I had the extreme pleasure of reviewing a draft copy of a book, now published, by Chuck Render. Chuck is the author of numerous works of fiction including The Tontin and Hibernaculum. He has also authored numerous screen plays. A word of reference: Dr. Chuck Render and I were stationed at the Pentagon together some years ago (OK, a couple decades ago) and continue to stay in touch.
The book is Brandy: Portrait of an Intelligence Officer. It is published by Red Anvil Press, 2007. ISBN-13: 978-1-932762-85-3. I read the draft while in Shanghai, China attending Fudan University for some PhD courses. Needless to say, I had homework each night and there was plenty to do and see, but I couldn't wait to get in some reading of Chuck's book each day. To say it is simply a biography of a very interesting man is a significant understatement. It reads like Wouk's Winds of War, but you have to keep reminding yourself this is fact, not historical fiction. From Frank Brandsetter's birth in Brataslava to his early years in New York City, to the battlefields of the Second World War and the Cold War, this is an eye opening read. As we step into this new century with all its dangers and challenges, I have to wonder if there are any patriots of the caliber of Colonel Brandstetter in the Human Intelligence corps today...