Customer Reviews

The Marine Corps: Three Centuries of Glory

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I have read literally dozens if not hundreds of works on the history of our militaries and the stories of my Corps. I have seen some of the best, and many of the worst. I have been very disappointed in many of the past books because of the ramblings and pointlessness of the subject matter. Even worse very often the authors are simply not knowledgeable enough on the subjects, especially Marines. When I started reading this book, I realized it was different. In this brilliant work I actually got the feeling that the author had somehow been able to go back into time and interview the Marines in the lines, and take notes while the shots were being fired. The pages are well written with outstanding sidebars on the oft-overlooked characters in Marine history that helped us become what we did in the 20th century. Great full color photos and illustrations add flavor to an all around excellent read. Crumley knows Marines, and she knows us well.

MS CRUMLEY HAS WRITTEN A DEFINITIVE WORK, PERHAPS THE GUTSIEST MILITARY HISTORY BOOK I HAVE YET TO ENCOUNTER. THE AUTHUR DOES SO MUCH MORE THAN PRESENT A HISTORY OF THE CORPS IN INK AND PAPER. RATHER, HER READERS ARE TRANSPORTED TO BELLEAU WOOD, THE SANDS OF IWO, THEY FIGHT ALONGSIDE LEATHERNECKS AS THEY BRAVE WITHERING FIRE AT INCHON AND ELSEWHERE. I FELT AS IF I HAD TO SCRAPE THE BLOOD, GUTS AND MUD OFF MY PAJAMAS AS I POWERED THROUGH MS CRUMLEYS MASTERPIECE.
I THANK GOD THAT MS CRUMLEY PRESENTS HER WORK FOR ALL TO READ LEST WE FORGET THE PRECIOUS GIFT THAT HER BELOVED DEVILDOGS HAVE PRESENTED TO ALL WHO RESIDE IN PEACE AND FREEDOM.

WHETHER THE AUTHOR TAKES US TO VIETNAM, FRANCE IN WW 1, THE PACIFIC IN WW 11, OR SHE TRANSPORTS US TO KOREA, SHE HAS GIVEN US A KEEN APPRECIATION FOR THE BRAVERY, THE DEDICATION, AND THE SACRIFICES THAT OUR CORPS HAS DEMONSTRATED. CRUMLEYS DOES ALL THIS WHILE GLUING HER READER TO THE PAGES OF HER BOOK WITH LANGUAGE AND PENACHE THAT WOULD BRING THE FIGHTING MAN BACK TO HIS DAYS OF GLORY

Historian Crumley has done a sterling job in painting a bold and intimate portrait of the Corps. She has done more than simply recount the details of battles and institutional changes. She has mined the oral histories and personal papers of those who experienced these events firsthand and elegantly woven their best words into the fabric of her story. The result is an accurate and thoroughly engaging narrative spiced with an insider's view. The top notch text is accompanied by an excellent selection of photos and art (many of these illustrations appearing in print for the first time). If you're looking for a Christmas gift for a Marine, this is it!

MS CRUMLEY HAS WRITTEN PERHAPS THE GUTSIEST PIECE OF WORK EVER WRITTEN ON MILITARY HISTORY. AS A READER OF THIS MASTERPIECE, I NEEDED TO SCRAPE THE BLOOD, THE GUTS AND THE MUD OFF MY PAJAMAS AS I SLOGGED THROUGH THE JUNGLES OF THE PACIFIC, HUNKERED DOWN AT BELLEAU WOOD, FOUGHT MY WAY OUT OF INCHON, ALL IN A DAYS READING FROM MY EASYCHAIR.
SUCH IS THE STYLE AND THE FLAIR WITH WHICH THIS AUTHOR PRESENTS THE GLORIOUS HISTORY OF HER BELOVED MARINE CORPS..
MS CRUMLEY HAS BROUGHT A WEALTH OF RESEARCH, A PASSION FOR THE EXPRESSIVENESS OF THE WRITTEN WORD, AND AN APPARENT DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE SACRIFICES ENDURED MY OUR BRAVE VANGUARDS OF FREEDOM AND PEACE. IF I COULD, I WOULD MANDATE THIS BOOK AS MANDATORY READING FOR ALL WHO ARE BLESSED TO LIVE AS FREE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.

A beautifully crafted,well illustrated history of the US Marines, told in an eminently readable style.I learned more about the history and tradition of the Marines than I believed possible in a single book. I highly recommend it to both military history buffs and serious scholars.