Synopses & Reviews
Four days before Christmas 1943, a badly damaged American bomber struggled to fly over wartime Germany. At its controls was a 21-year-old pilot. Half his crew lay wounded or dead. It was their first mission. Suddenly, a sleek, dark shape pulled up on the bomberandrsquo;s tailandmdash;a German Messerschmitt fighter. Worse, the German pilot was an ace, a man able to destroy the American bomber in the squeeze of a trigger. What happened next would defy imagination and later be called the most incredible encounter between enemies in World War II.and#160;This is the true story of the two pilots whose lives collided in the skies that dayandmdash;the Americanandmdash;2nd Lieutenant Charlie Brown, a former farm boy from West Virginia who came to captain a B-17andmdash;and the Germanandmdash;2nd Lieutenant Franz Stigler, a former airline pilot from Bavaria who sought to avoid fighting in World War II.and#160;A Higher Call follows both Charlie and Franzandrsquo;s harrowing missions. Charlie would face takeoffs in English fog over the flaming wreckage of his buddiesandrsquo; planes, flak bursts so close they would light his cockpit, and packs of enemy fighters that would circle his plane like sharks. Franz would face sandstorms in the desert, a crash alone at sea, and the spectacle of 1,000 bombers each with eleven guns, waiting for his attack.and#160;Ultimately, Charlie and Franz would stare across the frozen skies at one another. What happened between them, the American 8th Air Force would later classify as andldquo;top secret.andrdquo; It was an act that Franz could never mention or else face a firing squad. It was the encounter that would haunt both Charlie and Franz for forty years until, as old men, they would search for one another, a last mission that could change their lives forever.and#160;
Review
“Excellent.…Anyone who has read
Band of Brothers will want to read this.”
—ARMY Magazine
“A great job…extremely readable.”—The Topeka Capital-Journal
“[A] straightforward study of the best sort of small-unit leader.”—Publishers Weekly
Review
"A top-notch narrative of the unlikely encounter between one of Germanyand#8217;s leading fighter aces, Franz Stigler, and the rookie crew of an American bomber in the frigid skies of Germany in December 1943...Based on thousands of hours of interviews and an evident knowledge of his subject, Makos details the frantic life of the German fighter pilots living on the edge, and the American bomber crews, far from home, fighting to survive...A riveting story of humanity and mercy set against the ghastly backdrop of war."and#8212;
Publishers Weekly
and#8220;This book grips you like a movie.and#160;It's part Topand#160;Gun, part Valkyrie, and more!and#8221;and#8212;Marcus Brotherton, author of the New Yorkand#160;Times bestseller, We Who Are Alive and Remain
and#8220;It is often said that and#8216;war is helland#8217;and#8212;and it isand#8212;however, this story reveals how the human spirit can shine in the darkest hours. A Higher Call is an eye-opener.and#8221;and#8212;Colonel Charles McGee, Tuskegee Airman, WWII and#160; and#8220;and#8216;Can good men be found on both sides of a bad war?and#8217; The author asks the question and delivers the answer. A powerful,and#160;haunting read.and#8221;and#8212;Chuck Tatum, author of Red Blood, Black Sand and#160; and#8220;A Higher Call exemplifies beautifully the brotherhood of warriors, and will forever change how you look at World War II.and#8221;and#8212;Eric Blehm, author of the New York Times bestseller, Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown and#160; and#8220;From the horrors of the most savage war in history emerges this beautiful story of a brotherhood between enemies. Simply told, splendid, and well worth the read.and#8221;and#8212;Joe Galloway, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller, We Were Soldiers, Onceand#8230;and Young
Review
"A top-notch narrative of the unlikely encounter between one of Germanyand#8217;s leading fighter aces, Franz Stigler, and the rookie crew of an American bomber in the frigid skies of Germany in December 1943...Based on thousands of hours of interviews and an evident knowledge of his subject, Makos details the frantic life of the German fighter pilots living on the edge, and the American bomber crews, far from home, fighting to survive...A riveting story of humanity and mercy set against the ghastly backdrop of war."and#8212;
Publishers Weekly
and#8220;This book grips you like a movie.and#160;It's part Topand#160;Gun, part Valkyrie, and more!and#8221;and#8212;Marcus Brotherton, author of the New Yorkand#160;Times bestseller, We Who Are Alive and Remain
and#8220;It is often said that and#8216;war is helland#8217;and#8212;and it isand#8212;however, this story reveals how the human spirit can shine in the darkest hours. A Higher Call is an eye-opener.and#8221;and#8212;Colonel Charles McGee, Tuskegee Airman, WWII and#160; and#8220;and#8216;Can good men be found on both sides of a bad war?and#8217; The author asks the question and delivers the answer. A powerful,and#160;haunting read.and#8221;and#8212;Chuck Tatum, author of Red Blood, Black Sand and#160; and#8220;A Higher Call exemplifies beautifully the brotherhood of warriors, and will forever change how you look at World War II.and#8221;and#8212;Eric Blehm, author of the New York Times bestseller, Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown and#160; and#8220;From the horrors of the most savage war in history emerges this beautiful story of a brotherhood between enemies. Simply told, splendid, and well worth the read.and#8221;and#8212;Joe Galloway, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller, We Were Soldiers, Onceand#8230;and Young
Review
Praise for Larry Alexander's A Higher Call
and#8220;From the horrors of the most savage war in history emerges this beautiful story of a brotherhood between enemies. Simply told, splendid and well worth the read.and#8221;and#8212;Joe Galloway, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young
and#8220;This book grips you like a movie. Itand#8217;s part Top Gun, part Valkyrie, and more!and#8221;and#8212;Marcus Brotherton, author of the New York Times bestseller We Who Are Alive and Remain
and#8220;It is often said that and#8216;war is hell,and#8217; and it isand#8212;however, this story reveals how the human spirit can shine in the darkest hours. A Higher Call is an eye-opener.and#8221;and#8212;Colonel Charles McGee, Tuskegee Airman, WWII
Review
"Whitey Groft was there, and it shows in every line of
