Nola Forrest wanted the opportunity to travel and see the world. She was given the opportunity while in college; she was recruited to go to nursing school against the wishes of her family. They felt it would be a terribly hard life that she was not accustomed to and tried everything in their powers to dissuade her from the path of nursing.

The beginning of Nola's career with the army was when she entered the Army Nurse Corps Reserve in 1924. The nurses' had the same ranks as their male counter parts but received much lower pay. This did not stop Nola from taking the position. The story follows Nola all over the United States and abroad highlighting many of the positions she held in nursing and in administering nurses. Nola is also given a permanent position in the Army Nurse Corps and finally in 1942 the ranks of the woman and men in the Army are equal pay. She was sent to the Southwest Pacific Area to oversee operations and to ensure nurses taken care of properly. What she found was nurses trying to perform their duties in less than manageable circumstances with little or no personal supplies in most areas. During this time period nurses were taken as Prisoners of War in one of history's worst camps in the Philippines, Bataan and Corregidor.

I think anyone that has an interest in history would be interested in this book. Learning of the nurses taken as Prisoners of War was shocking to me. I only remember hearing about all of the men interned but certainly not the women. I took for granted that nurses had always been a part of wars and did not realize that for years nurses did not play an important part at the war fronts to help save the troops. Because of World War II it was shown that women nurses could survive and perform just as well as the men at the front under terrible conditions. They faced diseases that soldiers had not faced before and did everything in their power to ensure every soldier was taken care of.

I really enjoyed this book and was glad that I had the opportunity to not only learn something new, but to learn about an admirable person, Lt. Col. Nola Forrest. She led a full and rewarding life and it took a considerate person to take the time to research and follow-up with the Colonel. I would recommend "Fearless Presence" to anyone and look forward to sharing it with family and friends. This is not only a story of a determined person but a very determined woman who really cared about everyone around her.

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

Average customer rating:

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!

Average customer rating:

In the Presence of My Enemies
Gracia Burnham
Manufacturer: VERY GOOD+ COPY Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0842385762

Average customer rating:

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

Average customer rating:

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.

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