Yes, a new thread for the books and other stuff we recommend to readers.:wry:
There are annual threads now for each year since 2007, it should help searching for a review.
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Yes, a new thread for the books and other stuff we recommend to readers.:wry:
There are annual threads now for each year since 2007, it should help searching for a review.
Battle Studies by Colonel Ardant Du Picq
The Wars of French Decolonization by Anthony Clayton
"Sing me a song
You're a singer" Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell
I am 80% through reading 'Taking Command' the autobiography of General Sir David Richards and will post a review at the end. It is an easy read for an armchair observer, but I would not have compared him to General Stanley McChrystal, as Professor Anthony King does in this WoTR review:http://warontherocks.com/2015/01/mil.../?singlepage=1
Razib Khan (a blogger really worth reading; mostly blogs about genetics, but a good deal of history and current affairs thrown in) has a piece about "The Fall of Carthage". Some speculations that am sure will be of interest to SWJ readers...see here.
http://www.unz.com/gnxp/institutions...ly-beat-genius
Overall I agree but one has to put the issue in the context of ressources, especially manpower. One city was founded as a far away colony while the other established itself among the large Latin population as center of power. The relative large demographic base, with a strong web of alliances partly with people of similar ethnicity and language was crucial enabled it's institutions to absorb crushing defeats, and the other way around. In other cases, few ressources and good institutions against a genius at war could mean the destruction of a state and end of a people. Waging war in a foreign land with a large proportion of your small manpower ended not so much time ago very badly for another great seapower, Athen. One city-state which was actually quite famous for it's insitutions.
In Churchill days for example the Americans could 'always do the right thing' after they tried everything else because at that stage they had ample ressources in time, capital and manpower to overcome doing the wrong things. Most political entities aren't that lucky.
On the German Art of War: Truppenfuhrung: German Army Manual for Unit Command in World War II by Bruce Condell and David T. Zabecki (Editors)
Civilization and Barbarity in 20th CenturyEurope by Gabriel Jackson
"I seek to cure what's deep inside,
frightened of this thing that I've become" Toto, Africa
Anabasis by Xenophon. A gripping story told in a manner which won early praise and great fame. The narration feels quite modern apart from the long speeches, of which some are however rethoric highlights.
Lots of perspectives and aspects to discover but I was mostly attracted the decision-making on this journey. So much uncertainty with so many different actors and motives and such fluidity of constellations. Obviously for the modern man there are no pure good guys in it, especially if you read between the lines.
Maybe another interesting angle is the military one. I've read Il sergente nella neve and Taktik im Russlandfeldzug shortly before it and it makes for strange comparisions. For example the Hellenes find themselves in a 'wandering pocket' of old with the enemy strenght in cavalry, light infantry or both as well as their geographical position making escape in small groups or alone hopeless. The huge tactical disadvantage of being composed largely of heavy infantry unable to flee however means that it is a lot easier to convince the men to fight towards a common objective. Some details of the retreat match those in the sergente of the neve especially of course the chapter in which they battle the snow in the mountains. Aspects of the lodging (first comes, first occupies) or provisions are seemingly timeless.
Obviously there is much more, for example the issue of leadership and the ability of the Greek to quickly replace former leaders even in very large numbers. Despite (or perhaps because?) the many internal debates their units prove to be robust and are quickly reorganized and adapted to the current needs. For the most part they are quick to support other units operating in 'combined-weapons' formations which get 'suppressed' by enemy units on dominant terrain and rapidly maneuver against the threat with the rest. Weapons like the increased use of long-range missile weapons are an important part of the success but certainly the questions of morale, leadership and tactics, even politics and interpretors, are far more so.
There is more to write but give it a try first.
Thunder in the Sky: Secrets on the Acquisition and Exercise of Power by Thomas Cleary (Trans.), Chu Chin Ning (Fwd.)
Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and South East Asia by Joe Studwell
"Diamonds and dust
Poor man last
Rich man first" AC/DC, Sin City
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uMyc3hRgL.jpg
Sacred Violence: Political Religion in a Secular Age
Taken from the book's introduction:
"This book addresses the complex relationship between ideology or political religion and the recourse to political violence and irregular warfare in the 21st Century. The focus of this work is the emergence of the ideology of Islamism and its adaption by Al-Qaeda and its affiliates to the strategic practice of jihadism, both in the Muslim world and among the Western diaspora. In exploring this case, the thesis applies the precepts of war developed by Carl von Clausewitz and his most important modern interpreter, Raymond Aron, to the evolution of jihadism, its tactics and its justification."
