CATASTROPHES & HEROES:TRUE STORIES OF MAN-MADE DISASTERS by Jerry Borrowman

CATASTROPHES & HEROES:TRUE STORIES OF MAN-MADE DISASTERS by Jerry Borrowman. Wow. I have never heard of any of these catastrophes. It was fascinating to read what happened, what went wrong, who actually took responsibility for their actions, and the amazing people who were the heroes in the situations. I can't believe the arrogance of some people and how truly could not see the mistakes they made. Then there are those who felt so responsible, they couldn't live with themselves. In every situation there were those who stepped up and helped though. It is a reminder that in the midst of a crisis, good people come out of the woodworks and take care of what needs to be taken care of, most of the time without regard to their own life. This is an inspiring read that will leave anyone in awe of the accomplishments of different eras as well as amazed at the failures. I highly recommend it.

:) :) :) :) :)

A century of the industrial age saw unprecedented leaps in technology and engineering, from the first flight of an airplane to the first flight of humans to the moon. But alongside these awe-inspiring achievements were horrible disasters caused by faulty engineering or careless judgement. Catastrophes and Heroes explores eight such disasters and recognizes the unheralded heroes who stepped up to save others in times of great danger.

Included in this collection are the stories of female phone operators who, despite being in the path of destruction after the Los Angeles St. Francis Dam collapsed in 1928, stayed on the job to warn others to evacuate, Ernest Hemingway, who assisted survivors in his own boat after a hurricane destroyed the Florida East Coast Railway in 1935, and Ernest Betts who, though knowing little first aid, saved thirty people after the streamliner train The City of San Francisco crashed in the Nevada mountains in 1939.

Filled with little-known stories and historical insights, this book explores the rich history of the marvels of engineering and technological advances in the span of a century and reveals how the perils, though disastrous, gave rise to heroism and compassion at a time when machines were supposed to do it all.

INVISIBLE HEROES OF WORLD WAR II by Jerry Borrowman

INVISIBLE HEROES OF WORLD WAR II by Jerry Borrowman. What amazing men and women supported and served our country during this time of war. It was humbling to read about these invisible heroes who helped shape the war. It's heartbreaking to know what some of them went through and how little the santity of life meant to others. Some of the things were very difficult to read and I had to take it in small doses, but I would recommend it to almost anyone. 

:) :) :) :)

Invisible Heroes of World War II, documents ten fascinating true stories of a diverse group of soldiers and noncombatants from all over the world, including African Americans, women, and Native Americans who worked and fought to keep the world safe from tyranny and oppression. Some were frontline soldiers and spies, while others were engineers, industry workers, or war correspondents and photographers. Without much fanfare, these heroes made noteworthy contributions to the war effort. Some even gave their lives for freedom and liberty. All served with valor and distinction, and their names should never be forgotten.

CONTENTS
• Pat Patton: Abandoned at Bataan
• Nancy Wake: The White Mouse of the French Resistance
• Joseph Hyalmar Anderson: Missing in Action
• Joseph Medicine Crow: The Last War Chief
• Dickey Chapelle: American Journalist
• Navajo Code Talkers: Heroes of the Pacific War
• The Purple Heart Battalion: Rescuing the Texas 1st
• Combat Engineers: Builders and Soldiers
• African Americans at War: Heroes Despite Prejudice
• Rosie the Riveter: Women in the War Industries

COMPASSIONATE SOLDIER by Jerry Borrowman

COMPASSIONATE SOLDIER: REMARKABLE TRUE STORIES OF MERY, HEROISM, AND HONOR FROM THE BATTLEFIELD by Jerry Borrowman. This was a fascinating book. It covered stories from all of the wars that are not commonly shared. These stories show the true character of people, their dedication to serving their fellow men even with their own lives at risk, their innate desire to do what they believe is right despite all odds, and many other things that restore faith in humanity. I thoroughly enjoyed joined reading each story, shaking my head in awe of these people and what they did. True heroism, mery, and honor from the battlefield. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially those who love the different war eras.

:) :) :) :) :)

Compassionate Soldier illuminates fascinating yet largely unknown stories of men and women whose humanity led them to perform courageous acts of mercy and compassion amid the chaos and carnage of war. Arranged by war from the American Revolution to the Iraq War and global in perspective, it features extraordinary stories of grace under fire from valiant soldiers and noncombatants who rose above the inhumanity of lethal conflict and chose compassion, even knowing their actions could put their lives and liberty at risk.

