What Are You Currently Reading? 2009
Air Power Against Terror was well worth the effort. Two thirds of it is a robust, well sourced history of the first seven (roughly) months of the GWOT, from 9/11 through Operation Anaconda, and the last third of it is a pretty solid critique of the use of air power during this period. The history part gets a little dry and long winded, but the analysis makes it worth it.
It's important to hear the rest of the story about Operation Anaconda, but it is an emotionally loaded subject, so I don't want to derail the "Currently Reading" thread.
What concerns me is that this book is ripe to be cherry-picked by Douhet/Mitchell worshippers. But this should be motivation for ground forces guys to read it, so they can equally cherry-pick the problems and failures section.
Fusiliers: How the British Army lost America but learned to fight
Finished Mark Urban's paperback edition of 'Fusiliers: How the British Army lost America but learned to fight'. An excellent short account mixing the regimental - a line infantry unit - and the wider war. First published in hardback in 2007.
I have read little on the American War of Independence; the last was Rebels and Redcoast by Hugh Bicheno, which was not so convincing a history..
Just finished Roberto Gonzalez' "American Counterinsurgency"
Don't bother. What a dud.
The constant comparison between HTS and Phoenix got old after forty or fifty repetative pages, and it hit Godwin on page 100.
But if you want my copy and don't mind the marginalia, drop me a PM, and I'll pay the postage to get it out of my house. For a more detailed review click here.
I'm digging back into "Stupid Wars" for catharsis.
North West Frontier guide
'Lessons in Imperial Rule: Instructions for British Infantrymen on the Indian Frontier' by General Sir Andrew Skeen (Re-published in 2008 by Frontline Books, part of Pen and Sword Books; originally published in 1932 and the fouth edition in 1939).
The new introduction by Dr Robert Johnson, Oxford University sets the context and the contemporary relevance.
davidbfpo
Did the Amazon 'three for one discounted price ' trifecta
Ricks' book, not a bad read, but as Niel has previously pointed out, not a whole lot new. I think Linda R's book will stand the test of time a little better.
I am just over half way through Mullaney's book... excellent book , strikes me as a really impressive young man. Little wonder that Nagl and Yingling were willing to mentor him.
Killer's book... nice cover (very well done with the publisher too) exhaustive and comprehensive in scope, but I am finding quite a few areas where I agree with Bacevich . And, I am over / a little tired of the faux Hemingway style ".. I smoked a cigar..." , " A few moleskines later...' etc etc
My best COIN book in the last year remains Marston and Malkasian's edited work.
Cheers
Mark
Sharpe's Rifles Extravaganza
Quote:
Originally Posted by
slapout9
Tom, are you going to do any reviews of the books you have read? You know since you have gone to all that trouble to read them:)
Buddy,
Given that some of the most important figures in those books are in my immediate world, I will have to pass for now, other than saying each author has a somewhat unique perspective and agenda. I did find that reading the books offered a failrly concentrated swig from the proverbial firehouse regarding players across the board. I found insights and connections on the Iraqi side to be very helpful to me in my day to day existence.
That said, I am now eagerly waiting for the first 16 of the Richard Sharpe Advneture series of historical novels by Bernard Cromwell on the Peninsular Wars, which will allow me to remote my entertainment from my current reality. I love the Sharpes Rifles series with Sean Bean and look forward to a sustained good read.
Best
Tom