Editorial Review

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Reviews (253)

Not the Best Choice

Art Of War Best Translation!
This is the best version of the Art of War I have ever read.

This is aextremely short version of a timeless piece of history written for the future.
Sun Tzu's work, "The Art of War," originally written sometime in the period of time from 400 to 300 B.C.E., has experienced numerous revivals in popularity over the years. During the 1970s it was popular with students of the New Left when the study of guerrilla warfare was in vogue. In the 1980s, "The Art of War," reappeared in quite different company.
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Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Military    5. Military - General    6. Military - Strategy    7. Military Science    8. Military art and science    9. History / Military / General    10. Theory of warfare & military science   

Reviews (42)

The secret is out
very interesting look at the mystery that is delta force. this book is written by the founder and first commanding officer of the force and represents an intriguing look at what was formerly kept secret. look into the world of some of our country's most daring and important servicemembers. this blow-by-blow account reads like a novel, and sometimes you wish that is all it was.

Page turner. Essential for Spec-ops library.
I first thought that this book would probably be a bit dull, since it didn't have a lot of combat experiences in it, but is mostly about the formation of Delta. But it's now one of my favorite reads. A real page-turner, it only took me a couple weeks to get through it. I admit that it's enjoyment is probably limited to those with a serious interest in special ops. It has an honest and candid tone that lacks the the egoism of Marzcinko's book about SEAL Six. If your interested in learning more about Delta, I also reccomend reading Eric Haney's book, and Blackhawk Down. All three are very interesting and informative books, that take you inside, are hard to put down, and inspire profound respect for those who serve their country in this capacity.

How to sell the Army a new idea
"Delta Force" should be required reading for every ambitious careerist working for a large organization. Wearingcamo fatigues or gray-flannel suit, this fine treatise tells the ambitious what it takes to get things done in a large organization--in this case, the largest organization-the U.S. Army. And what it takes is a very smart, relentlessly driven maverick, just what these organizations abhor. Maverick General Billy Mitchell was court-marshaled for proving to the Navy that one aircraft could take out the fleet's largest ship.
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Subjects:  1. Army    2. Army.    3. Beckwith, Charlie A    4. Delta Force    5. History    6. History - Military / War    7. Military    8. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    9. Military Science    10. Modern - 20th Century/Nuclear Age    11. Operation Eagle Claw, Iran, 1980    12. Personal narratives    13. Political Terrorism    14. Special Forces    15. Technology    16. United States    17. United States.    18. War & Military    19. History / Military / General    20. Special & elite forces    21. USA   

Editorial Review

If the first 270 pages of this book had been published separately, they would have made up a lively, insightful, beautifully written history of theoretical physics and the men and women who plumbed the mysteries of the atom. Along with the following 600 pages, they become a sweeping epic, filled with terror and pity, of the ultimate scientific quest: the development of the ultimate weapon. Rhodes is a peerless explainer of difficult concepts; he is even better at chronicling the personalities who made the discoveries that led to the Bomb. Niels Bohr dominates the first half of the book as J. Robert Oppenheimer does the second; both men were gifted philosophers of science as well as brilliant physicists. The central irony of this book, which won a National Book Critics Circle Award, is that the greatest minds of the century contributed to the greatest destructive force in history. ... Read more

Reviews (134)

Ten Stars!!!
I have little to add to the many excellent reviews of this great book, except to say that, with many mediocre books getting four and five stars, a rating of "only" five stars for a work of this magnitude is woefully inadequate. Buy it, read it, enjoy it, learn from it.

