Review of "A Glimpse of Iowa in 1846," by John B. Newhall

Review of

A Glimpse of Iowa in 1846, by John B. Newhall

Five out of five stars

 This book is exactly as the title implies, a brief look back at Iowa at the point where it became a state. While there are snippets of historical background, much of it is laudatory and repetitive, especially as the author goes through county by county in describing the terrain. There are many instances where there are phrases like, “For beauty of scenery, extent of cultivation, and fertility of soil, Van Buren county stands unrivalled; . . .”

 Much of the content consists of listing the facts, such as short city directories of merchants, churches and local government officials. Although brief and a bit too subjective, this book is a look into the status of Iowa at a time of major transition.

"Fantastic Magazine, January-February, 1954"

Fantastic Magazine, January-February, 1954

Four out of five stars

 Overall, this issue is similar to nearly every issue of magazines containing fantasy and science fiction. There are some good stories, one or two that are great and one or two that are a struggle to complete. When looking at the cover I could predict what would be the best story in this issue and I was correct. It is “The Dwarf” by Ray Bradbury.

The main premise of the story is the dwarf that is a talented writer and regularly goes to the fun house to stand in front of a mirror that makes him look to be of normal height. A woman named Aimee recognizes his talents and wants to do the dwarf a favor by buying him a similar mirror that he can put in his residence so that he does not have to spend the dime of entrance fee into the fun house. In typical Bradbury style there are twists and the conclusion includes some significant ambiguity to be filled in by the imagination of the reader. Nobody does that better than Bradbury.

 The second story, “Scream At Sea,” by Algis Budrys is also first rate. A man (Harry Meglow) that has always seemed to be able to keep one step ahead of the law hurriedly boards a tanker leaving Venezuela, taking the position of cook’s helper. The tanker contains high-octane gasoline and when it is well out of sight of land, the ship explodes, with all but Meglow and a cat killed. Meglow’s luck holds as he manages to end up on a raft with the cat and plenty of food and water. However, things begin to go wrong and at the end only the cat is rescued.

 The other stories are average, with the exception of “The Odyssey of Henry Thistle,” which was a struggle to read. “The Sisters” is quite ghoulish and in many ways a good story to read over the Halloween evening.

Review of "Survivor Love Thy Enemy," by James Dennison

Review of

Survivor Love Thy Enemy, by James Dennison ISBN 9781477478158

Five out of five stars

 While the execution of the Vietnam War was complicated, at the basic level it was very simple. The people of Vietnam had been under the control of foreign powers for centuries, from their traditional rival China to the French and in the last years, the Americans. At the end of World War II when the Japanese forces in Indochina had to be disarmed, Ho Chi Minh openly preferred the French return rather than have the Chinese forces move in from the north. The Vietnamese desire to expel the agents of foreign powers was simply a nationalistic urge to take complete control of their country. It was naive and foolish of the French and then the Americans to think otherwise, which led to what was essentially a colonial war on the part of the American forces.

 This story is told from three sides in the conflict. The first is that of an American foot soldier from Chicago that was drafted into the military at the age of 20 and then sent to fight in Vietnam. His unit slogged through the mud, fighting a nebulous, yet deadly enemy that appeared, killed and injured some of their unit and then disappeared. It did not take long before the American soldier understood that the strongest sentiment in Vietnam was for the foreigners to leave. He realized that the South Vietnamese government was totally corrupt and had little popular support.

 The second side is that of a committed member (Van) of the Viet Cong, totally ruthless in his actions, willing to brutally kill anyone that he felt acted contrary to his goals. The third side is that of the Vietnamese that were apolitical or uncertain as to their allegiance, with the main character being the female Tuyen. She operates as a communist agent due to her love for Van, yet his iron commitment to the communist cause leads her away and eventually into the arms of the American soldier.

 Therefore, this story is a combination of the background of the conflict in Vietnam with a literary traditional love triangle with two men and one woman. That plot thread is the weakest part of the story. What gives it the strength is the background regarding the war, for the American soldier learns very quickly that the Americans can never win the war. The weakness of the South Vietnamese government in combination with the strong desire of the Vietnamese for independence from foreign domination meant that eventually the communists would win. He understood that it was impossible to kill enough of the Vietnamese to make them surrender to the American presence.

 Written by an American veteran of the war, this is a work of fiction with a great deal of fact embedded within. The fact is much better than the fiction.