Book Review: Code Talker (Navajos, WW2)

Code Talker: The first and only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WW2, by Chester Nez (Penguin Random House, 2012, 320pp PB, $18) Review by Skye Anderson

WW2 Secret  Kept for Decades!

With the landing on Guadalcanal, the subject of the first chapter, one expects the rest of the book to be the same. However the following seven chapters tell of author Chester Nez' growing up Navajo in the American Southwest: if you are not familiar with the Navajo or other tribes, this will be eye-opening. From raising sheep and goats, living without indoor plumbing or electricity in the 1930s (to the 50s) and being forced to attend the strict government-run English boarding schools, you will become more educated but. . . .please don't put this book down because you expected something different. If you must, skip these chapters to get to World War 2 and the incredible gift Navajo Marines gave that was classified for so many decades.

Codes in WW2

Chester's job along with that of the other code talkers was to create a code so unique that it could not be broken by the Japanese, like all the other US codes had been. The Navajo Marines were fluent in both their native language and English plus the Navajo language was not a written language. So, their first challenge was to create a vocabulary and even to make up words that hadn't existed before. These Marines were so valuable to the war effort that these privates were assigned two "guards" (masquerading as buddies) who accompanied them even to the latrines.

Written in 2011, Code Talker is the memoir of a 90-year-old WW2 veteran - his entire life, beginning with chapters growing up as a Navajo and forced to attend boarding school to learn English, his enlistment into the Marines, his being one of the first 29* 'code talkers' to coming home and getting his college education on the GI bill, getting married, having kids (6 but three died), a divorce and finally, being able to tell his family and the world what he did in the war. The Navajo code talker project was finally declassified. 

Writing Style

It is simply amazing how detailed Chester's memory is about landing on four Japanese-held islands in the Pacific and fighting his way onto land, while teaming up with another code talker to relay radio messages from commanders to supply units to combat units. 

The book could be divided into sections about his life, and because the writing styles differ, mostly in detail. Of course, it is easier to communicate details about a battle - the sights, the smells, the sounds, the fear - than it is to relate "I did this, and then I did that, and then this happened" as in the rest of one's life.

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My favorite quotes:

p. 160 "After a while, when you've been fighting, everything tends to run together."

p. 172 "War makes buddies of strangers pretty darn fast, and we had become buddies." (True also of Basic Training and other life experiences.)

One of the gems you will learn:

We have all heard of the few Japanese soldiers who escaped into caves on fairly isolated islands, only to emerge decades later to find the war over. The author tells of the strong pride of the Japanese - so extreme that some soldiers would commit suicide rather than be killed or captured (Banzai, Kamikaze). And perhaps these 'hidden' soldiers wanted to escape such loss of pride . . . .

Added bonus: the entire Navajo Code is included!

*later increasing to 400

**another book on the same topic for the younger readers:

Book Review: Roses from the Crimson Rock (Vietnamese refugee family)

Roses from the Crimson Rock, An Illustrated Memoir of War, Escape and Healing, by Mina Ho Ferrante (Independently published, 336pp PB, $20.00, 2025) Review by Skye Anderson

A Quick Read You Can't Put Down

A family's saga in both words and pictures (and just the right number of drawings by various members of this large artistic family, generally two to a page which turns out to be nearly after each sentence). . . Vietnam over the decades as seen through the eyes of a 6-year-old (at times). . . Fear when escaping, sea pirates and hunger and thirst. . .and separation. Reunions a decade later, even within nuclear families.

The author chronicles the story of her father's escape from North Vietnam in 1953, the Communist hunts of 1968 and 1975, the large* family's escapes each time** and starting all over again and again - and the close calls. Being an artistic (for generations) and educated family, each member had to hide that and take on agricultural tasks but the illustrations are numerous and memorable, as drawn by various members of this very large family. The children each eventually 'farmed' themselves out to others and worked in exchange for room and board. And this from a formerly well-educated North Vietnamese family.

With plenty of cousins to play with always, and only slightly older aunts to give lessons and uncles to serve as role models, the author tell us of a society that cherishes the intergenerational family.

And finally with most of the family in the US, they all became (over)achievers, even the adults obtained a graduate degree. And many stayed in the artistic community.

Writing Style

Roses has much potential: I encourage the author to find an agent and hopefully a large publishing house. Only slight editing is needed. The novice reader to this genre of books might find the writing rather stilted but it reflects the background of the author, including her incredibly positive outlook on life and family. Two chapters are written in the voice of Ferrante's father, one chapter explains all the members of the author's fathers's side and another tells all about those on her mother's side.

*Typical families had 4-12 children and a family tree is included, as well as maps throughout. Illustrations tend to be water color or pen and ink (or charcoal)

**Much to my surprise, several members of the family who escaped to Thailand by sea wound up in a refugee camp in southern Thailand where I had been when I was teaching in the Thai education system.

