Gail Harris has captured the essence of a woman's struggle to follow a dream in a man's world. Overcoming chauvinism, stereotypes, and physical challenges, she successfully climbed the Navy's hierarchy. She does a good job detailing the good and the bad of her climb. I'm not a military person, but I really understood and enjoyed the way she documented her path, and I especially enjoyed the tips at the end of each chapter. Kudos to Gail.

I gave A WOMAN'S WAR to my dad, because he's curious about issues like politics and foreign policy--and because Harris tells an inspiring story. But what struck me and my dad most, after reading the book, is the tremendous relationship Harris had with her father. He encouraged her against all odds to pursue an "impossible" dream. Consequently, Harris, a young African American FEMALE, forged ahead into the daunting world of navel intelligence, breaking barriers and creating pathways. She not only succeeded, she excelled.

Harris paints a truthful story of her experience, not just as an officer, but as a human being. The book is peppered with personal incidents giving us insight into her world and the Navy. She allows us to see her foibles and her strengths.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in military intelligence, to anyone who's interested in an amazing woman's journey, and to any father who has a daughter.

Gail Harris was the first African-American woman to serve the US Navy as a combat intelligence officer. She was one of the first women to become part of US Navy Intelligence. She retired as a Captain - the same rank as a full Colonel in the other services.

How could this story not be compelling? From the age of five, Gail says, she wanted to join the Navy. She wanted to brief combat pilots as an intelligence officer. Coming from a family that was just escaping poverty in her high school years, Gail faced a struggle. She describes herself as introverted and socially awkward, yet totally focused on her goal.

I just wish Gail had chosen a stronger coauthor and aimed for a top publisher, rather than tell her story in a series about professional intelligence. Much of the writing is pedestrian. The chapter titles and sub-headings practically scream for an editor. Worst of all, Harris strays from her compelling narrative to impart simplistic lessons about life. Stories are told out of sequence and gaps are evident. For instance, how did Harris survive OCS? She doesn't seem to be especially athletic. And how did she develop her sense of humor and astute political radar after years as a self-described introvert?

We do get more detail about the role of intelligence officers than I've seen anywhere else. The job is far from glamorous. She seems to spend a lot of time analyzing reports and scrutinizing photos. She does get some great assignments and she gets to work with aviation crews, but she makes her own luck and opportunity most of the time.

The book gets four stars because, despite these flaws, Harris has a great story to tell. I love the ways she found to deal with detractors. Her put-downs are gems, although some would get her written up on harassment charges if presented today.

Harris now is a popular speaker. I wish she'd hire a first-rate coauthor (they don't come cheap) and aim for a top publisher. Her stories deserve to be better known. As she says, nobody knows about her because she's never been associated with scandal. Still she's got some salty stories here. Let's hope she gets a revised book with a broader audience.