Military Books

I have just finished reading Lee Burkins' remarkable book, Soldier's Heart. It touched me deeply and opened my eyes and my heart to so much that I could never have otherwise known. Those of us that sat on the sidelines during the Vietnam war - regardless of our politics - were not only blinded to the plight of those who fought, but also, through our own lack of concern, inadvertently contributed to their pain. In writing, Lee has reached out to us, reconnected, and given us all the opportunity to heal. For this, I am profoundly grateful.

I will be passing Soldier's Heart on to my adult children. It should be mandatory reading for their generation and those that follow. Without access to a warrior's experience and vision, how will they ever be able to understand the human costs of contemporary warfare, or have any hope of piercing the veils of untruths and diversionary distractions that constantly envelope them. Lee Burkins' painful but life affirming book is a gift to us all.

Forget the typical cliches like "riveting", "incredible", and "fascinating" because Lee's work goes above and beyond all of that. This is not simply a book or a memoir - it truly is an "Inquiry of War" and war is something that Lee Burkins has a fair amount of knowledge in. From the jungles and bomb craters that surround the Ho Chi Minh Trail system inside Laos and Cambodia, Lee and RT Vermont fight for their lives against hoards of North Vietnamese Army troops and the suicidal odds of MACV-SOG's secret war. But perhaps the most difficult war Lee wages is the one that dominates his psyche and his mental well-being. This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read; it is raw and unbridled and remarkably unique. Thanks for everything, Lee.

Amid the increasing number of books about Vietnam this book is quite special. It is the personal memoir of a man who spent his time in Vietnam in the Special Forces, and has spent much of his life since recovering from the experience. Thus the narrrative covers his youth and joining up, service in Vietnam including fighting with the Montagnards, returning home, pineapple farming in Hawaii, another stint of military service again in Hawaii, and a lot of hard work fighting for veterans' rights and counseling other vets. What is striking about this narrative, however, is that it does not follow a linear conventional structure. Rather it has a sort of spiraling structure, with each successive section looping back or forward in time and space. But this isn't confusing, it is in fact very effective in conveying that sense of acute dislocation that accompanies post-traumatic stress and is suffered by so many veterans.
It is a tribute too to the author's writing style that the reader is bowled along; I read most of it at a single sitting. The stories too in themselves are gripping, by turns sad, humorous, disturbing (some very disturbing), and inspiring. But the main sense that comes across is immensely life-affirming, a real impression of the author as a man who has faced his demons and is coming out the other side.
Overall, this book is a good read. More than that too, it is one man's intensely personal testament to the post-Vietnam trauma of American society, and thus deserves a significant place in the broader corpus of the literature of war.

This book details Lee Burkins' experience in the Vietnam war and its aftermath. Written in a non-linear fashion, the book is a collection of poignant vignettes and memories. This allows for a psychologically realisitc and "big-picture" way of understanding the story of Mr. Burkins' past. Jumping between the mountainous jungles of Vietnam, Hawaiian VA hospitals, and civilian life in the States, the reader gets a simultaneous sense of the past, present, and future. What is most truly impressive, however, is not the story of the war itself, but the story of Lee's path in reckoning with the trauma of war, coming to terms with it, and purifying his heart.

While deployed to Iraq as a Mental Health Officer, I fortuitously discovered Lee' Burkin's Soldier's Heart, while searching for inspiring books to enhance my work with combat soldiers. I was so intrigued by what I read, I reached out to the author, who allowed me to interview him from Iraq, regarding his journey beginning 37 years before in Vietnam. What I wanted, and what is in short supply today are warriors who have been transformed by their experiences, versus being labeled by themselves or others as broken or permanently damaged. From his authentic PTSD "earned" as a SOG operator and healer himself (The author was an S.F. medic) through Post Traumatic and Stress-Induced Growth, Burkins thrives psychically where many did not, largely because of his transformative journey, and personally resilient personality, combined with a relentless pursuit of justice for other veterans, what the Buddhist's term "For the sake of all living beings".

Like many of the soldiers I served with in Special Forces, in the end it is Burkin's unconventional outlook and relentless pursuit of authentic experience which take him from Southeast Asia, through Asian Metaphysical Arts like Tai Chi and Chi Gung, only to emerge as an advocate for peace and compassion. The book is controversial, direct and written in a narrative format which easily slips between deep penetration missions, authentic psychotherapy sessions and historical VA struggles, culminating in a warrior attaining no less than a Phoenix-like transformation. As Erik Erikson might call it, the author attains integrity versus despair which gripped so many of his generation and is affecting my brothers and sisters in arms today.

Applicable for today? Absolutely, as the author has sat with his journey long enough to convey it with wisdom and compassion and relevancy during our time. Easily could be catalogued under Special Operations, psychotherapy, martial arts or wisdom literature. Especially recommended for those who will not volunteer themselves as a passport into the soul of a warrior who transmutes his suffering and experiences and brings back the teachings for us all of us with ears and hearts to listen.

JD has captured the Vietnam "in-country" experience in the truest form possible. I shared "Dusty's Pub" and many anguish filled hours during and after harrowing night missions relagated to gutsy crazzee Leutinants, the triple ego fighter jocks of the 309th TFS. The account of his wingman's fatal mission is fact..as well as was/is shared grief.There are no regrets living in a combat zone where friends were a life line to sanity. Kate and John are more fiction than fact, however does make an interesting read.

I flew the F-100 in Vietnam and this book uses many of the actual call signs and mission particulars that we used in late 68-early 69. It is an acurate and exciting tale of what flying the Super Sabre was really like. Enjoyable reading.

JD, or should I say "John Ellsworth", I just finished your story! I > liked all of it (except the put down remarks about all us F-4 Jocks)and > will highly recommend it to my 200 Email friends, many of whom are > Retired Air Force Pilots. The exquisite details lead one to believe > that the preponderance of the material was not fiction at all. Having > been there and done many of the same things, thought the same thoughts, > felt the same fears and exhilaration's, and arrived at many of the > identical conclusions, is overwhelming evidence of the books veracity > and power. At least as far as I am concerned. > > God left you and I, and others like us, alive for purposes still being > defined to us. We lost many > friends and comrades. For them not to have a messenger and spokesman > would have meant that they truly died in vain. Thank you for > understanding that calling and answering it with such depth and > dimension! >

The book was every bit as good as the author's OpEd piece in the Wall Street Journal promised. Definitely a book for anyone who has flown for the Air Force or for the people with whom they live and interact.

JD, or should I say "John Ellsworth", I just finished your story! I > liked all of it (except the put down remarks about all us F-4 Jocks)and > will highly recommend it to my 200 Email friends, many of whom are > Retired Air Force Pilots. The exquisite details lead one to believe > that the preponderance of the material was not fiction at all. Having > been there and done many of the same things, thought the same thoughts, > felt the same fears and exhilaration's, and arrived at many of the > identical conclusions, is overwhelming evidence of the books veracity > and power. At least as far as I am concerned. > > God left you and I, and others like us, alive for purposes still being > defined to us. We lost many > friends and comrades. For them not to have a messenger and spokesman > would have meant that they truly died in vain. Thank you for > understanding that calling and answering it with such depth and > dimension! >

I really enjoyed this book. The photo foldouts are really great-they feature reenactors in full dress. This book provides for a great reference to anyone interested in a Grunt or special operations uniform.

The text is also good, although alittle too technical at times.

Overall, a great reference book for any WWII reenactor.

This book is a fine companion for someone who is already familiar with the overall story of D-Day. It has a larger than usual section on amphibious landing craft, and on the function of specific battalions and units too often overlooked in most discussions of D-Day. It has one to five quality pictures or diagrams on every page (not the ones you usually see). Focuses on the equipment used and apparel worn and gives lots of detail on each.

Just when you think that this is another re-hashing off all the often-copied stuff that's in every D-Day book you've ever seen...
Guess again, Skippy. This isn't your Daddy's D-Day book!
Gawne thankfully dusted off UNPUBLISHED information on largely ignored subjects regarding the Normandy landings, and I for one am glad to have this book in my collection.
Amphibious forces, Engineers and even Navy Beach Masters were all there, but you never see them in other books. Gawne takes previously unknown information, couples it with outstanding graphics and puts them together in THE BEST book on the subject to come out since.... well, I can't say when another such book was ever written!
And even though I'm a huge Airborne fan, I have to say this:
"Thanks, Jon, for not having half the book on Airborne forces! We needed another book on the subject like we needed more holes in our heads!"

My father was a D-Day medical officer June 6, 1944. Historians who write definitive books about Americans at D-Day and fail to mention the Army/Navy gap assault teams, LCI sailors, Army Engineer Special Brigades and attached Naval Beach Battalions, have left out the "backbone" of the Normandy invasion. Jonathan Gawne's Spearheading D-Day: American Special Units in Normandy set the record straight in 1998. Military authors should not feel bad if their books were published before Spearheading D-Day. Up to 1992, when Gawne first wrote about the "forgotten sailors of the invasion beaches," most naval historians were unaware that their own were some of the first ashore on D-Day. Spearheading D-Day, covering American forces in France, is simply the best invasion book published since Cornelius Ryan's The Longest Day.

didn't buy this book earlier!!! Absolutely top notch history of the special sea-bourne American units at Normandy. Maps & photos and narrative all combine into an informative and captivating tale. Even if you are a D-Day buff with a large reference library, you will learn much from this excellent edition. It seems pricey, but it is worth all of it & more. You will not regret getting this one!
I hope this sets a pattern for books about the British & Canadian units and their efforts and successes that day. When you realise the scope of just the American beach landings, you will see the huge, multi-volume collection that would be needed to address *all* the units involved. Buy it and and spend some time with it.

John Reed could describe a thumb tack and somehow make it enjoyable and make you want to keep reading. Even better `A Still Small Voice' is free of thumb tacks and filled with heart. The pacing solid, the storyline is great and it's witty at times with lines like, "It's only a basket -and even the weaver of that basket knew it would eventually be lost." It's the kind of book you want to pass along to a friend.

There's also a line that reads "... but for me it was more of a sense of what was right, like the right amount of cinnamon, or the right amount of wine." And I think for a book, this story was just like that right amount of wine (red).

A must.
Totally transported me to another time.
Such strong writing.

This is the BEST book I have ever read. Ever. Days after I finished it, the simplistic beauty of the writing still haunted me. If this isn't eventually recoginzed as one of the best books of our time, I'll be very disappointed.

I found this book to be very intriguing and thought provoking as well as quite entertaining. The day-to-day details of Civil War era life and lifestyle were fascinating additions to the "love story".

This book is written so beautifully that at some points I found myself reading pages over and over again just for the simple beauty of the words! This book is about love, loss and the hardships and the simple pleasures of life just before and after the Civil War. It is a poetic, funny, sad and romantic story about enduring love and how it haunts us. At times I did become a little frustrated with all the "horse talk" however, the "horse talk" does set the mood so one feels they are sitting on a old farm house porch in Kentucky staring at the horses grazing on the blue grass of that beautiful state! I recommend this book to readers who are tired of the same old historical romance books that grace the shelves of every bargain department store! READ THIS BOOK!! YOU WILL BE CAPTIVATED BY IT!!!

This novel is very special in a lot of ways, and part of what makes it so touching is that it is true. You will love and feel for the characters, and above all you will share in their humanity. If any reader looks at Palestine as some kind of bizarre foreign country they will never understand, they will be surprised to discover a place where they feel right at home and a family that is just like any other family in the world but has to struggle through hard times.

Ibtisam Barakat skillfully and meticulously described the typical life of a Palestinian child and the life of the Palestinian's living in the villages and towns of West Bank after the Israeli occupation.

If I wasn't sure Ibtisam is not one of my siblings, I would swear we grew up in the same house.

This book is simply magnificent. Thank you Ibtisam.

If you've lived a middle class existence, this book will make everything you've ever complained about seem very small and ridiculous. No car when you were 16? Sharing a bathroom with your siblings? Boo hoo. Ibtisam Barakat grew up with real problems. Violence, war and famine were never very far from her front door.

Despite this, Ibtisam Barakat is able to recount her childhood growing up in Ramallah without an ounce of self-pity. What could be a maudlin tale is told from the eyes of a child who simply knows nothing else. She plays up the street with her brothers, has pets, and finds comfort and whimsy in a piece of chalk.

Barakat is also largely able to sidestep the politics that infuse the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and present a simple story--growing up as a child, surrounded by war and uncertainty.

This sweet memoir of Palestinian experience is written with so much creatively poetic description that one can get lost in the beauty of the words. The story of a little girl and her family set around the Six-Day War with Israel is a gently written narrative of displacement and loss, family ties, and Palestinian culture that is a rare look at a part of the world and a situation that we Americans generally know little about. I did wish to learn more about the parent's thoughts and how they avoided feeling hatred for their enemies. This is a nonpolitical story, however, and readers are left fascinated by the cultural details and impressed by the perseverence of this close-knit family as they struggle with the realities of war. The author chooses to remember in order to "give my story to the world in the hope that no others ever lose their home, and that the world would lend them a hand if they fell." Amen.

There aren't many books on the Palestinian situation available for children, and fewer still that are memoirs. I actually managed to pick up and read Ibtisam Barakat's, "Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood," without ever realized that it was more than mere historical fiction. As a bilingual author and poet, Ms. Barakat could have written a straight up autobiography, but somehow the memoir is just as moving and intense a portrait as anyone could ask for. It gives her struggles a weight, balance, and arc that wouldn't necessarily belong in a standard series of personal facts. Tracing her life from just before the Six-Day War when she was three to her state as a teenager, Ibtisam remembers her struggles in an occupied Palestine and draws strength from her past.

Facts guide Ms. Barakat's pen, and the horrors of the Six-Day War speak louder than anything else. If dehumanizing occupation is inherently political, then yes, there are politics in this book. More than anything, though, I was struck by Ms. Barakat's ability to write without pointing fingers or blame. Her primary goal is to attain peace in the land of her birth. Mentions of things like bulldozers are only brought up in the beginning. In the past, Barakat will show small beautiful things, like a fig tree with a single early ripe fruit on it. There is no mention of what might happen to that tree in the future.

The prose itself is pretty good too. An Israeli soldier butchering his Arabic pronunciations makes, "the words sound like they have been beaten up, bruised so blue they can hardly speak their meaning." When shouting down a well she says, "We called out one another's names; the echoes returned to us as though our voices had grown older than we were." I liked that the teenaged Ibtisam felt so claustrophobic under her mother's attentions that she wrote, "Mothers and soldiers are enemies of freedom. I am doubly occupied." You learn things too. At one point we learn that the Arabic word for "imagine" is "batkhayyal" which means, "to see the shadow of a thought."

Of course, you want to know more. If we understand that this book is a fictionalization of Ms. Barakat's own life then we want to understand how she came to be a resident of Columbia, Missouri after a childhood as a refugee. The answer to this lies in two parts. In a final note in the book that reads "Giving Back to the World" she writes, "Without the help of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency ... millions of other children and I would not have gone to school or learned to read, write, and use our pencils to clear a tiny path through the wreckage of refugee life..." Later in the backflap of the book we learn too that the author, "grew up in Ramallah and has a degree in English literature from Birzeit University in the West Bank. She came to the United States in 1986 for an internship at The Nation magazine." Considering the number of starred professional reviews (at least three as of this review) "Tasting the Sky" has received already, not to mention its inclusion more than a few Best Books of 2007 lists, Ms. Barakat might wish to consider penning a sequel to her story. Perhaps one that follows her heroine through her tricky years of a teen. Such a novel might make for a lovely companion to Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, if nothing else.

Given the subject matter, I was intrigued by the suggested reading list at the back of the book. Barakat deals with some difficult issues, and I wanted to know which children and teen books she felt would best complement her own take on the conflict. The list consists of seven selections, both books and films, each one discussing the nature of peace and how to attain it. Each one also gives voice to the Palestinians living in the region, most also offering an Israeli perspective as well.

For many kids, the conflict in Palestine is a difficult topic to grasp. That probably goes for teens and adults as well, I'd wager. What Barakat's book offers is a modest introduction to the history behind some of the troubles via her own personal history. People who would like to include this in a unit for teenagers could consider pairing it with Joe Sacco's graphic novel Palestine for a more recent look at the problem. We may or may not see an answer to the hostilities in an occupied Palestine in our lifetimes, but at the very least we can know that there are voices out there like Ibtisam Barakat who are striving for a peaceful solution. As she says at the beginning, "Many countries have an intense involvement with the Israelis and Palestinians. But the approach of siding with one group or the other, caring about only one rather than both, seems to add to the strife." Let's hope she has more stories in her to tell.

This is a well-written memoir which covers a great deal of World War Two combat flying and ranks among the best books on that theatre of war that I've read -- and believe me, I've read an awful lot of them. The writing style is simple yet evocative and we quickly move from the author's training days to the moment when he first meets an enemy plane in combat. What I particularly appreciated about the book was the focus on Anderson's family and the stresses they suffered and the continual reference to the brutality of war and the number of the author's flying colleagues who died. The World War Two reminiscences end about two-thirds of the way through the book and then we have to wade through perhaps too much about his post-war experiences as a test pilot, a desk-bound bureaucrat and then a commander in the Vietnam war. But do buy the book for the World Wat Two material alone, which is excellent.

When I first bought "To Fly and Fight", I expected a book mainly about World War II aviation. Instead, there was much more. Colonel Anderson has a great amount of experience in many aircraft since World War II, as well flying F-105s as the 355 TFW commander at Takhli RTAFB in Thailand in 1970. If you are a military aviation buff, this book is a must

As an avid reader of World War Two History. And being a Viet Nam Veteran; I found this book to be a most fascinating history; Of "Not Only the Man"; But his recollections of his life growing up oin Rural California in the 1930's & 1940's. His enlistment in the Army Air Corp; And his experiences in England during the war. This is "No dry" mundane slow reading military text book. Colonol Anderson, tells of his love for flying and his vivid discriptions of Europe during World War Two; Help the reader to picture what it was like for an average guy; Who has a love for flying and trying his best to stay alive in a extremly hostile environment. He does not dwell on the sadder aspects of war. But trys to explain how he learned to cope with these stressors; And still fullfill his dream of flying. He also go's to great lengths to discuss the other aircraft he had flown. His adventures in P-39's and T-6 Texans. I found his book to be non-judgemental; But very fair to all the persons good and bad that he had come to know in his life. He only briefly discusses his flying career during the Viet Nam Conflict. But then this book was not written with Viet Nam in mind solely. This book is about the man; His love of flying.

I found this book to enlightning; refreshing; funny; sad; extrordinary; And written with a smooth tempo and hums along like the engine of a P-51 Mustang. The Book and the Man are unseperable. He takes you up in his Mustang with him through his rememberences. And brings you home to the runway just as a good pilot would do today. I would recommend this book to anyone who has not only an intrest in World War Two. But an intrest in a "Great Man" who lived an extrordinary life. Fighting for all of us; Flying for all of us. This man is a "TRUE"; American Hero.

