1. On Nov 10 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read Australia: A New History of the Great Southern Land by Frank Welsh and commented:

    A sweeping history of Australia. Some of the political maneuvering descriptions were a little slow, but overall, quite worthwhile.

  2. On Nov 07 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008 by Thomas E. Ricks and commented:

    This book explains the story behind the surge - who supported it, who opposed it, and why it was a good move but may not be able to win the war. There's a good discussion on how the war aims have been slowly racheted down from "democracy in the middle east" to "secure and sustainable". Ricks talks about how Gen. Odierno's tactics have evolved over the course of the war. Good stuff!

  3. On Oct 05 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read Baghdad at Sunrise: A Brigade Commander's War in Iraq by Col. Peter R. Mansoor and commented:

    A great day-by-day read of Col Mansoor's tour in Iraq. His schedule gives you an idea of the pace of life for those deployed to Iraq; from coordinating street patrols to logistics snafus to meetings with local elders, never a dull moment. A great read.

  4. On Oct 01 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by Michael R. Gordon and commented:

    A well documented study of the early days of the Iraq war. Comes down especially hard on L. Paul Bremer; from this account it seems that he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Rumsfeld also comes in for a pummeling. Generally, don't look for kind words in this book for anyone above O-5. But definitely worth a read.

  5. On Sep 27 2010 kcholbert (USAF) read MacArthur's Airman : General George C. Kenney and the War in the Southwest Pacific by Thomas E. Griffith Jr.
  6. On Sep 16 2010 kcholbert (USAF) read Defeat Into Victory: Battling Japan in Burma and India, 1942-1945 by William Slim
  7. On Aug 01 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan by Hugh Thomas and commented:

    I plodded through this book, but it was kind of a struggle... lots of unfamiliar names and political turmoil and whatnot. A scholarly work, but I found it slow going.

  8. On Jul 16 2010 kcholbert (USAF) read The Golden Thirteen: Recollections of the First Black Naval Officers by Paul Stillwell
  9. On Jul 09 2010 kcholbert (USAF) read The Village by Bing West
  10. On Jul 05 2010 kcholbert (USAF) read Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy by Ian W. Toll
  11. On Jul 03 2010 kcholbert (USAF) read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
  12. On Jul 03 2010 kcholbert (USAF) read Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan by Doug Stanton
  13. On Jun 26 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century by P. W. Singer and commented:

    This book has a few chapters reveling in the technical achievements of today's UAV producers and noting the decline of the traditional jet fighter pilot's career path. These are good fun, but just as interesting are the followup chapters where he asks questions like 'is a UAV pilot actually a warrior?' and 'how does warfare change when one side is in absolutely no danger of being harmed?' Definitely a worthwhile read.

  14. On Jun 21 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read The Anatomy of Courage: The Classic WWI Study of the Psychological Effects of War by Lord Moran and commented:

    This book outlines Lord Moran's experiences in WWI and the effects of that war on those around him. It's bleak, dark, and fatalistic, which probably makes it a good reflection of that war. The descriptions of the soldiers moving about as shells fall randomly makes you wish they had a CRAM. It's a sad and thoughtful read.

  15. On Jun 15 2010 Tom Copeland (USCG) read The Future of Freedom by Fareed Zakaria and commented:

    Fareed Zakaria makes an interesting distinction between liberty and democracy, and he explores this difference in a variety of fields - politics, law, religions, etc. His views on the influence of democracy on religion were interesting - some churches have become so seeker friendly that they have excised the bits of the Bible that deal with sin, the need for forgiveness, and other jarring topics. This book is worth reading if only to annoy James Carville, who recently said that he'd like to "take a football bat" (whatever that is) to Zakaria.