Book Review: Where is Charlotte? (a story-song book)

Where is Charlotte? Or Where Is _________?, by Mark Gorkin (Archway Publishing, 2024, $14.99, 32pp PB) Review by Skye Anderson

Look! It's bird! It's a plane! No, it's Superman! 

It's a story book! It's a song book! No, it's a story-song book! 

And probably the first and only one of its kind, for more than one reason.

Author Mark Gorkin is a social worker who works with children and has honed his skills over the years, resulting in this story and book.

Shape-shifting Characters

The astute reader will notice the characters' appearances not only seem to change, they do change: the clothes they wear, the color of their hair. As the author explains, this was done on purpose, in order to appeal to all children of this age. Each reader is sure to find one book character who looks much like him or her, thus making it easier to accept the book's teachings.

And if the young readers don't already know the song Frere Jacques, it is a simple tune, easy to remember. The story text itself can be either read or sung to the tune of this French round.

The illustrations are colorful and simple yet they manage to convey the emotions of the characters very well. 'The child gets to play tiger and wolf and bear with a roar and a howl and a growl.

A Personal Book!

And perhaps the best part - you can personalize the book for your child. Merely substitute your child's name for 'Charlotte' and change the pronouns if need be.

Book Review: Outlawed (a CLSC selection, women [perhaps] of the Old West))(OT)

Outlawed, by Anna North (Bloomsbury, 2021, $17, 262pp PB) Review by Skye Anderson. A CLSC selection.

The Barren Women of the Hole in the Wall Gang

Ada's mom, a midwife, is teaching young Ada her trade until Ada marries but cannot get pregnant. If a wife doesn't conceive, she can be hung as a witch: that is why Ada's mom sends her to a convent. 

And, after that, she joins the Hole-in-the-Wall gang of women who ride and shoot and fight and steal, just like men. Ada, however, knows only medicine so has to learn the other skills - riding and shooting and fighting and stealing. It is the last one that causes such consternation, for Ada is not very good at that and . . . .

Written with quiet smooth eloquence - it's a good thing at that because the first part could have been boring: chapter one sets the stage for Ada becoming a midwife, living with her mother and sisters; the second covers her months at the convent.

Second Continuing Thread

Neither Ada, nor most anyone in the 1880s Wild West, knows what causes infertility or barrenness (on the woman's part) so our Ada buys medical texts to study and discover, if she can, the cause - clear to the last page. She sets out, when she can, to find the woman who knows the most about this condition - that search might be the impetus for a sequel or a TV series. However, bloody and violence scenes might result in an X-rated TV series - for mature audiences.

Alternative History of the Wild West

A gang of women, all barren, most chased from their hometowns, who steal for a living (robbing banks, etc.) and try to tame the Wild West. Outlawed

is a book you won't soon forget. The writing style keeps you enthralled, the suspense keeps you reading faster, and the unique plots (yes, plots) make you want to tell the world about Outlawed.

Book Review: It Came Upon a Midnight Shear (with Hank and Mocha, the dogs)

It Came Upon a Midnight Shear, by Allie Pleiter (Berkeley Prime Crime, $8.99, 304pp PB, 2022, book 3 of 3 [see* the review of book one here) Review by Skye Anderson

Do you ever purchase the same book again because it has a different front cover, and not realize it until reading the book seems like you have done it before? Have you ever read the same book three years later and just not reviewed it the first time (which is why I need to finish the review of a book immediately after finishing it, but still I sometimes don't) but you seem to know who the culprit is: this is an exercise in parsing out the clues** and something that could be fun to do - once.

Unique Among Specialty Murder Authors

There are whole series of murder mysteries built up around a cat (The Cat Who. . . ) or a dog (the Chet and Bernie books) or a baker or a bookstore owner or a yarn shop owner (this one!) and women read them voraciously even if they follow the same pattern with merely different details - and some are better written than others. Author Allie Pleiter is unique among such authors in that her books are good! 

Owner of Y.A.R.N., a yarn store*** in fictional Collinstown, Maryland, Libby has come back home after a divorce to her hometown but also to murders that she alone seems to be able to solve. Her very wealthy drug company Ex is also in town for the Christmas holidays (and would you believe his name is Sterling?) as is his mother, Bitsy, with her new flame. Also in town are four vicuna (woolly animals like alpacas) and Sterling's fraternity brother and business partner from Italy. Toss in some stolen vicuna yarn at $500 a skein and a stabbing murder of Sterling and we have trouble on our hands.

Even though Libby has solved a couple of murders previously, this time, she has a motive so the chief of police is not using her sleuthing talent. Nevertheless, she is still sleuthing on the sly and manages to get the townsfolk to help her.

And The Dogs, Of Course

Libby has Hank (on the cover) and Mocha the puppy makes his debut, both involved in digging up some evidence. But, of course, I would hope the next book in the series will have a major role for Hank.

