THE BIG YANKEE: Carlson of the Raiders

Carlson is one of the most dramatic and colorful figures of our times, and his knowledge of China gives yet another angle on one of the big questions of today. Carlson was the son of a struggling small town minister, and his parents' influence is strong throughout his life. His devotion to the cause of democracy, his ability to combine sentiment and discipline, logic and sympathy, gave him a tremendous hold over his men. A substantial part of the book deals with his career in the Marines; it is first and last a book about a man with elements of greatness.