Review by alyssajanel13 -- Commitment to Courage
-
alyssajanel13
- Posts: 21
- Joined: 31 Jul 2020, 12:18
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 22
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alyssajanel13.html
- Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
Review by alyssajanel13 -- Commitment to Courage
[Following is a volunteer review of "Commitment to Courage" by Donald L. Redden PhD.]
I’ll admit, I came to this book with a bias for the subject. As a Pennsylvania daughter of a Vietnam veteran, Don Redden was a writer I could understand before word one because I knew something about his past. Turns out, that positive bias wasn’t misplaced. In Commitment to Courage, Mr. Redden shows himself to be an intimate and engaging storyteller.
Commitment to Courage begins as a typical autobiography. (Although, most don’t begin with a foreword dedication written from a kidnapping victim to his FBI rescuer.) Redden lays the groundwork of his life by relaying his progression from Vietnam back to the states as a middle-class worker. Then, he tells his journey of being an unlikely FBI recruit and turning into a skilled and formidable agent. Some sections of his life are challenging to read from an emotional standpoint. Hearing from a soldier in a Vietnam field, revealing the horror of war is not easy. But, this author has the compassion to not dwell too long and deep on the tragedies.
By far, my favorite element of this autobiography was the tone and voice of the narrator. This was one of the first self-told stories I have read where the author didn’t come across as a condescending braggart. Redden is open and honest, about seemingly all aspects of his life. He lays out uncomfortable truths about retaking the entrance exams for the bureau and his rookie mistakes once he gains admission. And it’s not just work. He is just as vulnerable when he reveals his flaws as a husband and father. And that’s the delight of this book. Not only do we get a glimpse of the job, but we keep to see the real consequences of the work and what it does to families. Redden apologizes but doesn’t hide.
From a literary perspective, this is a well-crafted work. The course of the story is plain, straight-forward and clean. There is a smooth linear progression in the story that is easy to follow without being boring. The editing is exact and up to top standards. Redden uses accessible language. He doesn’t string together high-dollar words to impress. Because he doesn’t need to wow the reader with erudition. His skill is clear. And that makes the story so much more enveloping.
This is fully a book that can cross genre lines. Any fan of criminal and military histories will enjoy this read. True Crime and autobiography fans alike will also be engrossed. What’s not to like about tales of bank robberies, divers searching cold waters for clues and the zany antics of really dumb criminals? Sometimes the stories are long-winded and meandering. Sometimes the stories stack without real progression. But they are still interesting. I wasn’t prepared for the heartstring tugs at the end. The final pages do make the reader question what really matters. Work or family. Sometimes, one has to win. Which means the other decidedly does not. And that is forever.
Don Redden has created a very fine life-telling and a 3 out of 4 star book. He deftly spans his past and acknowledges unpleasant realities. In life, we don’t get to rewind and make changes. We have no choice but to carry on. This is sweet book about one man’s way to do just that.
******
Commitment to Courage
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I’ll admit, I came to this book with a bias for the subject. As a Pennsylvania daughter of a Vietnam veteran, Don Redden was a writer I could understand before word one because I knew something about his past. Turns out, that positive bias wasn’t misplaced. In Commitment to Courage, Mr. Redden shows himself to be an intimate and engaging storyteller.
Commitment to Courage begins as a typical autobiography. (Although, most don’t begin with a foreword dedication written from a kidnapping victim to his FBI rescuer.) Redden lays the groundwork of his life by relaying his progression from Vietnam back to the states as a middle-class worker. Then, he tells his journey of being an unlikely FBI recruit and turning into a skilled and formidable agent. Some sections of his life are challenging to read from an emotional standpoint. Hearing from a soldier in a Vietnam field, revealing the horror of war is not easy. But, this author has the compassion to not dwell too long and deep on the tragedies.
By far, my favorite element of this autobiography was the tone and voice of the narrator. This was one of the first self-told stories I have read where the author didn’t come across as a condescending braggart. Redden is open and honest, about seemingly all aspects of his life. He lays out uncomfortable truths about retaking the entrance exams for the bureau and his rookie mistakes once he gains admission. And it’s not just work. He is just as vulnerable when he reveals his flaws as a husband and father. And that’s the delight of this book. Not only do we get a glimpse of the job, but we keep to see the real consequences of the work and what it does to families. Redden apologizes but doesn’t hide.
From a literary perspective, this is a well-crafted work. The course of the story is plain, straight-forward and clean. There is a smooth linear progression in the story that is easy to follow without being boring. The editing is exact and up to top standards. Redden uses accessible language. He doesn’t string together high-dollar words to impress. Because he doesn’t need to wow the reader with erudition. His skill is clear. And that makes the story so much more enveloping.
This is fully a book that can cross genre lines. Any fan of criminal and military histories will enjoy this read. True Crime and autobiography fans alike will also be engrossed. What’s not to like about tales of bank robberies, divers searching cold waters for clues and the zany antics of really dumb criminals? Sometimes the stories are long-winded and meandering. Sometimes the stories stack without real progression. But they are still interesting. I wasn’t prepared for the heartstring tugs at the end. The final pages do make the reader question what really matters. Work or family. Sometimes, one has to win. Which means the other decidedly does not. And that is forever.
Don Redden has created a very fine life-telling and a 3 out of 4 star book. He deftly spans his past and acknowledges unpleasant realities. In life, we don’t get to rewind and make changes. We have no choice but to carry on. This is sweet book about one man’s way to do just that.
******
Commitment to Courage
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