Downright Scary!
Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the first (and hopefully the last) cities to be nuked. In particular, the eye-witness accounts of ground-zero Hiroshima at the end of this book were probably the most horrific things I have ever read, so wrenching that I don't want to give you an example (though I thought it was important to read). Scarier still are nuclear bombs available today that are 1000 times as potent as 'Little Boy'.
One of the Best Books Ever Written
It's a work of literature, it's a work of history, it's a work of engineering; Richard Rhodes wraps everything into one superb narrative.From Rutherford's canny experiments rigged with chewing gum and string, to Ernest Lawrence lighting a cigarette off an atomic test, nothing is beyond the author's grasp.This is a work of physics in action, the business end.From the very top, Mr. Rhodes' book details the decisions made by FDR and Truman, and goes right on down the chain of command to General Groves, the powerhouse behind the Pentagon's construction who was given stewardship over a bunch offractious geeks who were attempting to unleash the power of the sun.
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Subjects:  1. Atomic bomb    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Military - Nuclear Warfare    6. Military Science    7. Modern - 20th Century/Nuclear Age    8. Atomic & molecular physics    9. History / General    10. Nuclear weapons    11. Ordnance, weapons technology    12. Science: General Issues    13. USA    14. World history: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (1)

Military History
The book gives a good overview of the Military development of the Armed Forces of the United States. Main parts, like the Civil War offer some detail, but certainly not as much as a book primarily on the subjets.
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Subjects:  1. Armed Forces    2. General    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History, Military    6. History: World    7. Military - United States    8. Military History (General)    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. History / General    12. Warfare & Defence    13. World history   

Subjects:  1. Air Transportation    2. Aviation - General    3. History - Military / War    4. Military - Aviation    5. Military Aircraft    6. Military Science    7. Transportation    8. Aircraft: general interest    9. Yearbooks, annuals, almanacs   

Reviews (23)

Strangelove Lives
Five hundred pages of text plus scores of footnotes-- so why wade into the challenge. First, it's well-written so the pages fly; second, it's fascinating so the time flies; and third, it'll give you insight, so you'll know more, from James Forrestall to Donald Rumsfeld. Clearly, we've got a bomb-happy war-machine on our hands with a big money sector to back it up. Iraq is only the latest and most aggressive installment. For 60 years, the Pentagon and its apologists have been confusing national security with bigger and better weaponry. The trouble is that a good portion of the public believes it, or at least wants to believe it. We dodged a couple of nuclear bullets back in the 60's, but how long can our luck hold out. Especially when we've withdrawn from so many treaties trying to control the binge. What's worse, the Pentagon and its weapons programs have taken on a life of their own, beyond the rest of us. Of course, this momentum didn't suddenly drop out of thin air. Carroll shows how it's developed over time, with a fascinating cast of characters and a few surprises. The Cold War period is even managed without the usual good-guy bad-guy Hollywood script. However, not everything in the book is roses. I don't know how he managed 500 pages without once mentioning the 700-plus overseas bases and the empire that goes with it. But I guess that's another story. Sure, the political right hates a work like this since it refuses to pander to patriotic platitudes. But the fact is no country, from Afghanistan to Zambia, has a monopoly on truth, goodness, or fellow-feeling. The trouble is military hubris is blinding us, threatening the democracy, and imperilling the planet. If Carroll can make the journey from bomb-happy air cadet to committed Christian pacifist, so can others, even if his path isn't everyone's. If people started this madness, people can end it.

An American Apoligist
Through this ambitious book, James Carroll has established himself as the undisputed captain of American apologists.In this tedious and sometimes uneven narration he manages to ascribe a dark purpose to even the most benevolent acts of American charity.Can anyone consent to the notion, as Carroll argues, that the Marshall Plan that followed World War II was an over act of aggression against the Soviet Union?
Carroll's brillance and compelling insights are on display once again!
Carroll has continued building on his reputation for excellence, following "American Requiem" and "Constantine's Sword."
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. 21st century    3. Arms race    4. Government - General    5. History    6. History - Military / War    7. Militarism    8. Military    9. Military - United States    10. Military Organization And Administration    11. Military Science    12. Military-Political Relationships    13. United States    14. United States - 20th Century    15. United States - 21st Century    16. History / Military / General   

Reviews (23)

DO NOT USE FOR NAVY MARINE CORPS ASTB!!!!!!!!!!
Several probelms with the book. First, changes were made to the Navy's DCO program prior to 2004 that were not included in this printing. Second the ASTB has changed its format, when I don't knowso that MAY be a problems with timing. HOWEVER OF THE SECTIONS OF THE ASTB THAT THE BOOK STATES ARE ON THE ASTB, ONLY TWO (2) SECTIONS WERE GIVEN IN THE BOOK TO PRACTICE ON, THE OTHERS WERE NOT INLCUDED.I am ticked of and felt I wasted my time waiting for this book and money on it. CHECK OUT ONLINE PREP SERVICES!!!!!!!!!!

Book is poorly written with a lot of errors
I am very disappointed with this book because there are a lot of errors in it.I found the newer edition, and was disappointed to see the same typos in it.This was particularly upsetting because the typos that I noticed are in the Math sections (although I am sure they are elsewhere too)It is unfortunate there are few resources to choose from for this topic.The explanations in the math section are also poorly written.I am honestly worried about the real exam because this book gives me very little guidance.

this book isn't worth it


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Subjects:  1. Armed Forces    2. Educational Tests And Measurements (Higher Education)    3. Military Science    4. Study Aids    5. Study Guides    6. Test Prep    7. Testing & Measurement   

Reviews (9)

Well Researched & Written
This is perhaps the best biography of an American ever written.Manchester juxtaposes the good MacArthur (the military genius and patriotic family man) with the bad MacArthur (the megalomaniacal general whose lapse led to his entire air force being destoryed on the ground at Leyte; not even his wife called him "Douglas").MacArthur is still one of the most polarizing figures in American history; I have spoken to WW2 and Korean veterans who either love him or hate him.This book is a study of greatness.No matter your opinion of MacArthur, one cannot deny the fact that he graduated from West Point with one of the highest averages ever, or how his post-war control of Japan shaped that nation's history.An excellent look into the life of an American Hero/Villain.

history or prophecy
I bow to my colleagues who have observed Manchester's acquired taste for the MacArthurian mystique and the apparent failures of historians (not just Willam M.) on getting it right regarding The General's ego and its fallout in combat. Yes this stuff is significant, but all this overlooks one outstanding reality, that Manchester includes but does give the proper emphasis: Doug MacArthur wanted to be president, very, very badly.He truly saw himself as a caesar-like figure in history and positioned himself in returning to the Philipines, administering post-war Japan, and taking the baton in Korea (at the age of 70) for a return to the US in "triumph."Instead he bowed out after being fired by Truman, who had nothing to lose by relieving him.
exceptional
This is a masterful biography of Douglas MacArthur, a pivotal 20C figure. He is outlined in all his complexity (good and bad) with the record of his accomplishments.
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Subjects:  1. 1880-1964    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. General    7. Generals    8. Historical - U.S.    9. MacArthur, Douglas,    10. Military    11. United States    12. Biography & Autobiography / Military    13. Biography: general    14. MacArthur, Douglas   

Reviews (2)

Great Place to Start
I first bought this book about 15 years ago.It made a huge impression on me then when I didn't know much about uniforms, and it is still a great resource today now that I am a uniform collector.The painted images of soldiers of all the major armies of World War II are vivid and interesting.The text is informative and thorough.Of particular use are charts that detail rank insignia for all the various armies.
Well-organized and beautifully illustrated reference work
This is the DEFINITIVE reference book on the uniforms of WWII.Mollo carefully explains his terms and illustrates them in this handy, well-organized work.Individual illustrations of patches, epaulets andweapons are complemented by contemporary, hand-colored photographs of awide variety of uniforms.Excellent! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Armed Forces    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. Insignia    6. Military    7. Military - Uniforms    8. Military uniforms    9. World War, 1939-1945    10. Non-Classifiable    11. Sale Books   

Reviews (3)

