Rating: 
Summary: "The Wrong Stuff" is definetely "The Right Stuff"
Review: "As a publisher of aviation art I have to extensivelyresearch my subjects which means reading almost every book on WW2 thatis available. Some good and some not so good. Many written in co-operation with a professional writer and although having an interesting story to tell, aimed mainly at the experienced and knowledgeable reader. Very, very occasionally one finds a literary jewel and a treat lies in store. "THE WRONG STUFF" by Truman J.Smith is one such. You don^Rt have to know what a B17 is or be interested in the Air War in Europe to read this book. This is an incredibly moving human story, told with great eloquence and humor, of a young man, twenty years old, thrown in at the deep end of a murderous war who, fifty years later, has the incredible gift of being able to pass on to the rest of us the feeling of "being there." And so we can all experience as never before the hardships on the ground and pre-mission nerves, the terrors unfolding all around at 25,000 feet watching new found friends hurtling to their deaths and knowing that the next shell could have your name on it. Relaxing on leave in London, laughing and searching for any diversions to pass the time until the next mission. They had to cram a lifetime's experiences into a few months because for tens of thousands of them there was no future. I have tried but find it difficult to compare it with anything. This book made me laugh and brought a lump to my throat. It is just the best book dealing with the air war that I have ever read and should be required reading in schools so that the younger generation can appreciate the debt they owe to Truman J. Smith and his like.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and Informative
Review: "The Wrong Stuff" by Truman Smith is a memoir by a former copilot on a B-17 in the US 8th Air Force. Mr. Smith blazes his own trails in this book. He doesn't pull any punches about some of the screw-ups made during the war that cost lives, or about his own thoughts about the fact that every man involved in the war is killing other human beings. The only way to beat a bad enemy is to be worse. Smith's tale is at times hilarious, at times tragic, but always entertaining. He tells it in a breezy, easy-to-read style with plenty of wry comments thrown in. Not only are the air battle scenes well-written, but accounts of his experiences at the air base in England, of his trips to London where his youth and inexperience hamper his attempts at finding girls, and of his visit to the 'Flak Farm' where he is sent to recuperate from the stress of wondering whether or not he'll survive the next mission. I thouroughly enjoyed this book. As a historian and author who is researching two books on the 8th AF in WWII, I found this book really went a long ways toward explaining not only the horrors of war in the air but how the war affected the young men who fought that air war. I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and Informative
Review: "The Wrong Stuff" by Truman Smith is a memoir by a former copilot on a B-17 in the US 8th Air Force. Mr. Smith blazes his own trails in this book. He doesn't pull any punches about some of the screw-ups made during the war that cost lives, or about his own thoughts about the fact that every man involved in the war is killing other human beings. The only way to beat a bad enemy is to be worse. Smith's tale is at times hilarious, at times tragic, but always entertaining. He tells it in a breezy, easy-to-read style with plenty of wry comments thrown in. Not only are the air battle scenes well-written, but accounts of his experiences at the air base in England, of his trips to London where his youth and inexperience hamper his attempts at finding girls, and of his visit to the 'Flak Farm' where he is sent to recuperate from the stress of wondering whether or not he'll survive the next mission. I thouroughly enjoyed this book. As a historian and author who is researching two books on the 8th AF in WWII, I found this book really went a long ways toward explaining not only the horrors of war in the air but how the war affected the young men who fought that air war. I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Young men at war
Review: I found the book fascinating - and I'm sure that anyone interested in WWII aviation will appreciate the fresh and vivid scenes described by the author. The reader is given real insight into the feelings and experiences of a young man thrust into vicious combat. It is certainly an honest account - the author pulls no punches in describing his fears and immaturity at the time. On the negative, I found his writing style rather off-putting with a super-abundance of capitalisation and italicisation. Nevertheless, I regard the book as a valuable addition to my library.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Written - I Was There
