Jim Webb's book is iconic Marine Corps book; read by 98% of infantry officers

[DeepModem Mom]

Media Bistro: Monday, Oct 30
Marine Corps Memoirist Defends Webb's Fiction

After preparing my initial summary of the artificial controversy over Jim Webb's novels late last night, I glanced over at my bookcase and spotted my copy of Nathaniel Fick's "One Bullet Away," which longtime readers may recall I consider one of the best-written memoirs in recent years, and decided to send off an email to the former USMC officer asking if he had any thoughts about Webb's Fields of Fire. "It's one of the top two or three iconic books about the Corps," Fick, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, replied. "I'd venture to guess that 98% of Marine infantry officers have read it — most of them more than once. It's as good a description as I've seen of leadership under fire."

"This blow-up by George Allen et al is a classic case of those without talent or experience in a particular area attacking those who have it," Fick added, "go(ing) after others' strengths to mask your own weaknesses. I hope he gets hit with some serious blowback."...

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/authors/marine_corps_memoirist_defends_webbs_fiction_46465.asp

[Supersedeas]

1. but but but Ms. Cheney has spoken...the military should stand down

[No Exit]

4. Mrs. Cheney's book is read by 98% of grade school dropouts!

Okay, I just made that up.

Anyway, from the online excerpts of it I've read, I'd say Lynn's book is pornography, and not because of any so-called "lesbian" passages, but because it looks to me like just poorly-written, dumbed-down, romance-novel, boring, historically inaccurate crap. Like the kind of romance novels the used book stores leave unattended in bins outside on the sidewalk--because they know that 1) no one would bother to steal them, and 2)if someone did steal them, the net loss would be less than the price of a bus token.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Lying to get Marines blown up in the desert is conservative porn

"Conservatives" just fucking love having our marines blown up. It is viagra to them. They don't need salacious sexual passages. They correctly believe only liberals appreciate oral sex. They just want death, destruction, despair, lies. Dead Soldiers, Dead Marines, maimed American Troops; that's what conservative want. If they don't want that, why do they consider to support the liar who has caused thousands of deaths so far?

[Sequoia]

3. I just read the reivews and dang it here I go again to the library.

I find it amazing that Allen and Mrs. Darth Vader could say the things they did. You know they have no clue at all. Neither Allen nor Mr. Vader were in Vietnam, yet they have the nerve to slam a real man the way they do. Typical losers.

That being said, I have too many books to read (6 now) and not enough time. Book addict; that's me.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Yep....saw that conference with Webb, with Warner and Kaine standing

by his side.

Webb defended himself well against those dumb attacks!

[hayu_lol]

7. When Webb's book was first published(Fields of Fire)...

This is what Publishers Weekly had to say about it:

"The recent outpouring of eyewitness books about Vietnam presents at least a glimpse of hte absurd hell it must have been. To the list of important, insightful works can now be added this novel by a former Marine Captain."

Fields of Fire has been compared to Mailer's The Naked And The Dead and All Quiet On The Western Front.

This is taken from my copy of Fields Of Fire.

Of course, Allen may prefer the sleeze of Lynn Cheney's book...as Bush prefers My Pet Goat. Says a lot doesn't it?

[Uncle Joe]

6. Semper Fi, Jim Webb

:patriot: