Have you ever written a book review?

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hessler Sickles review--Great Opening Line

Midwest Book Review doesn't review every book it receives. And, depending upon the reviewer, the reviews can on occasion appear hasty and based upon the dust jacket. Still, they are always welcome.

This line from a recent review of Jim Hessler's outstanding (and award winning) Sickles at Gettysburg struck my eye:

"No one in the Civil War was a saint, but some were further from sainthood than others."

OK, someone was drinking their coffee that morning and hitting on all cylinders.

It concludes with, "Sickles at Gettysburg is not a read to be missed."

We agree. Hence the Bachelder-Coddinton Award for the best book on Gettysburg in 2009--and a selection by the History and Military Book Clubs.

This book is new in paperback (although we might have a dozen or so first edition hardcovers left with signed book plates--best pick one up if you want a book that will be a collector's item).

Congrats, Jim.

--tps

Friday, July 16, 2010

Gunny Pop Discusses "The Cartoon" and Meets PINCH on Fox's Red Eye

I love watching and listening to Greg Gutfeld, the quirky and extremely sharp host of Fox's Red Eye.

Like a decent cigar or aged Scotch, he is an acquired taste, but once you "get it," you . . . get it. And you like it.

Click HERE to see Greg interview Nick "Gunny Pop" Popaditch the other night about "The Cartoon" that appeared in the Imperial Valley Times, and much more.

Click HERE to see a creative alternative view of "The Cartoon" by one of the readers:

Stick around to the end, and you get to see PINCH, a talking newspaper spoof of Pinch Sulzberger of the New York Times. It is hilarious--especially when the talking newspaper asks Nick, "Can we take a look at your eye for the science section."

Off mike after the show, Greg invited Nick for the entire hour as an in-studio guest/commentator, and since Nick and I both have business in new York and Washington D.C., it looks like we will be flying out to NYC and DC for a week in August.

Spending time with Gunny is always enjoyable. But . . . DC in August? With a former drill instructor? Let me rethink that . . .

--tps

Nice Interview with Tom Clemens, Editor of Carman's The Maryland Campaign


Click here to read an in-depth interview with Dr. Clemens, especially if you enjoy learning about the Maryland Campaign. Well worth five minutes.

Thanks Harry.

--tps

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Newspaper Apologies, Filner Finally Condemns . . . and the Story Grows

Yesterday, I wrote a post about how The Imperial Valley News seemed to openly mock a veteran's war wounds through a cartoon, now known as The Cartoon. At least that was the opinion of nearly everyone who has viewed the cartoon. The carton was about one of our authors (and now my good friend Nick Popaditch, Once a Marine).

The news spread like wildfire, from the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Tribune, San Diego TV, National Review, Mick Huckabee, Michelle Malkin, Editor & Publisher Magazine, Redstate, and about 100 other sites. My Google alerts were coming in every few minutes. They are still coming in as I write.

Nick was inundated with radio and media requests, the editor of the paper called him to apologize and has now published the apology, and after stalling and hemming and hawing and telling callers he had "No comment" [NO COMMENT?], Congressman Bob Filner (who Nick is running against for a Congressional seat) finally found his cahones and condemned the newspaper for publishing a denigrating cartoon of a veteran.


Now there is a bit of back story. Imperial Valley (highest unemployment in the nation, large Hispanic population, agricultural, and suffering) has always been a strong spot for Nick's opponent, incumbent democrat Bob Filner. Nick, however, is Filner's first real challenger--ever. And he is an everyday Joe who served 16 years in the Marine Corps, earned a Silver Star, commanded a tank, and was critically wounded for his country. And people love him. He walks the agricultural fields, sits in the cafes, and goes door-to-door--waging the kind of aggressive "boots on the ground" campaign a Marine would undertake that Filner never has and never could. And Filner is now losing Imperial Valley.

The other night, right before The Cartoon came out, Nick spoke to a large townhall meeting out in the Valley. He invited Filner to attend and "answer questions with him." Filner initially agreed, and then backed out. Nick spoke for hours to hundreds of people, remaining until every single question was answered. He was applauded, congratulated, and the people there had never seen anything like it.

AND THEY LOVE HIM.

And the next day, the newspaper runs The Cartoon.

Are Filner's fingerprints on this? I don't know. We do know that in an earlier fundraising letter, Filner said that Nick has "absolutely no qualifications to hold public office." Now think about that: 16 years in the corps, extensive combat experience, as a gunnery sergeant he organized, executed, handled logistics, and commanded men in life and death situations--and he is not qualified for public office? What an elite snob.

Filner is afraid of Gunny Pop. And he has every reason to be.

If you have not read Nick's book Once a Marine, I respectfully suggest you do so. It will change the way you look at the world and your own life. I guarantee it or I will refund your money.

And if you want to throw a few bucks Nick's way, help him out  by clicking here.

--tps

Monday, July 12, 2010

Media Makes Fun of Wounds suffered by Marine Nick "Gunny Pop" Popaditch

The Imperial Valley Press (El Centro, California), which operates in the 51st Congressional District in California (right on the Mexican border, including part of San Diego), ran the cartoon reproduced here. Uncle Fester? A bald pirate? Drawing and than publishing an editorial cartoon like this is not only beyond contempt and sickening, but it screams out that someone thinks that Nick's campaign is serious, and that he might well derail the reelection of Bob Filner. Nick is the first real challenger Filner has ever faced.

CLICK HERE for a full article on Nick and the cartoon. Feel free to pass it along, and post on your own blog and/or tweet it.

Nick is also the author of Once a Marine: An Iraq War Tank Commander's Inspirational Memoir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery (Savas Beatie, 2008), and the recipient of the Silver Star.


Regardless of your politics, we believe that making fun of veterans who were critically wounded in the service of OUR country, is just wrong.

Arguing ideas and policy is one thing; making fun of the someone's loss of his eyes (yes, Nick lost one completely and 92% of the vision in his remaining eye and he is essentially deaf in his right ear after being hit in the head with a rocket after 36 hours of continuous combat in Fallujah), is simply despicable and demands a retraction.


Please let the The Imperial Valley Press know that you think the same thing.

Editor Brad Jennings: 760-337-3425

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL THE EDITOR

or copy and paste this address: editor@ivpressonline.com

BOB FILNER--WHERE ARE YOU?

We also call upon Bob Filner (D), who sits on the Veterans' Affairs Committee (which includes medical treatment), should immediately demand that that The Imperial Valley Press issue a public retraction and apology to Gunny Pop.

Contact Bob Filner here and let him know:

California Offices:
333 F Street, Suite A
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Phone: (619) 422-5963
Fax: (619) 422-7290

1101 Airport Road, Suite D

Imperial, CA 92251
Phone: (760) 355-8800
Fax: (760) 355-8802

Washington, DC Office:

Bob Filner
2428 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8045
Fax: (202) 225-9073

--tps