Review of Tour of Duty
-
Lidget Lindo
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 03 Mar 2023, 20:08
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 2
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lidget-lindo.html
- Latest Review: Snatched Up to Heaven! by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul
Review of Tour of Duty
[Following is a volunteer review of "Tour of Duty" by William H. Coles.]
William H. Coles, the author of the book Tour of Duty, draws us into a very descriptive perspective of the contrasting division displayed between persons of different ranks, statuses, and nationality within the military and society during the early 1960s and during the emerging cold war era and persons trying to make sense of World War 11, still fresh in people's minds. This is the atmosphere in which the two key characters, Miles Ballard and Ingrid Stern had to maneuver, drawn by an attraction to each other but smothered by a Jewish religious based arranged marriage between Ingrid and her husband, and anchored by loyalty and respect by Ingrid to her husband and influenced by her Jewish background. This was further coupled with Miles's valued respect and high regard for his friendship with them. Tour of Duty reflects the experience they encountered serving in their respective roles within the Air Force, their personal challenges, their ambitions, aspirations, put-downs, the challenge faced due to the generally accepted status quo., and the adventure of how it all ends.
From a positive perspective, the book draws you into a real picture of life as it appeared then within the military and society and the impact of WW11 on people's minds. Further, it shows up the prestige held of status and how that governed their view of those they considered below them. It's very descriptive of sceneries, events, characters, images, and personalities that fed into the negative or positive relationship that the characters had with each other. An example of this is the challenge faced by Miles Ballard with his superior officer who constantly put him down., even when what he presented made sense. His superior officer did not want it to appear that someone lower than his rank appeared smarter than he.
One of the faults found was that the book did not have the expected content page. Also, at times the dialogue between characters without stating who is speaking can cause us to miss who is speaking requiring that added need to slowly follow the flow of conversation. Sometimes, when you are getting into the flow of a scene, it makes a sudden shift into a new scenario with new characters resulting in a high-to-low, low -to high build-up of excitement e.g., after the dramatic events that developed in chapter eight with the skiing avalanche and the change in chapter nine with other characters, leading us to await another build-up all over again.
Tour of Duty is fairly well edited although there remain a few minimal errors and some possible inconsistencies in a few areas. The book is not overly dramatic or holds your attention right through. The constant sudden changes in scenes when you are at a point of heightened expectations and flow at a point when you are looking for what's next is a negative in my estimation. However, it does open our imagination and conscious realization of people's self-perspective of themselves and others during that time and to some extent even now, as it draws us with vivid descriptiveness, the personalities, images, and characteristics of each new character and their mindset as it relates to their status and ranking within the socio-fabric of life. This is also reflected in how it describes places and sceneries that draw our imagination of what life was like then. I therefore would rank this book 3 out of 5.
This book is readable for both the younger and the older population. I would say it may appeal to persons of historical interest and social concerns and those who like to read a variety of books of interest with some degree of drama but not necessarily what would drive their main interest to read.
******
Tour of Duty
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
William H. Coles, the author of the book Tour of Duty, draws us into a very descriptive perspective of the contrasting division displayed between persons of different ranks, statuses, and nationality within the military and society during the early 1960s and during the emerging cold war era and persons trying to make sense of World War 11, still fresh in people's minds. This is the atmosphere in which the two key characters, Miles Ballard and Ingrid Stern had to maneuver, drawn by an attraction to each other but smothered by a Jewish religious based arranged marriage between Ingrid and her husband, and anchored by loyalty and respect by Ingrid to her husband and influenced by her Jewish background. This was further coupled with Miles's valued respect and high regard for his friendship with them. Tour of Duty reflects the experience they encountered serving in their respective roles within the Air Force, their personal challenges, their ambitions, aspirations, put-downs, the challenge faced due to the generally accepted status quo., and the adventure of how it all ends.
From a positive perspective, the book draws you into a real picture of life as it appeared then within the military and society and the impact of WW11 on people's minds. Further, it shows up the prestige held of status and how that governed their view of those they considered below them. It's very descriptive of sceneries, events, characters, images, and personalities that fed into the negative or positive relationship that the characters had with each other. An example of this is the challenge faced by Miles Ballard with his superior officer who constantly put him down., even when what he presented made sense. His superior officer did not want it to appear that someone lower than his rank appeared smarter than he.
One of the faults found was that the book did not have the expected content page. Also, at times the dialogue between characters without stating who is speaking can cause us to miss who is speaking requiring that added need to slowly follow the flow of conversation. Sometimes, when you are getting into the flow of a scene, it makes a sudden shift into a new scenario with new characters resulting in a high-to-low, low -to high build-up of excitement e.g., after the dramatic events that developed in chapter eight with the skiing avalanche and the change in chapter nine with other characters, leading us to await another build-up all over again.
Tour of Duty is fairly well edited although there remain a few minimal errors and some possible inconsistencies in a few areas. The book is not overly dramatic or holds your attention right through. The constant sudden changes in scenes when you are at a point of heightened expectations and flow at a point when you are looking for what's next is a negative in my estimation. However, it does open our imagination and conscious realization of people's self-perspective of themselves and others during that time and to some extent even now, as it draws us with vivid descriptiveness, the personalities, images, and characteristics of each new character and their mindset as it relates to their status and ranking within the socio-fabric of life. This is also reflected in how it describes places and sceneries that draw our imagination of what life was like then. I therefore would rank this book 3 out of 5.
This book is readable for both the younger and the older population. I would say it may appeal to persons of historical interest and social concerns and those who like to read a variety of books of interest with some degree of drama but not necessarily what would drive their main interest to read.
******
Tour of Duty
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Snatched Up to Heaven! by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul
