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There have been many books written
about World War II; however, few describe the frightful experiences
of the inexperienced teenage combatants. "The Young Draftee" is an
intimate accounting of what it was like to be a teenage draftee just
out of high school and sent to the South Pacific to fight the
Japanese.
Induced by the discovery of a box of
approximately a hundred old, faded wartime photographs, author Monte
Howell decided to put down on paper his personal experiences of the
horrors of war. However, as he states, the war he encountered was
"beyond being called a brutal, savage war or some other words which
can explain what these men went through."
"The terrain, climate and disease those
men had to fight besides the enemy was unbearable. The war in the
South Pacific was a war without mercy."
The unknown was always the frightening
component of the war. From basic training to the actual deployment
in the theatre of action, we are apprised of the awful fear that was
always prevalent. Never knowing where you would be stationed. What
to expect once you arrived at your destination? Who would die and
would survive? These queries were always foremost in the minds of
the soldier.
Howell does not hold back in his
disdain for Gen. Douglas McArthur, whom he described as old, vain
and egotistical. In fact he even recounts an incident where McArthur
and his staff delayed the evacuation of some seriously wounded men
in order that the general could have his picture taken while
performing an inspection at the front lines. Unfortunately, with
this four-hour delay, two of the wounded men had died while lying in
the hot sun. The author goes on to say that McArthur had made some
very bad decisions which caused the death of many Americans;
however, he never shared the blame for these tragedies.
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This is the
kind of a story that is omitted from our history books, and it is
only when we read first-person accounts of the war that we can truly
appreciate the suffering of the soldiers. For many of us who are
unfamiliar with the war in Japan, this book will serve as an
excellent introduction, devoid of the dry scholarly texts that
perhaps we read as students in high school or college. The author’s
penetrating personal perceptions of the war only confirm to us that
war is about people, and we never seem to learn that no one wins.
[Norman Goldman,
Bookideas.com]
Monte Howell’s new book, "The Young
Draftee," has received outstanding reviews which are now appearing on
the following websites:
http://www.rebeccasreads.com
http://www.indolink.com
http://stonebooks.com
http://thebestreviews.com/review7009
http://www.bookideas.com/reviews
http://www.authorsden.com/authorid=9423
http://www.allreaders.com/topics/info
http://bookreview.com
http://www.bidness.com/pterodactyl/index.html
http://harnikbk.com/readerrev4.htm#monteyoung
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com |
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How should parents react when they
learn that their child is a victim or perpetrator of bullying? In
their new book "Your Child: Bully or Victim?" authors Peter Sheras
and Sherill Tippins help parents learn how to understand and end
schoolyard tyranny.
In the opening chapter, "The Roots of
Aggression," they write that bullying "is not a question of ‘bad
kids verses good kids,’ but a situation in which both children need
help in learning how to channel their emotions and successfully
interact with others." They also discount the belief that children,
when left to themselves, act in aggressive and bullying ways.
In "‘Kids Will Be Kids’ and Other Myths
about Bullying," Sheras and Tippins test your bully IQ and set the
record straight on some popular misconceptions about bullies (it is
untrue that some people are born bullies and nothing can be done
about it). They also refute several myths about how bullying works
(such as, it’s just a phase; they’ll grow out of it) and who becomes
a bully (boys and girls can become bullies).
"Bullying: Who, What, Where, When"
describes the different forms of abuse bullying can take (physical,
verbal, social and sexual) and differentiates between who can become
a bully or a victim.
In the chapters "Is My Child a Victim?"
and "Is My Child a Bully?" parents are alerted to the warning signs
that something is wrong when their child becomes a target or
aggressor. One way to recognize that a child is becoming a bully is
to identify the characteristics that bullies exhibit. Unfortunately
there are other factors that can drive a child towards bullying;
these factors have less to do with the child and more with parental
influence. These influences include a lack of involvement by the
caregiver, permissive attitudes toward abusive behavior, excessive
punishment or outbursts when disciplining children, and using a
parenting style incompatible with the child’s natural temperament.
"When Your Child is a Bystander"
counsels parents on talking with children about bullying, why it’s
important to act when being bullied, and how to stop bullying at
school, in the neighborhood or in the child’s world.
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"Empowering Your Child" gives parents
the tools necessary to work with their child to help them determine
whether they have been a victim of bullying. The parent should
ascertain exactly what happened, how the child can handle the
situation, the child’s response, determine if the response worked
and decide when the parent should intercede in the matter.
If you believe your child may be the
aggressor, you should help the child explore their feelings,
discover what makes them angry, learn how their behavior affects
other children and decide what to do when they get angry.
In "Teamwork: Talking with Bullies and
Their Parents" the authors help parents identify the problem within
a child bully, how to talk to the bully, solving the problem
together as a family and what to do when talking doesn’t work.
The book’s final chapters discuss how
schools can intervene and help parents solve a bullying or victim
problem, when it’s time to seek help from the community (such as the
police) or a professional (therapy, counseling, etc.), and how
parents can address the problem themselves (through self awareness,
empathy, communication and flexibility).
"Your Child: Bully Or Victim" is an
essential source of information for every parent. The book has a
wealth of resource materials and contains a suggested reading list
for parents and children, several websites devoted to bullying
issues, and support organizations and hotlines.
Adele Faber, co-author of the book "How
To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk," writes that
Sheras and Tippins’ book is "A rich resource for parents and
educators determined to end bullying behavior … Filled with fresh
insights and practical suggestions for civilizing the bully and
empowering the victim."
This book is
recommended for all parents, especially those who are concerned
about their child becoming a bully or a victim of bullying.
[Richard Sumrall, Lincoln
Public Library District] |
