Thomas E Ricks

"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks, a dual biography of Winston Churchill and George Orwell, with a focus on the pivotal years from the mid-1930s through the 1940s, when their farsighted vision and inspired action in the face of the threat of fascism and communism helped preserve democracy for the world. Both George Orwell and Winston Churchill came close to death in the mid-1930's--Orwell shot in the neck in a trench line...

History has been kind to the American generals of World War II and less kind to the generals of the wars that followed. Setting out to explain why, Thomas E. Ricks cites a widening gulf between performance and accountability. Then, scores of American generals were relieved of command simply for not being good enough. Today, as one American colonel said bitterly, "A private who loses a rifle suffers far greater consequences than a general who loses...

The bestselling, compelling insider's account of the Marine Corps from the lives of the men of Platoon 3086-their training at Parris Island, their fierce camaraderie, and the unique code of honor that defines them. The United States Marine Corps, with its proud tradition of excellence in combat, its hallowed rituals, and its unbending code of honor, is part of the fabric of American myth. Making the Corps visits the front lines of boot camp in Parris...