A fascinating book, focused in large part on the UK experience, it challenges many of the liberal Western assumptions made about both multi-culturalism as currently practiced in Europe and the role that religion plays in some societies.
The War Managers by Douglas Kinnard
The 14-Hour War: Valor on Koh Tang and the Recapture of the SS Mayaguez by James E. Wise Jr. and Scott Baron
Vietnam: the other war we need to remember - newspaper article - Hugh White - The Melbourne Age, 4/14/15
Arthur Calwell Speech - online pdf - 4/5/65
"The gentleman's name is Wong." Arthur Calwell, Commonwealth Parliamentary Debate, 2/12/47.
NICAP: The UFO Evidence by Richard H. Hall (ed.)
Our Dumb World by the Onion
All of Shakespeare's English history plays. They're full of martial pomp, skullduggery and sly dealings, royalist egomania, spectacle and flourish...and contain some of his most memorable characters, such as Richard III, Falstaff, and Henry V.
In historical sequence, they are:
Richard the Second
Henry the Fourth, Part One
Henry the Fourth, Part Two
Henry the Fifth
Henry the Sixth, Part One
Henry the Sixth, Part Two
Henry the Sixth, Part Three
Richard the Third
...I'm leaving out Henry the Eighth and King John because they're annoying.
Berkshire was a mighty success in the last fifty year and any long-term shareholder's slice has become much more valuable. Two special letters were written by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to look fifty years back and fifty ahead. Munger came up with a handy list of the 'Berkshire system' which has some queer similarities with Truppenfuehrung of all things and some of the stuff in the Human face of War. Obviously there are also vast differences between one 'business' and the other, and I'm no fan of, let us say, Clausewitz for Business. Still in some cases the essence is surprisingly similar.
---------------Quote:
The management system and policies of Berkshire under Buffett (herein together called “the Berkshire system”) were fixed early and are described below:
(1) Berkshire would be a diffuse conglomerate, averse only to activities about which it could not make useful predictions.
(2) Its top company would do almost all business through separately incorporated subsidiaries whose CEOs would operate with very extreme autonomy.
(3) There would be almost nothing at conglomerate headquarters except a tiny office suite containing a Chairman, a CFO, and a few assistants who mostly helped the CFO with auditing, internal control, etc.
(4) Berkshire subsidiaries would always prominently include casualty insurers. Those insurers as a group would be expected to produce, in due course, dependable underwriting gains while also producing substantial “float” (from unpaid insurance liabilities) for investment.
(5) There would be no significant system-wide personnel system, stock option system, other incentive system, retirement system, or the like, because the subsidiaries would have their own systems, often different.
(6) Berkshire’s Chairman would reserve only a few activities for himself. [ For a 'few activities' a rather long and remarkable list follows]
P.S: Could not resist to post a picture of Berkshire's HQ team, which handles many key tasks of company currently Nr. 5 in US market cap with 'unbelievable efficiency' to quote Buffett.Quote:
Why did Berkshire under Buffett do so well?
Only four large factors occur to me:
(1) The constructive peculiarities of Buffett,
(2) The constructive peculiarities of the Berkshire system,
(3) Good luck, and
(4) The weirdly intense, contagious devotion of some shareholders and other admirers, including some in the
press.
I believe all four factors were present and helpful. But the heavy freight was carried by the constructive peculiarities, the weird devotion, and their interactions.
http://static2.businessinsider.com/i...e-hathaway.png
To be true two could not make it, so it is not quite complete...
Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II by Keith Lowe
http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Contine.../dp/125003356X
This book certainly shattered the narrative I had regarding Western Europe after WWII. I was quite familiar with cases of retribution and starvation in the West, but not to the scale depicted in this very informative book. Actually the level of chaos and violence in Iraq and Afghanistan in the aftermath of our invasions paled in comparison to the level of violence and chaos in many parts of Europe. High rates of starvation, continued genocide against the Jews (and other groups), U.S. abuse of German prisoners, millions of refugees that took years to resettle, etc.
The author uses numerous primary sources, and does a good job of citing known and suspected numbers (which often varied greatly), and why there is a discrepancy. While I suspect most serious readers of SWJ realize that high levels of savage violence are quite possible in so-called civilized western society, no reader will have any doubt that what we're seeing in Iraq is not unique to Islam. In Europe, in the aftermath of WWII, there were also beheadings, setting people on fire, intentional starvation, destruction of entire towns, etc. A good, even if unpleasant read.