Review: LtCol USAF, Retired. Flew combat as Commander of B-17 Aircraft in World War II. An Air Force friend sent me a copy of the WRONG STUFF. From the opening page, this book took me back to those war years, and kept me totally absorbed. It hit me like "a ton of bricks" when I discovered that Truman, and I, flew with the same 8th Air Force Group in England. Upon reading Truman's Chapter 5, aptly titled "THE WORST," I discovered for the first time how I lost my plane and crew, while participating on a bombing mission to Berlin, Germany, on April 29, 1944. His vivid description of that raid kept me mesmerized, and it would take a great deal of writing for me to express the large number of superlatives this book deserves. Chapter 5 is a book within a book. Only 6 ships of 30 in our group returned to home base, while the entire 8th AF lost 63 bombers on that raid alone. I thank God that my friend placed THE WRONG STUFF in my hands, for it enabled me to learn the details of the largest air battle in history. I was unable, for the most part, to view the battle, since I was fully engaged in formation flight. Truman was flying copilot in the highest of our 30 ship formation, and had an unobstructed view of all enemy aircraft, and the raging air battles. It is difficult to imagine such a frightening experience for Truman, a 20 year old copilot, as he peered out the right window of his aircraft, and spotted some 200 enemy aircraft, like a hive of bees, ready to swarm on our hapless group of 30 bombers, which had been carelessly led from the bomber stream. Somehow True survived, complete his tour of 35 missions, and luckily for us, remembered, in detail, the ingredients of this great book. Truman describes aerial combat with excellence. His accounts of the fears and horrors in WW II aerial combat, is laced with a priceless sense of humor. He keeps the reader on the flight deck with him during each of his 35 missions, and one can almost feel the thrills - and horror - of the air battles. He provides us with some of his pleasure jaunts to London, elsewhere in England, and on the Continent as well. His description of those experiences offers a change of pace that is relaxing, enjoyable, and sprinkled with humor. I found it difficult to lay the book aside, as did my wife, and other members of my family. THE WRONG STUFF has understandably been selected as required reading this fall in The U.S. Air Force Academy History Class.
Rating:
Summary: He captures it all.
Review: One of the few things more exciting than reading Truman's book is meeting Truman himself. Yes there is a Ponca City and yes he does live there. As a veteran of our "conflict" in Viet Nam I had experienced many of the same emotions found in the book. I especially appreciated his discussions on the guilt of surving and of not doing enough. If you get a chance read the book, you won't be sorry. If you have been to war or thought about war you owe it to yourself to read this book. Thanks Mike, for introducing me to Truman, and thanks Truman, for writing the book.
Rating:
Summary: He captures it all.
Review: One of the few things more exciting than reading Truman's book is meeting Truman himself. Yes there is a Ponca City and yes he does live there. As a veteran of our "conflict" in Viet Nam I had experienced many of the same emotions found in the book. I especially appreciated his discussions on the guilt of surving and of not doing enough. If you get a chance read the book, you won't be sorry. If you have been to war or thought about war you owe it to yourself to read this book. Thanks Mike, for introducing me to Truman, and thanks Truman, for writing the book.
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Summary: Great News from the Publisher
Review: The Wrong Stuff by Truman Smith has just been selected by the US Air Force Academy as required reading for all incoming freshmen starting in Fall 2000. We are very excited about this news and hope this will become a tradition year after year. Byron Kennedy Southern Heritage Press
Rating: 
Summary: like it was yesterday
Review: this book takes you with the pilot to bombing flights over europe, back to base, and back to france/germany, 35 times. it's a good book, full of detail (how does the author remembers all that small stuff, from 50 years ago?), and a casual, fun read. why isnt there a movie??? there's a lot of good material here! the "worst" part, the 200 enemy planes battle, should not be left un-movied!...hehe. itai.
Rating:
Summary: A Fascinating True Tale
Review: This is the amazing - but true - story of a young man facing the daily agony of probable death. It is a wonderfully well written account of the fear and anguish, yet also the humor and comradeship, of a band of young men being asked to take on incredible odds. It's a tale that could be read with interest in any age. But it is also a terrific insight into the world of 1944, when it was not at all clear that the United States was going to survive it's greatest challenge to date. I recommend it to the attention of any 20-year-old today - and to anyone else who can remember what it was like to be 20. A superb read.
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