Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

That is the number of publishers that said no to publishing one of the better works I have read. This book (as I write) has been available for 4 days, is number 8 on Amazon, and has nothing but 5 star reviews. These men often did not get the respect they deserved once those with an interest in them finish using them for War-Bond drives, or as publicity for a movie. Per Oxford, hill-billy is a derogative term comparable to hick. So not only is one of the commercial reviews above offensive, the writer cannot spell. There are no definitions that are remotely positive. Ira Hamilton Hayes was a member of the Pimwa Tribe, or perhaps a Native American Pimwa. To sum up his life as, "an Arizona Indian who would die in an alcohol-soaked brawl" is offensive, obnoxious, and a fact the Author would not leap to, so how a person who "read" the book could state that is remarkable. The misnomer "Indian" came about from a sailor who was not the first to reach this continent, and when he did he was so lost he called the people he found "Indians". It's the 21st century, can we start demonstrating basic respect? Especially for those who either did or were willing to lay down their lives for those of us writing these reviews, and reading their stories? This is not being politically correct, it's about respect. After you read the stories of these men, you, like I would follow; United States Marine Franklin Sousley of Kentucky, or United States Marine Ira Hamilton Hayes where they dared to go and know you were being led by the best. Iwo Jima killed Mr. Hayes, he died later in Arizona. Mr. Hayes hitchhiked 2600 miles so a Mother knew she was right, he went even when the government didn't want to bother making the correction because it was "too late", and he was told to drop it. PLEASE do not pass this book by because you believe it is a "War Story". This is a tribute to a Father, a group of six men of which he was a part, as well as the tens of thousands who served in the Pacific Theater. This is a tribute to The United States Marine Corps, which is the branch of the service that this book focuses upon. Who will enjoy this, if any of the following appeals or applies to you buy the book. 1. "The Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw 2. "The Greatest Generation Speaks" by Tom Brokaw 3. "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt, I'm very serious, as this book starts with the primary subjects of this book as very young children. And to say some of their childhoods were hard would be an understatement. One of the men was an immigrant who was not required to serve, and two others were not required to either. 4. If true stories about the human spirit interest you, what it can endure, what it can give, and what an individual will sacrifice for another, you will love this book. 5. If you like anything written by Stephen Ambrose, Martin Gilbert, Ron Chernow, or Amanda Foreman order this now. These authors profiled a wide range of people, from Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, James Rockefeller, and The Duchess Of Devonshire. They all brought their subjects to life in the present, as you were reading. This book is primarily about the six men who raised the second flag on Iwo Jima. But to confine this to the category of a "War" book is not only a disservice it's wrong. This is a book about Mothers, one of who maintained against the world the identity of her son. She had changed "too many diapers" to not know whom her boy was. The man who hitchhiked 2600 miles so that Mother knew she was correct and then did what was necessary so it was recorded accurately for History. A wife who fought the government when she was told her husband, who was one of the six men, did not qualify for burial in The Arlington National Cemetery. Guess who won that argument? The Author James Bradley could have written a book only in tribute to his Father, he did not, and if he had his Father would not have been happy. And that for me was the key to this majestic tale. This was not just about a man, six men, or The United States Marine Corps. This was about what thousands upon thousands did not for themselves but for each other. This is about the Families that raised the individuals you will see in their First Communion photograph, who became exceptional individuals, leaders, and above all team members. The battle for Iwo Jima is nearly beyond imagining. I found myself reading and then reading again the statistics, as they are overwhelming. If you have read about the invasion of Normandy, or watched the Movie "Saving Private Ryan", the comparisons with Iwo Jima will startle you. If the issue regarding the decision to use Atomic weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki is still a question in your mind, I believe this book will put an end to that debate. This book is deserving of a very wide audience, I certainly hope people embrace it. "Many people go through life wondering if they have made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem" President Ronald Reagan.