Military History, Book Reviews, and Other Things

Category Book Reviews

The obvious, reviews of books I have read

Book Review: The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

This is not the usual fare for the type of books I read but I found this on a discount rack and found the cover synopsis interesting and vaguely remembered reading about this case when it happened.  I am glad… Continue Reading →

Book Review: The Big Stick by Eliot A. Cohen

The Big Stick by Eliot A. Cohen is an examination of the usefulness and/or necessity of having credible military force as part of US international relations. First the numbers, the book is 243 pages of text divided into 8 topical… Continue Reading →

Book Review: Stand Down: How Social Justice Warriors are Sabotaging America’s Military by James Hasson

Unless you have been living in a cave you should be aware that political correctness and the “war for social justice” is everywhere in the last 10-15 years.  This book details how the social justice warriors (SJWs) have infiltrated the… Continue Reading →

Book Review: Napoleon in 100 Objects by Gareth Glover

[FULL DISCLOSURE: I received my copy of this book free from the author and/or publisher. I was not paid for this review and the opinion expressed is purely my own] This is a very interesting book that takes a look… Continue Reading →

Book Review-Life in Medieval Europe by Danièle Cybulskie

[FULL DISCLOSURE: I received my copy of this book free from the author and/or publisher. I was not paid for this review and the opinion expressed is purely my own] I expected this book to be somewhat similar to the… Continue Reading →

Book Review by Lindsay Gudridge: Operation Barbarossa and Germany’s Defeat in the East by David Stahel

David Stahel has conclusively demonstrated that there is more to learn from the history of World War II. His first published work, a revised version of his doctoral dissertation entitled Operation Barbarossa and Germany’s Defeat in the East, was published… Continue Reading →

Book Review by Lindsay Gudridge: George Marshall Defender of the Republic by David L. Roll

George C. Marshall, Jr. would graduate from the Virginia Military Institute in two months and he had decided that he wanted to be an officer in the U.S. Army. So in April of 1901, Marshall took it upon himself to… Continue Reading →

Book Review: Beneath the Killing Fields: Exploring the Subterranean Landscapes of the Western Front by Matthew Leonard

Beneath the Killing Fields is a study and description of the subterranean remnants from WWI (tunnels, mines, etc.) that for the most part were covered up and forgotten in the post-war period. This is actually a pretty interesting book if… Continue Reading →

Book Review: Yank and Rebel Rangers: Special Operations in the American Civil War, by Robert W. Black

The literature on elite military forces typically involves spectacular and legendary stories of specialized units performing extraordinary battlefield operations. Special operations forces consist of highly skilled and trained soldiers who can work in austere and asymmetric environments. From the Biblical… Continue Reading →

Book Review: Panzer Commander: The Memoirs of Colonel Hans von Luck

I just recently finished reading Panzer Commander: The Memoirs of Colonel Hans von Luck (last night), I don’t know why but for some reason I am on a war memoir kick right now and digging through my library and re-reading… Continue Reading →

Book Review: The Strange death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam by Douglas Murray

Since 2015 and the flood of refugees and others hit Europe immigration has turned into a hot button political issue. The Strange Death of Europe is an analytical approach to the phenomenon of mass migration into Europe. First the numbers…. Continue Reading →

Book Review: The Templars, The Rise and the Spectacular Fall of God’s Holy Warriors by Dan Jones

British historian and journalist, Dan Jones, dives deep and wide in examining one of the most famous Catholic knight orders – the Knights Templar – in The Templars, The Rise and the Spectacular Fall of God’s Holy Warriors. Published in… Continue Reading →

Book Review: The Square and the Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook by Niall Ferguson

Niall Ferguson has made somewhat of a reputation for coming up with novel ways to look at history. The Square and the Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook continues that tradition. First, the stats. The book is… Continue Reading →

Book Review: Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler

In this captivating account of drug use in the Third Reich, author Norman Ohler takes us on a journey through the history of Germany and explains how, and why, it became a center of pharmaceutical research. Although the National Socialist… Continue Reading →

Book Review: Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power by Victor Davis Hanson

I have been a fan of Dr. Hanson’s work since I first read The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece years ago while pursuing my undergrad degree in Military History.  Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the… Continue Reading →

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