Bloody Ridge and Beyond: A WWII Marineand#8217;s Memoir of Edsonand#8217;s Raiders in the Pacific. Written with acclaimed war historian (and
New York Times bestselling coauthor of
A Higher Call) Larry Alexander, this account of the fight for Tulagi, of the hellish night-fighting defense of Bloody Ridge on Guadalcanal and afterward reads like an American Iliadand#8212;epic yet excruciatingly personal, riveting, and authentic in every detail."and#8212;Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of
Gates of Fire and The Lionand#8217;s Gate
"If you want a story of courage in the face of fear, intense fighting despite overwhelming odds, and brotherhood in the midst of horrific warfare, then this book is for you. Whitey Groft went through what no man should ever need to endure. He recounts his story with grit and poignancy, and he pulls no punches in describing the horror he encountered during WWII. This book is unflinching, descriptive, and comprehensive. A must-read."and#8212;Marcus Brotherton, author of Shiftyand#8217;s War
"In a world obsessed with comic book heroes, we forget that real supermen once hacked through jungles, paddled through swamps, and fought eyeball to eyeball for our freedom. They were called and#8220;Marine Raiders,and#8221; and Marlin Groft was one of them. Vivid and powerful, his story leaves you reaching to tip your cap."and#8212;Adam Makos, New York Times bestselling author of A Higher Call
Synopsis
The true story of the man who became the inspiration for the hit HBO mini-series, Band of Brothers. Includes photographs.
Synopsis
In every band of brothers, there is always one who looks out for the rest.
A soldier. A leader. A living testament to the valor of the human spirit. Major Richard D. Winters finally shares his amazing story.
They were the Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Army Airborne, the legendary fighting unit of World War II. And there was one man every soldier in Easy Company looked up to-Major Richard D. Winters.
Here, for the first time, is the compelling story of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary hero-from Winters's childhood in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, through the war years in which his natural skill as a leader elevated him through the ranks in combat, to now, decades later, when he may finally be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day.
Full of never-before-seen photographs and the insight that family, friends, fellow veterans of Easy Company-and only Winters himself-could provide, Biggest Brother is the inspiring life story of a man who became a living testament to the valor of the human spirit-and America.
Synopsis
In every band of brothers, there is always one who looks out for the others.…
They were Easy Company, 101st Army Airborne—the World War II fighting unit legendary for their bravery against nearly insurmountable odds and their loyalty to one another in the face of death. Every soldier in this band of brothers looked to one man for leadership, devotion to duty, and the embodiment of courage: Major Dick Winters.
This is the riveting story of an ordinary man who became an extraordinary hero. After he enlisted in the army’s arduous new Airborne division, Winters’s natural combat leadership helped him rise through the ranks, but he was never far from his men. Decades later, Stephen E. Ambrose’s Band of Brothers made him famous around the world.
Full of never-before-published photographs, interviews, and Winters’s candid insights, Biggest Brother is the fascinating, inspirational story of a man who became a soldier, a leader, and a living testament to the valor of the human spirit—and of America.
Synopsis
By a veteran of Lt. Col. Merritt A. Edson's battalion, and author of the Dick Winters biographyand#160;Biggest Brother and coauthor of A Higher Call
On the killing ground that was the island of Guadalcanal, a 2,000-yard-long ridge rose from the jungle canopy. Behind it lay the all-important air base of Henderson Field. And if Henderson Field fell, it would mean the almost certain death or capture of all 12,500 marines on the island . . .
But the marines positioned on the ridge were no normal fighters. They were tough, hard-fighting men of the Edsonand#8217;s Raiders; an elite fighting unit within an already elite U.S. Marine Corps. Handpicked for their toughness, and submitted to a rigorous training program to weed out those less fit, they were the Marine Corpsand#8217;s best of the best.
For two hellish nights in September 1942, about 840 United States Marinesand#151;commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Austin and#147;Red Mikeand#8221; Edsonand#151;fought one of the most pivotal battles of World War II in the Pacific, clinging desperately to their position on what would soon be known as Bloody Ridge.
Wave after wave of attacking Japanese soldiers were repelled by the Raiders, who knew that defeat and retreat were simply not possible options. But in the end, the defenders had prevailed against the odds.
Bloody Ridge and Beyond is the story of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, which showed courage and valor in the face of overwhelming numbers, as told by Marlin Groft, a man who was a member of this incredible fighting force.
About the Author
Marlin F. Groft was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1939 to 1941, and then became a silk-screen printer in a textile factory. He joined the U.S. Marines after Pearl Harbor and, following boot camp, he volunteered for the 1st Marine Raider Battalion under Lt. Col. Merritt A. Edson, and served with that unit until its dissolution. Assigned to the 29th Marine Regiment of the newly formed 6th Marine Division, he served beyond the end of the war, seeing duty in China until the end of 1945. Groft and his wife, Vivian, live in a Lancaster County retirement community.
Larry Alexander is the author of the New York Times bestselling biography Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers and the coauthor (with Adam Makos) of A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II, another New York Times bestseller. He is also the author of Shadows in the Jungle: The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines in World War II and In the Footsteps of the Band of Brothers: A Return to Easy Companyand#8217;s Battlefields with Sgt. Forrest Guth. Alexander has been a journalist and columnist for Lancaster newspapers in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for nearly twenty years and has won numerous state-level awards for excellence in journalism.