Excellent Book on the Fighting First

I just recently received from Amazon.com my new copy of Inside the Fighting First: Papers of a Nebraska Private in the Philippine War. This book was published in 2001 and was edited by Thomas Solevad Nielsen with an introduction and commentary by Matthew Plowman. This book consists of the diary of Henry Thompson, the letters he wrote home, and a selection of those that he received as the Spanish American War wound down and the Philippine War revved up. Thompson, the son of Danish immigrants living near St. Edwards, Nebraska, wrote in English but his parents' letters (translated) were written in Danish. His letters have been skillfully edited and placed in the proper relationship to diary entries. The historical context is provided by Plowman whose commentary offers some knowledge of this little known war. The book includes numerous photographs from the Thompson collection. This book conveys an interesting insight into the differing mentalities of a combatant at the turn of the century and those on the home front. I have gotten about a third of the way through the book and am finding it very interesting reading.