Comments for House to House: Are You Man Enough... We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:58:38 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification House to House: Are You Man Enough... [Kat] ...to love another so profoundly you would kill or be killed for them? I'm on a roll with books this week. I just finished "Band of Sisters" and moved on to David Bellavia's "House to House". Vets for Freedom will be in town (Kansas City Missouri) at 7pm this evening at the Liberty Memorial, WWI Museum to speak and sign books. I plan on being there if nothing else than to meet the author of this book. If you never read another book about the military or war, read this one. Most of those who have reviewed this book... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:01:34 -0600 Comment from HomefrontSix on 2008-03-27 afs ~ SWEET!!! Thanks for the heads' up! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71151 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71151 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:41:45 -0600 Comment from AFSister on 2008-03-26 Oh, and I second that, Desert Sailor. You simply MUST read both House to House and Lone Survivor!!! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71135 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71135 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:07:22 -0600 Comment from AFSister on 2008-03-26 Bellavia *is* running for office- Congress. It was announced today that's going for the seat Tom Reynolds is leaving. Thing is... he's running against another Iraq war veteran, which will make things in Erie County EXTREMELY interesting....]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71132 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71132 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:04:33 -0600 Comment from Desert Sailor on 2008-03-26 FBL, Read BOTH...now! They are both outstanding looks behind the curtain. The perspectives and perceptions will leave you gasping for breath. I've been back 23 months now, read both twice since Christmas. The Blog of War and THE SANDBOX are both good books but since they are multi-author blog recaps most of us have already seen the originals when they came out. I bought em and read em simply cause my kids can read them later and understand Dad a bit better. And I agree Dave needs to seriously think of running for Congress! Kick that IVAW Dem feller to the curb! DS http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71128 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71128 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:12:52 -0600 Comment from HomefrontSix on 2008-03-26 Bellavia needs to run for public office. I know there was (is?) talk of "drafting" him to run. I've not fully read "House to House" (Started it and then loaned it to my BIL to read) but you're right - it blows you away. Bill ~ I love you, man! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71121 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71121 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:22:39 -0600 Comment from kat-missouri on 2008-03-26 It allegedly enhances the flavor of a perfectly good steak... Allegedly is correct. If you're steak needs A-1, it ain't "perfectly good". However, A-1 is good for steak fries, I find.
Kat, I've resisted reading both House to House and Lone Survivor because I didn't want the mind-pictures to go with what I already know.
Blows you away. I've read a lot of books in my lifetime. I do mean "a lot" and this book simply blew me away. The guy was just telling his story, but it had everything you could or should want in a book: love, hate, pride, humility, some dark soldier humor, disgust, grief, instrospection as well as super shallow moments. A man wrote it. The ending reminds me of the end of Saving Private Ryan when Tom Hanks tells Matt Damon's character "Earn it." I think that is where Bellavia is coming from. Seriusly, though, do not "not" read this book because it might leave you with bad images in your mind while you're dealing with our soldiers. There are parts that you would not want to know in another life, but the way the book is written, those images will be supplanted by the feelings of love and devotion portrayed by the author. I might even have to read the book again to get a good idea about the actual combat ;) ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71107 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71107 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:13:50 -0600 Comment from FbL on 2008-03-26 do care about accuracy. It was a "Get Out Of Typo-Snark Free card." ;) ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71097 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71097 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:03:17 -0600 Comment from BillT on 2008-03-26 ...far too much "love" talk in this post/comments. :P %$#@! -- had the perfect snark for that, but I promised... ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71096 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71096 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:50:41 -0600 Comment from FbL on 2008-03-26 Kat, I've resisted reading both House to House and Lone Survivor because I didn't want the mind-pictures to go with what I already know. This post might convince me to read them anyway... And that exchange between you and Tuttle is one of the reasons I love this place. :) I know, I know... far too much "love" talk in this post/comments. :P http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71093 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71093 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:25:41 -0600 Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2008-03-26 A-1 also has anchovies in it... Here - relive the past. Sometimes, I'm glad I spent my youth with US forces in Europe, sans TV!]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71092 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71092 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:51:19 -0600 Comment from BillT on 2008-03-26 Trias -- A-1 is a bottled condiment commonly found in military dining facilities. I've never run a chemical analysis, but it appears to consist of equal parts Worcestershire, ketchup (as opposed to catsup), garlic, salt, citric acid and Brown Dye Number 587. It allegedly enhances the flavor of a perfectly good steak... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71091 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71091 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:04:39 -0600 Comment from Trias on 2008-03-26 Are you man enough to love? I guess that does make sense in a way. mm apple pie. I'm baking a pie atm a meat one it's been a long time. I know I'm insane because the shops sell perfectly good pies... What is A-1? Five-sixths in Celsius? That's 35 plus. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71090 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71090 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:37:47 -0600 Comment from BillT on 2008-03-26 "Hot" coincides with "Carp! The mud is sucking me under!" (one-sixth of the year) and "Wow, it's hot" segues into "Holy carp, it's hot!" after about a week (the other five-sixths). Sorta like Fort Drum, which also has only two seasons: winter and the Fourth of July. Hey, Trias -- what's five-sixths in Celsius? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71089 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71089 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:49:28 -0600 Comment from kat-missouri on 2008-03-26 Huh. I thought the Iraqi four seasons were: hot, wow its hot, holy carp its hot and carp! the mud is sucking me under! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71087 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71087 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:17:14 -0600 Comment from BillT on 2008-03-26 Around here, the four seasons are salt, pepper, A-1 and Tabasco... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71086 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71086 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:03:18 -0600 Comment from kat-missouri on 2008-03-26 somehow, I think the leaves will be there next year. Just my super duper, public education kicking in. We learned all about the four seasons: basketball, baseball, NASCAR and football. ;) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71084 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71084 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:46:23 -0600 Comment from BillT on 2008-03-26 Ummmmm -- to get out of raking leaves. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71083 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71083 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:42:20 -0600 Comment from kat-missouri on 2008-03-26 I know why you went there. Love always, Kat http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71082 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71082 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:25:25 -0600 Comment from BillT on 2008-03-26 In truth, they will never understand, when it comes down to the soldiers on the battle field, war is about love. Nice turn o' the phrase, kat. At the strategic level, it might be about Mom, Apple Pie, Baseball and the Flag, but at the tactical level, it's always been about the guys occupying the same fifty-meter danger zone. Or the same ten-rotor-disk block of airspace... ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71081 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/house_to_house.html#comment-71081 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:22:32 -0600