The book all aquatic chemists should keep on reading
Stumm and Morgan remains the best aquatic chemical book ever written. Reference Yes, Teaching Text, No
This book is an excellent reference text for people who already know something about aquatic chemistry. It contains more material and covers more topics than any other book in the field. As a teaching text, however, it is severely lacking. Excellent reference book for chem. & physics of nat. systems
This book is an excellent reference. It presents a thorough discussion ofa complex topic. The authors provide many worked examples, with allrequired numeric inputs and resutls, that permit the reader to quicklyverify his or her understanding of the material. The consistent and properuse of units throughout the book is refreshing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chemistry - General    2. Chemistry - Organic    3. Fish    4. Marine Life    5. Military Science    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Water chemistry    9. Environmental science    10. Hydrology (freshwater)    11. Pollution of rivers & water supplies    12. Sanitary & municipal engineering    13. Technology / Military Science   

Reviews (15)

Where We Were In Vietnam
I have had Mike's book for some time now and have found it to be of great use to me.I served in Vietnam as an infantryman in the Australian Army and he has covered many of our battle sites as well as our base areas so for that I say well done..I currently live and work in Vietnam so I can use it as a constant reference whenever I travel throughout the country visiting the old battlefields and other sites of interest. With all grid references given in the military grid system and the ready availability of military maps for most areas it is a most usefull piece of work.

Where We Were in Vietnam
I served 3 consecutive tours in Vietnam and I must tell you, as a vietnam Veteran, I find this Book PerticulerlyAluminating. I still am in the process of comeing to terms with many things dealing with Vietnam. This Book puts many of them into perspective.
Simply Outstanding!Resonates with living history!
Michael P. Kelley has exceeded all expectations with this volume. He has put his heart and soul into this resource, one that resonates with the living history of a long series of wars in 20th Century Vietnam. A primary resource for all interested in the conflict in Vietnam. A First Rate effort! Reread all those Vietnam-era works and see if those firebase names jive up to the action described. Is it fact, or else some sorry assed tale passed on down? Now we know. This is a must for any and all public libraries. We simply must have this work in the public record. HATS OFF,Mister Kelley! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast Asia    2. Dictionaries    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Maps    6. Military    7. Military - Vietnam War    8. Military History - Vietnam Conflict    9. Military Organization And Administration    10. Military Science    11. Military bases, American    12. Vietnam    13. Vietnam War, 1961-1975    14. Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975   

Reviews (5)

Analyzing the Enemy Foot Soldier
This small book is an excellent introduction to the new type of warriors that the conventional armies of the world are facing. It's not exactly a new subject, remember the stories of the Americans sniping at the British Red Coats from behind trees. But it represents a fundamental shift in the type of combat that conventional armies have been taught to fight.
Good book for tribal-based insurgents, terrorist, militia
The strength of this book is its attempt to lay out a framework for analyzing tribal-based insurgents, terrorists, and militias in layman's terms.I believe other reviewers have missed the point of the book -- it's not meant to be a description of today's threat, but a methodology for militarily analyzing how and why tribal-based groups fight.The authors recommend the following criteria as a substitute for traditional Military Capabilities Analysis: the tribe's concept of warfare; its organization and command and control; its areas of operations; the types and targets of its operations; its constraints and limitations; and the role of outside actors.
good book, but has several shortcomings.
As a fomrer US Force Recon Marine with service in Kosovo and Sierra Leone, my unit spent a great deal of time studying various terrorist/insurgent.guerilla organizations. This book makes some very good points, but not all of it is accurate. the book (along with a recent article by Mr. Shultz) makes the claim that
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Subjects:  1. General    2. History & Theory - General    3. Insurgency    4. Literary Criticism    5. Military Science    6. Militia    7. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    8. Political Science    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Terrorism    12. Irregular or guerrilla forces & warfare    13. Political Science / International Relations    14. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle   

Reviews (59)

