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Summary: Fast Pace Without a Break
Review: This story seems to move at the pace of the real events. It is a good book but you will not feel good after reading it. The feeling is more like getting to the surface of the pool after being underwater too long.
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Summary: I loved this book a lot.
Review: A great read. I lovedf this book a lot. Great heroism. A great look at wehat happend in Mogadishu.
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Summary: Great example of things to come
Review: Bowden has managed to brilliantly capture the UN ordered operation in October 1993 that was supposed to capture advisors of the Somali warlord Aideed. Not only is it an action packed book that reads easily it also has quite a few lessons for anyone concerned about national security and global politics. The Mogadishu raid and the killed Delta operators and rangers, and the downed black hawk helicopters are really the first good example of the new face of warfare. Bowden describes in great detail a battlefield in urban terrain with the distinction between the enemy and civilians blurred. This is what war will be like in the future. The shot down US helicopters in Afghanistan were brought down in the exact same fashion as in Mogadishu. It is therefore a central book for anyone who wants to begin to understand the fact that the US, and other nations, will not fight a high-tech enemy that can directly oppose American air supremacy and information superiority. Instead, the US will face ragged guerillas, bandits, terrorists, and others who do not want to, or can, fight the way we are accostumed to in the West. And no Joint Strike Fighter, GPS, and Crusader artillery system will win against forces like that. It should also be noted that the US Army uses the movie and the book "Black Hawk Down" for its officer's training in the subjects of leadership and tactics.
Rating:
Summary: Top notch.
Review: A brilliant example of the modern "popular history" style of historical writing, where the prose reads like fiction, but is actually a referenced historical report. Thoroughly researched, skillfully written -- an excellent, fast-reading yet still scholarly sound account of an important but forgotten battle.
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Summary: One of the best battle book there
Review: It is my hope that Ridley Scott's great movie will make more people to decide to read this book. Black Hawk Down is a realistic and gripping read about one of the USA military's most influential actions since Vietnam. Bowden has done a great job, especially considering that he does not have a military background. If you are looking for a book about the history of the Somalian conflict, this is not your book. But if you are looking for a book that gives as realistic an interpretation of modern warfare on the ground as you are likely to see, read this book. Bowden has managed to capture the confusion, fear and action in a straightfoward manner that will keep you turning the pages, and perhaps teach you something. I have read many books about defense and the military, both historical and modern day. This would have to be one of the best accounts of what goes on, on the ground, that i have ever read. And before i am accused of being a gung-ho American - i am actually an Australian, and it didn't detract from my reading at alll. Well worth the time and effort!!
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Summary: EXCELLENT
Review: This book is superbly written, and one quickly gets the idea that the author really did his research. My only complaint: the author tells parts of the story from the Somali fighter point-of-view, without pointing out how they were wrong for killing our men, or using their non-combatants (women,old guys,...) as shields.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent, thought-provoking book.
Review: I have lived in Africa for 30 years before moving to the USA. It is always difficult for me to explain the multiple facets of a complex continent like Africa. This book captures one of the facets I never understood: The complex and seemingly senseless violence and it's impact. I appreciate it that Mark presented views from both sides of the battle. It left me with an empathy for all the victims and a longing that the beauty of Africa will prevail over it's internal and external struggles.
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Summary: Confused, Fast Paced, and Violent Telling of Battle
Review: This is an excellent book. Working from hundreds of interviews, the author has captured a soldier's view of the Battle in Mogadishu, Somalia. This two day fire fight cost a dozen and a half American soldiers their lives -- and sent our country packing from the god-forsaken mess of a non-functioning entity that was early 1990's Somalia. This is a ground level, violent, confused battle book. The book hardly mentions the larger mission and dwells not on why we were there. It is a group biography of young Americans who made up the Ranger, Delta Force and helicopter fighters stationed on the east coast of Africa in support of a United Nations feeding and pacification exercise. What started off as a mission to grab the chief lieutenants of a local strongman disintegrated into a bloody mess after thousands of Somali's rose in opposition and defiance. The American team was pinned to their urban location after two Black Hawk helicopters went down from enemy fire. What was supposed to be an hour hit and run strike drag out over two days by the need to get to and secure the crash sites and the surviving crew and passengers. The book is fast paced and cuts quickly between several dozen characters. It can be confusing and hard to follow at times, but this has the effect of illustrating well how confused and disoriented our soldiers were (and probably how most battles are). The tremendous amount of time and effort that went into the hundreds of interviews conducted by the author produce a vivid first person account of battle. It illustrates well the point made by one veteran in the book that "young soldiers can't wait to get into their first war. Veteran soldiers can't wait to get away from war." First rate, exciting and a tremendous tribute to our fighting men, if not to the political decisions that put them there.
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Summary: So riveting you don't want to put it down
Review: I picked this book up after reading the Philly newspaper series on the Nightstalkers' website. The book started out when one of the soldiers (Matt Eversmann) touched down on the streets of Mogadishu and found that one of his men was already down, and from that point on I didn't want to put it down. If you see the back cover that mentions hundreds of local people killed by these people, you may think that this is just another glorified US soldier story.. but not so. The soldiers were being what they were, soldiers. They do what they were told, and they had to kill because their own lives were at risk. In an age of individualism, the brotherhood that these men show really stood up. I thought that they would only fight when their own lives are in danger, but their reliance and trust in each other beat the odds (not to mention, the help of the Nightstalker pilots from above). Pick this one up, and see for yourself. And you cannot help but admire the qualities these people show. Nightstalkers, Rangers, Seals, and Delta Force of TFR.. I salute you.
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Summary: Nonfiction that reads like fiction
Review: What an amazing request our country can make on the youngest Americans with the brightest futures. This is an excellent book that is hard to put down. While I am no expert on what occurred in Somalia, Bowden offers what appears to be a fair and in-depth look into a most unfortunate event in American history. Rather than blame Clinton, the generals, the soldiers, or any specific actor or set of actors, the author walks us through a nightmare of a mission-gone-wrong. He offers concluding comments that points fingers at MANY people involved. And in effect, aren't we all really somewhat involved and somewhat worthy of blame?
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