Some of the most absorbing and inspiring reading deals with Americans' experiences in wartime. Whether you're looking for a detailed recounting of important historical events; a heartfelt, highly personal recollection; or just a darned exciting story, here's a collection of volumes that will make you proud to be an American--on Memorial Day, D-day, Veterans Day, or any other day.
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1. Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley* James Bradley, the son of one of the marines who raised the flag at Iwo Jima, tells the story behind the most famous photograph taken during World War II. Bradley reveals the men behind the legend and the pain of their ordeal in a work that explores the meaning of heroism.
2. War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Warsedited by Andrew Carroll Editor Carroll, founder of the Legacy Project, offers an extraordinary sampling of the more than 50,000 wartime letters he has received from veterans and their loved ones across the country. Spanning the American Civil War to Somalia and the Balkans, the collection features harrowing descriptions of combat; heartfelt expressions of love; and the last letters of soldiers who never returned.
3. Faith of My Fathersby John McCain* Republican senator John McCain's autobiography focuses on his unique status as the son and grandson of decorated military heroes--a circumstance he rebelled against--and recounts his own horrific Vietnam experience. Shot down over Hanoi in 1967, McCain endured years of torture in POW camps under the North Vietnamese. The details of his ordeal make edge-of-your-seat reading.
4. A Code to Keep: The True Story of America's Longest-Held Civilian POW in Vietnam by Ernest C. Brace Ernest C. Brace's memoir chronicles the author's courage as a POW in North Vietnam. A former marine, Brace flew secret supply missions to Laos as part of a CIA operation. Captured and confined to a bamboo cage, the civilian pilot nevertheless attempted to live by the military Code of Conduct, escaping and being recaptured three times. A stirring, memorable story.
6. Medal of Honor: Profiles of America's Military Heroes from the Civil War to the Presentby Allen Mikaelian Mikaelian offers a stirring and patriotic look at 15 outstanding Congressional Medal of Honor winners and their amazing feats of bravery and daring. The book examines the winners' lives both before and after their awards were bestowed, and analyzes the meaning of courage.
7. Eye of the Storm by Robert Knox Sneden A Union Army private and mapmaker, Robert Knox Sneden witnessed many of the most famous battles of the Civil War. His scrapbooks and accompanying memoir, subsequently found in a Connecticut bank vault in 1994, offer firsthand accounts of the author's experiences in battle and as a prisoner at the infamous Andersonville prison camp.
8. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern Warby Mark Bowden Author Mark Bowden offers an intense, up-close look at the October 1993 attempt by a U.S. Special Forces team to abduct two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord in Mogadishu, Somalia--a mission that would cost the lives of 18 American soldiers. Bowden's account, which attempts balance by offering each side's point of view, was adapted as an Academy Award-winning film.
9. Return with Honorby Scott O'Grady On June 2, 1995, U.S. Air Force captain Scott O'Grady was shot down in the skies over Bosnia. This volume recounts his amazing escape and harrowing six-day struggle for survival in a harsh landscape while evading the Bosnian Serbs who hunted him. A thrilling story of modern military adventure.
10. The Greatest Generationby Tom Brokaw* In this powerful and moving tribute, NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw traces the experiences of American men and women who came of age during the Great Depression and World War II. This generation, united by common values and purpose, shaped the future of our country, and their stories of bravery and determination will inspire readers.
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