I Truly Received the Messages but I Didn't Appreciate It

books:


	• A Sense of Honor: A Novel (Bluejacket Books) James H. Webb US Naval Institute Press, 1995 - 308 pages average customer review:based on 35 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Quelled on the wing like eagles struck in air. . .

It's been 15 years since I read this book the first time as a Midshipman. While quite a bit has changed in my life since then, I am amazed at how quickly A Sense of Honor took me back to my youthful days at USNA. As I read Webb's story this time, I was amazed at how differently it affected me and how greatful I am for my own experiences and relationships I took from the Academy. They call Annapolis "the great conundrum" because while you are there, all you want to do is get away, but once you graduate, all you want to do is get back, and Webb's story helps to demonstrate why. While the particulars of the story will be more familiar to former Midshipmen, there are terrific lessons to be learned for everyone and I would recommend it without a doubt.

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True to life

I wasn't there in the 60's, but I can tell you it was very accurate for 1985. The are still a few Fogartys running around there. I had a squad leader just like him. This is a very good read. Webb is underappreciated as a writer.

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Another great Webb book

"A Sense of Honor" is classic Webb, and that's a good thing. For those readers unfamiliar with James Webb and his works, he graduated from the Naval Academy, went to Vietnam as a Marine Officer, and eventually used his experiences to write his most famous novel, "Fields of Fire". Both "Fields" and "Sense of Honor" have as central themes the warrior's distaste for the tyranny of guidelines and rules over common sense. Webb excells at creating choatic enviroments, where leadership breaks into difficult choices of judgement and morality, where there are no 'right' answers. In particular, I found 'Sense of Honor' great because of its simple contrast of characters. Fogerty is the poster-boy Annapolis First Classman, and consumate warrior. John Dean is the new 'plebe', subject to the whims of the First Classmen (think of a recruit in a Fraternity). Dean is about grades and class; jumping through whatever hoops he must to simply graduate and continue a civilian life. Fogerty pushes Dean, in the words of 'Sense of Honor', to be 'bigger than himself' - to be a leader sacrificing for his companions, rather than a civlian out for himself. This is all set during the Class of 1968, the summer of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, in which Annapolis graduates fought, bled, and died. Sacrifice and death were by no means simple abstractions. Anyone interested in leadership, the military life, or simply a great drama would do well to buy this book. It is as relevent to current events as it was back when 'Sense of Honor' was written.

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A Sense of Honor--redux

I read this book when it was first published and was completely taken by it. I entered the US Naval Academy in 1968 (Class of 72)--my plebe year was 1968-1969 (I flunked out a year later, joined the Army, went to Vietnam, returned, finished college then joined the Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel after 31 years total service). The events and characters in this book were so close to those I'd experienced (to include the setting--I was in 32nd Company, my company officer, Maj Stensland, MUST have been the model for Capt Lenahan) it completely blew me away. Most poignant for me is the part about training for jump school...I participated in that; reading the book was like reading a chapter of my own life. If you want to know what this little bit of history was all about; if you want to "taste" a snapshot of the times...being part of an institute demonized by anti-war sentiment knowing that upon graduation you were going to Vietnam (in my case, never coming to grips with what calculus had to do with fighting NVA) this is the book for you.

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I Truly Received the Messages but I Didn't Appreciate It

I bought this book based on the reviews posted on this website. I too, served for 10 years in the Navy. For some reason, I got very bored with the centralized theme: discipline at the USNA. I'll even admit that I started (and stopped) reading this book several times but I was determined to finish it (like Dean running the wall). The transformation of turning teenagers into military leaders is the purpose of the Academies but why does Webb beat you death with this point. I know there are other plots to the book but everything comes back to the discipline element. Webb's military career is well documented and he does a tremendous job bringing the reader into this environment. His character development in Sense of Honor is very strong. The plots are easy to follow. He satisfactorily brings each to conclusion at the end. I am giving it 3 stars because 1) I finished the book and 2) due to the over emphasizing of discipline. It would be kinda interesting if Webb had to choosen to follow up these characters. He did with Fogarty but what eventually happens to Dean might have made a great sequal. This is a good novel but not a real turner.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

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