The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham
Quartered Safe Out Here by George MacDonald Fraser
After the fine Where Iron Crosses Grow (now pretty cheap with Kindle) I picked up Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front. So far it is pretty good.
Such a vast conflict within a 'world' war is so rich in detail of living, fighting and dying that it is difficult if not impossible to come to concise and clear conclusions. The author does, so far, a good job to put things into context. The importance which training, experience, often superb leadership on many levels, radios, a combined arms approach among others player should be by now well understood. This goes as well for the woeful operational and tactical preperation of Soviet units in midst of a reorganization, the almost non-existent tactical radio communication, lack of ammunition and fuel and so forth. A huge part of the Soviet soldiers were put by this combination in an ofen at best very difficult situation which greatly reduced their ability to fight effectively. So strangely the 'tank shock' is one of those things which stand out for me. The great difficulties if not inability of German tank and AT weapons to penetrate 'medium' and heavy Soviet armor, are actually similar to the one's with heavy Allied one. The sheer number of hits some KV suffered while fighting mirrors instances in France, with the crews of puny AT-guns and Tanks shooting and hitting skillfully and in vain till death. While there is a huge scope in training, organization, people's quality and so forth but one still needs the proper tools to do the job against such strong resistance. The whole package counts both ways.
P.S: Both 'The Viaz'ma Catastrophe, 1941' and the 'The Rzhev Slaughterhouse' are now the available for Kindle at roughly half the price I payed for the hardcovers. The former is in my humble opinion especially valuable.
PAM 20-202 German Tank Maintenance In World War II enriches that side of the story.
It is worth to point out that the peacetime logic of a centralized 'factory maintance' was obviously more compelling and efficent in peace. It also made some more money. In war it was obviously different. From an social and economic point this aspect was fascinating:Quote:
In the course of the war it became evident that the factors determining the operation of a tank maintenance service varied according to theater of operations, technical developments, etc. These varia-
tions necessitated constant adaptation and improvement in the organic structure and equipment of the maintenance units. Consequently, no standard tank maintenance system having a general application could be evolved. On the other hand, some basic principles worth remembering can be derived from the German experience in World War II.
Quote:
Since the advance dumps and army group depots were usually out of those parts for which there was a heavy demand, the tank maintenance companies began to send details to the depots to represent their interests. Upon the arrival of a supply train carrying spare parts, each detail tried to secure the parts its company needed most urgently. When more and more companies adopted this procedure the depots became the scenes of fierce struggles for priority items. As soon as a detail had secured some parts, it would contact its parent organization by radio or telephone. In a matter of minutes the trucks would be on their way to the depots to pick up the spoils.
...
More arbitrary measures were often employed by some of the tank maintenance company commanders who believed that they were acting in the interest of their own unit. During the latter part of the war
some of them even resorted to bribery. Others would contact manufacturers in the zone of interior outside of normal channels to procure parts directly at the source. Occasionally, even tactical com-
manders took part in the hunt for parts when the number of serviceable tanks at their disposal began to dwindle.
...
Such expedients obviously did more harm than good. Moreover, the persistent shortage of spare parts affected the morale of the tank maintenance personnel who, though capable and willing, were unable
to accomplish their mission at a time when every tank counted.
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Flashman and the Dragon by George MacDonald Fraser
I had the chance to read in the IISS Library, London 'Historical Experience: Burden or Bonus in Today's Wars - The British Army and the Bundeswehr in Afghanistan' by Eric Sanger; Publisher Rombach in 2014.
A good read and valuable as the author was not a Brit writing about our war. To be fair the German section was not as interesting.
No reviews on Amazon.com:http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Exp...in+Afghanistan
Useful Abstract:http://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/29298
I really should not be let loose in a good bookshop, nor should attention be paid to recommendations here. Not in priority order.
'Soldier I: The Story of an SAS Hero' by Pete Winner (given the title Soldier I for the coroners inquest for the Princes Gate operation, the Iranian Embassy in London, which the SAS stormed in 1980). He gave a superb talk on that part of his career recently.
'The French Intifada: the Long War between France and its Arabs' by Andrew Hussey (reviewed here awhile ago). Two reviews, post 32 onwards on:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=4399
'Abu Hamza: Guilty - The fight against radical Islam by Reda Hassaine and Kurt Barling. Hassaine being an Algerian who became an informant for several intelligence agencies during the "Londonistan" period.
