FM Books

Have read the book over & over & returned to it for inspiration in some of my darkest times. Read it in the classroom, in the training fields, in the woods, in the mountains, in the air and in the trenches. An overall guide to doctrinal precepts of dismounted warfare in the World War Age, the text is a legacy from the Ancient Ages of Warfare.

An early understanding gave me a marked advantage over my fellow ROTC Cadets. It's never too early to begin mastering the drills, systems capabilities & tactics referred to. Required reading for all patriots. Forms the small unit basis of western military dominance together with FM 7-7 & FM 17-18.

Written in the spirit of defending a Nation through tactical objectivity, expert warcraft & a small determined force on foot being capable of seizing an enemy rapidly, 'sword in hand' and subduing him.

Nothing besides FM 7-8 & a good moral upbringing is ultimately necessary to carry out sound tactical leadership, in my opinion, for dismounted infantry.

Look forward to carrying my copy with me for years to come & drawing solace & comfort from its pages on many a battlefield.

Seriously, y'all, if you've lost yours, just go to a surplus store and pick it up for 4 or 5 bucks. They've got stacks of 'em, 'cause our beloved Army's been using the damn thing for years, and people are always pawning theirs off.

At first glance, this would seem to be an extremely specialized text, with only military applications. Appearances can be deceiving.

Where could Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) be applied, *except* in the military? Anyplace where a decision has to be made in a competitive environment, or in an environment that is less that welcoming.

The process is simple;
-Define the operational environment.
-Describe the operational environment's effects.
-Evaluate the opposition.
-Determine opposition's courses of action.

The result is a package of information to assist a leader in making a decision.

In manufacturing, the defining and describing the environment may focus on availability of labor and materials and access to a transportation network to move products. In marketing, it may be demographics and media influence information. In law enforcement, it may be routes used by perps and their social support networks. In environmental protection, it could be poachers' markets and animal migration routes.

The steps of evaluating the opposition, and identifying opposition courses of action can be applied to business competitors, criminals, or target audiences for a media campaign.

The most valuable aspect of the IPB methodology is that it clearly identifies the next questions to ask. Hypothetically, a competitor has three major options for action. Correctly executed, IPB will help the user frame out ways to determine early which option the competitor has selected. Again, this could be used in many environments other than military.

The process is simple and powerful. Regrettably, the book is so focused on military combat applications that most readers would be unlikely to take the time to think through the broader applications. The conceptual tool set presented is flexible enough to aid any decision-maker, or anyone providing them with research support, if only they'd take the time and apply the imagination to appreciate this model.

E. M. Van Court

Pardon me I was overcome with alliteration. This book is a brief but detailed synopsis of Bach's life and experiences. Good book for those who just want to learn about "The Man", but don't want to read a 300 page book. :) Has a complete BWV listing of his works!

You can find this 1942 FM21-150 at B&L military collectables at a very good price.

Ironically, before our book club had our official meeting for this read, everyone complained about it's complexity; however, after the meeting we all agreed that Three Junes provided us a bounty of discussion. Personally, I found it to be wordy at times rendering it difficult to digest. (An English Major in college yet I felt there were times when I had to "plod" through it.) The flashback sequences were distracting at times and many of the plot line issues seemed to be unresolved...e.g. Fern's purpose seemed unclear to us; we desired more information regarding Paul and Maureen's marriage or lack thereof, etc.

I didn't really embrace any of the characters in this book. I found Fenno especially annoying and for the most part, aloof and too self-directed. However, his actions in Mal's death scene I found particularly poignant. It certainly is worth the read, but won't be for everyone.

So, I just finished this book tonight. When I was done, I thought it was a good book, but I also thought the last part about Fern seemed like it was just tacked onto the the story of Paul and Fenno MacLeod, father and son. Of course, I had missed the fact that Fern was the same artist from the beginning. That may have had something to do with the time machine quality of the narrative (it's five years earlier, five years later, etc.) or the fact that I listened to the book instead of reading it, which made it a little hard to keep track of things.