Included are the stories of Patrick Ferguson, a British officer during the American Revolution who had the chance to kill George Washington but refused to shoot a man in the back; Richard Kirkland, a Confederate soldier during the Civil War who took water to wounded Union soldiers during the battle of Fredericksburg; and Oswald Boelcke, a German WWI flying ace who was one of the most influential tacticians of early air combat and was known for making sure the airmen he shot down made it to the ground alive.

These and other inspirational stories illustrate that even in the midst of the unspeakable horrors of war, acts of kindness, mercy, compassion, and humanity can prevail and, in doing so, expand our conventional thinking of honor and battlefield glory.

HOW 4 FEET OF PLYWOOD SAVED THE GRAND CANYON by Jerry Borrowman —#reviews #books #amreading

HOW 4 FEET OF PLYWOOD SAVED THE GRAND CANYON by Jerry Borrowman. I was fascinated with the stories in this book. He talked about events that I had never heard of before, and it sucked me in. Little known events give a greater perspective to what really goes on in the world. I loved learning about these stories, and my family has loved me retelling them. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

:) :) :) :) :)

History turns on small points. From the world's most catastrophic game of chicken to the nail-biting success story at the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, discover fascinating events you've probably never heard of. In this collection of eight true stories from the forgotten pages of history, learn about disasters caused by human error as well as calamities avoided by quick and clever thinking—the lawsuit that launched Abraham Lincoln's political career, the collapse of the Teton Dam, the invention that revolutionized the world of sound, and more. This book is truly love at first sight for lovers of history.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Tour Schedule:

May 30th

http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/

http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/

May 31st

http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/

http://empowermoms.net/

http://www.wishfulendings.com/

June 1st

http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/

http://sweetlymadejustforyou.com/blog/

June 2nd

http://thethingsilovemost.com/

http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/

June 3rd

http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/

http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/index.html 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Reviews

So my computer decided to get really sick this week along with working 12 to 14 hour days. Not what I call a fun week. At least I was able to get all the books I'm writing safely off before it died. Hopefully we'll be able to get it up and running again soon. Note to self--backup computer every week rather than every month or every other month or whatever you were doing!

Anywho, here are some fabulous books I've had the priveldge of reading lately. Take a look and let me know what you think!

The 13th Reality: The Blade of Shattered Hope
James Dashner

I have been looking forward to this book for awhile. This series has just been a really fun read. I love how Dashner is able to take characters, put them through the ringer, have them learn, grow and succeed in the task all while having fun in the process, sort of. I’m not sure running for your life and facing monsters is considered fun but it sure does move the story along! The story is wonderful especially the cliff hanger ending. My mind is reeling in all the possibilities to come. I highly recommend it and am ready for the next one right now. Too bad I have to wait for a year!

The Golden Spiral
Jerry Borrowman
I love historical fiction. The only issue I have is you get so attached to the characters that when one of them dies it’s like losing a real friend. These WWI and WWII novels are incredible. The characters are great and I feel like they did become my friends. I lived through the horror and tragedy of war with them as well as the wonderful things in life that happened. Borrowman has done a fabulous job of intertwining these characters into the war so the reader knows what is happening on all fronts. It is a wonderful set of books and I’m excited to read the next two.

Enchantment
Orson Scott Card

This is a fun fantasy with a different approach to Sleeping Beauty. I enjoyed all the locations and the world that was created along with the modern day time that was used. It was fun to see what it would be like to be thrown into another world and how different people react in different ways. Card took Sleeping Beauty and made it his own with this book. There is a scene with marital relations in it, but everything else was very clean.

Anna of Byzantium
Tracy Barrett

My sister-in-law recommended this book and I really enjoyed it. At first I wasn’t sure what was going on. It would have helped to read the author’s note in the back of book first, but once I had things straight in my head it was interesting. I liked what I was able to learn about an era that doesn’t have a lot of written word. It’s amazing how corrupt people in power can be and how much damage can be caused because of jealousy and hatred. This book is a good historical read.

Blue Moon The Immortial Series
Alyson Noel

I still really like this story and concept of immortals that Noel is working with. The characters are wonderful, the idea creative, the storyline fantastic and I’m very intrigued with the twist presented at the end of it. Still, I wish there wasn’t so much alluding to sexual relationships. I know that’s what is popular today but I can’t put this book on my “to buy” list because of how much is in there. Some people I know disagree with me on that, but that’s OK. If you are OK with that content this is a fabulous series. I will keep reading it, I just won’t buy it.