American Heroes: In the Fight Against Radical Islam by Oliver North, Chuck Holton (Editor)

From the Publisher

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post best seller, now available with a new chapter on events in Afghanistan plus an exclusive online access code for three downloadable episodes of War Stories!

What is a hero? Oliver North says, “Real heroes are selfless. Those who serve America in harm’s way in the war against radical Islam have that quality in abundance. And so do their families and loved ones at home. Yet, they rarely get the attention or coverage they deserve . . . I never cease to be amazed at the self-discipline of these brave young Americans. They can endure the adrenaline-pumping violence of enemy engagement, and then, just minutes later, help school children get safely to their classes . . . No nation—ours included—has ever had a military force better than the one we have today.”

In American Heroes, North offers an inspiring, first-hand account of the extraordinary men and women defending America against radical Islamic terror from his perspective as a forty year member of the United States military, a member of the National Security Council staff and serving as the U.S. counter-terrorism coordinator from 1983-1986. This patriotic book also pulls in the very latest reports and exclusive full-color photographs from War Stories, the award-winning FOX News Channel series hosted by North.

Oliver North is a Vietnam veteran awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts during his twenty-two years of service as a U.S. Marine. He was later assigned to the National Security Council staff by former President Ronald Reagan, who called North “an American hero.” Today,he is a best-selling author, syndicated columnist, and host of the award-winning War Stories series on the FOX News Channel. North has four children, eight grandchildren, and lives with his wife in Virginia.

Chuck Holton is a U.S. military veteran and now travels the world as Adventure Correspondent for the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN).

Publishers Weekly

North is a retired Marine infantry veteran of Vietnam and was a key player in the Iran-Contra affair. This book is a mostly workmanlike presentation of his experiences as a war correspondent for FOX (which shares copyright on this book) as the U.S. invaded Iraq. Any political uproar it may cause is likely to stem largely from Pavlovian responses to the name of the author, a response that ignores that he has written both fiction and nonfiction as well as having been a Marine officer. So it is hardly surprising that he does excellent work covering a Marine aviation unit, one appointed to transport assault troops and evacuate wounded in aging helicopters-never without risk and sometimes with bloody incidents. These are vividly and knowledgeably described, as is the Marines' courage and professionalism. Nor is it surprising to witness the empathy between a retired Marine about to become a grandfather and younger Marines about to see combat. The briefer coverage of the armored units of the 4th Infantry Division is a little frustrating, and the polemics against antiwar journalists and politicians, while unlikely to offend readers who share the author's views, feel redundant. So does the capsule history of Iraq in the appendix, although well-written enough to give the author credibility as a popular historian. Even the larger issue of the linkage between a correspondent, a network and a publisher who are all politically simpatico can hardly be made into anything especially sinister without the same kind of political partisanship that the book exhibits in its less inspiring moments. DVD of Fox News North special not seen by PW. (Dec.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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