Official Review: Fields of Friendly Strife

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 15 May 2018, 10:03

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fields of Friendly Strife" by Timothy P. Brown.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Fields of Friendly Strife: The Doughboys and Sailors of the WWI Rose Bowls by Timothy P. Brown is a well-researched and moving historical book that details the history of the men who played football on the service teams in the 1918 and 1919 Rose Bowls and their roles in WWI and lives beyond the war. Brown sets the world stage at the beginning of the book, immersing readers in the time period and providing overviews of both the war and football as they existed around the time the United States decided to enter the war. From there, readers are presented with the stories of the service team players and are taken on a chronological journey through major sporting events in the States and critical war battles taking place in France and Belgium.

Brown covers both the Rose Bowls in which service teams faced one another—Mare Island Marines vs. Camp Lewis’ 91st Division in 1918 and Mare Island Marines vs. Great Lakes Naval Training Station in 1919—and the matches leading up to those historical games. Readers get an up-close look at the players and their lives, as well as a historical lesson in how the game of football was shaped by American life and the ways in which it, in turn, affected American society. Chapters on the games are paralleled by chapters on WWI, with information on important battles such as The Battle of Belleau Wood, The Battle of Soissons and the attack on Gesnes as part of The Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Not only does Fields of Friendly Strife tackle such a unique historical topic, but Brown’s absolute dedication to research and historical accuracy shines through the entirety of the book. An avid historical book reader, I was so excited to see a book that leaves no room for doubt as to the author’s expertise in the subject matter. Brown’s interpretation of the impact of football service teams on the United States and pro football are well thought out and interesting, and his presentation of the players will have you feeling quite attached to them by the end.

I wanted so badly to give this book 4 stars, but as I found more than 10 typos and errors, the review policy doesn't allow for it, so I have to rate it 3 out of 4 stars. Despite typos in the book, given the volume of the book they don’t stick out and certainly don’t account for a large portion of the writing. In the end, I still felt that the book was well edited despite the occasional typo such as "who grew up in world…” (Loc 217, CH 1) and “particularly true for among service teams…” (Loc 1154, Ch 4). The errors are not numerous enough to affect reading and all in all, Brown shows himself to be a masterful writer. His writing style particularly spoke to me in that despite being heavily saturated with facts, his tone remained lighthearted at times and his storytelling abilities had me hooked from the beginning. Rarely have I ever read a historical book in which the author anticipated every single one of my questions and thoughts. Throughout the book, I’d read a sentence and wonder about some fact or idea only to have the author address it in the following sentences. Only a masterful writer could get in the head of his readers so effectively. Certainly, Brown is no narrow-minded writer and takes into account everything else going on outside of the service teams at the time, despite his focus on them.

Whether you’re a football fan, a WWI history buff or just someone who likes to learn and is looking for an interesting new read, I highly recommend Fields of Friendly Strife. Few historical books have impressed me so much, and I walked away from this book with a plethora of new knowledge about the U.S., WWI, football and all sorts of interesting historical tidbits. Furthermore, I was moved by stories of which I’d never even heard before and which had such a profound impact on the development of the United States and the outcome of the war.

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Fields of Friendly Strife
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Post by **kandscreeley** » 17 May 2018, 07:41

This sounds like a meaningful book for one who enjoys historical fiction. I'm glad that the author was historically accurate. Despite the typos, it doesn't seem that there are really that many for the book as a whole. Thanks for the information. While this isn't my cup of tea, I appreciate the review.

Ginnamassa19 · Post by **Ginnamassa19** » 17 May 2018, 08:32

This book has such an interesting premise--approaching war from the inside out. It's a really intriguing perspective, seeing as the world had no idea things were going to escalate so much and so quickly in WW1, and this confusion seems as though it's really well reflected in the eyes of the service team players! As a lover of most historical novels, I'm definitely keeping this in mind as a potential future read.

Thank you for your review--it was thorough and very clearly written!

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 17 May 2018, 09:17

kandscreeley wrote: ↑17 May 2018, 07:41 This sounds like a meaningful book for one who enjoys historical fiction. I'm glad that the author was historically accurate. Despite the typos, it doesn't seem that there are really that many for the book as a whole. Thanks for the information. While this isn't my cup of tea, I appreciate the review.

It was certainly quite different than anything I've read before and I really enjoyed it. Thank you for your comment!

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 17 May 2018, 09:19

Ginnamassa19 wrote: ↑17 May 2018, 08:32 This book has such an interesting premise--approaching war from the inside out. It's a really intriguing perspective, seeing as the world had no idea things were going to escalate so much and so quickly in WW1, and this confusion seems as though it's really well reflected in the eyes of the service team players! As a lover of most historical novels, I'm definitely keeping this in mind as a potential future read.

Thank you for your review--it was thorough and very clearly written!

You're absolutely right! It was such an interesting subject and unique way to approach American life and the war. I really enjoyed reading it and I hope you do as well if you find the time to check it out. Thank you for your comment!

crediblereading2 · Post by **crediblereading2** » 17 May 2018, 23:45

Reading this book will cause me to feel like I am getting an up-close and personal view of these historical football games as well as the trauma of the war. Sorry about the typos. Thank you for your great review.

Post by **Sanju Lali** » 18 May 2018, 11:20

Thanks for good review to give good insight into this book, Nice to hear the football being with such pride and passion even in those hard days of WW1

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 18 May 2018, 16:01

crediblereading2 wrote: ↑17 May 2018, 23:45 Reading this book will cause me to feel like I am getting an up-close and personal view of these historical football games as well as the trauma of the war. Sorry about the typos. Thank you for your great review.

Yes, it absolutely will! Thank you for commenting.

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 18 May 2018, 16:01

sanjus wrote: ↑18 May 2018, 11:20 Thanks for good review to give good insight into this book, Nice to hear the football being with such pride and passion even in those hard days of WW1

Thanks for commenting! It was a great book.

NL Hartje · Post by **NL Hartje** » 20 May 2018, 14:45

Wow, what an interesting and particular story. I hope this story reaches an audience of vets, military families, or history buffs who will appreciate the lives and sacrifices. Thanks for your review!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 20 May 2018, 17:08

The blend of football with history is very intriguing. The accuracy of historical facts you point is another compelling factor. Great review.

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 20 May 2018, 19:10

NL Hartje wrote: ↑20 May 2018, 14:45 Wow, what an interesting and particular story. I hope this story reaches an audience of vets, military families, or history buffs who will appreciate the lives and sacrifices. Thanks for your review!

It truly is! I hope so as well, and thank you for commenting!

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 20 May 2018, 19:11

kdstrack wrote: ↑20 May 2018, 17:08 The blend of football with history is very intriguing. The accuracy of historical facts you point is another compelling factor. Great review.

It was really quite different than anything I'd previously read and the historical accuracy was so refreshing. Thanks for commenting!

Ana-Maria-Diana · Post by **Ana-Maria-Diana** » 29 Jun 2018, 13:48

The subject of discussion is new to me and thanks to the review I will give it a try. I wouldn't have thought that I will read about the history of football but here I am.

Camille Turner · Post by **Camille Turner** » 13 Aug 2018, 19:22

Ana-Maria-Diana wrote: ↑29 Jun 2018, 13:48 The subject of discussion is new to me and thanks to the review I will give it a try. I wouldn't have thought that I will read about the history of football but here I am.

I must apologize for having somehow missed your comment a couple of months ago! I hope you like(d) the book—it really is fascinating whether you're a football fan or not. Thanks for the comment!