Rating: 
Summary: Not perfect but close
Review: I read the book after watching the movie and it's amazing how much the movie missed. While the movie is very pro-American, anti-Somalian, Bowden's book is not as biased. Bowden gives an account of the incident and also tries to insert the Somalian point of view, something the movie does not attempt to do. Aobut the only downside to the book is the numerous characters introduced. It seems almost impossible to keep all the characters straight without having a photographic memory or writing down a summary of each character.
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Summary: Anthony R, Black Hawk Down
Review: Black Hawk Down is a book about war in today's world; it took place in Somalia, Africa in the center of the Mogadishu Market. Teams of soldiers were dropped off in the market so that they could start the extraction of the two head warlords in Somalia at the time. The mission was only supposed to last an hour, yet everything went wrong. When grenades starting coming at the men's chopper they know that they have a some serious problems, and all that runs through their minds is how to make it out alive. Black Hawk Down was written by Mark Bowden. Most of the book takes place in the center of the Mogadishu Market where weaponry is sold on the streets and (many other things). I enjoyed reading this book it was very interesting. It always had my attention because there was so much action in the book I didn't want to stop and miss anything. I also enjoy reading war books.
This was a non-fiction book; it took place in 1992 in Somalia, Africa in the taking down of the top warlords. This was a memorable book, because there were soldiers who lost their lives in this battle. It was entertaining as well, there was none stop action from cover to cover. I agree with the author in that it was a good idea to go ion and take down the warlords, very smart thing to do. This book effected me by knowing that these soldiers went in there not fighting for Americans rights, but to better the lives of the people living in Somalia who were not as fortunate. This was my first time reading a book by Mark Bowden, I enjoyed the book very much I would recommend it to anyone.
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Summary: Mike F Milller Place, NY
Review: Title: Black Hawk Down
Author: Mark Bowden
Type: Non-Fiction
Theme: War, True StoryBrief Summary: On October 3,1993, U.S. soldiers from the Army and Special Forces raided a building in Mogadishu, Somalia. It was supposed to be a short mission, but would up taking almost a day. The soldiers encountered many problems with the Somalians living in the city. Reactions: This book was very informative about what happened and always full of action. It was entertaining and interesting. Authors Opinion: The author did not have an opinion on this book, he told the story as it really happened. Issues: An issue raised is if the U.S. soldiers should go into these places with heavy civilian resistance. Summary of Ideas: If you like true war stories and action packed books, read Black Hawk Down, you wont want to stop reading.
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Summary: The Reason I Want To Be A Ranger
Review: Bowden does an exceptional job in portraying the story of the men who fought and died in Africa in 1993. His success as a newspaper journalist can be seen in this gripping epic of struggle and brotherhood. Bowden grappled with the telling of a story that not many people knew about, until the recent motion picture came about. In my opinion, Bowden did a tremendous service to the men of the Task Force Rangers and the Delta Force through the telling of this story. I know as a historical writer, Bowden was seeking objectivity. I think he achieved this goal. While we sat and watched the events unfold on CNN, many of us didn't think about the soldiers perspective. Complete a mission. The bonds of brotherhood are touching and the level of professionalism is suprising. And Bowden does illustrate the fact that even though we are the most advanced military power on the earth, we are still human, and humans error now and then. Bless our armed forces, and thank you Mr. Bowden.
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Summary: Black Hawk Down
Review: Black Hawk Down
Black Hawk Down is powerful book. It tells the reader how hard war is. It doesn't glamorize it like other books do. It lets the reader be in the war with the soldiers. Although the book is very descriptive, it lets you see how war really is. I would really encourage people to read this book so they can see how war is. It shows how much courage, honor, sacrifice, and camaraderie. It also show how poorly former President Clinton was in operating the conflict. Mark Bowden has done an excellent job writing and telling the truth. I don't that he was biased at all.
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Summary: Black Hawk Down
Review: Black Hawk Down is powerful book. It tells the reader how hard war is. It doesn't glamorize it like other books do. It lets the reader be in the war with the soldiers. Although the book is very descriptive, it lets you see how war really is. I would really encourage people to read this book so they can see how war is. It shows how much courage, honor, sacrifice, and camaraderie. It also show how poorly former President Clinton was in operating the conflict. Mark Bowden has done a excellent job writing and telling the truth. I don't that he was biased at all.
Rating:
Summary: Super Six-Four Is Down In the City
Review: What if you had to defend your home from predators, foreign and local, everyday? Well that's what the citizens of Mogadishu, Somalia had to do. The book Black Hawk Down is about a Ranger/Delta mission gone awry in the city of Mogadishu. It's a wartime genre novel based on an actual event. The author, Mark Bowden, paid extremely close attention to detail during the urban warfare chapters. I could actually picture the fights unfolding in my mind. That's why I would give it a rating of 5 out of 5, if not more.
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Summary: Success as History, Success as a Novel
Review: Modern War is tomorrow's conventional warfare. The increase in speed at which war happens seems to merit the term "modern". Hard to believe a few days' tale takes this many pages to relate. The story is not a bunch of gung-ho shoot-em-up, but of personalities, miscommunication, cultural idiocy, bravery, and distant victories colored by Big Media.
Reads like a novel so much so that you have to remind yourself it's as true-to-facts as any history can be.
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Summary: My favorite book
Review: I read this during my Sophmore year. At the time, and even still, it is by far one of my favorite books. I have been a long time fan of war novels, but until I read Black Hawk Down no book really stood out as an excellent piece of literature. Mark Bowden has an amazing talent to depict events that happened years ago as if you are in them in the middle of them while reading. Black Hawk Down, as many of you probably know, is about the United States Special forces in Somalia in 1993 during a campaign to establish some sort of stability in the war torn region. Black Hawk down is specifically about the day battle between Somalis and U.S. special froces after attempting to kidnap some prominent members of the powerful gang that went absolutely to hell. Although Black Hawk Down is a very harsh read, it reads like an event you actually are participating in. I woudl recomend Black Hawk Down to anybody who isd interested in Modern military history, or just military history in general. If you have a weak stomach, there are parts of Black Hawk down that will be hard to swallow. Black Hawk Down is one of my favorite books ever.
Rating:
Summary: Much better than the movie
Review: I read this book after seeing the movie, and I must say that the book is far better. While the movie gives you an idea of what people went through, the book takes you much deeper into the soldier's lives in Somalia. Incredible read...did it in one sitting.
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