44 Points [Paperback]

Keith E. Stuart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2004

It is always difficult for soldiers to describe the day-to-day activities of war because they are so varied. He only remembers the things that were significant to him. Feelings are also difficult to describe unless they also have impact on you. Soldiers talk about their comrades in endearing terms but there is a raw truth underlying these statements. The truth is existential.

The soldier must meet each new challenge by himself. Even when surrounded by others, he lives alone, endures pain and suffering alone, and he may die alone. This is the ultimate tragedy of war and what makes it inconceivable to those who never experience it.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Upon his return from Korea, Keith Stuart returned immediately to his university work. He used the G.I. bill to complete a M.Sc. Degree and began working with handicapped children while supporting his growing family.

Later he moved to California where he worked as a consultant in special education in the public schools. He continued his graduate in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, and Missouri. As a result of this work, he obtained a school psychologist’s credentials and eventually his ph.D. He also obtained a degree in criminal justice. Keith worked as a college professor for almost twenty years.

After a failed marriage, Keith moved to Kentucky with his new wife, Barbara, where he went into private practice working to rehabilitate stroke and closed head injury patients.

Product Details

• Paperback: 147 pages
• Publisher: Bookman Publishing (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594532516
• ISBN-13: 978-1594532511
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,529,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Bowker Review, September 9, 2005

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Folio (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 44 Points (Paperback)

What happens when a person becomes a soldier? Does he become one because of a sense of adventure? Does he like becoming a soldier? Is it an easy job?

This work of Keith E. Stuart shatters many myths regarding a soldier's life. The most common beliefs regarding a soldier are that he loves his fellow soldiers as his brethren and is willing to give his life to protect them. This book looks frankly at this and many more such folklore and shows that a soldier never wishes to die, for anyone. It also addresses such controversial questions as to what happens to a soldier once the war is over. In other words once the necessity for the job is lost, do the government and the country and more importantly the public, realize the importance of the soldier? Do they appreciate his worth? Or do they feel that he is something like an appendage?

A soldier's life is not simple. He is supposed to be sacrificial; but in fact he always wishes that he were not part of the casualty list. At the same time the life of a soldier is not one that is selfish, but is one that is dedicated to protecting others. In his attempt to protect others he is also willing to give his life. This strange dichotomy in his character is brought out clearly in this book. Drawing on his experiences as a soldier in Korea during 1952-53, the author weaves a sympathetic biography of a soldier's life.

With a language that is simple, and a style that is reminiscent of James Herriot's biographies, the book manages to entertain as well as instruct the readers. In fact one can be assured that after reading this no one will look at soldiers in the same manner again.