Although this book has a different feel to it than the book to which it will invariably be compared, namely Chuck Yeager's "YEAGER" autobiography, I must say it stands on its own feet without any apologies. In this book, Anderson details a life full of accomplishments and adventure.

The chapters that focus on his World War II exploits are clearly the most interesting, although his post-war adventures (including missions in Vietnam) were entertaining in their own right. My only complaint is that he did not write more about this period of his life. It seemed that Yeager's book was a bit more balanced in that he covered his career from beginning to end with an even hand. Anderson (or his publisher) chose not to do so, and that is unfortunate, for I am sure there is much to be learned from this period of his remarkable life.

Despite these minor shortcomings, this one is definitely worth a look. The beginning may be slow to some, but keep going. It is well worth it.

I found "To Fly and Fight" to be an excellent biography of man who grew up with an intense love of flying, and who fulfilled his dreams. The book chronicles his growing up in the rural foothills of Northern California, and his growing love of flying. It gives a very personal accounts of his early days days with the Army Air Corps from training to activation in England. I enjoyed the accounts of his early friendships and escapades.

The descriptions and events as a P-51 pilot flying in the ETO are first rate. The first chapter grabs hold of you and doesn't let go with his account of a high altitude duel with an ME-109. It is a classic. He describes many of his combat missions and describes his growing friendship with Chuck Yeager. The story of his final mission with Yeager is priceless.

The book also includes some revealing sections about his tedious days as a recruiter and several stints with the Pentagon to heady days as a Test Pilot at Wright Field and later at Edwards. He also gives us some excellent insights into his days as a Squadron Leader flying F-86's in Korea and a Wing Commander flying F-105's from Okinawa and Thailand during the Vietnam Conflict.

I had the opportunity recently to meet Col. Anderson and his lovely wife Ellie. We spent several hours together discussing his flying days. It was a real priviledge. He is truly a humble man but has that touch of steel of man who has lived through a lot. He is still a hearty and it's great to think of him still tearing up the skies at Air Shows flying the Old Crow along side Chuck Yeager.

I highly recommend "To Fly and Fight" to all WWII aviation enthusiasts.

...

This is an illuminating book about unheralded Army Civil Affairs teams in Iraq and Afghanistan and their heroic endeavors to improve life for the townspeople. Their everyday efforts are the personification of commitment and grit. I was saddened to read in another review about the death of Staff Sgt. Robert Paul in Kabul, whose portrayal in the book is so memorable. The book contains some distracting editing and proofreading lapses, but they aren't enough to diminish its value. Kudos to Rob Schultheis for bringing these outstanding soldiers to our attention.

As a Civil Affairs (CA) operator from the 1st rotation (2003-2005), I have been disheartened by the media's portrayal of the war in Iraq, the US soldiers and overall "fair and honest" reporting. I heard about this book at a drill weekend in late 2005 as it made quite a buzz around the drill hall of a CA unit (not the book's unit). I thought the author was fair and honest. I had a few "ouch that hurt for us" moments, but overall I thought he portrayed what CA does well and the actions of this CAT-A could represent many of our experiences as well. I purchased the book for my civilian boss, as a way to answer his question: "what is it that you do in the Army."

As I prepare for my 2nd deployment to Iraq, I'm often asked about my military job and I always respond with "you have to read Waging Peace. It will give you a great prespective about what CA does."

A must read for anyone interested in:
* knowing more about CA.
* hearing about what the US Army is trying to do (NO we don't just kick in doors!)
* understanding the frustrations, elations, depression and joy of being a US Army Civil Affairs Soldier in a combat zone.

Our invasion of Iraq was part of an effort to bring stability and democracy to the region, to build an area where terrorists could not train or get support, where people solved their problems through talking it out. This is going to require good governments and strong economies -- and to have those Iraq will need an infrastructure.

Waging Peace relates the story of a small team of Army soldiers who carry a big burden in their operating area: restore water, sewer, schools, electricity and trash pick-up. Plus, build better relations with the government, the mosques, and the police. Oh, yeah, and the gun slingers are not going to give you much security, if any.

Especially right after the invasion, most of our effort in rebuilding Iraq came from Army Civil Affairs -- before the State Department and International Agencies really got started on the big projects. These Civil Affairs teams were critical to the impression that the Iraqis had of us.

Rob Schultheis does a great job of telling the story of one small team. Thing is, he could write two or three more books on the same subject and they would be different -- because each team and each neighborhood is so different. This team was a great one and their story is interesting. Major Clark and Sergeant Paul are true heroes to Iraqis and Americans.

This book came out before people generally understood the nation building aspect of the U.S. mission in Iraq so I think it's gotten missed. I think people should see this in the newstands and book stores again like it was a new release because where people weren't ready for this information in 2005, I think they are now in 2007 as the Bush admin talks more now about nation building and moves away from talk about conquest.

Excellent book, excellent illustration of the issues we are FINALLY seeing in the main stream news about Iraq.

