In an effort to maintain my edge in the changing world of book publishing I arranged to have my war memoir "Messages from Babylon" converted to iBooks format and made available in Apple's bookstore. I have seen it on my iPad and it looks pretty good.
The big difference is that all the pictures are in color instead of black & white, and I added additional photographs from my vast archive of Iraq pictures. Another addition from the print edition is I added a list of acronyms at the front of the big to assist the poor reader in navigating the CPA, KBR, MSR thicket.
The print edition of Messages is still available online or I can sell you an autographed copy if you are really that interested. I didn't publish this book to make money, because I haven't, but I at least try to cover my costs.
I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Think of all the servicemen and women overseas during the holidays: some in harm's way. I've been there, and now I can't ever forget them.
Showing posts with label "Messages from Babylon" "Myths of Babylon" "A Quiet Reality" "Melik Kaylan" "Emilio Marrero". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "Messages from Babylon" "Myths of Babylon" "A Quiet Reality" "Melik Kaylan" "Emilio Marrero". Show all posts
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Babylon stories
I spent ten months of my life living on or adjacent to the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon, so when an editorial on that topic appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, I took an interest. Entitled Myths of Babylon, by Melik Kaylan, the article made the case that the American and Coalition forces had not damaged the ruins of the ancient city, as had been widely reported in the media.
I remember reading these newspaper accounts when they appeared. I thought that these media reports were inconsistent with my own observations at the time. I went to the area in and around the ruins many times, and I don't recall that they looked any different when I left than when I had arrived. In fact, as the article points out, upon arriving in Babylon in April 2003, the Marines extended their perimeter in order to protect the ruins from looters, who were hauling donkey cart loads of artifacts away daily.
The man most instrumental in encouraging the Marine Commander to preserve the ruins from the looters was Emilio Marrero, a Navy Captain and the Chaplain for the First Marine Expeditionary Force. Chaplain Marero recounts these events in his memoir, A Quiet Reality, which was just published last April. Drawing on the Chaplain's book, and an interview with the author, Mr Kaylan casts doubt on the media accusations that the U.S. and Coalition forces had damaged the site.
I remember the Chaplain very well. He hosted a very moving Memorial Day ceremony in our mess hall on the banks of the Shatt-al-Hillah canal, recounted in my own memoir of the events of that time, Messages from Babylon. A Marine helicopter had crashed into the canal a few days before, killing the crew. Worse, a Marine infantryman on guard duty nearby had jumped into the canal in an effort to save the crew, and drowned himself. It was probably one of the most moving ceremonies I had ever attended, and Chaplain Marrero deserves some of the credit for that.
I intend to put the Chaplain's book on my Xmas list.
I remember reading these newspaper accounts when they appeared. I thought that these media reports were inconsistent with my own observations at the time. I went to the area in and around the ruins many times, and I don't recall that they looked any different when I left than when I had arrived. In fact, as the article points out, upon arriving in Babylon in April 2003, the Marines extended their perimeter in order to protect the ruins from looters, who were hauling donkey cart loads of artifacts away daily.
The man most instrumental in encouraging the Marine Commander to preserve the ruins from the looters was Emilio Marrero, a Navy Captain and the Chaplain for the First Marine Expeditionary Force. Chaplain Marero recounts these events in his memoir, A Quiet Reality, which was just published last April. Drawing on the Chaplain's book, and an interview with the author, Mr Kaylan casts doubt on the media accusations that the U.S. and Coalition forces had damaged the site.
I remember the Chaplain very well. He hosted a very moving Memorial Day ceremony in our mess hall on the banks of the Shatt-al-Hillah canal, recounted in my own memoir of the events of that time, Messages from Babylon. A Marine helicopter had crashed into the canal a few days before, killing the crew. Worse, a Marine infantryman on guard duty nearby had jumped into the canal in an effort to save the crew, and drowned himself. It was probably one of the most moving ceremonies I had ever attended, and Chaplain Marrero deserves some of the credit for that.
I intend to put the Chaplain's book on my Xmas list.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)