Rating: 
Summary: With tribute to my father
Review: I was intrigued by a review in my local Sunday paper and so ordered this book online. My dad is a WWII vet who hasn't spoken much about his experiences. At the point in the book of the D-Day invasion of Iwo Jima, my reading brought back the visual reminiscences of Saving Private Ryan - the terrible reality of the violence of war. My dad and I were in his and my mom's garden where he was earnestly uprooting a tree stump when I told him about the book I was reading. "I was there", he said, very simply. I am 44 years old and one of 9 children of this vet who has been married for 50 years to the same woman and this was the first time that I'd ever ventured into this mysterious territory of my dad's war experiences. All I can say is that this book has been catalyst to my questions for my dad about a monumental period in his and this nation's life. I saw his tears in the garden that day.
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing and Beatiful
Review: Wow. What a book. I can't fathom what the Marines went through in the Pacific Theater, but this book helps me to understand it better than I ever thought I would - and I believe I now understand it as well as I ever care to. I don't think I have the mettle to face what these men faced, and my respect and thankfulness for their sacrifice is now with me forever. Thanks, Mr. Bradley.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful tribute to a father and all Marines !
Review: I knew very little about the circumstances surrounding Iwo Jima before reading this book. James Bradley did a great job detailing the events and men involved. I have never read a War book that got you so involved with the characters of the story.. the servicemen. It makes you want to cry with the men.. hurt for them, knowing what extreme physical and emotional situations they were in, but yet they carried on, fulfilling their mission and duty. I have nothing but respect for the Marines and other Servicemen that serve for our country. Altho I enjoy reading War type books, this book really should be read by all.. and not even classified as a War book. Every highschool in the US should have this on a must read book list. Only when one realizes how those before us had to fight for our country, can one truly understand and appreciate our freedom. This book will captivate your attention and leave you with the understanding of why all Servicemen and Veterans deserve our respect. Good Job Mr. Bradley. Thank you for sharing the Iwo Jima story with us.
Rating:
Summary: Flags Of Our Fathers
Review: This book caught my eye as a review in my home town newspaper, especially since it was written by the son of one of the flagraisers at Iwo Jima. Once I started the book, I could not leave it alone. The facts and research that James did must have been phenominal. He did teach me alot of factual information about this event, and for that I am very grateful. He gives you the feelings and emotions of the men who fought, and in some cases died while showing the comradship and care the men had for each other's welfare during battle. It was as vivid as the movie "Private Ryan", but in this instance centered on the bloodiest battle of WWII, which was Iwo Jima in the Pacific theater. This was a very emotional read for me. I have been to see the bronze located at Arlington, and now, thanks to James Bradley, I know each of the men and the sacrifices they made for each of us so we could live in freedom. This is probably the best book I've ever read, and I hope this encourages others to read it too.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ - 1 OF TOP 2 BOOKS I'VE READ IN PAST 2 YRS
Review: My dad was in Okinawa and never talked about it. I now have a better perspective on the Pacific War - their courage, the Japanese mentality, team work, duty, slaughter, freedom. I've recommended this book to all my friends. You'll choke up during the battle scenes. James Bradley, please write another book - you've done our country a service. I must recommend the book to Rush so he can discuss it.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: As a teacher of American History, I cannot begin to explain how much of an impact this book made on me. What Saving Private Ryan did to help my students understand the fighting that went on in the European Theatre, Flags of our Fathers will help explain the lives and battles US soldiers endured during WWII in the Pacific. Their is an OUTSTANDING chapter on how the war developed in the Pacific, Japan's "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere", the Japanese soldier's willingness to fight to the death and die honorably, and the brutal treatment of not only US soldiers but also civilians (Rape of Nanking, etc). Bradley does an excellent job of summarizing the lives of those men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima and discusses how important that battle was in ending the war. Thank goodness Truman dropped the bombs because it would have been a slaughter if the Allied invasion of Japan had actually taken place. This is a must read for any Red-Blooded American.
Rating:
Summary: A Must read for every Marine
Review: This book should be a must-read for every Marine who walks through the gates of Paris Island. There is more history about the Corps in this book than most of the "war" books about the Marine Corps on the shelfs of your library. This book really explains the "simper fi" attitude that Marines carry through their life. If you are a Marine, you will experience the "why" you feel like you do about the Corps. You will learn, cry and feel proud to be a part of the few, the proud. Semper Fi even sounds more important.
Rating:
Summary: Fathers
Review: If you ever want to truly understand what makes the WWII generation think and act the way they do, this book is a must read. Hurry and read this if your Dad is a WWII vet.......better yet, what a great Fathers Day gift to create a special moment between you and your WWII father!
Rating:
Summary: Haunting, Thought-Provoking, Graphic, Poignant
Review: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS is a brilliant work for so many reasons: it pays homage to the six men who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima during WWII; it is a tribute to a father who felt strongly that the real heroes at Iwo were the boys who didn't come back; it is a testimonial to the USMC and its fighting men; it portrays a graphic and at times unimaginable description of the horrors of war; and, it depicts not only the indignities that we humans can suffer upon one another, but also the moments when common men (indeed, boys) are moved to perform acts of uncommon valor and courage. When reading this book, you will feel pride, grief, anger, sadness, and dismay. Its words will make you laugh, cry, mourn, and think hard. FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS is a good book---no, a great book---about a moment in our history and the ordinary men who performed extraordinary deeds and left their mark upon the annals of war. Read it...for the sake of the six flagraisers, the families left behind in all wars, and the whole human race.
Rating:
Summary: Flags of Our Fathers
Review: This is one of the most gripping books about men at war that I have ever read. I knew James Bradley several years back and if you read this, Jim, I offer my most sincere congratulations.
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