Okay, so i am in the book, but I can still remain objective. Most military books I have read deal with specific combat operations or tactics as that seems to be what people expect when they think of the military. Like going to go and blow up a bridge or something.

There are a lot of people in the military and most of those that serve have jobs other than combat operations. It is interesting to read about a military job that specifically does not use combat operations in a hostile military environment to acheive military goals. Like going to go and repair a bridge or something.

Tom Clancy once observed that a war of agression is armed robbery writ large--"they've got it, we want it, let's go get it." That's a simplistic if accurate observation, but it only describes war in only one incarnation. This book was written during the last few years of the Cold War, when very few "experts" on the issue could be described as objective. Back then, only two camps were being heard from. One was the "gung ho" school of thought that admitted that war might not be very desirable, but when your country got a slap in the face from someone "over yonder", those responsible had to be taught a lesson. That of course is the product of nationalism having been confused with patriotism--the terms are not identical. The other was the pacifist school of thought, which maintained that any enemy can be reasoned with and should be at all costs, and that anyone in uniform is by definition a bloodthirsty human predator. The first is the product of a bottomless naiivete about human nature and ignorance of how societies other than one's own think--the second forgets that it's the criminal, not the soldier, who's a predator in human vesture. Out of curiosity, I viewed the PBS series based on this book. I found myself intrigued by Dyer's observation that the way to make a fighting man out of a young man raised to believe that killing people is wrong is to strongly imply the enemy aren't really people. When you get right down to it, that is borne out by the historical wartime habit of referring to the enemy by demonizing the enemy and referring to him in subhuman terms. Another of Dyer's comments that interested me was the observation that a nation that piles up stockpiles of weapons in preparation for war will sooner or later get that war. Dyer of course isn't the only writer who's been able to look at war in such terms--Herman Wouk postscripted "War and Remembrance" with the comment that either war is finished or we are. The sad irony of our age is that some of us may be able to view war with this level of objectivity, but most of us still haven't outgrown nationalism--a phenomenon which Dyer correctly identifies as the root cause of war.

When a tourist lodge opened about twenty years ago in Kenya, the alpha males of a nearby baboon troop helped themselves to the easy pickings at the garbage dump. In the time honored tradition of baboon despotism where status obsessed males strictly enforce the prevailing hierarchy, the top ranking males claimed the spoils for themselves, and drove away their lower ranking brother baboons. The alpha males then perished en masse when they become infected with bovine tuberculosis from the rotten meat they ate at the dump. Once the alpha males died and their terroristic bullying tactics with them, the survivors were suddenly able to relax and began treating each other more decently. A new more peaceful baboon society was born.

Gwynne Dyer recounts this incident in the last chapter of "WAR: The Lethal Custom" to summarize and exemplify one of his main arguments in this thought-provoking work -- that our species' penchant for violence, although it does have roots in our evolutionary past, does not mean it is inevitable. He argues that as sentient beings we do have and have shown the capacity for making peace, too. In what is a hopeful but realistic retelling of the founding of the League of Nations after WWI and the United Nations after WWII, Dyer suggests that through it these organizations human beings are attempting to deal with the very real possiblity of species annihilation. He argues that the reversal of despoliation of the world must begin in earnest now so as to prevent the international anarchy that will undoubtedly follow if nations choose not to cooperate and instead chase after and fight over diminishing resources.

Tracing the rise of war from our early ancestors to the present day, Dyer relates a convincing story of increasing technological efficiency in the art and machinery of death, where the technology of war comes to outstrip the capacity of most human societies to contain and direct it. Early on when our species lived in egalitarian societies of roughly thirty individuals to a band, killing one's neighbors was a rare occurrence. In a sparsely peopled world with few competitors for game or territory, it was rare that roving bands would skirmish or fight each other. War appeared as more constant and sustained human enterprise with the rise of agriculturalism with its settled communities ripe for plunder by marauding bands whose economic lives and assumptions about tactics were based on their experience as shepherds of livestock. Highly mobile, schooled in techniques of herding, these bands employed the same principles when facing armies of settlers, e.g., using speed, terror, bluff and deception to terrorize settled communities into giving up their treasures.

War figures heavily in explaining the rise and fall of civilizations and peoples throughout history. The Roman phalanx, for instance, an early "machine" of war which used men as its moving parts, remained effective for hundreds of years, until guns eventually rendered it passe. Walled cities and medieval castles too, were marvels of defensive engineering, until they met a similar fate. Then with the end of professional and mercenary armies with the levee en masse in the wake of the French Revolution, came the era of total war when civilian populations, the manufacturers of the materiel of war, became defined as combatants, too, ushering in totalitarian states, weapons of mass destruction and the possiblity of annihilation.

