Reader’s Diary

Bob Woodward

Thanks to the end of the Bush administration, this will probably be the last book in the “Bush at War” series (the preceding volumes are “Bush at War“, “Plan of Attack“, and “State of Denial“).  As usual, Woodward’s sources are fantastic. It’s basically the story of how “the surge” came about.  It’s not a pretty story.

Is there anyone, even those who supported the Iraq war, who still thinks Bush did a good job?  If there is, they need to read this book.  Not only is it a dismal account of the administration’s incompetence, but it reveals the fact that Bush knew his strategy was failing long before he took action to change it.

Adrian Goldsworthy

This is a detailed look at the Roman army.  It covers the entire span of Roman history but is organized topically rather than chronologically: chapters are devoted to the army at war, in  peacetime, the soldiers’ lives, and so on.  The book is richly illustrated and I appreciated the fact that captions on photos of archaeological finds refer to the location of each discovery. Goldsworthy is very clear on what is conjecture and what is supported by definitive evidence.    All in all, it’s a great book if you’re interested in the topic albeit somewhat dry.

Harry Turtledove

What if there had been a Nazi resistance movement after the fall of Germany in 1945?  That’s the counter-factual premise for yet another Turtledove alternate history.  The short summary according to Turtledove’s logic: it would be exactly like the Iraqi insurgence but dressed in 1945 costume. Unfortunately (but unsurprisingly) the long answer is another giant, typically unimaginative and slow-moving Turtledove tome.

Steven Pressfield

Despite the title, this isn’t a pulp novel about commandos killing Rommel or an alternate history.  It’s a plausible novel  about a fictional attempt by the British Long Range Desert Group to kill Rommel, but its focus is leadership and character.  The fact that Pressfield’s characters are on the periphery of the action is a refreshing change from the usual Clancy-style “Jack Ryan saves the world” thriller. Like Anton Myrer’s “Once an Eagle“, “Killing Rommel” would be a good candidate for inclusion on any reading list devoted to military leadership.

Danny Wallace

Yes man Danny Wallace asked people to join him and they did.  This is the story of a pub bet that turned into a funny book and spawned a Karma Army devoted to random acts of kindness.  Read the book, but don’t look at the Join Me site until you’ve finished it.

Philip Delves Broughton

I’m as far from an M.B.A. candidate as you can get but I enjoy memoirs like this, particularly when the author is a bit of an outsider.  In addition to being an entertaining look at Harvard Business School, it’s an a account of mid-life career change and a look at American corporate culture. Broughton’s background in British journalism adds perspective and humor to his account.