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No Greater Valor: The Siege of Bastogne And the Miracle That Sealed Allied Victory by Jerome Corsi deals with the surprise attack by Nazi forces against the Americans in Belgium that hinged upon the capturing/holding the town of Bastogne. It is a very detailed account, almost too detailed for my taste, for instance, there are intricate accounts of the weapons used, what kinds they were, how many…etc. Which just didn't capture my interest, but it makes absolute sense to have that type of info in a book about war. And many probably prefer such attention to detail. There are many maps in the book as well, illustrating what was happening, and many photographs from that time too.

The thing I really didn’t like about this book was that, though trying to have a Christian aspect to it, it didn't really succeed in anything but showing that many of the allied forces were theists. One of the main persons focused upon is a Catholic Priest rather than a protestant pastor. I found the parts that dealt with him and his actions during the war, though obviously meant to be inspiring, were actually quite disheartening because the man was not teaching or promoting the Gospel of Christ but rather a works based salvation which will not save. Corsi also tries to demonstrate that Patton was a devout Christian, but I didn't get that impression from all of Corsi's arguments, rather it seemed that Patton viewed God as more of a tool to be utilized rather than a God to be worshiped because He is what life is all about. I just didn't get the idea that Patton was a very godly man. Also, as this book was published by Thomas Nelson and supposed to be from a more Christian perspective(and is in Christian bookstores), I was quite shocked that there is a quotation with Christ's name being taken in vain while swear words are cut out and replaced with: [expletive]. Why didn't they take out the vain reference to Christ's name and put: [blasphemy] instead? I mean, I find Christ's name being taken in vain more offensive than references to Hell, especially as it goes against the third commandment.

Anyway, the book seemed to be written with more of a theistic perspective than a Christian one. But again, if you like detailed books about war/battles, you'd probably like this one. There are a lot of references to other books about the siege of Bastogne and personal accounts of various people who were involved, so if you just want more of the history, overview/summary, this would probably be a good one to get. I just wasn't thrilled personally.

I received a free review copy of this book from the Booklook blogger program in exchange for my review which did not have to be favorable.
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Title: No Greater Valor (The Siege of Bastogne & the Miracle that sealed the Ally Victory)
Author: Jerome R. Corsi
Pages: 384
Year: 2014
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/No-Greater-Valor-Bastogne-Miracle/dp/1595555218/ref=sr_1_1...
Each book covering any historical event or person can never quite contain all the material available, the various views or the contested aspects of an event. I read a couple of different reviews of this book before writing my own as I was curious as to how others viewed the material and whether they agreed or not. Suffice it to say that books are sometimes downgraded in rating for what they don’t contain or for how they were written. Each review is an opinion and I understand that, but I would love to see people point out the positive aspects of rich, historical, nonfiction writing like No Greater Valor with the understanding it isn’t meant to be the final word on this particular historical event.
No Greater Valor should be a on the shelf of anyone who loves either history, military or WWII in particular. The way it is presented, I believe, is to show how much our forefathers who served during this time had a faith that gave them strength and courage when fighting, suffering through the elements or any number of other reasons. We owe a debt to those who served during this war as we do all our service men and women due to their willingness to lay down their lives for America.
Hitler and his regime were evil and cruel, and the fight of the allies was as much spiritual if not more so than physical. Corsi points out various leaders sharing what they brought to the war front along with the oral history that was written down for future generations. In our age of “instant”, we should be reminded of how life wasn’t as instant and people took time to share their stories orally so we could learn from them long after their passing.
What a trip through history the author took to highlight this particular battle in December 1944, along with the outcome. As most will never forget 9/11, neither should we forget those who have served and are serving, along with the stories that have yet to be told. I find it quite fascinating to hear a person’s point of view, who was there and lived to tell about the experiences. Whether you agree with the author or what he presents really isn’t the focal point. God is the focal point in this one of many battles that took place overseas. I hope you consider giving a copy to the history person in your family or friendship circle to enjoy, and a copy for your personal library at home to pass on to the next generation.
My rating is 5 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/ . Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457 ( )