Dyer also does a particularly fine job on guerilla warfare, which acquired that name during the resistance to Napoleon's invasion and annexation of Spain. He questions the notion of a "War on Terror" as espoused by the current American regime as emblematic of its naivete. The idea of war implies an end, a truce, an armistice. Dyer suggests that the U.S., by declaring a "war" on terror fell into the trap laid by Osama Bid Laden. For it is not a war that can be won through warfare. "Police Action Against Terrorists," while not as compelling from a rhetorical or strategic standpoint, has been shown to be the more effective strategy over time.

A history of the humankind told through the changing techniques of warfare and the key confrontations marking these shifts, written with verve, psychological and anthropological acuity, WAR is a valuable exploration of this most uncivil custom. Dyer sees evidence of and movement toward the restoration on an international level of the cooperation of early egalitarian societies. He suggests the spread of cross-cultural communication, which is opening a field for international debate (as evidenced in the massive worldwide anti-war protests against the invasion of Iraq), is restoring the possiblity of dialogue and a democracy of the multitude.

In the mid-80's, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) presented a documentary on the nature of war. Hosted by Gwynne Dyer, my recollection (I was barely a teen at the time) is that it was an interesting and in-depth analysis on the nature of war. Dyer then proceeded to write a companion book, which has been out of print for some years. Now, there is this brand-new, updated version. Dyer has woven the events of the last 20 years into the fabric of the narrative, instead of tacking on an extra chapter at the end - thus it reads like a new book, not a money-grabbing enhancement of an old one. It has been out in Canada for a few months, and will make it's U.S. (re)debut in the spring.

In terms of timeline, this is the most comprehensive book on the roots of, and motivations for, war. Dyer uses archaeological evidence and combines it with analyses on the behaviours of our primate cousins (chimps, baboons, etc.) to build a description of the origin of organised society and the roots of warfare. He then proceeds through the ages, from Babylon and Egypt to the Cold War and the two U.S.-Iraq wars. In this way, he builds a complex but ultimately useful and compelling description of warfare as a human activity. He makes many of the same conclusions as John Keegan and others, but the sheer depth of the analysis is more complex than anything else out there, to my knowledge.

Granted, much of the material in this book has been covered before. For example, is war a natural condition of human societies? Is it inevitable that man will fight his peers? With his trademark wit and seemingly contradictory combination of optimism and sarcasm, Dyer convincingly builds his thesis. The prose is entertaining to read, and the liberal sprinkling of photographic illustrations makes this book eminently readable.

First, the pessimistic side: Humans (and most apes, for that matter) really DO mean to kill each other. However, the average person's chance to die by a violent death has remained mainly steady over the millenia. Certainly, the chances of dying in this century's World Wars was high, but those wars only took up 10% of the century's time. Thus, as battles increased in size and lethality, societies fought less and less frequently, so it all balanced out.

However, he is quite optimistic that humans really are moving in a pacifistic direction. With the advent of nuclear weapons, the next big war will be the last one. His chapters describing the Cold War might be controversial (especially to the U.S. Right) as he maintains Reagan's defense policy was basically invented by Jimmy Carter, and the Soviet Union was already done before Reagan came to power. Whatever your political leanings, though, he lucidly describes the training and mindset of the professionals tasked with maintaining and, if necessary, launching the ICBMs that WWIII would have been fought with.

That's not to say that Dyer is a pacifist per se. He has great respect for people in uniform, and those that follow his syndicated column will know he was in favour of Gulf War I and the destruction of the Taliban by the U.S.-led coalition. He does maintain, however, that modern warfare has turned into an all-or-nothing game where the loser is wiped out (at least the government, and often entire ethnic groups). This is not a sustainable situation in the nuclear era, and so we are in great danger. However, he points out that natural human tendency is to equal rights and democracy. As modern communications and universal literacy make it feasible, nations will naturally move towards more equitable solutions. Thus, in the final analysis, war may eventually become obsolete after all. As he says in the book, it will be good riddance.

The best reflection about war I have read so far. Less detailed than Keegan's "history of warfare", but more pertinent. A clear, lucid perspective on organized human violence. Dyer is parcimonious with words and daring with concepts.
The hardcover edition is also a beautiful looking book.

Dyer has done an excellent job of revising his earlier text, although I must confess to missing a couple of particularly trenchant comments that he has left out in an effort to rise above the suspicions of today's readers, steeped as they are in a silly, false political dichotomy. Dyer's book is both a source of illumination onto how humans got here and a clear explication of how war threatens the future of the human race. He is not overly optimistic about our chances, but neither is he a doomsayer. If we have the guts and intelligence to confront the urges, instincts, and social pathologies that drive us towards violent conflict, we've got a chance. It's up to us.

Written well for enthusiast level readers (there are some technical details off, particularly in the nomenclature) this provides a really handy visual history of weapons and the armor used to protect against them. Primarily the book is about guns, but I was pleased with how much space was also paid to medieval and earlier weaponry. Also nice was that the history of guns wasn't just modern weapons, but early modern as well.

