Devil Dog: The Amazing True Story of the Man Who Saved America (Pulp History) by David Talbot

Devil Dog: The Amazing True Story of the Man Who Saved America (Pulp History) Reviews

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  Bill

  Sharply written, vividly illustrated with newspaper clippings and occasionally NSFW comic pages and wearing it's opinion on it's sleeve, this is a beautiful little biography of one of America's forgotten heroes. Smedley Butler was a two-time Medal of Honor winner and Marine General who served in the Spanish American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the banana wars of the early 20th Century and finally World War I. After the war, he came to regret a lot of what he'd done:
  
  "I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class thug for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents"
  
  
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  Peggy

  Devil Dog is the opening salvo in a new series called “pulp history,” where author Talbot and illustrator Spain Rodriguez use a myriad of techiniques to tell the story of a forgotten historical figure, in this case Smedley Darlington Butler one of the most highly decorated Marines ever.
  
  It's a fascinating story, covering the Boxer Rebellion, wars in Nicaragua and Haiti and World War I. Butler was a gung-ho Marine, but he was also an intelligent man who questioned the reasons behind his assignments and later used his fame to assist returned veterans being shabbily treated by our government and even to foil a plot against the President.
  
  Great story, and an interesting format.
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  Walter Burton

  This the amazing story of Marine General Smedley Butler, a two time winner of the Medal of Hour who served in combat actions beginning with the Boxer Rebellion in China to World War I. His greatest contribution to his count however occurs long after he retires from the Marine Corp with plot to remove a standing president and set up fascist state in America.
  
  Don't let the book's format fool you, with graphics by Spain Rodriquez and side bar of short supporting material is is swell researched piece of work. I highly recommend it.
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  Fredrick Danysh

  Smedley Butler was a Marine Corps legend serving during the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Banana Wars of Central America. and World War I in Europe. Following his retirement from the Corps, he became the head of the Philiphia Police Department. The author constantly confuses Marines and soldiers and the illustrator has included many drawings of nude or semi-nude women., otherwise this would be a good book for teens.
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  Bill

  The stranger-than-fiction story of Smedley Butler, a Quaker turned Marine--yes, really--who took on the military-industrial complex back when they were still called robber barons. I wish there were some evidence for some of the claims in this book--or better citations of the references used, anyway--but this is still a fascinating read. Illustrations by Spain "Trashman" Rodriguez, a first-generation underground cartoonist.
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  Rick

  Don't judge a book by its cover is truly applicable here. The true story of a great American hero and patriot that our school history books conveniently left out should be a must read for all Americans. Twice winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, this USMC General saved American from itself during FDR's presidency.
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  Greg

  I get the idea of celebrating him heroically but I got a bit tired of that nearing the end. Thankfully the last chapter was just in the nick of time: the fascist plot to overthrow FDR by Wall Street using Smedley Butler as a popular war hero to March half a million veterans on Washington and do a fucking coup! Who knew!
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  C

  What an incredible tale, and all of it true, AND incredibly parallel to today. A nice quick read of what every American should know about our history in the last 100+ years. I never heard a hint of this in high school or college, got only hints of it from Soldier of Fortune articles longing for the "good ol' days" of American imperialism, and a quick blip on the Daily Show. If you don't want to read this fun blended media version, their are many more books about the plot against FDR and how the grandfathers of today's GOP were behind it. Rest in Peace, Smedley Darlington Butler. You truly deserve it.
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  Garrett

  The life of Marine Corps General Smedley D. Butler would be an impressive story wherever one found it, but this adaptation of his life somehow robs its characters of life and personality - you can't make the argument that this comicization makes the material more accessible for young readers, b/c nothing about this is intended for them. One wonders if Butler would have liked having a comic book about him, and whether, ultimately, this works. I enjoyed it, but...something's missing or wrong with this particular volume.
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  Matthew

  Fascinating history in a great format (part DK Eyewitness, part graphic novel, part Men's Adventure novel). Textbook publishers who are destroying a whole generation's love of history could take a page (or better a chapter)from Pulp History!
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  Michael

  Interesting "fun and quick" read. A pulp history that brings to light the actions of Smedley Butler, the most decorated Marine in history, his actions while in the Corps, as police chief in Philadelphia, and his part in keeping democracy honest during the time of FDR. Not a heavy read.
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  Lenny

  Amazing story of the life of Marine Corps General Smedley Butler and what he did for his country. Fighting battles across seas and at home. Exposing a plot to overthrow the president.
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  Jeremy Bingham

  The Corps needs more officers like this.