War Books

I've been on a reading tear. Which is unusual for me. For some reason, while it may take me months to finish a fictional novel, war related non-fiction has my undivided attention. I read four very entertaining books lately all related to the topic of war. If war is at all interesting to you. Check these out.



License to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror by Robert Young Pelton
Robert Young Pelton is a badass. A civilian badass. But a badass nonetheless. He's travelled the world looking for danger, from Africa to Afghanistan, Pelton seeks out killers, mercenaries, and warlords to tell the story of people paid for their killing skills. License to Kill explores the secret society of security contractors. Where do they come from, why are they needed, what is their purpose? Do they help us, or are they a liability in the war on terror. Pelton travels with these hired guns in the world's most dangerous places to illustrate their lives and why they are necessary in modern war.


Hunting the Jackal: A Special Forces and CIA Soldier's Fifty Years on the Frontlines of the war Against Terrorism by Billy Waugh and some other dude.
Billy Waugh lives for war. From the jungles of Vietnam to the search for Bin Laden in the mountains of Afghanistan, Billy Waugh's life has been one adventure after another. His superior killing expertise, has made him the go-to guy when it comes to difficult, death defying missions. This book is brutal, captivating and would be unbelievable if it weren't completely true.


Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides
Ghost Soldiers chronicles the rescue of some of the survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March. Nearing the end of the war against the Japanese, the allied POWs in the Phillipines experienced some of the most atrocious of atrocities. A team led by some of America's bravest, moved through enemy lines to save these ill-treated prisoners. Hampton Sides writes of the terror of being a POW in the hands of the brutal japanese. He holds no punches when describing some of the horrible living conditions these men endured. Ultimately, the brave actions of a few Amercians and Filipinos, led to the rescue of 500 horribly deprived men.
This book tells about heroic men doing something beyond themselves in order to save the lives of others. Well written and completely engrossing.


The Last True Story I'll Every Tell: An Accidental Soldier's Account of the War in Iraq by John Crawford
is the story of one man's war in Iraq. It's a candid story. A year-in-the-life. And a gritty, compelling read. This book illustrates the mundane days of soldiers, which are punctuated by moments of blood soaked violence. While it shows the comradarie of brothers in arms, It also tells the sad story of how war effects them.