Lieutenant General Boykin's illustrious military career takes center stage in this personal account of religious faith in the proverbial foxhole. He was thrust into several harrowing encounters, such as the events portrayed in the film Black Hawk Down
, the Iranian hostage crisis and the current war on terror. Boykin delivers frontline perspectives on the military missions in which he engaged, and the accounts are charged with excitement. Some may find his writing a bit polarizing; he is not subtle regarding his dislike for Democratic political figures like Jimmy Carter and John Kerry. Others will be inspired by how he faced death on a number of occasions and held tightly to his faith as a buoy through tumultuous and dark times. Toward the end of his career, Boykin began giving public talks, inspiring people to faith in God and to the ideals of the United States. While Boykin is to be commended for his patriotism, bravery and conviction, the book never successfully explains how his military career coexisted with some of the more pacifist tenets of Christianity. (July 29)
