Falcon's Cry: Desert Storm Memoir: A Desert Storm Memoir - Hardcover

Donnelly, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0275964620 ISBN 13: 9780275964627

Publisher: Praeger Publishers, 1998

Synopsis

Falcon's Cry Despite the fact that over 160,000 veterans are sick, the Pentagon denies any connection between their illnesses and their service in the Gulf War. Diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Donnelly feels betrayed by both his body and his country. This is his story and attempt to present the truth.

About this title

Review:

"A moving memoir of the author's experiences as an air force pilot throughout the 1980s and the Persian Gulf War, that also confronts his seeming postwar diagnosis of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and his subsequent realization that he did not have ALS, but rather, 'Gulf War Syndrome.' While lacking the polish of an experienced writer, Donnelly makes up for this with an impressive degree of candor....The sections of Falcon's Cry dealing with the war are dramatic and unlikely to disappoint anyone who watched the 'CNN War' on a TV set....Donnelly's tale of his personal sacrifices of health, mobility, and career quite naturally overshadow the victory in the Gulf. An honest, deeply felt look at the human cost of war."-Kirkus Reviews

"Five stars (exceptional)."-Today's Books

"Collaborating with his sister, the team reports with clarity and passion on behalf of veterans who have insufficient medical or disability benefits."-WE Magazine

"The Donnellys do a wonderful job with this book. Read the official memoirs and histories of the Gulf War, then read Falcon's Cry, the real history of the Gulf War."-Dead Trees Review

"Donnelly has become a powerful spokesman for his fellow veterans and has helped persuade Washington lawmakers to look further into the illnesses that vets believe were caused by exposure to chemical weapons and Iraqi nerve agents. Told with the help of Donnelly's sister, this gripping account could do much to unseat Pentagon assertions that 'Gulf War Syndrome' is a myth constructed by stressed-out veterans."-Publishers Weekly

"This is a sad story. And a true one....In this limpid, often riveting memoir, Donnelly and his sister Denise chronicle his brilliant military career, his rapid demise, and, most of all, the heartbreaking indifference with which his and other Gulf War veterans' suffering was met....While unnerving, the writing is always measured, rich with facts, and devoid of self-indulgence. Michael Donnelly is both an officer and a gentleman."-Boston Magazine

"[I]n this remarkable, gripping book, [Donnelly] has embarked on one last bombing run--a devastating attack against the Pentagon, Veterans Affairs Department, and other repositories of dangerous federal health policies....'Falcon's Cry' is also a heart-wrenching examination of what it's like to have your body wither away while your mind remains lively and sharp.... The book is a frightening, inspiring tale of bravery and persistence."-Gannett News Service

"ŬI¨n this remarkable, gripping book, ŬDonnelly¨ has embarked on one last bombing run--a devastating attack against the Pentagon, Veterans Affairs Department, and other repositories of dangerous federal health policies....'Falcon's Cry' is also a heart-wrenching examination of what it's like to have your body wither away while your mind remains lively and sharp.... The book is a frightening, inspiring tale of bravery and persistence."-Gannett News Service

?Five stars (exceptional).??Today's Books

?Five stars (exceptional).?-Today's Books

From the Author:

This is the story of all Gulf War veterans, a tragedy.
Sadly, the Pentagon is still working to keep the truth about the Gulf War and its veterans from the American people. We wrote this book because Michael's story is all we have, and it is a story that tens of thousands of veterans and their families are living today. We believe most Americans are good people, and that they would be outraged to hear how their government is betraying these heroes.

About this edition

• Publisher: Praeger Publishers
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0275964620
• ISBN 13: 9780275964627
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272