It's one of the most important books for me, full of detailed pictures in the classic style of DK publishing.I totally recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the history of armor and guns

I bought this book for my father for a winter hobby. He's a retired policeman and avid gun collector. I wasn't sure how it would go over because he is not a reader. He loved this book, wouldn't put it down on xmas. It was well-organized, and the visual pictures were excellent. Perfect for a weapons-buff who's not a huge reader. It's going to keep him entertained for awhile, which was the point. Highly recommended.

This is a three in one review on the truly splendid books, Warrior, Weapon, and Battle. Or more formally: Warrior, A visual History of the Fighting Man. Weapon, A visual History of Arms and Armor. Battle, A visual Journey through 5000 Years of Combat.

They can be reviewed together because of their kinship in sharing the same visual concept and the same supremely expert author, R. G. Grant. No pilgrim, Grant is the author of over 20 books, most on the subject of conflict, implements of war and the fighting man.

All three books are wonderfully delicious for those of us whose DNA inclines us toward the history of arms, armament and the men who have carried them. These books are chock full of photographs, charts, maps and illustrations on every page to beautifully compliment and expand upon a tightly written, no fluff text. And this text is extremely well researched.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I must confess that I have not read each of these three books in their entirety. I've had them for only 2 weeks and after scanning them from start to finish, I am now devouring them slowly, page by page, like a monk with a holy book, meting out tasty morsels judiciously. I want this to last a long time.

Although, the books overlap to a degree, they are not repetitious in any negative way as they each have their own exclusive focus.

Warrior takes on the subject of the individual fighting man from 600 BCE to the present, from the Greek Hoplite, the Samurai, Zulu, Mongol bowman, American rifleman to the modern western infantry and special forces...and almost everything in between.

Weapon focuses on just about every kind of implement of a fighting man's arsenal of killing tools from Assyrian spears to the AK 47. In some cases, replicas have been photographed but mostly it's the often crusty, old real thing. The photography is first rate. As in all three books, the text and illustrations are intermingled in such an artful way as to make each page a visual smorgasbord.

Battle covers the first recorded major battle which is between the Canaanites and the Egyptians at Meiddo and takes us through conflicts in every age all the way to modern times. Its focus is on the Generals, the strategies, the troops and their weapons.

Battle was published by DK in 2005, Weapon in `05 and Warrior in `07. Highly recommended, all three.

I bought this book as a birthday gift for my dad (A big weapons fan) He loved it. Great pictures and easy read with a lot of information. It's a big book, a really nice coffee table book.

I've just completed reading Whiskey Nipple, ( I'm familiar with that old practice). It is a delicious easy read. A bit deceptive in its easyness, enticing you to read and reread passages to savor the full flavor. Emotions simmering raw barely beneath the surface of "every-dayness" are cleverly and vividly sculpted by this talented wordsmith. They stay with you long after the whiskey is gone. I'll have another, thanks..

Stunning cover art by Wolff is the ideal adjunct to Doug Frelke's short stories. His style is haunting and wrenching, his words whittled precisely to reveal humanity's frayed nerve endings, shattered synapses, and raw imperfections. Forget all preconceived notions of life, death, love, and human
interaction while reading Whiskey Nipple. Frelke's voice as story teller stuns, soothes, surprises, and shocks. His characters are skillfully crafted and unforgettable. Another excellent book of short stories from Press 53.

I found these eight stories extraordinary in their ability to stay with me long after I'd put the book down. Like other great storytellers, Frelke manages to take universal themes-most often, the need we all share to love and be loved-and thread it through stories that manage, in turn, to shock, to inspire, to make you laugh, and to make you cry. But in the end, Frelke seems to be telling us that despite the vagaries of life and love, there is hope, no matter what. I have come back to read several of these stories over and over. I think anyone who reads will do the same.

As I finished reading Doug Frelke's "Whiskey Nipple" I felt two distinct emotions. First a sadness, the kind that you feel when a great summer vacation comes to an end. And second appreciation, the kind you feel for having experienced it in the first place. This collection of short stories has left me stealing moments of introspection throughout my days since I turned the last page. Although the book itself is slight, Frelke's cast of characters certainly is not. From a young naval officer's unenviable tasks of delivering folded flags to next of kin; to a teenage girl faced with caring for her dying father's every need; one can't help but find themselves doing a little soul-searching in the process. Frelke's characters are honest and unflinching as if I were catching glimpses of their diaries. I can say with equal honesty that I will look forward to reading future works by this sharp young author. And in the meantime, read "Whiskey Nipple" again as should any of you. A great read indeed.

When I was in college, the Dave Matthews Band was just starting out, playing at private parties, fraternity houses, and small clubs around Virginia. There was an electricity in the air--the sense of being there at the beginning, getting the chance to watch the birth of something astounding and grand. Reading Frelke's first collection of stories is like that, watching as a new, extremely talented writer wrestles with grief, sex, faith, and comedy in a stunningly original style that echoes Ford, DeLillo, and O'Connor. Don't miss this rare chance to watch the birth of an important voice.