Thirteen Soldiers

October 6, 2014
Senator McCain and staffer Salter (Hard Call: Great Decisions and the People Who Made Them) deliver inspirational accounts of 13 Americans who fought in various wars. Their introduction, lauding soldiers “who went to war for our country, who risked their lives and suffered, and should not be forgotten,” will warn readers what to expect. Among the choices are Joseph Martin, who wrote a Revolutionary War memoir long beloved by historians, and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., who barely survived the U.S. Civil War. The authors make an attempt at diversity, choosing two black representatives: Charles Black, a sailor in the War of 1812, and Edward Baker, a buffalo soldier cavalryman who fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Mary Rhoads, one of two women included, survived a catastrophic Scud missile strike during the 1991 Gulf War, while Monica Lin Brown, a medic, earned a Silver Star in Afghanistan. Incidents of racism and sexism are highlighted as they emerge in the narrative. Each chapter includes an overview of the relevant war to contextualize the soldier’s story. “War is wretched beyond description,” but McCain and Salter aptly reveal humanizing moments in such theaters of cruelty. Agent: Philippa Brophy, Sterling Lord Literistic.

November 1, 2014

In their sixth collaborative work, coauthors McCain and Salter (Faith of My Fathers) profile 13 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines; each from one of the 13 major conflicts in which the United States has been involved. Stories depict some aspect of wartime and combat experience, and the wide variety of characters involved makes for many fascinating accounts. Some of the subjects will be familiar to readers--Joseph Plumb Martin and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., for example. Others are not as well known, including George Roberts, an African American gunner on a War of 1812 privateer, and Mary Rhoads, an army soldier during the Gulf War. Chapters have similar structure and provide a brief introductory biography followed by descriptions of major events in that person's tale. The bulk of each section contains the history of the featured individual's engagements, pleasantly interwoven with their personal experiences. The text as a whole offers insights into life during battle; however, it comes across as a bit disjointed, seeming more a compilation of minibiographies than a work with an overriding theme. VERDICT Casual readers interested in a wide sampling of U.S. military history should enjoy this book. [See Prepub Alert, 6/2/14.]--Matthew Wayman, Pennsylvania State Univ. Lib., Schuylkill Haven

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