USRB reviews “The Life And Times Of Sgt. Joseph Thomas “Tom” Biway, USMC” by D. J. Cotten

The US Review of Books has reviewed another book we’ve published, The Life And Times Of Sgt. Joseph Thomas “Tom” Biway, USMC by D. J. Cotten. The book is based on a real-life story about a murder within the United States Marine Corps.

The book is a story about an unprincipled long-time Marine Corps officer (Biway) and a respectable Chicago policeman, Odell Williams, who joined the Marines after being disillusioned with the police department.

The former police officer was assigned under the command of the unscrupulous Marine officer. However, a mutual distaste was brewing between the two military personnel soon after. Their loathing led to the murder of one and a court martial for the other.

USRB’s Carolyn Davis gives her critical analysis of the book, thus:

“Criminologist Cotten vividly describes some early experiences of Biway’s as contributing to his sociopathy: being embarrassed and beaten for an infraction at a Catholic school where he was a student and subsequent punishments at another private school that he attended. Cotten is clearly intrigued by criminal behavior, and helpfully explains to readers that sociopaths are as bewildered by the sympathies and actions of people of conscience as the general population is by sociopaths’ lack of conscience and cruel practices. What is more disturbing is when Cotton points out that their actions are committed at times with glee and, at other times, without apparent emotion. The author presents his story in a logical, biographical format.”