The Light on the Star

By Robert, S. Dotson

Visit the author's website at www.thelightonthestar.com Six months before he is murdered, President John F. Kennedy looks into the eyes of the graduating cadets of the Class of 1963 at the U. S. Air... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1413496415
• ISBN13: 9781413496413
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: XLIBRIS
• Length: 266 Pages
• Weight: 0.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.7" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Memories evoked

Like the author, I'm a proud graduate of the United States Air Force Academy Class of 1963, the Golden Boys, and I was eager to read what Steve (Brig.Gen. Robert S. Dotson) had written. I quickly learned he had a lot to say and a memory much better than mine. Reading The Light on the Star was a lot of fun, a trip back through time that awakened memories long dormant. Our Academy class was the fifth to graduate, but the first to be honored by the visit of the President of the United States. John F. Kennedy was a man much admired and we were thrilled to be in his presence and we eagerly accepted his call to serve our country. As we trained to become pilots, he was assassinated. We had not yet earned our wings or defended our country. We had yet to make him proud of us, but our time was approaching. One need not be a pilot to read and understand the rigors and dangers of pilot training or to appreciate lasting friendship. Reading The Light On The Star puts you in the cockpit, privy to the lives and loves of young warriors. The characters are fictional but I knew them. The anguish and thrills are familiar -- the people... my friends. I was elated when they returned safely from missions over Vietnam and Laos, and mourned their loss when anti-aircraft fire or surface-to-air missiles downed their planes and they were killed or captured. This is an apolitical, insider's view of an unpopular war and the unflinching commitment to duty sworn by men to fight their country's battles. It's about love and friendship, good times and hardship. I enjoyed it as will any reader familiar with a cockpit or not. The men who keep the Light On the Star in peace and war are our brothers, fathers or friends. They will give their all to keep America safe. Steve has captured the essence of this. It's a good read and I highly recommend it.

A gripping story of military, political, and personal drama

When I started reading The Light on the Star, I expected a military story. This book is so much more! I could not put it down. The dialogue makes the characters come to life. The book is exceptionally well researched (for example, Kevin's discussion with his future father-in-law about the impact of war on civilians). The main character, Kevin O'Dea, is a bright young fighter pilot who looks at the world in terms of right and wrong. As he experiences life as an adult, he comes to realize right and wrong are not absolutes, but degrees. For anyone who came of age in the 1960s/1970s, the drama and emotions we experienced are conveyed in this book in a very powerful way. Steve Dotson has done a masterful job with this his first book. I strongly recommend this book.

Timely Story for Now

This story carries with it much of the emotion that is informing our current decisions about our involvement in Iraq & the Middle East. It skillfully weaves together the political arguments, the operational realities, and the personal thoughts and feelings of the American people [as seen throught the eyes of one of our best and bravest warriors] forged in a time of high drama and intense testing of our democracy resulting from an intervention in a country and with a people we did not understand. It tapped a very intense and very real deep emotional layer in me, as one who lived throught that time with a very different viewpoint on all the events of the 1960's. The reality of loss of innocence and naivety, hopefully replaced with a more mature view of the complex world we inhabit, for our society and for each of us personally is captured in this book. I highly recommend it.

From Air Force Academy cadet to a cockpit over North Viet Nam

The Light on the Star deals with far more than the danger and excitement of flying fighter missions over North Viet Nam. The author creates a thoughtful, nostalgic picture of an era that continues to have a deep effect on this country. Woven throughout the vivid flying segments, there are reminders of actual events that took place in the time frame of the story. The characters each have to deal with the world events in their own way, confronting their own personal levels of emotion and morality. A great read!!

From Air Force Academy cadet to a cockpit over North Viet Nam

The Light on the Star deals with far more than the danger and excitement of flying fighter missions over North Viet Nam. The author creates a thoughtful, nostalgic picture of an era that continues to have a deep effect on this country. Woven throughout the vivid flying segments, there are reminders of actual events that took place during the time frame of the story. The characters each have to deal with the world events in their own way, confronting their own personal levels of emotion and morality. A great read!!