I am glad someone had the guts to write this book,I plan to buy extra copies for friends and family.

William Thomas Venner is my social studies teacher, and this is his wonderful book. Now, I'm not one to be totally biased because I know the author. This is a book everyone should read, because they just should. If they didn't read this book, then they'd be missing out. Missing out on what you ask? The book of course.

The book is well-written, easy to follow, and up-to-date. True to its name, this book is a great guide for any current or future officer in the US Navy and does not stray from its intended purpose, which includes providing guidance on customs and courtesies, pay and allowances, duties and responsibilities, and other key subjects relevant to Naval officers. I would give the book five stars if it was a bit thicker and more inclusive (like officer guides from other branches), but this guide is an excellent source of information on important subjects and provides references to other sources of information.

I am not currently a member of the United States Navy, but I do aspire to be one of these days. I want to go to Officer Candidate School, earn my commission, and hopefully embark upon a prosperous Naval career. Of course, I know very little of what is involved in being a Naval officer beyond what I am able to glean from conversations with friends and colleagues who are current or past Naval officers. That is why "The Naval Officer's Guide" is so valuable. It gives a breakdown of all aspects of the life of a Naval officer. It deals with areas like training, promotions, Naval customs, and common job responsibilities, to name a few. That is just the tip of the iceberg, though. There is so much more in this guide that it becomes an indispensable manual for those who wish to learn about what it means to be an officer, as well as being a valuable reference piece for those who are already serving. As I read through this guide, I found myself developing a greater understanding of the Navy and finding myself able to visualize serving as an officer. There can be no greater endorsement of literature like this.

As a former navy officer and writer on navy themes I treasure my copy of The Naval Officer's Guide. It is a handy, up-to-date reference that authoritatively addresses vital aspects of leadership and knowledge in the sea service--even to a glossary of slang expressions and a primer on military law. An excellent research source for anyone interested in the way the real navy operates. Should be in every junior officer's pocket. The new material by Commander McComas is particularly valuable and builds on an impressive compendium of naval facts.

Very well done. Logically laid out and easy to use. CD-ROM attachment is very helpful.

I found myself skipping the profiles and going straight to the sites and am disappointed that the number of sites are limited . . . of course they are only profiling the best. It does cover a very broad number of topics.

A good effort but they barely scratched the surface. I had a better time working the link lists at major sites.

Anyone who has lost themselves in the web searching for Civil War information know that the amount, quantity, and accessibility of material can, and does, fascinate and frustrate. Sites that looked promising turn into dead ends, information presented can be of dubious quality and, most of all, the sheer volume of material can consume many tedious hours. The Civil War on the Web highlights the best sites, and will save this researcher much valuable time. Civil War enthusiasts will also enjoy the authors' essays and summaries for the insight they provide on the state of scholarship today. A must for anyone curious about the war who has access to the internet!

My wife got me this book for my birthday. I'm a big Civil War buff and even I found sites in this book that I never would have found otherwise. I found so much to read on the Civil War on the web through this book its like getting a 100 books (for the price of one). Plus, there is a CD that makes linking to the sites even easier. If you know someone who likes the Civil War, this is the book for them.

Dr. Lowry has added some color to the realm of Civil War History with his two books, Sex in the Civil War, and Tarnished Eagles. Lowry does a great job in picking out the interesting cases that also represent a good cross section of Civil War Justice. I heartily enjoyed this work. I'm not too sure of just how scholarly this is, but it certainly makes the soldiers appear much more human.

Far too many writers addressing the Civil War are guilty of childish romanticism. While that tremendous conflict certainly had its noble heroes and ample demonstrations of courage and self-sacrifice, any war--or human crisis of any sort--has its cowards and fools, its liars, thieves and rogues. This fine, factual book serves as a much-needed (and highly readable) balance to pulp fiction and pulp history heroics. It tells the stories of some of the officers who went wrong, either from deficiency of character or circumstance. In doing so, it enriches our understanding and visceral sense of the Civil War in ways that the next dozen adulatory biographies of mediocre generals will not. While I am a long-time fan of co-author William C. Davis, Dr. Lowry deserves special praise for his continuing literary efforts to describe the dramas and tragedies around, between and, sometimes, in the great battles. As a former soldier who served a full career, I can guarantee any reader that this book shows soldiers as more than a few of them really are--not gallantly charging the enemy, but energetically looking after themselves. While this book concentrates on some of the darker aspects of the war, those aspects are exactly the ones that are lacking in too much of what passes as history or historical literature. I would also recommend any of Lowry's or Davis's other superb Civil War books.

This book is inimitable Stephen Ambrose. Like all of his books, he turned this book of history into his story --- a nonfiction adventure story. Stephen E. Ambrose actually evolved into what can be called a nonfiction novelist. Starting with historical facts, he blended-in a judicious amount of hyperbole, added a pinch of sensationalism, and came up with a new metamorphosis called creative history that was very successful at holding a reader's attention. There are now other authors (including yours truly) who do the same, but, Ambrose was the first and the best. "Undaunted Courage" is yet another book in a long line of his books that shows he knew how to inform by perfecting the knack of making history interesting. He shall be missed.

I found this an excellent book that transported me back in time to the days of the Louisiana Purchase. For me, such an experience is the definition of a good history book.

The subject, as anyone who reads the introduction will see, is one that is dear to Ambrose. His intimate knowledge of the subject comes through in what is a thoroughly gripping narrative.

Ambrose clearly admires Meriwether Lewis, but his writing is fair and impartial as he delves into the trials and triumphs of the expedition as a whole, and Lewis personally. The story begins at the beginning, well before the voyage of discovery begins, by establishing the relationship between Lewis and Thomas Jefferson that will ultimately result in Lewis being given command of the expedition.

Clark's role is not ignored, and Ambrose repeatedly points out that Lewis viewed Clark as a co-leader, although the government at the time recognized him only as Lewis's lieutenant. But, as the title suggests, the book focuses on Lewis, the great project's leader, and his sponsor Jefferson.

Lewis's tragic decline and eventual suicide ends the book and serves as a sad counterpoint for his great and yes, courageous, leadership during the expedition.

Altogether the book offers a fascinating read for anyone interested in the story of Lewis and Clark, or students of Thomas Jefferson looking for additional perspective into the events that shaped his presidency.

You don't have to do any reading between the lines, nor in fact, go far into this book before you realize that the 1803-1806 journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark into the unknown American west, holds a very special place in Stephen Ambrose's heart. He says as much; "in short, we have been obsessed with Lewis and Clark for twenty years". And understandably so. It is a fascinating tale. As told here by Ambrose it is part biography of Lewis, part travelogue, and pure history writing at it's finest. Although Lewis and Clark are central, the journey is as much a story of the vision and ambitions of president Thomas Jefferson, who in fact authorized the trip. "From Jefferson's point of view, the captains [Lewis and Clark] were on an expedition to explore newly acquired territory, to find the water route to the Pacific, to extend commerce, to collect specimens for science, and to establish an American claim on the Oregon country". From this description of objectives we get a clear picture of the times and the spirit of adventure; the sense of elan and the feeling of optimism that was typical of the young American nation. The unknown west was seen by the intellectual Jefferson as some sort of quest, an eager venture to be undertaken by his explorers.

Ambrose describes it all in loving detail and is able to recreate this sense of enthusiasm for the west with it's promises for the future of America. Ironic then, that the instrumental character - Meriwether Lewis is shown to be a man of anything but good cheer and optimism. While a competent soldier and good leader for the expedition, the man was alcoholic and suffered bouts of deep depression. His ending was grim, convincingly argued and poignantly portrayed by Ambrose, as an act of suicide by a demented mind.

"Philoctetes" takes place near the climax of the Trojan War. The title character has the great bow of Hercules, given by the demi-god on his pyre to Philoctetes's father. A member of the Achaean expedition that sailed to Troy, Philoctetes was making an altar on an island along the way when he was bitten by a snake. His cries of pain were so great that he was abandoned by his shipments, under the orders of Odysseus, and marooned on the deserted island of Lemnos. Alone and crippled, Philoctetes used the great bow to survive for the ten years the Achaeans have been fighting against Troy. During that time his hatred against the Achaeans in general, and Odysseus in particular, has grown.

Meanwhile, back at Troy, Odysseus and the other Achaean chieftains have learned from an oracle that Troy will fall only with the help of Philoctetes and his bow (a juicy tidbit it certainly would have been nice to have known eight or nine years earlier). Odysseus and Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, are sent to bring Philoctetes and his bow back to the war. Of course, Odysseus dare not show himself to Philoctetes and sends Neoptolemus to do the dirty work. Neoptolemus gains the confidences of the crippled man by lying about taking him home. During one of his agonizing spasms of pain, Philoctetes gives his bow to Neoptolemus. Regretting having lied to this helpless cripple, Philoctetes returns the bow and admits all, begging him to come to Troy of his own free will. Philoctetes refuses and when Odysseus shows his face and threatens to use force to achieve their goal, he finds himself facing a very angry archer.

In "Philoctetes" Sophocles clearly deals with the balance between the rights of the individual and the needs of society. But this is also a play about citizenship and the need for the idealism of youth to be give way to the responsibilities of adulthood. In fact, this lesson is learned both by Philoctetes, who is taught by the shade of Hercules who appears to resolve the tenses conclusion, and Neoptolemus, who finds his duties at odds with his idealized conception of heroism based upon his father. Although this is a lesser known myth and play, "Philoctetes" does raise some issues worth considering in the classroom by contemporary students.