Anyway, the more I thought about it, the book really is about love, or the absence thereof. It seems that Paul's marriage had fallen into a loveless or at least independent pattern. After his wife's death, he found a new place for himself and found love and companionship.

For Fenno, Mal is the lover with whom he never falls in love. After his death, we learn that he does develop a more solid relationship with Tony. We also learn of the love that he feels for his children, which, for the most part, he will never really get to express.

And there's Fern who is freed from a loveless marriage by what she thinks is a freak accident. Accident or not, she eventually finds love with Stavros.

That final part does end up seeming a bit disconnected, but when viewed with this theme the three sections do seem to fit together a little better. I personally would have enjoyed a little more time with Fenno or even the next generation of MacLeods, but as someone else pointed out this structure allows us to see Fenno from his father's perspective, his own, and an outsider's with Fern's section.

Overall, it is the MacLeod's who drive this story and who are the most interesting two thirds of it. Through their stories of life and loss, we can see how love can elusive, often tragic, but also fulfilling. I also enjoyed the book's realistic portrayal of the nuances of family life.

I would definitely recommend this book. If you like audio books, this one is a great option. The Scottish burr alone makes it all worthwhile.

Enjoy!

I loved this book from the beginning to the end. Characters were so richly drawn, plots intriguing, and writing stellar. Recommend to anyone who wants an engrossing novel that is a pleasure to read.

I cant say much other then this book was so dull and boring....I was actually angry that I was spending my time reading it. I didnt smile...I didnt laugh...I didnt cry...it was so dry, dull and lifeless.....ugh. I was so anxious to get to the last chapter..maybe then FINALLY something would happen or perhaps a huge twist to bring the story together...but nope. Beginning was boring...middle boring...and the ending was even more boring.

Julia Glass' "Three Junes" is less a novel than a set of three loosely connected novellas telling the story of the McLeod family--newspaper publisher Paul; his wife, Maureen, breeder of champion border collies; and their sons--bookstore owner Fenno, veterinarian David, and chef Dennis. You could call it a family saga, except that Glass sternly resists all temptations to give in to the overworked conventions of that genre.

As the title indicates, the novellas tell the stories of various McLeod family members on three separate Junes: 1989, in Greece; 1995, in New York and at the family home in Scotland; and 1999; at the Long Island seashore. All three stories deal strongly with bereavement--dealing not only with the grief of loss, but also with the complicated situations the dead have left behind. Characters outside the family recur from story to story, but not in any Dickensian or O. Henry sort of way--indeed, the characters don't always even realize the connections. Glass is a master of descriptive prose, always finding the right detail to bring a scene to life. She's also a master at creating character, her brainchildren complicated and believably contradictory, never reducible to a few traits. I'm still not certain what I think of most of the characters--which, I believe, is why so many reviewers on this Web site have reacted so strongly against the book. "Three Junes" never tells us what to think of the characters, and never envelops us in the their cuddliness--indeed, they're more often prickly than cuddly. But they're never less than three-dimensional, and in the end they are sympathetic. They're not fantasy people, but more like your next-door neighbors and your colleagues at work. (Two of the most charming characters are Rodgie the border collie and Felicity the parrot--both fully as realized as any of the human characters.)

If you're looking for a story that ties everything up in neat little bows in the end, avoid "Three Junes." But if you want a book as messy, vivid and believable as real life, this is the book for you.

Recommended Reading: FM - The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio - by Richard Neer

I finally got around to this one seven years after the initial publication.

Anyone who was around in the late '60s/early '70s in the New York area and fondly remembers the jump from Top 40 AM (WABC 77) to progressive/album oriented/free form rock pioneered by WNEW-FM (102.7) will want to read this one. Not that it has a happy ending. Or middle one for that fact.

Richard Neer (who now lives on as a sports talk host via an audience call in format on NYC's WFAN - 66) joined WNEW-FM in '71 and was there for the good (great), the bad and the ugly.

Much of what I retain in vinyl and much of what I retain in my head musically has a direct correlation to what Neer, Scott Muni, Roscoe, Jonathan Schwartz, Alison Steele, Dave Herman, Dennis Elsas, Pete Fornatale, Zacherle, Vin Scelsa and the others in the glory days of NEW were playing.