'Boko Haram: Nigeria's Islamist Insurgency' by Virginia Comolli (from IISS). Long awaited and mentioned here in the Nigeria thread.
'We Love Death As you Love Life: Britain's Suburban Terrorists' by Raffaello Pantucci (now @ RUSI, ex-IISS & China). Long awaited and well reviewed elsewhere.
'Counterinsurgency in Crisis: Britain and the the challenges of modern warfare' by David Ucko & Robert Egnell. Reviewed here IIRC last year.
'Counterinsurgency: Exposing the myths of the new way of war' by Douglas Porch. Reviewed here IIRC in 2013 mainly on its own thread:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=18465
'British Generals in Blair's wars' edited by Jonathan Bailey, Richard Iron and Hew Strachan. Controversially delayed as several contributors as serving officers had to withdraw and the MoD was not happy. mentioned here IIRC within the UK military thread.
Something not military: 'The Blunders of Government' by Anthony King & Ivor Crewe.
The China Mirage: The Hidden History of American Disaster in Asia by James Bradley
Street Smart: Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield for Urban Operations by Jamison Jo Medby and Russell W. Glenn (RAND), also available online (pdf)
So far I have read six of the books.
I have added a short review of 'The French Intifada: the Long War between France and its Arabs' by Andrew Hussey on another thread, Post 35:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...?t=4399&page=2
'Soldier I: The Story of an SAS Hero' by Pete Winner is a good read and in places takes unexpected turns, notably about PTSD, stress etc. Good chapters on the Mirbat battle in Oman and the Iranian Embassy siege.
The two books on UK counter terrorism complement each other, neither author refers to each other's book. 'We Love Death As you Love Life: Britain's Suburban Terrorists' by Raffaello Pantucci is a must read on why British nationals turned to terrorism. It is not a history of the attacks and the response.
A London-centric and Arab community account comes in 'Abu Hamza: Guilty - The fight against radical Islam' by Reda Hassaine and Kurt Barling. Hassaine being an Algerian who became an informant for several intelligence agencies during the "Londonistan" period. Controversial in places.
Then two books on COIN: 'Counterinsurgency in Crisis: Britain and the the challenges of modern warfare' by David Ucko & Robert Egnell and
'Counterinsurgency: Exposing the myths of the new way of war' by Douglas Porch.
Both are excellent and very, very critical of the pursuit of counter-insurgency school of thought and practice. Ucko focusses on the UK and Porch has a wider outlook.
From Ucko two quotes:Porch is incredibly direct in his criticism, based on his historical knowledge and watching the last decade plus. I doubt if anyone in an official military education post in the UK could have written such a book.Quote:
The case of Afghanistan thereby points to the significant problems inthe British way of preparing for and prosecuting modern wars: the failure to properly formulate and resource strategy; the failure of civil-military coordination at both the strategic and oerational levels; the limitations of military improvisation and of 'muddling through' in the absence of a plan; and the dangers of letting strategic intent and operational approach develop independently (pg. 108)
...there is no fig leaf large enough here to cover the deep flaws in the British government's own approach and conduct in these counterinsurgency campaigns.
I recently purchased a group of books, and the most important one is a reprint of JEAN LARTGUY's (1920-2011) classic "The Centurions" which was only released on May 19th, 2015.
As I get ready to head north to attend a buddy's retirement ceremony, I have to choose between that or the recently-acquired biography on Tim Hetherington, titled "Here I Am".
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
The Steel Bonnets by George MacDonald Fraser
Jon,
Tim Hetherington was not a familiar name, so I looked him up and learnt a lot. To Americans this is a poignant reminder and the subject of a SWC thread:Link:http://www.timhetheringtontrust.org/Quote:
Infidel is an intimate portrait of a single U.S. platoon, assigned to an outpost in the Korengal Valley-an area considered one of the most dangerous Afghan postings in the war against the Taliban-but it is as much about love and male vulnerability as it is about bravery and war.....(my emphasis) ...Hetherington co-directed the award-winning film Restrepo
Link to the cited biography:http://www.amazon.com/Here-Am-Story-.../dp/0802120903
Link to Jon's other book:http://www.amazon.com/Centurions-Jea...=jean+larteguy
Stalin's Keys to Victory
There is no doubt that a very important key to defeat of Nazi Germany was massive material pouring out of Soviet factories. The scale was a shock for Hitler and he conceded it in this famous recording. He does of course continue on with his shopping list of excuses and fantasies, but there is no doubt that the armament output was a nasty surprise.
