Please visit the web site for my first novel "The Butcher's Cleaver." It is now for sale on-line at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and iUniverse.com
pl
For sale at these lnks:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=The+Butcher%27s+Cleaver&z=y
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0-595-47476-4
In the UK the book can be bought on-line at "Foyles" and at "WHSmith." In Australia and New Zealand "Fishpond.com" carries the book.
A review of the book recently appeared in the Defense Intelligence Agency newspaper:
Colonel, I look forward to reading your book.
Thought your readers in the DC area might be interested in this at the National Archives:
This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War
Wednesday, January 9, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Join Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust as she speaks on her newest book, This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War. Faust's book is an illuminating study of the American struggle to comprehend the meaning and practicalities of death in the face of the unprecedented carnage of the Civil War. It explores the impact of this enormous toll from every angle-material, political, intellectual and spiritual-and shows how the war victimized civilians through violence that extended beyond battlefields. A book signing will follow the program.
For all Public Programs, please use the Special Events Entrance on the corner of 7th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless otherwise noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
www.archives.gov/calendar.
Posted by: T.S. Wittig | 03 January 2008 at 05:03 PM
Congrats Col Lang. Any promo plans such as book signings?
Posted by: Cold War Zoomie | 15 January 2008 at 01:59 PM
On page 20 you speak poorly of whores and contractors who are supposedly swarming the streets of Richmond.
As a defense contractor, I'm offended and want my money back - after I finish the book, of course!
Seriously, so far so good. I'm enjoying it.
When is it moving to the big screen?
Posted by: Cold War Zoomie | 26 January 2008 at 09:04 AM
CWZ
It is Joseph Mayo, the mayor of Richmond who makes this outrageous statement, not I.
If you visit the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, you will see that the dining room is called "Le Maire." This is in honor of Joe Mayo, Claude's "uncle."
pl
Posted by: W. Patrick Lang | 26 January 2008 at 09:57 AM
After mulling it over decided to see if the past even in novel form might be prologue. So buying the book to put in my every fifth book should be fiction rotation.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 01 February 2008 at 03:21 PM
Copy arrived today. Now to insert in stack of reading priority. Thanks Pat.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 06 February 2008 at 02:17 AM
I will pick up a copy, it looks interesting.
Posted by: Jeff | 06 February 2008 at 06:49 PM
PL! Just finished reading the book over the weekend. Bottom line is learned a few new things and was reminded of a few old things. Guess some things were the product of your editor but all in all a wonderful story. Elegant and sophisticated insight into that era. Foreign relations of both sides are not as well documented as they should be even with the French and British.
Assume that page 45 reveals you real belief as to why men often do what they do. Seems accurate from my experience. Good job, not great, but fun. Now back to your real business of making sure that your audience understands that history does not stand still even for Americans. Congrats again.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 11 February 2008 at 09:41 AM
WR Cummings
I would not let anyone seriously edit the book after having worked on it for 15 years. Why did you not like the book? pl
Posted by: W. Patrick Lang | 11 February 2008 at 09:01 PM
WR Cummings
I am bored with the contemporary American republic.
My only real interest is in finishing the trilogy. p
Posted by: W. Patrick Lang | 11 February 2008 at 09:07 PM
"David Habakkuk has an intriguing observation in his Amazon site book review. He posits the American Civil War as a continuation of the English Civil War- landed Cavaliers vs. Roundhead Puritans." Will
An interesting tidbit regarding this suggestion.
"English cavaliers responsible for Southern predisposition to violence"
By Deborah Gilbert
News and Information Services
The University Record, October 26, 1992
http://www.ur.umich.edu/9293/Oct26_92/27.htm
Posted by: Jim Schmidt | 12 February 2008 at 12:50 AM
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Acomplia | 16 February 2008 at 01:02 PM
Col. Lang, I avidly read your blog and am consistently amazed at how your insights into the Middle East explain the reality behind what I observed living there and studying Arabic.
For this reason I bought your book and was again amazed and enlightened by your insights into a subject that though less familiar to me is no less intriguing.
Your novel is both profound and entertaining and you have a fan in St. Louis.
-Brad Urani
Posted by: Brad Urani | 18 February 2008 at 01:34 PM
I was wondering what character you related with the most in your book.
Then your email address answered that. Needless to say, I had to look up turcopolier.
Posted by: Cold War Zoomie | 25 February 2008 at 06:32 PM
CWZ
I don't know which one I identify with most. Smoot was a suggestion of an admin assistant of mine. I do like him a lot. pl
Posted by: W. Patrick Lang | 25 February 2008 at 07:14 PM
Book is on its way from Amazon. Sorry it took me so long. Will report.