But in hindsight, it was a relatively short life span. Format changes along with a revolving door of corporate and program managers eventually put the whole concept and later the whole station in deep freeze.

Even though Neer interweaves correlating progress (or lack of) at stations in major markets like Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angles, and San Francisco, his focus naturally is on the New York City market. As such, much of the impact (IMO) would be lost on anyone who didn't live through these times in NY.

While not one of those tell-all slam books, there are some interesting stories and some surprising conflicts in personality revealed. The most moving moment revolves around the events at the station the night John Lennon was murdered.

Overall, an important book to revisit for the music and characters and finally the sad realization of something which is nevermore.

Paul Pearson

I lived through the era recalled by Mr. Neer in this book. As such, I especially enjoyed his asides regarding Zacherle (a personal favorite), Alison Steele, and Scott Muni. His thoughtful, low-key manner (which these days provides a welcome respite from the styles of most of his all-sports WFAN colleagues) translates well to book form. For a 350-plus page volume, this provided a surprisingly breezy and easy read. That said, I wouldn't recommend this tome to those who didn't live in the NYC area during the 70's, or are too young to recall the players involved here. But for those who lived it, this is an informative and welcome trip back to a time when most FM radio stations were infinitely more enjoyable (for the thoughtful music lover) than the unmitigated garbage that resides on that band today.

If you're a fan of New York Radio and the music it played in the 60's and 70's, this is the book for you. Richard Neer is very well respected in the city's radio establishment and he still does a great job on WFAN. Neer intertwines his own personal story, that of a struggling young DJ/music director making his way through the jungle of small market and college radio with a history of FM and rock radio. Finally, he reaches his dream of working at WNEW-FM, the Big Apple's famous free form rock station.

The book is slow in the beginning, only interesting if you're a serious radio buff. As the story moves on, it becomes more intriguing and accessible. The drama becomes more human as personalities begin to clash in the high pressure environment of such a popular media outlet. The book may be worthy of a look just for the Scott (Scottso) Muni stories alone.

If you long for the old nostalgic days of radio before it was taken over by Arbitron and rigid format, this is a wonderful book. If you want a more casual history of radio and WNEW's format style, you may want to look elsewhere, or just skip the first 100 pages or so.

The most important thing to know before starting this book is that it is not meant to be a historical document of the free-form radio era. A lot of the book has the feel of a man setting his memories to paper before they fade. Fortunately Neer has more interesting memories than most.

All in all, FM is a clear window into the workings of WNEW in New York during the formative years of rock radio. Of particular interest to listeners during that time, Neer brings you into the restricted access world of radio, devulging the conflicts and hijinks that result on the battlefront between air personality and management.

Although his stories of internal WNEW stife and rock stars in their formative years are facinating, any time the subject strays to other subjects, such as other free-form stations of the era, the narrative loses alot of the viceral energy of his personal experiences. Also, Neer will often follow stories to thier conclusion, jumping decades at a time and then back, leaving one very confused as to when a perticular event is happening.

Despite the flaws, FM is still an interesting read and while it fails to give a comprehensive view of free-form radio, the warm and often humorous radio recolections are well worth the purchace price.

Neer's book covers his lifetime in radio - 40 years or so. A good 1/3 of the book deals with FM radio outside the NYC area. Another sizeable hunk covers Neer's college and pre-WNEW FM days. I skimmed about 40% of the book.

The rest was great. Neer tells wonderful stories of Bruce Springsteen calling in to the station in the middle of the night; Chrissie Hynde showing up for a studio interview bombed; etc. It's not a tell-all exactly. Neer describes format and management changes at WNEW which are fascinating. If you grew up in the NYC area and loved Scottso and the Nightbird BUY THIS BOOK. If this isn't your gig... pass.

This radio is terrible. It is very difficult to get reception in the health club, which I can accept. But even running outdoors I have difficulty picking up signals. It's small, which is nice, but it doesn't work very well.

