Synopses & Reviews
presents an entirely original narrative of warfare, which demonstrates that, far from the exception, loosely organized partisan or guerrilla warfare has been the dominant form of military conflict throughout history. best-selling author and military historian Max Boot traces guerrilla warfare and terrorism from antiquity to the present, narrating nearly thirty centuries of unconventional military conflicts. Filled with dramatic analysis of strategy and tactics, as well as many memorable characters--from Italian nationalist Guiseppe Garibaldi to the "Quiet American," Edward Lansdale-- is "as readable as a novel" (Michael Korda, ) and "a timely reminder to politicians and generals of the hard-earned lessons of history" ().
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"A sweeping panorama that ranges over a vast terrain... thoughtful, smart, fluent, with an eye for the good story." Mark Mazover
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"[A] comprehensive history of guerrilla warfare, breezily written and chock-full of perceptive insights.... [Boot] has a great feel for details...a mighty impressive achievement, one that should be a bible for policymakers everywhere in the civilized world." New York Times Book Review, Front Page Review
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"The word "magisterial" is bandied about far too freely these days, but in the case of Max Boot's sweeping and deeply researched history of guerrilla warfare, it proves fair. Somewhere in the first third of Boot's book, you begin to realize that guerrilla wars (and terrorism and insurgencies) are the way we fight, while the formal set battles of, say, the Napoleonic wars are but an exception." Steve Forbes Forbes Magazine
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"For the historian and journalist Max Boot to use the phrase 'an epic history' in the subtitle of his own book implies a magnificent lack of modesty in his own capabilities. The work more than matches the hype.... This pathbreaking book should thus be on the reading list of every NATO officer hoping to defeat an insurgency." Lucas Wittmann The Daily Beast
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"There's no better guide to both the past and the future than , the tour de force of a scholar as well as a man who's seen American adversaries and soldiers at work up close." Andrew Roberts Commentary
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"A landmark book about a perennial and important challenge: guerilla warfare." The Weekly Standard
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"...[I]mpressively researched, astutely synthesized, and eminently readable." Jon Meacham, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
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"Fascinating. . . . Beginning with the barbarians at the gates of the Roman Empire, a wonderful and valuable historic narrative filled with colorful characters." Booklist
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"Starred review. A military historian and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Boot presents a sweeping, well-written, and comprehensively documented history of guerilla war... The result is a compelling narrative and perceptive analysis: a must read in today's world." Walter Isaacson
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"The most definitive and comprehensive work to date on the dominant form of warfare of our times. A must read for scholars, military and government professionals and a fascinating journey for the general public." Walter Isaacson
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"Sweeping, meticulous, and exceptionally thoughtful. Max Boot's is an important, compelling contribution to our understanding of how men make war." General (ret.) Jack Keane, former Army Vice Chi
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"Boot, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of , presents an astutely synthesized account of insurgency and counterinsurgency through the ages--from the Peloponnesian War to the post-Sept. 11 battlefields of today." General (ret.) Jack Keane, former Army Vice Chi
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"A magisterial overview of insurgency and counterinsurgency, peppered with fascinating personalities. The author counts 442 insurgencies since the American Revolution, 25.2 percent of which were successful." Ihsan Taylor New York Times
Synopsis
"Destined to be the classic account of what may be the oldest . . . hardest form of war."--John Nagl,
Synopsis
New York Times Bestseller
A
Washington Post Notable Book (Nonfiction)
Named one of the Best Books of the Year by
Foreign PolicyA
New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice Selection
"Destined to be the classic account of what may be the oldest... hardest form of war." --John Nagl, Wall Street Journal
About the Author
A Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a renowned military historian, Max Boot is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal. The author of The Savage Wars of Peace and War Made New, he lives in New York.