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But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
A nightmare's prayer : a Marine Corps Harrier pilot's war in Afghanistan / Michael Franzak, c2010, Threshold Editions, 958.1047 FRAN 2010.
Subjects
• Franzak, Michael.
• United States. -- Marine Corps -- History -- Afghan War, 2001-
• Afghan War, 2001- -- Aerial operations, American.
• Afghan War, 2001- -- Personal narratives, American.
• Fighter pilots -- United States -- Biography.
• Harrier (Jet fighter plane)
Summary
• Shares the author's experiences as a Marine in Afghanistan from 2002-2003.
Flying combat missions in the Marine AV-8B Harrier aircraft in Afghanistan – close air support for the grunts. Fighting off his personal demons, the fog of war, the normal horrors of bureaucracy & game-playing (even while on the line in Afghan). A you-are-there immediacy to wars far overseas, & practically out of sight & mind in the eyes of the national US media. But the warfighters & their families & loved ones know better.
Thanks to those who've mentioned All Creatures Great And Small! I'd known about it for years but something else always seemed to pop up first. I just started it yesterday and I'm hooked, already about half-way through, very entertaining book!
I LOVED all of James Harriott's books when I was growing up! Such wonderful reading memories!
The book itself is great. It is not written apologetically, as so many more modern tracts are. The author does recognize that the railroad was not an unmixed blessing.
I'll start with the shortcomings of the country highlighted in the book. It goes into detail on its distortion of the financial markets, its effect on Native Americans/First Nations, and other woes.
Quebec demonstrated its ability to dominate Parliament out of proportion to its numbers, And also, in a mixed socialist-capitalist system, the potential for corruption. And the love/hate relationship with Americans and the U.S. All of these have been more or less permanent features of Canadian life. Canada is simply not as wealthy a country as its neighbor to the south, against whom comparisons are inevitably made.
Now for the greatness. It is obvious. A destitute country that was barely in existence (six years) when it embarked on a Herculean nation-building project. Think what you will about the Riel Rebellion but it demonstrated the need to be able to move across the country expeditiously. And Canada built the railroad successfully through some extremely hostile terrain. Frankly, it dwarfs my country's accomplishment in building its railroad.
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But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
so I'm reading 3D Printing from the Idiot's Guide series.