This book is a must-read for anyone interested in World War II. It tells the story of the real heroes of Bataan, the men who refused to surrender but went into the mountains to continue the war against the Japanese. Lieutenant Edwin Price Ramsey should have been awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in the Philippines.

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Those words barely begin to speak of the sacrifices Lt. Edwin Price Ramsey gave for his fellow countrymen, the war effort against the Japanese in the Philippines, the behind the scenes guerilla movement, and the Honor he bestowed upon the United States of America through his actions and his command. This gentlemanly young officer went from the glory of Army Polo into the depths of an unsuspected Hell in a matter of months to become well known as the leader of the very last Cavalry Charge in United States Army History for which the Distinguished Service Cross was bestowed upon him, at the age of 24!

This in-depth bio eloquently traces the Lieutenants' life from childhood to the end of WWII. His remarkable true story has more twists than a licorice stick as well as plenty of eye filling emotional sledge hammers.

I recommend this book highly to anyone who would like to know what the phrase "sacrifice for country" really means.

My father in law was a guerilla fighter from the age of 12 to 16 in the Bataan area and this book brought to life for me what he went through. Unless you've lived it, this is as close as you can get to being there. I think it should be mandatory reading for high school students so they can better understand not only what the Americans were doing in the Philippines but what real honor is all about. Ramsey could have tried to escape the island, or like others, hid out til MacArthur returned to save them. He had something we all wish we have when the going gets tough. He saw the bigger picture.

This book is quite compelling, from Japanese atrocities during the Bataan death march to MacArthur's triumphant return, told through the experiences of Ramsey, who eluded capture during the Japanese occupation. A thrilling book to read. I felt like he left a couple of loose ends concerning some of the people in the book, but this doesn't really detract too much. Tremendous book, to be savored and experienced...not rushed through.

An excellent book,how one small time man can bring down a large powerfull organisation,very well detailed, leaving you in no doubt as to the strugle that the plumber and his family had to go through, the court transcripts at the end are and added bonus that i enjoyed very much

The Booke of Days is an interesting novel (?) and a good read--but I couldn't tell if it was really based on a journal left by the author's ancestor or not--and that fact distracted me from the plot and characters as I read. I'd have liked to have know definitively, in advance--I still am not clear--, if this is (1) a truly fictional account, (2) based on a real person, or (3) a literal translation (as the preface states) of an original journal (then it wouldn't be a novel, would it?). Despite this distraction--I liked the book--the details in it show painstaking research, and a clever working of these facts into the story bring the characters and the time (the First Crusade) to life. The only problem I had with the book (and this is tied to my wanting to know if the hero, Roger, was a real person or not), was that I thought Roger was a bit too naive (especially sexually). He also was a bit too introspective about many things. I wanted to shake him at times and yell, "Roger, GROW UP!" Still, I did like the book and would recommend it, especially for the feeling of space and time that you get when reading it--a real insight into what it was like to be a crusader in a barbaric time

Considering Americans excel in the creation of historical fiction - particularly in motion pictures - I find it astounding that they should complain of the book's inaccuracies.

It's fiction. It's a novel. But, by God, it's beautifully written. Rivele writes so keenly and convincingly the story was quite easy to visualise and I loved the journal format, being a journal writer myself as well as being a keen reader of history. I was immediately grasped by the power of his characters (how Roger wrote of his love for his wife and his faith), bound by the path of his story and was so upset when I finished that I promptly began it again.

If you're a historian looking for a gripe, then no doubt you'll hate it. However, if it's words, language and storytelling you truly love then this book is surely The Holy Grail.

The fictionalised diary of Duke Roger of Lunel, who travels on the First Crusade to assuage the guilt of his sins. Rivele presents the work as a translation of a long-lost manuscript written by his fictional ancestor, Roger l'Escrivel.

This an excellent novel. I especially liked it because it closely followed historical events. If you want a purely historical account of the events of the time read Steven Runciman's non-fiction historical account entitled
"A History of the Crusades: Volume 1, The First Crusade and the Foundation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem" (ISBN 052134770X). For a work of history, Runciman is very easy to read and I recommend reading it in conjunction with Rivele's novel.

Rivele adds the fictional interpersonal intrigue and day-to-day details necessary to turn an historical account into a novel that is highly enjoyable and fascinating to read. Although done very well, there are one or two modern colloquialisms that I didn't like. For example, one of the knights saying of a colleague that he was "as giddy as a schoolgirl" didn't seem to make sense in the context of the times the novel was set. However, there are only a few of those and I suppose the intent is to relate to the modern reader.

The main character, Roger, faces all manner of moral delimmas some of which would certainly only be considered by "modern man", however, it is exactly these dilemmas that make the novel a riveting and enjoyable read for the modern reader.