Customer Reviews

This Ain't Hell... But You Can See It From Here! A Gulf War Sketchbook

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was an awesome book and I have read it numerous times. Being a Gulf War Veteran I read just about every book that came out right after the Gulf War to see what the various authors had to say about a war that affected millions of us and that 500,000 plus American attended/participated in. I no longer read books on the Gulf war because most of it is political dribble trying to explain what did not happen, Now it seems that it is more convient for some to write lies then the truth, no such thing as Gulf War Syndrome right. Enough of politics that is why I like this book, because it put everything in perspective using humor.

If you are not a veterans it will still be funny to most of you.

This will always be one of my favorite books on the Gulf War. I especially liked the chapter on the Red Rope Ranger. I laugh out loud every time I think about it!

I met Barry at King Fahd International Airport when he interviewed me and several folks in my unit, the 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron. My story didn't make the final cut but you've got to read about our Flight Surgeon, Major Smith, and his war trophy! <g>

Very good book. Good overall coverage of the war from many different points of view. Difficult to do, but done well here.

This is the best book I've discovered to find out what the experience of a Gulf War soldier was really like. McWilliams doesn't pull any punches -- there's a bit of profanity and gallows humor -- but in my book that's what makes this a REAL soldier's book. About 75% of the book was quoted material -- the actual words of the men and women who were there. I found their anectodes funny, frightening, even inspiring at times. McWilliams is noted for his cartoons, which appear in papers nationwide, including our local weekly (he even came to our local elementary school once and taught about 200 of our kids how to draw cartoons!), and the detail he puts into his drawings is very good. I even noticed that he snuck a P-51 Mustang into the background a drawing about the crowded Saudi skies. I loved that!

As a Gulf war vet myself, this book truely captures the humor, frustration, and also manages to educate about the experiences we had in the Persian Gulf War. It manages to explain with humor a lot of the difficulty we had with the people, locations, and logistics in the Gulf. When I tell stories about my experiences: No one believes me. This book confirms all the craziness that was Desert Storm.

If you REALLY want to find out how things were in the "First Gulf War", buy a copy of this book! It was sent to me by my best friend while I was over there digging in the big sand box, and while it does help provide some comic relief and allowed me to laugh at the situation I was in at the time, it sure tells it like it was at the time.

I have known Barry well for thirty years now and have loved this book for the last fifteen. His book was highly inspirational to me in the writing of I Never Liked Those C-130's Anyway.
It is as germain today as it was in 1992 after the first Gulf War,which is when I first read it.
It is chocked full of humor and Barry McWilliams' special take on the every day. As the creator of the JP Doodles cartoon he has used his skills to full advantage by creating the wonderfull art within.
A worthy read.