Deus Misereatur

 This book was loaned to me by a friend. He had been a Green Beret in Vietnam and recently passed away. As I read about General “Chinese” Gordon, I saw a lot of my friend. Charlie Gordon won the loyalty of those who served with and underneath him. He strove hard to maintain his integrity in some of the most dangerous of situations, and succeeded. And when he failed at times, his integrity showed by his seeking forgiveness and making amends. Charlton Heston played General Gordon in the 1966 movie “Khartoum”. Charlie Gordon comes through in this biography with clarity. A Christian (though slightly off here and there) he masterfully served in the Crimean War, in putting down the Taiping Uprising in China, and facing off against the Mahdi revolt (where he was overthrown and died). He also, momentarily, ended the slave-trade of Sudan a few years earlier. These episodes, and others, are carefully chronicled in this volume. He was also a man of compassion. He spent years helping young str...

Redemption at Hacksaw Ridge: The gripping true story that inspired the movie by Booton Herndon My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a biography of the heroic actions of Desmond Doss with a short account of the remainder of his life. The memoir is rather artless and unadorned, and yet the momentum of Doss's actions and character easily carry the reader forward. This account of Private Doss's struggles, stamina and steadfastness is a tribute to his Seventh-Day Adventist faith. "Redemption at Hacksaw Ridge" is an easy-to-read piece. Preteens, adolescents and adults alike will find it accessible, filled with examples of courage on multiple levels. Here was a Conscientious Objector who stuck to his principles against all odds and against Army brass, while willingly serving as an Army Medic with the 77th Division in the heat of heavy combat. He is credited with saving many soldiers at great risk to himself, even putting others before his own care after he had been seriously w...