Resource mobilization for World War II: the U.S.A., U.K., U.S.S.R., and Germany, 1938-1945
I certainly agree on that one, especially concerning U.S.S.R, considering the elementary importance in the last big war and vast scale of tens of millions mobilized in armament production alone.Quote:
Granted the superior potential for war production of the Allied nations over their enemies, what factors enabled this potential superiority to be realized in the different economies under combat conditions? More than 40 years after the event, a fully comprehensive answer to this question has not yet been compiled. Early interest in the comparative economic history of World War II faded soon after the war
The Soviet Defense Industry Complex in World War II
An aspect I see hardly mentioned, maybe discussed bu missed by myself, is the key fact that Germany was considerably behind the investment curve in armament compared to the Soviet Union. For example the Soviet Union invested with skilled American knowledge in huge plants outfitted with American and German machinery which were running before something on this scale was seriously considered in Germany. The large amount of tanks, perhaps the best known benchmark, produced before Barbarossa and even the invasion of Poland is just one testimony to that. A far higher share of German war production in the 41/42 period went into producing the means of production. Maybe I will try to go into more detail and other keys later.
All in all I personally find it a highly interesting topic and quite relevant today, thankfully not too much.
P.S: Others are of course far more knowledgeable about small arms and certainly WWII ones are not my forte so I was a bit surprised to read about the ballistics of the 7.62x25 Tok. steel core bullets coming out of a SMG like the PPS-43. As a package it really seems as the 'best' of it's class with very low production costs, high reliability partly thanks to much better magazines, very light weight, controllable rate of fire with fast and light bullets. Such ammunition seems in retrospect better suited for a war SMG then German, British or American choices. It is somewhat closer to the modern PDW idea while ironically being the base of the 9mm.
Just one relative small aspect in a huge thing of course...
Humanitarian Imperialism by Jean Bricmont
American Fascists by Chris Hedges
Razor's Edge.
To Backwards Observer's selection, I am on my third lifetime read of this book.
Curious provenance that I think is accurate. Christopher Isherwood was in Berlin (He was the Caberet inspiration of the Englishman). Maughan and he were (Gay) friends. Isherwood, after many adventures, moved to Santa Monica, CA, to work as a screen writer with all the other Euro ExPats: Huxley, Hesse, and later, Maughan.
After all of his adventures, Isherwood settled down in Santa Monica and found religion---Buddhism, etc., later providing the English Translation of the Bagavadgita. Isherwood was Larry (Razor's Edge) and Siddartha (Hesse) and appeared in many other guises (Cabaret) by that group of writers--- including his own (Mr. Norris Changes Trains, I ama Camera, Etc...)..
From the above, my exploration of the backstory for Razor's Edge took me far afield from what I expected, but confirmed that (like Maughan's Larry) Isherwood did become the Boatman, popping up in many places with a wry smile (Cheshire Cat?).
Hi Steve!
Back in the day on the other side of the Pacific from Santa Monica, one of the reasons for callow scribes to sit on the verandah at the Raffles Hotel (buying one ice lemon tea for the whole afternoon, looking thoughtful, learning to smoke ciggies cough, not writing anything) was the Somerset Maugham/assorted notable authors angle.
Regarding 'The Razor's Edge'; the consensus seems to be that it was kinda goofy, but I actually preferred the film! I'm shallow.Quote:
Maugham was but one of many writers who immortalised the historic hotel. Among those who sojourned there included Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham, Noel Coward, Han Suyin, James Michener and so many more. Many of them lend their immortal words and even their names to the hotel. A few had suites named after them.
Somerset Maugham first visited Raffles Hotel in 1921, and was inspired to write the short stories contained in The Casuarina Tree. Shutzman wanted to use Maugham's name in promoting the hotel and wrote to the author to ask his permission, and invited him to stay at Raffles. Maugham answered, declining the invitation but granting the hotel both the use of his name and his quote that Raffles Hotel "stands for all the fables of the exotic East" in advertisements.
Raffles Hotel, The Grand Old Lady of Singapore, has Its Own Museum. - thaiairways.com
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...7e7da7088b.jpg
Also Bill M. (Murray, that is.):)
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed, written twenty years ago.
Amazing book with many nuggets in quite a few areas like managing, technology, production, military procurement and more. It is always important to be critical of works like personal memoirs but some of those nuggets surfaced already in different sources like the (German) military experience and Berkshire.