Posted by: Larry K | 03 March 2008 at 02:51 PM
I just purchased novel as a gift for my father. I was surprised and impressed to learn that it is available at Barnes and Noble in the "print on demand" format. In other words, the book I ordered didn't exist in print until I ordered it.
I had read of "print on demand" back in the '80s when the idea was that the book would be printed and bound at the book store at the time of purchase. We're not there yet, however we're getting close.
Thanks to you Colonel for breaking new ground.
Posted by: Richard Armstrong | 14 March 2008 at 09:40 PM
Col. Lang:
I just wanted to drop a note to say that I enjoyed The Butcher’s Cleaver. (Since I read your blog every day and value highly your insights on the Middle East, I feel a sense of familiarity that warrants passing along my opinion of your tale.)
I particularly appreciated the chapters on Gettysburg. Although I spent the first 42 of my 65 years in Carroll County, MD, married a girl from Emmitsburg, have in-laws with a farm directly adjoining the Park along the Emmitsburg Road, and picnicked numerous times on the battlefield, I was never able to keep the actual flow of the battles straight in my mind; Claude’s description of the events brought it all into perspective.
It was clear that you enjoyed spinning the tale as well; perhaps you will share further adventures of Claude and Bill White…
This question is perhaps more appropriately handled “off line”, but I could not find a link on the blog that facilitated direct contact. I noticed when I first got the book that it was published by IUniverse. Since the imprint was unfamiliar, I looked them up and was intrigued by what I found. It looks like they have a rather innovative approach to publishing, and I would be interested in hearing more about your experience with this company and their process.
Lastly (and unrelated to the forgoing) I recently stumbled (quite literally) on a reference to Maj. General Smedley Butler, USMC (1881-1940), and his rather startling pamphlet War is a Racket. While I can’t say I agree with all of his points, I do accept much of what he has to say. I was startled by the boldness of his observations given his background, and by how they presage Eisenhower’s thoughts on the Military Industrial Complex in his farewell address and subsequent events even down to Halliburton/KBR. I’m curious if you are familiar with Gen. Butler, and if so what your opinion might be.
Thanks again for a good read
Posted by: Jay McAnally | 16 March 2008 at 12:54 PM
Jay
In re Smedley Butler, he is a soldier of the type that so many of my family resembled.
Iconoclastic, adventurous, a warrior by trade but thoughtful with regard to the moral implications of that trade.
Butler is what I think a soldier should be.
pl
Posted by: W. Patrick Lang | 16 March 2008 at 01:05 PM
If you read Bremer's autobiographical account of his year in Iraq, you see that the Gordon account leaves out some crucial details. Bremer was hired on for the Iraq CPA mission by two leading Administration neocons: Paul Wolfowitz and Scooter Libby. The takedown order for the Iraqi military had "Cheney" and "Chalabi" written all over it, as Pat Lang has himself documented in "Drinking the Kool-Aid." Bremer was the willing executioner, but I do not believe for a moment that he was the sole author, or even the initiator of the disasterous scheme. If I recall from Gordon and Trainor's book, Gen. McKiernan, Gen. Garner and Col. Hughes had all the data in hand to quickly stand up three divisions of the Iraqi Army, and were also ready to stand up an interime government--the way such things have traditionally been done.
Posted by: harper | 17 March 2008 at 02:29 PM
Part II out when?
Posted by: CWZ - In Hawaii on Business - hahahaha | 08 April 2008 at 12:45 PM
CWZ
Monkey business?
I am trying for the end of the year if I can get ahead of some other business, mainly teaching. pl
Posted by: Walter Lang | 08 April 2008 at 01:41 PM
"Monkey business?"
Tax dollars plus Hawaii...what else could it be?
Actually, our boondoggle was a complete failure; we worked all day every day in windowless offices. My lingering winter pallor is proof!
Looking forward to the next installment.
Posted by: Cold War Zoomie | 16 April 2008 at 12:08 PM
Col,
Any thoughts on the following article about contemporary military HUMINT training at Fort Huachuca. Does this sound similar to the HUMINT capabilities you mentioned a while ago that the Army did away with after Vietnam?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080428/NATION/294016841/1001
Posted by: Twit | 29 April 2008 at 04:45 AM
Twit
A half hearted attempt to regain lost capability. Norton and Antonitis once worked for me. Good people. I wish them luck in this. pl
Posted by: Walter Lang | 29 April 2008 at 07:38 AM