This is a great radio especially for the money!! I bought one 2 years ago and it is still going strong the only problem is my girlfriend likes to run and somehow she has now taken over ownership so I need to buy another one!! Heck at these prices I am going to buy 2 just to have a back up in case my son decides to borrow it !! All I can say is thank you emerson for making a quaility product at a great price. In this throw away world it is very refreshing to find a product that actually lasts!!!!!!!!!

I would think twice about getting this fine looking little radio. I had a very hard time changing the stations because the buttons were so stiff. Also the batteries fell out the bottom on a regular basis which caused me to have to redo all my pre-set stations. I did like it because it was small and nice looking but I would think twice if you're thinking of buying it.

I work out and run frequently and these headphones were a waste of my money! If you push on the bottom accidently, it will reset all your stations, which will take about 10 mins to reprogram. Then, the ear phones don't work for very long. One doesn't work at all, and the other is full of static! Do not recommend!

Well the Emerson Personal AM/FM Radio HR2001 was ok if you want a low cost radio but has poor reception and the battery door can come loose if the unit is jaring around. I would suggest using another pair of ear/head phones than the ear phones supplied. Other than that the radio is decent and works verry good.

I had to read this book for my high school history class. I actually found it to be rather dry reading. It got to the point where I had to force myself to read it. This could of course be explained by my distaste for history in general and the fact that I was on summer vacation at the time.

While Markham is clearly very knowledgeable on the subject, I found this text confusing and unsuccessful. It tried to be a kind of military biography and I found the result sketchy. It provided neither the background for the Napoleonic wars that I was looking for nor a personal biography of Napoleon himself.

Markham does offer interpretations of the rise and fall of Napoleon that were interesting and probably are what distinguish this work from other books about the subject. My problem was that I did not have enough context in my own knowledge to place those interpretations appropriately. This book might well have been useful to someone with a more extensive background in either Napoleon or his age, but it was not useful to me.

As an introduction to ground fighting techniques, the development of fighting spirit and general fitness the combative program presented in this manual is OK.

However I feel that the heavy ground/grappling focus may be dangerouse. When suddenly attacked and caught off guard on should try to avoid going to the ground. This may very well not be the first choice that pops in your mind if what you are actually trained to do is "always" taking it to the ground.In this case the training methodes become counter-productive, actually taking you to positions that you would like to avoide. Groundfighting should be a part of every persons combat skills, but the focus should be on "Ground survival" and escapes, rather than sport oriented grappling, that may be hard to pull off inn full combat gear under extreme stress. Only when you feel comfortably able to escape from bad ground positions with the help of attacking vital points (eye/troath etc)should time be used to learn arm bars, reversals, position changes etc.

I personally use the manual as a reference to usefull grappling techniques, and would recomend it for that use, but is not something that i could recomend to people (professionals or civilians) depending on learning the essentials of combat survival in the shortest amount of time.

This is one of the worst field manuals I have ever seen. I have had the unfortunate experience of being subjected to this waste of time since the Army started teaching it. Yes I have been in a real fight and I have done so with IBA, a M4, 14 Mags, and all the other crap I had to carry. The b.s. in this FM didn't help. Sorry Top until you have had to grapple with a insurgent wearing body armor and trying and maintain control of a weapon you can't tell me crap. Further have you ever really tried to grapple with someone on the ground with that crap it is almost impossible. You have to resort to every dirty trick you know if its for real. The old FMs, as well as if you talk to some old-timers will tell you that combatives is about another way of killing the enemy before he kills you because something went wrong; ie your weapon failed, or he just got the drop on you. I could give a rats pajamas about a arm bar show me how to break a arm. The other thing is the reason the Army went to it was the same reason it used to teach boxing as combatives for a while. Soldiers will learn it because they wanna play and participate because it is a sport. But I am sorry as good of a intention as it is, we all should know as leaders that this sports-jujitsu crap and real world combatives does not mix. When it is real there are no rules and you better be able to improvise, adapt, and overcome. Your better off learning a few basic escapes and picking up a WW2 manual. Remember our grandparents fought the japanese (and considering that is where the Gracies got it from sorry all the locks are the same in the japanese form) and they did pretty well and they had to worry about h2h more than we ever did.