A few translation suggestions
A few years ago, I translated the crucial first chapter of On War's first book from German into Portuguese. The results were then discussed vis-à-vis the Paret/Howard English version in our post-graduate program. Back then, I wrote a few additional comments in English about nuances of the Paret/Howard text [otherwise, very good], which - so I believed - seemed to dilute the depth of Clausewitz' exposition at key spots. These brief comments follow below, as I still believe they can be of some interest, particularly to those who meditate the relation between war and politics, and as they touch the very heart of Clausewitz unsurpassed insight into the nature of armed conflict.
Would-Be-Commanders Should Buy Other Books
If you are going into politics this book is for you. It is very abstract and rambles on for thousands of words in order to get to a single point.
Its the ECONOMICS, stupid !!
-Everyone expressing a erudite opinion about Clausewitz or "ON WAR" has completely missed the point here.
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Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. Military - General    3. Military Science    4. Military art and science    5. Technology & Industrial Arts    6. War    7. History / Military / Strategy    8. Warfare & Defence   

Subjects:  1. History - Military / War    2. Military - Naval    3. Military Science    4. Reference    5. Ships & Shipbuilding - Pictorial    6. Yearbooks & Annuals    7. 21st century    8. Naval forces & warfare    9. Weapons & equipment    10. Yearbooks, annuals, almanacs   

Reviews (1)

Practical
Working your way through the more theoretical books on explosives by, say, Cooper or Zukas and Walters, is fine, but you will be left wanting for a simple, practical guy's knowledge of explosives technolgoy.Cooper's Intro book is the book for you.You might even want to start with this book before going off to the more advanced books.If the math is lacking, the essence of the theory is fairly well captured by Cooper's exposition, and there are plenty of photographs, figures and tables to help you get the ideas.
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Subjects:  1. Chemistry - Industrial & Technical    2. Engineering - Chemical & Biochemical    3. Explosives    4. Military Science    5. Reference    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Technology    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Science / Chemistry / Technical & Industrial    10. Thermochemistry & chemical thermodynamics   

Reviews (6)

Outstanding book!
Without question, probably the FINEST history of submarines.Well written and many, many photos all bound into a beautifull book.A worthwhile addition to any library.

A Masterpiece!!
The best book on submarines you will ever find!!Enough said!

A great reference. The one sub book to buy.
I spent 6 years on a ballistic missile submarine and I have a great interest in the history and current developments of the Silent Service. If you are a veteran submariner, you will like the way the book is put together. It has great photos and it is truly a beautifully made book that you can pass along to a son or grandson to share the pride us "bubbleheads" all share.Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. History: American    4. Military - United States    5. Military Science    6. Submarines   

Reviews (4)

Nice book - for what it is supposed to be.
This book (which you are much better off purchasing here on Amazon than at a retail bookstore) achieves exactly what it was designed to be - a coffee table book.Granted, it is a large, impressive, authoritative, glossy coffee table book, and it is NOT - as lamented by some reviewers - designed to be an exhaustive tome covering every historical nuance down to the color of Hap Arnold's socks on a Saturday morning in 1942.Even the Air Force Historical Foundation describes the book as a "coffee table" book.It has more than enough beautiful full-color photos and depictions to keep a recipient happy, but hardcore history buffs, especially those looking for more informal, off-the-record accounts of Air Force development and evolution, will want to look elsewhere.For the rest of us, this book will provide hours of entertainment, for its sheer mass alone.

Great Book for Air Force Buffs
This is a great book for Air Force Buffs. It may not be an exhaustive history but is still a great book. The lavish pictures are great to explore. If you have an interest in "the wild blue yonder" that is based on fact and not fiction, this may be a great choice for you. The book is awesome in appearance also.

Air Force History?Don't think so
I saw this book & quite frankly I agree with one of the major editorial groups that evaluated this publication.I am disappointed by this book's authors who fail to mention a background on all who affected the Air Force then & now. No background was ever given to the career histories of the chiefs of staff & civilian secretaries especially Hap Arnold.To some, these histories are boring, but to others they provide a thorough background for how the Air Force organizes, fights, & wins any type of war that may surface.Lousy book & definitely too bulky with no pertinent information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Air Force    2. Air Forces    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Military    6. Military - Aviation    7. Military - United States    8. Military Science    9. Pictorial works    10. United States    11. United States.   

