The Three Battles of Wanat

October 26, 2015
The author of the bestselling Black Hawk Down will please fans and win new ones with this bracing collection of essays. Bowden is in his element charting the familiar and complex territory of American engagement in foreign conflicts, as in the titular essay, a tragic and nuanced account of "the worst single day in the seven-year Afghan conflict," in 2008, and its repercussions for the U.S. military and the families of the American soldiers whose lives were lost. But those only familiar with Bowden's war reportage will be pleasantly surprised to discover the variety of topics he has tackled in this collection, which includes a profile of Kim Jong Un that is by turns enlightening, level-headed, and hilarious, and an essay about journalism in the age of the Internet. In his introduction, Bowden justly thanks the Atlantic and Vanity Fair, which published the majority of pieces collected here, for their continued commitment to funding quality, in-depth reporting. With his rigorous and respectful approach to his subjects, multifaceted viewpoint, and wry sense of humor, Bowden proves that American journalism hasn't kicked the bucket yet.

October 1, 2015
Collected magazine articles and essays by wide-ranging journalist Bowden (Writer in Residence/Univ. of Delaware; The Finish: The Killing of Osama Bin Laden, 2012, etc.). Divided into categories familiar to the author's readers, his deeply researched work on war, profiles of prominent, interesting people and sports personalities, and a variety of general interest essays (e.g., his wacky experiment with guinea hens) represent fine examples of contemporary journalism, as the author himself looks to his investigative models such as Nellie Bly, Ida Tarbell, and John Hersey. The most probing essay is the lengthy title article, first published in 2011 in Vanity Fair, which tracks the fallout from the single most violent day's battle in the Afghanistan War, July 13, 2008, during which nine American soldiers were killed in action in Wanat. Bowden looks deeply into a very painful, complicated episode for the U.S. Army, which was blamed for the death of Lt. Jonathan Brostrom by his father, a retired army colonel who accused the leadership of putting the men in needless danger at Wanat. Yet while the author expresses compassion for the father's pain, he also ascertains the many facets to the story, which underscore that the officers were doing exactly what they were trained to do. In "The Last Ace," published in the Atlantic in 2009, Bowden explores the changing nature of America's fighter pilots, reflecting the swift advances in air power. In "The Killing Machines" (2013), also published in the Atlantic, the author delves into the morally complex history of the use of drones. Some of the detailed character profiles include those of Vice President Joe Biden, Korean dictator Kim Jung Un, New York Times publisher and chairman Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., and extraordinary lawyer Judy Clarke, who manages to keep the worst killers in America (Ted Kaczynski, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Zacarias Moussaoui, and others) from getting the death sentence. Readers of Bowden's work are assured of honest, straightforward, painstakingly researched essays.

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December 1, 2015
During an illustrious 35-year career, renowned journalist Bowden has produced more than a few riveting works of nonfiction, including the best-seller, Black Hawk Down (1999) and Worm: The First Digital World War (2011). His latest book offers an assortment of equally compelling magazine articles and essays, from accounts of wartime turmoil to personal misadventures. The title piece, which at over 170 pages is also the longest, recounts the fallout from the bloodiest U.S. battle on Afghan soil, in which nine American soldiers were killed. Looking at the skirmish from many angles, Bowden lays most of the blame at the feet of military leaders. Other war-related essays follow the changing roles of fighter pilots and the history of drones. Bowden also includes pieces on sports celebrities and politicians, such as Joe Biden and Abraham Lincoln, pointing out about the latter how much the Great Emancipator was maligned even by his own party during his presidency. A first-rate collection from one of the finest writers in contemporary journalism.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

November 15, 2015

Bowden, author of 12 books including the highly praised Black Hawk Down, demonstrates his versatility in this collection of lengthy magazine pieces, which appeared mostly in The Atlantic and Vanity Fair. Subjects range from war coverage and in-depth portraits of political leaders to sports figures and fascinating people doing interesting things. The gripping titular article describes the aftermath of the death of a young lieutenant in Afghanistan and the human cost of war. Another of the 23 contributions introduces readers to Judy Clarke, the tenacious public defender whose clients included Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers; and Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. Other revealing stories feature "Just Joe Biden," the indispensable vice president who remains a Delaware homeboy, and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, who appears to be the right leader for his country. VERDICT Although none of these pieces is from before 2006, a few feel dated. However, this does not detract from Bowden's eloquence and his art of drawing the reader into the stories. This collection is a delight for those who enjoy literate yet down-to-earth nonfiction. [See Prepub Alert, 7/20/15.]--Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2015

You'll know Bowden as the author of the internationally best-selling Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, eventually made into a film by Ridley Scott. If you read the Atlantic, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, or the Philadelphia Inquirer, you'll also know him as the author of the absorbing long-form pieces on war, politics, and culture featured here.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.