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Rating: 
Summary: Improbable Fun
Review: Never thought reading about the military could be fun - or funny - until I read this little gem. The chapters are short, concise and interesting. You can skip chapters or read it straight through. Believe me, you'll never loose a history question in Trivial Pursuit again once you've finished with this book! Learn, laugh and educate yourself about the military with this great little book!
Rating: 
Summary: Informative, Challenging, and Witty History
Review: Normally I find top ten military lists like those on MILHST-L fun to read, but not very informative. This book is superb because it combines insightful commentary and fun lists.What Brooks has done is assemble 70+ top ten lists, but each entry has one or more paragraphs of explanation. And it is clear that he has thought very carefully and researched his choices on his lists. More specifically, why is this such a good book? First, the author is well-read and informed. You may not agree with his opinions, I know I have more than a few disagreements, but they are based on a solid understanding of military history and the literature. (BTW, the author is a decorated veteran of the Gulf War, so he has first-hand knowledge of war.) Second, he has created great categories, not just the obvious ones, like the Great Captains of History, Overrated Commanders, Underrated Commanders, and Decisive Battles. Here are some of the 70+ ones that I found quite facinating: Military Myths, Chaplains, Murder (and Death) Most Foul, Retrograde Operations, Mutinies, Entertainers, Cavalry Charges, POW Camps, Courts-Martial, Military Web Sites, Lopsided Victories (more than 30,000 casualties), Lopsided Victories (less than 30,000 casualties), and Last Stands. I love his four War Movie categories: Operational, Nonoperational, Testosterone, and Estrogen. Also, his suggestions on the ten books with which to begin building a military library are quite sound, especially when combined with his four other military book categories. Finally, Brooks has a great category that will challenge the serious historian -- he canvasses several thousand years of history to create the greatest Command Staff in History. Third, Brooks has a good sense of wit. The book is fun to read! Again, the seriousness of the book is not compromised by his witty and at times, sarcastic, comments, rather it is enhanced. This book does challenge the serious historian to think about his own opinions. Fourth, the book is a useful reference. He has some top ten lists that are straight reference, e.g., air aces, sub aces, Marshal-Generals of France. And for each person in the book, he has their dates of birth and death (when known). There is a twelve-page bibliography and an index. Informative and fun, and a great way to get a conversation amongst historians going -- what more can you ask for in a book?
Rating:
Summary: Informative, Challenging, and Witty History
Review: Normally I find top ten military lists like those on MILHST-L fun to read, but not very informative. This book is superb because it combines insightful commentary and fun lists. What Brooks has done is assemble 70+ top ten lists, but each entry has one or more paragraphs of explanation. And it is clear that he has thought very carefully and researched his choices on his lists. More specifically, why is this such a good book? First, the author is well-read and informed. You may not agree with his opinions, I know I have more than a few disagreements, but they are based on a solid understanding of military history and the literature. (BTW, the author is a decorated veteran of the Gulf War, so he has first-hand knowledge of war.) Second, he has created great categories, not just the obvious ones, like the Great Captains of History, Overrated Commanders, Underrated Commanders, and Decisive Battles. Here are some of the 70+ ones that I found quite facinating: Military Myths, Chaplains, Murder (and Death) Most Foul, Retrograde Operations, Mutinies, Entertainers, Cavalry Charges, POW Camps, Courts-Martial, Military Web Sites, Lopsided Victories (more than 30,000 casualties), Lopsided Victories (less than 30,000 casualties), and Last Stands. I love his four War Movie categories: Operational, Nonoperational, Testosterone, and Estrogen. Also, his suggestions on the ten books with which to begin building a military library are quite sound, especially when combined with his four other military book categories. Finally, Brooks has a great category that will challenge the serious historian -- he canvasses several thousand years of history to create the greatest Command Staff in History. Third, Brooks has a good sense of wit. The book is fun to read! Again, the seriousness of the book is not compromised by his witty and at times, sarcastic, comments, rather it is enhanced. This book does challenge the serious historian to think about his own opinions. Fourth, the book is a useful reference. He has some top ten lists that are straight reference, e.g., air aces, sub aces, Marshal-Generals of France. And for each person in the book, he has their dates of birth and death (when known). There is a twelve-page bibliography and an index. Informative and fun, and a great way to get a conversation amongst historians going -- what more can you ask for in a book?
Rating:
Summary: A Treasure Trove of Trivia [And Much More]
Review: This book easily earns five stars, because it's accurate, well-written, and witty. Don't let the format fool you. The author is well-read and has done an impressive amount of research, so much so that I believe high school and undergraduate students in history or military science could use it as a reference. It's a fun read.
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