Rating: 
Summary: Everyone Should Read This Book
Review: War novels and the military genre are not my usual choice of reading materials, but I was interested in reading this book b/c it was a true account of what happened in Somalia and I had heard great reviews on it. I cannot say how glad I am that I read this book. The writing is incredible, Mark Bowden did a phenomonal job of keeping the multitude of characters easy to follow and you got to know enough about each of them to make the story more personal, rather than a textbook style account of a military battle. Bowden also explained the techinical aspects of the battle, weapons, military terms, etc., in plain every day language for those of us who are not familiar with these aspects.I think that everyone should read this book. Not only is it an incredible heart-wrenching story, it gives the reader a greater appreciation for the military and the people who risk their lives to defend us and our country.
Rating: 
Summary: A Book for Veterans, Military History Buffs, and Civilians
Review: Let me confess this right off. I'm not a military history buff. Nor am I a veteran of the armed services. So I can't honestly say that I devoured every word, as perhaps military scholars and veterans might. In truth, I found myself skipping over sections that were just a little too detailed about military choppers, weapons, etc. That doesn't mean that such details don't belong in an important work like this. It simply means that the average civilian such as myself is more likely to hone in on the fascinating accounts of the ordinary fighting men who found themselves in an extraordinary situation. And here, the author really excels in bringing these brave men to life in a way that will appeal to people of all backgrounds. So from that standpoint alone, it is probably worth the 5 stars that most reviewers have given it. Plus BLACK HAWK DOWN raises some important questions that are very timely now in light of events happening in Afghanistan and elsewhere. What the heck were we doing in Somalia in the first place? Was the battle for Mogadishu really a military failure, as was portrayed in the media back home? If everything you know about Somalia you learned from TV news, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. Besides, we all need heroes to look up to nowadays. And this book is full of them. Having now read the book, I can't wait to see the movie!
Rating:
Summary: A Real Eye-Opener
Review: This isn't the type of book to which I am normally attracted. However, after hearing so much about it, I thought I'd give it a try...read a few pages and if it didn't grab me, I'd just put it down. Well, it grabbed me and I couldn't put it down. This is a detailed account of not only the fighting in Mogadishu in 1993, but the history and politics that led to the event. A true story that reads like fiction. It is a real eye-opener. I don't think I will ever see international news reports in the same way. There is so very much the average citizen never learns. Thank you, Mark Bowden for bringing this story to our attenion.
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable Approach
Review: I found Bowden's approach to researching and documenting this story incredibly refreshing.
Such stories are often told by:
---commanders attempting to revive or enhance their reputation
---soldiers who saw the battle from only their point of view
---commentators with a political axe to grind
Bowden lets the soldiers tell their tale and he beautifully merges these parts into a coherent whole. Or he tries his best. I enjoyed the book immensely, but the holes are obvious, though Bowden points them out himself. Some stories simply can't be told since they contain operational details that must remain classified. While unfortunate, it's a necessity, and Bowden takes you as close to the classified action as he can without crossing the line. While the book focuses on a single action, the Somalia story has much more to it both before and after the event. The battle changed the men and the city. Our forces did not leave quietly. I would have been very interested in reading more about our actions following this terrible day and leading up to our departure. Chances are, much of that is classified as well. Bowden also omits, through no fault of his own, the role al Qaeda may have played in arming and training the Somalis for action against the U.S. Indeed, the Somali order of battle is not well described at all. I forgive Bowden for this omission simply because these events have hardly relegated themselves to history yet. The story will take decades to emerge. Finally, the movie and the book remain faithful to each other. The movie omits details, but does not significantly change the story. If you want the extra detail, then read the book. In fact, I recommend clearing your schedule and starting the book late in the afternoon - with no intention of putting it down. Take your time, read it through the night and into the next day...
~ Robert
Rating:
Summary: Very Well Done
Review: Just a few short weeks ago, I found myself at a local cinema watching Black Hawk Down (the movie, of course). I was very excited to see it. I enjoyed it and thought it was well-done. A few weeks after, I decided to purchase the book to see how it stacked up to the movie or, rather, how the movie stacked up to the book. As it turned out, I found that the movie did an injustice to the book. Events were altered and in the movie, there was hardly any character development. You didn't know who was who or what they thought. In the book, that was greatly changed. You got into the mindset and thoughts of many of the soldiers who were fighting the battle (including Somali fighters and citizens). To top it all off, the book was historically accurate as possible. If you've seen the movie or if you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend this book. While not written in the first-person, you see the battle as it happened through the eyes of the soldiers who were fighting it. You want to keep reading. Even more noble than the fact that it was historically accurate was Mark Bowden. He did not hand out his opinion in the book nor did he attempt to claim that after writing this book he had any military knowledge what-so-ever. He simply reported the facts. If you liked the movie, buy the book. It's better. If you haven't seen the movie, buy the book. It's worth it.
Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: This is military history with a visceral punch. Bowden does a smart thing. He lets an extraordinary story tell itself by earning the trust of its participants and assiduously researching the rest. And my goodness what a story. Very crispy retold. Social and political context is established but never belabored. The real story are the combatants and the battle. And that's the real thrust of this book. Reminded me in some ways of Ambrose's D-Day book, though the scale of this conflict and logistical simplicity made it far easier to grasp. That, in my humble opinion, is why it connects with such a wallop. The film is excellent as well.
Rating:
Summary: Heartpounding
Review: This is the first book on battle that I have ever read. I never thought that a book can capture the savagery and adrenaline of war until I read this book. I felt my heart pounding throughout. I saw the movie as well, but it does not compare to the book. Highly recommended...
Rating:
Summary: Read the Book forget the Movies
Review: While Bowden blends personal interviews into narative, the point of Black Hawk Down is the the type of action that America sends its military into in this modern world, the close in gunfight. I don't care what your views are on the deployment of our military in the post Cold War era, whoever you are, you need to understand the extent and limits of American power. This is one place to start and probably the best, with the "poor bloody infantry." I don't think of battle as a adventure. Reading this blow by blow of this ugly action in Somalia can at least make the uninitiated understand that battle is an extreme test of endurance and at best get one out of the mind set that every threat to U.S. interests can be solved by an air stike with a smart bomb.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: In a word, intense. Black Hawk Down places the reader alongside a relatively small group of drastically outnumbered soldiers engaged in relentless combat, against an enraged and well armed foe. This well written book provides a sense of the tremendous courage and bravery that was put forth in an extremely dangerous and harrowing endeavor. Ultimately, this book is a tribute to those soldiers who risked their lives and those soldiers who lost their lives.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievably well done!
Review: This is an exciting book about young American heroes in a bad situation. It is so well researched that I was amazed. Mark Bowden really did a great job of following up the outstanding research with great storytelling. He gave perspective from the point of view of those involved, on all sides of the conflict. The story that this book tells is extremely important, and is gladly having an impact on the US Military itself! The amount of violence may be hard for some to read, but to understand what happened in Somolia, this is THE BOOK.
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