Having just started this manual, I'll only comment on two things which I feel is justified because I'm familiar with similar USMC manuals and had some HTH training in the military and civilian life.

Most important so far is that the two men used in the photos depicting the various techniques are both wearing camoflage uniforms. As the Army considers ground fighting and grappling the basic level of training, these two grappling, with their arms and legs intertwined, make it very hard to tell what belongs to whom. It would have been far better if they'd been wearing contrasting clothing. As it is, their bodies blend together in most of the pictures.

The USMC manuals clearly discourage ground fighting and spend little space on it, mainly advising to get up as quickly as possible. The Army ground fighting has a lot of techniques which must be puzzling to some. According to the cover, these are based on Brazilian ju-jitsu and will probably be of most value to those familiar with this form; I'm not qualified to evaluate at my level of skill.

The premise of the 2002 (current as I write) edition of the U.S. Army Combatives manual is that military hand to hand combat starts with ground fighting or grappling and ends when someone's teammate shows up. Let's address the explicit and implicit fallacies one at a time.

Ground fighting for soldiers? The odds favor urban environments for this sort of engagement (short lines of sight, extremely complicated terrain with large numbers of hiding places, etc). In a war torn city, with broken glass, scrap metal, razor wire, rusted re-bar, etc does it make sense to roll around on the ground with an opponent and hope your teammate shows up before his does?

Ground fighting/grappling techniques are high coordination and multiple step movements. This makes it difficult for a student to do one correct repetition of a technique, much less the two to three thousand repetions that it takes to really internalize a technique. When you are trying to train hundreds of young Americans at once, simple has a clear value.

Ground fighting allows for competition in units. OK, competition certainly motivates most people, but it trains bad habits. In competition, techniques that would be simple and effective against an assailant are not allowed, so you are teaching people to fight 'nice'. If an opponent is determined to inflict serious injury, or is so pumped up on adrenalin or drugs that he/she doesn't care what damage they do, targeting the groin, throat, and eyes is the place to start, not "off limits/a foul".

Note well: sentry removal (silent killing techniques) have been removed from this manual. Politically insensitive, most likely, but for a soldier, the doctrine should teach techniques that could help them escape from being taken captive.

There are several more issues worth addressing here, but I'll leave it with one more.

Most disturbing is the undercurrent in this manual that unarmed combat doesn't really involve hurting an opponent, it's about submission. To allow this sense of fair play does U.S. soldiers a serious disservice. When a soldier faces an enemy, it does him or her no good to have a subconscious belief that their opponent will "submit" before they are incapacitated.

Don't buy this one unless you are interested in UFC fighting or grappling, it has only the most trivial connection to what soldiers need to know. Go for the 1992 edition of FM 21-150, 'Combatives', the Canadian army manual availible through the Canadian government website, or even D'Eliscu's 'Hand To Hand Combat' availible through Amazon.

One reviewer wrote that (in his opinion) ground fighting is not practical. I would be willing to bet that this person has never been in a real fight. MOST fights end up on the ground and if you can control your opponent you can defeat (kill) him. As far as the other raters assertaion that "submission" is somehow less than ideal in unarmed combat, I assure you that once you dislocate your opponents shoulder, knee of hip you can kill him at your leisure.

This reviewer also made it sound like this method of combatives is complicated. I will agree that looking at pictures in a book to learn this method can be difficult but you have to remember this is a reprint of a United States Army Field Manual. We use FM's to augment knowlegde that we already have through institutional training. If you have been trained in this method the FM becomes a refresher.

I have black belts in both Tae Kwan Do and Karate and can honestly tell you that a "grappler" who is experienced can defeat a puncher or kicker easily.

My Soldiers (I am a First Sergeant of Paratroopers in the United States Army) all easily learned this form of combatives and are much better preparred for combat because of it.

I only gave the manual three stars because this book is not for everybody. First you need the training and if you have that this is a great refresher.