Heart of a Soldier
The Intimate Letters of General George E. Pickett, CSA

Every year on 9/11, I read the New Yorker article titled “The Real Heroes Are Dead” which describes Rick Rescorla’s heroic actions on that day and the background of his life that lead him to be there on that day saving lives. This book is by the same author and really fleshes out Rick’s life story,......more

Yes I realize the recommendation statement seems a bit vague. And maybe on the surface seems to not fit the title. But I assure you that is at the core of this book. Rick Rescorla was a war hero in Vietnam in the Ia Drang Valley. Made famous with the book "We Were Soldiers Once and Young" later adapt......more

3 stars [Biography] (W: 3.08, T: 2.47, P: 3.38) Exact rating: 2.98 When I saw that the decision of one man, Rick Rescorla, on September 11, 2001 prevented the number of dead that day from almost doubling, I decided to delve into his life's story. Heart of a Soldier turned out to be a collective biograph......more

I picked this up based on my love for Stewart's Den of Thieves. This was a pretty good read but not in the same league. Nonetheless if you love non-fiction war it's a worthwhile read. The characters involved are extraordinary... it is good that their stories are told. That said, I found the war year......more

The first 10 pages were some of the best I've read, and was so promising. However, the story peaked with Rescorla's involvement in Vietnam, and I found myself finishing the book out of premise rather than anything else. The final chapter about 9/11 was moving, but the third of the book before that w......more