Why Shears is Unique

People knit (crochet, needlepoint, etc.) for several reasons: to create something useful or merely beautiful, perhaps, or to calm themselves. The author says her character solves the problems of the world by knitting just as others do so by jogging. It is relaxing and akin to yoga. And Y.A.R.N., the yarn shop, is a place where friendships grow and everyone is welcome.

But, Who  Done It?

*Book Two: On Skein of Death

**This time the reviewer was wrong - she had not read this book before because the murderer is not whom she expected. Perhaps she was mixed up with the first two books in the series. But all that made for more fun!

*** for information on the name of the yarn shop, see the other reviews, including

Knit or Dye Trying

Book Review: Toby's Story (rambunctious Beagle puppy in an assisted living facility)

Toby's Story, A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tale: Will Toby Discover his Purpose? by W. Bruce Cameron* (Scholastic, 2019, 192pp PB, $6.99, with study guide questions, ages 8-12, grades 3-7, one of 10 puppy tales) Review by Skye Anderson

Toby is not your average energetic Beagle puppy because his feet itch so much he spends most of his time biting at them - it seemed to be grass or carpet that made them worse. Therefore, Toby was not your average energetic Beagle puppy. 

He lived in an assisted living facility as a therapy dog and all the residents loved Toby but what Toby really wanted was a family of his own and a girl (or boy) to play with all the time. After his feet started healing, he really became a too playful beagle but he lived in an assisted living facility and beagle-ness was just too rambunctious for the residents. You can't train a beagle not to be a beagle, though.

The issue for Toby was the director of the retirement home who said Toby was too rambunctious even though all the residents loved him for perking them up and getting them outside to play fetch.

Maybe training would calm Toby down. . . . 

And one of the residents had been a cross-country star but his grandson just wasn't. That is, until Toby started running with him.

But still, Toby wondered who his family was - everyone at the facility? The grandson?  The therapist's daughter who tried to train the Beagle?

Another of W. Bruce Cameron's heartfelt story told in his simple, lyrical style**. . . . and perhaps the best puppy tale ever!

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*Dear Bruce, I know you love dogs and want them well-trained in your books but I wish you would, in the future, use only positive-reinforcement methods. No more of this pushing down on a pup's rump to get a sit when just raising the treat above his head will automatically teach his rump to go to the floor in a sit (laws of physics). I would be happy to tell you more ways to teach dogs and pups using only gentle training ways - you are almost there, anyway, using treats as rewards. I would also get rid of "No" since that word is not something that can be done. And two-word cues are much more difficult than singletons.

**Some of Cameron's words as told by Toby who knows so much more than mere humans do:

"But Walt didn't chase the car, for some reason. That was my first hint that humans don't always understand how to have fun. They need dogs to show them." p23

"My sister had always been part of my family, but at that moment, I understood that things had changed. She belonged to a new family now. It was a little sad but it was right too. Dogs belonged to human families. Human families needed dogs." p28

"I was starting to understand that Mona's mom had two names: Mom to Mona, and Patsy to everybody else. It was confusing, but people are like that. They hardly ever do things the simplest way." p38

"A dog was meant to be with people; I knew that deep down. That's why we left our first families. Dogs and people were supposed to be together." p123

"Walt gave me a delicious bowl of cool water. Fabulous! He handed Tyler something yellow and sweet-smelling in a glass, since humans don't like to drink out of bowls. I don't know why." p157 (lemonade)

Book Review: Max's Story (Little Dog in the Big City)

Max's Story (Little Dog in the Big City), A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tale, by W. Bruce Cameron (Scholastic, 192pp PB, 2021, $8.99, ages 8-12, grades 4-6) Review by Skye Anderson

A New York Dog with a New York Personality and a New York State of Mind

Born in a New York City animal shelter, little Max learned early to have a big personality and to show others he was the boss - or try to. He lived with CJ (yes, that CJ from Molly's Story who was studying art in the big city for the summer on a scholarship). But she wasn't happy.

And Max also lived with a - cat! Who kept breaking all the rules of canine communication. A cat named Sneakers for always trying to sneak out the door into the hallway of the apartment building.

We just love Max getting used to New York - the subway in particular because he had to take the subway stashed in CJ's backpack. Rules, you know.

But Max is just a puppy and not completely housetrained so he has been given one week to move out of the apartment which belongs to a friend of CJ's mother (remember, the negligent mom). And CJ is not doing so well in art school.

"Will CJ be able to find Max a new home before we get to the end of the book?" I asked myself. "Here we are, chapter 12 already and there are only 16 chapters. . . .  "

Best for big city readers or those who like little dogs!

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"She [CJ] handed out her papers and stuck a few on the trees with brightly colored little tacks. It  was odd how humans - even CJ - seemed to like papers so much, even more than balls or  sticks. But that's just the way they are. Maybe one day they'll learn more about how to have fun." p150

"CJ delivered Duke to his apartment and talked to the owner there for a  while. Then we both went back home. She collapsed on the couch, holding me tightly, until I squirmed in her arms to remind her that snuggling was all very well and good, but I needed to breathe as well." p158