Black Hawk Down

Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down is the best story of modern war, as the subtitle calls it, I have ever read. I read the book, watched the movie and have listened to the audible audio several times. The depth and multitude of personal accounts of the battle that day in October 1994 is unbelievable. Bowden was patient and throrough in his research for this book and interviewed dozens of combatants and witnesses from both sides of the fight. His research coalesced into this masterpiece of military history that, in my opinion, should be required reading in highschools throughout the country, especially as we face the very real prospect of war on the ground in a clan dominated country once again with Iraq.

The character development in this book is fleeting but ample enough to get to know many of the Rangers and Delta Force operators that fought, bled and too often died in this battle. The story of the most selfless and heroic Sergeant First Class Randy Shugart and Master Sergeant Gary Gordon coming to the aid of downed pilot Mike Durant is reason enough to listen to this book. This book allows us to honor all of the men who fought in this battle, for their courage and humanity.

I highly recommend this book and suggest that you use the following web resource to supplement your listening: Black Hawk Down: An American War Story-The Original Newspaper Series Online. Mark Bowden is a writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where this story first appeared as a serial piece in the newspaper. This website includes maps, videos and the full text of the serialized version of the story.

Listen to this book and understand fully what we may be committing our soldiers to with a new war in the streets of Baghdad on the horizon. Will the citizens of Baghdad embrace our mission to bring freedom to their streets or will they react more like the people of Mogadishu?

With a great book such as this one, I am always left wondering what has been omitted. Please give us the choice to hear the whole thing!!

"Black Hawk Down" gives the listener/reader a glimpse into the mind of the professional soldiers that make up Delta Force and the United States Army Rangers. "I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country." These are dedicated, selfless, heroic men and Mr. Bowden has done his best to put the story of this part of their history forward for us.

This book really puts you in the moment - you can almost feel the bullets zinging past you. And Joe Morton's narrative voice matched the book's tone perfectly - like a post-events military briefing - while his characters came in bursts that were believable and shockingly intense.

I always wanted to see the movie, but after a decade of never getting around to it I realized it's never going to happen. It's never a problem squeezing in another audiobook though. Before I started listening, I took one last look at a review of the film, which said the action was great, but character development was a little thin. I'd say the same about the book. Still, if you want to know more about what went down or what it's like when our troops go into these hostile environments, this is a riveting listen.

this was an ok book. i think i might have liked it more if i didnt just read seal team six.

The movie almost disgraces the book. The story is well told and great for those with basic understanding of military ops.

I really enjoyed the book. It had good action and I thought the book did a better job of painting a realistic picture of combat and what our troops go through. It also gave a Somali side of the story more than the movie did and didn't pull any punches.

The book is good listen, but it seems slow paced considering it's a war story. It would have been a much much better book if it was dramatized book.