Henry Berry

Make the Kaiser Dance is a compilation of taped oral histories of WWI by the men who were. The author was able to locate and interview at least one man who had served in each of the major units sent to France between April 1917 and November 1918. His veterans include members of the Army, Navy, and Marines who served in almost every capacity on the Western Front on the ground and in the air.

The author chose to present this history in the manner in which the material was gathered. As a result, all of the text is first person and the format is that of an extended conversation with the expected vagaries of subject focus. Direct transcription of a taped interview can result in reading that is exceedingly wearing, however, it is evident author Berry did not make this mistake. The book text is skillfully edited and it reads well. In each soldier’s story digressions from the main topic are presented in a manner which informs and engages the reader’s interest.

If you have an interest in WWI history I think you will find this book worthwhile. See Common Knowledge for an example of the writing style.… (mais)

This is No Drill is a collection of first-hand accounts from survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. Most of the accounts are transcripts from interviews, so they are very informal in style. The first section of the book contains some history of the ear and background and culture of the times. At first I felt like the information would be redundant, since most of it was common knowledge to me, but the more I read the more I appreciated the setting of the scene for the rest of the book.

This is No Drill lends itself easily to being read a bit at a time because of the many short chapters consisting of stories from the survivors. In part it took me a long time to finish the book because I would read an account or two when I had a few minutes to spare here and there.

The first-hand accounts were interesting to read and reminded me of the times my grandpa would tell me stories about the war (which I’m sure were much edited and sanitized for my young ears). These stories, however, are almost all transcripts of conversations the author had with various survivors, and so are not G-rated.

These men opened up about their experiences on the day of the bombing and also gave details about what life in general was like in the military at that time. I thought it was amusing when the author stated that every survivor, without fail, mentioned Hotel Street in some respect (Hotel Street was the location of various brothels).

This is No Drill contains reflections on a moment in time from many different perspectives, giving the reader a panoramic view of military life in Honolulu on December 7, 1941. Fans of oral history and those who have an interest in the Pearl Harbor attack should enjoy this book.… (mais)