The Ascent Of Man by Jacob Bronowski
Anthropological Intelligence: The Deployment and Neglect of American Anthropology in the Second World War by David H. Price
Social Sciences As Sorcery by Stanislav Andreski
War and Cinema: The Logistics of Perception by Paul Virilio
'The Dark Net' by Jamie Bartlett, published in 2014 and as a paperback in 2015 in the UK:http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Net-Insid...jamie+bartlett
A clearly written, simple guide to the Dark Net; in layman's terms a world of activity way beyond Google and a surprising social commentary on human activity - drug dealers, pornography, hackers and more.
The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything by James Martin, SJ
Deceit and Self-Deception by Robert Trivers
The Tartar Steppe by Dino Buzzati
Stalking the Dragon: 10th Anniversary Edition by Kregg Jorgenson
Military Writings by Leon Trotsky
The Devil We Knew by H.W. Brands
Strategies For Managing The Consequences Of Black Swan Events by Avinash M. Nafday (ASCE Library online article)
Guerrilla Strategies by Gerard Chaliand
Death In The Rice Fields by Peter Scholl-Latour
How To Cut Toxic People Out of Your Life by AJ Harbinger (The Art of Manliness[!] online article)
We Kill Because We Can by Laurie Calhoun
This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things by Whitney Phillips
Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder
Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific, by Robert Kaplan
http://www.amazon.com/Asias-Cauldron...KPT8AFK0GCTS5V
For those unfamiliar with the strategic challenges in the South China Sea and the surrounding area that is driving the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific this book is an excellent primer. I can almost guarantee that old Asia hands will also learn something new from reading this book. It is an easy weekend read, yet it covers an wide range of relevant historical issues in an easily understood manner. While it tends to focus on the state actors, it also touches among the growing Islamic Fundamentalism in Malaysia (and elsewhere), and the potential expansion of radicalism in the region that may further contribute to regional instability.
Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War, by Peter W. Singer and August Cole
http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Fleet-No...sap_bc?ie=UTF8
This is a novel about a future war between China (post communist China) and the U.S. It focuses on how the opponents use high technology weapons, drones, cyborg tech, cyber, and operations in space among other things. I agree with the critiques that if you're looking for a good fiction book with developed characters this isn't your book. Character development was shallow, but if you want to explore how future wars may be fought this is an interesting read.
Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know, by Peter W. Singer
http://www.amazon.com/Cybersecurity-...sap_bc?ie=UTF8
If you are a military planner, homeland security planner, any sort of national security strategy advisor, then you need to read this book to ensure you have a realistic grasp of what cyber threats really are and the implications of those threats. Singer does a great job of putting them in context. This definitely is not a sky is falling book, but it is a clear eyed view on the nature of the challenge we face in this domain.
I'm about 1/3 though...
I have to say I'd rather keep my techno-thrillers focused on the technology, not superficial characters.
There's supposed to be a high-tech, high-speed war in a global battlespace, and yet we see actually very little of the opening salvo. However, the book opens with a killing that at this point has nothing to do with the plot.
I do appreciate the emphasis on cyber technology and drones, however, a key element of "Red Storm Rising" was that smart weapons would be exhausted within weeks during a great power war.
Looking at the sheer quantity and quality of tools and technology needed to decimate decades-behind and less-than-peer militaries in Iraq, Yugoslavia, Iraq again and Libya, it seems to me that any Sino-American conflict would start to go low-tech rapidly, especially for the Chinese side. Yet somehow China is ahead qualitatively and quantitatively...
Looking at other conflicts (e.g. in the Donbass and Syria), the RMA has not helped Russia defeat insurgents with small arms, technical, the odd refurbished T-55, and TOWs...
Mixed emotions at this point...
The Voice of Asia: The Changed Outlook of the Asian World Toward the West by James A. Michener
An Eye for the Dragon: Southeast Asia Observed: 1954-1970 by Dennis Bloodworth
I reviewed this book a few months ago and recommended it. Now the author has made the entire book free to access:https://t.co/s2nztIo1O5
'Counterinsurgency in Crisis: Britain and the the challenges of modern warfare' by David Ucko & Robert Egnell.
Why I Am Not A Christian by Bertrand Russell
The Chinese Looking Glass by Dennis Bloodworth
Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, by Michel Foucault.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discipline_and_Punish
Wiki article lay stress on penal system, but Foucault's main idea is that discipline mechanisms shaped the entire European society.