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SHE WENT TO WAR

Name: SHE WENT TO WAR
Author: Rhonda Cornum
ISBN: 0-89141-463-0

THE RHONDA CORNUM STORY

by Rhonda Cornum & illustrated by Peter Copeland ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1992

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A soldier's story of the Gulf War—with a twist: The author, who was taken prisoner by the Iraqis, is a woman, wife, and mother, as well as a flight surgeon in the army. Alternating accounts of her army life at home and in Saudi Arabia, Cornum, a major, describes the events that led to her capture in the Iraqi desert (Iraqis shot down the helicopter flying her to the rescue of a downed pilot); her subsequent imprisonment; and her unexpected release and joyous homecoming. With a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Cornell, Cornum joined the army because she wanted to go to a military medical school rather than a civilian one. She'd never had much school spirit, ``but all of a sudden in the army, I found the spirit and I loved it.'' She learned to fly helicopters, completed a grueling paratrooper course, and rose to become head of a research division at Fort Rucker. The Iraqi soldiers who found her badly wounded—Cornum suffered from a bullet wound, two broken arms, and dislocated knees—treated her harshly: She was interrogated often, moved from place to place blindfolded, and received only rudimentary care. Her injuries finally were treated properly in Baghdad, where, unaware that the war was over, she prepared herself for a lengthy imprisonment. Reunited with friends and family, Cornum found herself a celebrity back home. Here, she relates her harrowing experience with quiet courage, offering perceptive insights into army life, the role of women in combat—which she favors—and the support that comes from what she calls ``unit bonding.'' A fast-paced story as much about war and one remarkable woman as about the tenacity of the human spirit. (Sixteen b&w photographs, one map—not seen.)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1992

ISBN: 0-89141-463-0

Page Count: 224

Publisher: Presidio/Random

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1992

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.