Shards of Glass

Rating:
Summary: Horrors of War
Review: I began reading Shards of Glass shortly after the events of September 11th not knowing it would poignantly illustrate the horrors of war and help me understand the current events as they unfolded. As General Roark reviews his life and relationships I gained insight into how the military, war and diplomacy really work. Additionally, the author vividly illustrates how principles, ethics and personal relationships are often sacrificed to war. Roark explains how he got into the military as a teenager and how he managed to become a General without going to West Point. He describes in stunning and graphic detail what it was like in Berlin after WWII as well as Korea and Viet Nam. The undercurrents that drive decisions of life and death are chilling and in his life review James Roark evaluates his culpability.

The characters in this book are fascinating, multi-dimensional people living under an existential cloud. I wanted to know more about them yet I knew the nature of war demanded they always hold back and guard their core. There are several short stories interwoven into the book. The author's use of other voices further illustrates the themes of the book adding depth and color to the characters.

Rating:
Summary: Biography or Autobiography?
Review: Just finished reading Shards of Glass and recommend it without reservation as a book worthy of many prizes. I label this review as Biography of Autobiography. It is hard to tell where the biography stops and the autobiography begins. This is a history of the U.S. Army and its officer corps from before the Second Wold War to the post cold war period. But is really the story of one man who fought for his country. What are the responsibilities of an officer to the military and to the civilians with whom he comes in contact? Mr. Wolf leaves it up to the reader. He does not attempt to treat his reader as a school boy in a class. Mr. Wolf continues to use he skills as an excellent writer to bring to life a general of the U. S. Army who faces a moral dilemma which we all face when we are in the military services.

Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful and thought-provoking
Review: Shards of Glass by Frederick Wolf offered a rare glimpse into depths of character rarely explored in fiction. Each of us is mired in our perspective of the world, a perspective that changes dramatically between raw youth and seasoned age. This story was told from the twin perspectives of a young man edging into a military career, and that same man looking back on a long life. Mr. Wolf masterfully catches the nuances of both, drawing the reader into a unique understanding that could not have otherwise been achieved. I was very touched by many of the scenes in this book. But more importantly, for the first time I felt as if I'd begun to understand the true horror of war as it plays out within the individual. As in Conrad's Hearts of Darkness, the individual in this book finds himself in a moral vacuum in which there really was no right or wrong.

This is a powerful story, powerfully told. I will read it again and again.

Rating:
Summary: March/April edition of State of the Arts, MT Arts Council
Review: This novel about the life of an American military intelligence officer was written by a military intelligence expert. Frederick Wolf takes a hard look at the realities of war, intelligence gathering, and a mission he believes has been badly mismanaged through the years. No celebration of war by any means, the book examines how family upbringing shapes the protagonist, Brigadier General James B. Roark, Jr. Noting that some 190 million people died in 20th Century wars, the author draws a bead on the need for both accurate intelligence and a very clearly defined mission for the intelligence agencies in the increasingly dangerous 21st century.