"Philoctetes" is similar to other plays by Sophocles, which deal with the conflict between the individual and society, although this is a rare instance where Odysseus appears in good light in one of his plays; usually he is presented as a corrupter of innocence (remember, the Greeks considered the hero of Homer's epic poem to be more of a pirate than a true hero), but here he is but a spokesperson for the interests of the state. Final Note: We know of lost plays about "Philoctetes" written by both Aeschylus and Euripides. Certainly it would have been interesting to have these to compare and contrast with this play by Sophocles, just as we have with the "Electra" tragedies.

Good Greek tragedy. I especially find interesting the controversy behind the happy ending.

A group of plays, of which this was a member, won first prize in Athens. Philoctetes had been left marooned on an island several years earlier (because of his disease) under orders of Agamemnon and Menelaus. But, the two kings later discover that Troy cannot be conquered without Philoctetes and his bow, a bow given to him by Heracles. Odysseus and Neoptolemus (the son of the late Achilles) arrive at the island to persuade or trick Philoctetes to return with them. Neoptolemus wants to be noble in his actions; yet, his commander, Odysseus, wants to use guile. At the end, a deus-ex-machina device is used to resolve the conflict. The play has excellent characterization, a good plot, and steady movement.

This book was good for a My Name is America book. Most My Name is America's r boring. But this was okay. It really told you how it was for a middle-class family felt & what they had to do in that point of history. This book isn't just about all the rich, important people- like most books like this r, but this is a journal of an ordinary boy. Good book, & if you need a quick book report, this is a good book 4 that. I probably wouldn't read this again, but it was worth reading.

I liked this book because it tells a lot about what was happening during the revolutionary war. Its a book about a boy named William. When his family sits down to eat supper. They said that it has been storming all day and suddenly lighting stricks everybody but Will. The next monring Will wakes up and realieses that his family is dead. So then he gets adoped by the Marsh family. as he is taking some books back he hears some people talking about the British soldiers killed a dester by there ship now he worries!!!!

I read this book to my 6 year old who is interested in the Revolutionary war. It was hard to find a book to tell about this period of time that was fitting for a 6 year old child. He was on the edge of his seat though most of the story and begged me to read "just one more page"

It is written in journal form so you learn about the people he meets and everything that happens first hand. At the end it tells you what happened to each person from the story...the part my son found most interesting.

Ordeal by Sea does not feature great writing -- the character portrayals are weak, the suspense is almost non-existent, the narrative rambles. What this book does have in its favor is that it was written twenty years after the sinking of the Indianapolis, while the event was still relatively sharp in the public's mind, and in the survivors' minds as well.

As I've mentioned, the dramatic aspects of this book are weak. These guys were in the Pacific five days with sharks pulling them under the water, and Helms makes it seem almost like a swim meet. Helm was not a great writer, but he does tell this horrifying story reasonably well: the Indianapolis delivers materials for one of the bombs to fall on Japan in the summer of 1945, the ship is sunk by a rogue Japanese sub, the survivors float for five days in shark-infested waters, some injured in the sinking, their bones pushing through flesh, the unfair court-martialing of McVay, the ship's captain. This is one of the best stories of surviving the worst conditions out there.

One caveat: The publisher does not present this as a classic, as an older book brought out again. You find that out in the new introduction. I thought that this was a brand new book when I purchased it. That dings the book's rating.

Truly a remarkable story, however.

I've read several books about the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, and I would rate Ordeal By Sea as only average. Mr. Helm does a good job of explaining the sinking itself, and the story of the survivors in the water is well-done, but some aspects are either complelely left out, or they are barely mentioned. These events, such as McVay's request and subsequent denial of a destroyer escort, failure to alert McVay about the recent sinking of an American destroyer along his proposed route, the ignoring by the navy of an intercepted message from the I-58 stating that she had sunk an American battleship, and the huge mess up regarding the departure and arrival of the Indianapolis are barely touched upon. Also, Mr. Helm devotes only a few pages of text to McVay's court martial procedure. While the book does a good job of telling about the sinking, abandoning, and struggle of the survivors, I was disappointed about the omission of the vital events leading up to the sinking. However, the author of the afterword, William J. Toti, does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed on the recent efforts by the survivors to get McVay's name cleared. I would recommend "In Harm's Way" by Doug Stanton over this book.

Helm does a good job discribing the sinking of this heavy cruiser
and the five days the survivors spent in the water facing the
hazards of sharks, sun, no food or water, and the negative effects on the crew. With the new forward and summary by the
skipper of the sub Indianapolis, their research and wording was
quick and to the point. The skipper of the cruiser may have
warranted a court martial, but was it fair--probably not. The court martial was more a bow to public pressure and focused on how the Navy was itself to blame for the sinking since no escort
was sent to protect the ship, and nobody noticed the ship missing
at Leyte. Better to throw someone to the dogs, than let the Navy assume blame for the 800 odd deaths at sea.