Reviews (32)

Disappointing.
I picked up this book after reading Douquet's wonderful op-ed piece in USA Today.As a veteran of the GWOT, I had hoped that it would be a serious piece of academic work analyzing trends and social factors behind why some people feel compelled to serve and others do not.I was sadly disappointed.Instead, the book unraveled into a highly personalized account of the author's personal lives and interactions with their friends.Furthermore, the back and forth style between the two authors at the beginning of the book drove me crazy.I can appreciate the fact that the author's personal experiences drove their perspectives, I just didn't expect that to drive the entire book.
We can avoid our progressive political polarization: reinstitute the Draft!!
No recent book on the war in Iraq has spoken more to the point than this: if we want to win this war against Islamic Fascism we must all pull together!! Serve our nation either in the military or in a civilian capacity as part of a National Service! Right now we are being defended by troops who are essentially "mercenaries" some in uniform, many not. We are dependent on Volunteers who justifiably are interested more in the spoils than in the sacrifices! This book emphasizes the needs and the means of shared sacrifice. We stand on the precipice of an abyss in which looms a divided, red/blue nation unaware that its lack of resolve to fight shoulder to shoulder at every level - social, economic and military against an implacable enemy who has already shown us his determination to die for a false cause. This book, written with enviable clarity, in non-scholarly terms can guide us to make the right decisions for a continued strong America!

Surveys the history, nature, and military policies that contribute to the military experience
AWOL: THE UNEXCUSED ABSENCE OF AMERICA'S UPPER CLASSES FROM MILITARY SERVICE AND HOW IT HURTS OUR COUNTRY considers class and the military - and how America's upper middle class members receive a different type of military experience - and sometimes none - than their less favored peers. Military service used to be part of good citizenship and all classes served equally. Today there's a class division that affects not only the quality of service, but whether there's service at all. AWOL surveys the history, nature, and military policies that contribute to the military experience, arguing that the lack of connection between the military and the ruling elite is becoming a serious issue.
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Subjects:  1. 21st century    2. Civics & Citizenship    3. Elite (Social sciences)    4. History    5. Military    6. Military - United States    7. Military History (General)    8. Military Science    9. Military service, Voluntary    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Social Classes    12. Social Groups    13. United States    14. Upper class    15. Political Science / Civics   

Reviews (21)

Great explanation how a world empire defended its citizens
I do not agree that this book is only for specialists. I am of the opinion that it is a book for history lovers. And, moreover, it is for any person who wishes to understand how a highly developed society managed to defend its way of living. It most valuable because it depicts the success of the Roman system in the first two centuries of our era. The Third Century depicts the problem of a World power which has began its decline.
Eye-opening analysis
This book is a very interesting analysis for everybody who wants to know more about the strategy of the Roman Empire. While also very accessible to non-experts, even experts or people who have read a lot about Rome will learn a lot and see things a new way.
Ancient history for current events
Although much of this book may be at a level of specificity of interest only to Roman history buffs, Luttwak's assessments of the Roman Empire's strategic strengths and weaknesses has much relevance to the modern United States, which occupies an historical position not unlike Rome's at the beginning of the Empire.For example, issues such as the efficient use of a relatively small professional army, or the maintenance of client states, are directly relevant to the modern world.Each section begins with a sufficiently adequate historical summary that readers not yet familiar with Roman history will not be lost. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Army    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: World    6. Military - General    7. Military Science    8. Military history, Ancient    9. Rome    10. Strategy    11. Ancient Rome    12. BCE to c 500 CE    13. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    14. Performing Arts / General   

Reviews (86)

Our desparate and inhuman quest for righteousness
Wow.Chris Hedges completely plowed me over with this book.I originally checked this book out from the library, but am now purchasing two copies - one for myself to reread immediately and mark up all the profound and illuminating passages and one to loan out to every independent-minded person I know.