Este periodista estadounidense se enfoca en temas de defensa, ofreciendo profundas perspectivas sobre asuntos militares. Su trabajo se caracteriza por una detallada reportaje y análisis de operaciones militares y estructuras de mando. A través de sus escritos, explora las complejidades de las empresas militares y la toma de decisiones estratégicas. Su prosa es valorada por su perspectiva informada, contribuyendo a una comprensión matizada del mundo militar.
In this compelling follow-up, Thomas E. Ricks delves deeper into the complexities of military strategy and leadership, building on the insights of his previous bestseller, Fiasco. He examines the consequences of decisions made during the Iraq War, offering a critical analysis of the American military's actions and the political landscape. Through detailed accounts and interviews, Ricks sheds light on the challenges faced by soldiers and commanders, emphasizing the need for accountability and understanding in the pursuit of effective military operations.
The definitive military chronicle of the Iraq war--and a searing judgment on the strategic blindness with which America has conducted it--draws on the accounts of senior military officers giving voice to their anger for the first time.
Offering a detailed examination of the Iraq War, the narrative draws on insightful interviews with key military figures, both on and off the record. It traces the conflict's roots from the failed 1991 war to the challenges faced during the occupation in 2006, highlighting the complexities and missteps that characterized this tumultuous period. Ricks presents a compelling analysis of the decisions and events that shaped the war's trajectory, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of its impact on the armed forces and the broader geopolitical landscape.
Both subjects, he tells us in this page turner written with great brio, are
'people we still think about, people who are important not just to
understanding their times but also to understanding our own.'... what comes
across strongly in this highly enjoyable book is the fierce commitment of both
Orwell and Churchill to critical thought. -The New York Times Book Review An
elegantly written celebration of two men who faced an existential crisis to
their way of life with moral courage - and demonstrated that an individual can
make a difference. -San Francisco Chronicle Readers of this book will realize,
if they needed reminding, that the struggle to preserve and tell the truth is
a very long game. -Los Angeles Times Another one is a book by Thomas Ricks
about Winston Churchill and George Orwell. The two never met, but their
parallel lives and their views of how society should function, notions of
individual freedom, limitations of politics and so on - extraordinarily
harmonious thoughts in different places, really very impressive. I went in
assuming [they'd be at odds], but quite the reverse. Really, very
interesting.- John Le Carré Churchill & Orwell is an eminently readable,
frankly inspirational and exceptionally timely tribute to the two men Simon
Schama called 'the architects of their time.' It is to be hoped that their
counterparts in intellectual clarity and moral courage are among us today.
-Minneapolis Star Tribune A pungent and pointed piece of history, a great gift
for any history lover on your list. - Seattle Times Here is a formidable
pairing: Winston Churchill and George Orwell, two of the most famous figures
of the 20th century, compared and contrasted in a study that has fresh things
to say about its subjects... Ricks tracks his subjects without falling into
the usual traps. He is neither sanctimonious about Orwell, nor overly
reverential when discussing Churchill. -Newsday A feast of a book, laden with
observations and insights that enable us to see these familiar figures, and
through them our own time, in a fresh and illuminating light. -New Statesman
Ricks's gift for storytelling makes this book virtually impossible at times to
set down. -The Christian Science Monitor Superbly illustrates that Churchill
and Orwell made enduring cases for the necessity of moral and political
fortitude in the face of authoritarianism. This is a bracing work for our
times.-Publishers Weekly Very readable and timely.-The Missourian The genius
of Ricks' method is to tell the story of an ongoing struggle through the lives
of two extraordinary men. -Booklist (starred review) A superb account of two
men who set standards for defending liberal democracy that remain disturbingly
out of reach. -Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Focusing on Parris Island, the training ground renowned for producing highly disciplined soldiers, the author provides an insider's perspective on the rigorous training processes and experiences faced by recruits. As the Pentagon correspondent for "The Wall Street Journal," Ricks combines firsthand observations with insights into military culture, enriched by a 16-page photo insert that visually captures the intensity and transformation of the soldiers.
Today, as liberty and truth are increasingly challenged, the figures of Churchill and Orwell loom large. Exemplars of Britishness, they preserved individual freedom and democracy for the world through their far-sighted vision and inspired action, and cast a long shadow across our culture and politics. In Churchill & Orwell, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas E. Ricks masterfully argues that these extraordinary men are as important today as they ever were. Churchill and Orwell stood in political opposition to each other, but were both committed to the preservation of freedom. However, in the late 1930s they occupied a lonely position: democracy was much discredited, and authoritarian rulers, fascist and communist, were everywhere in the ascent. Unlike others, they had the wisdom to see that the most salient issue was human liberty – and that any government that denies its people basic rights is a totalitarian menace to be resisted. Churchill and Orwell proved their age’s necessary men, and this book reveals how they rose from a precarious position to triumph over the enemies of freedom. Churchill may have played the larger role in Hitler’s defeat, but Orwell’s reckoning with the threat of authoritarian rule in 1984 and Animal Farm defined the stakes of the Cold War and continues to inspire to this day. Their lives are an eloquent testament to the power of moral conviction, and to the courage it takes to stay true to it.
Ricks discusses "the founding fathers, examining their educations and, in particular, their devotion to the ancient Greek and Roman classics--and how that influence would shape their ideals and the new American nation ... [His book] follows [the first four U.S. presidents] ... from their youths to their adult lives, as they grappled with questions of independence and forming and keeping a new nation. In doing so, Ricks interprets not only the effect of the ancient world on each man, and how that shaped our constitution and government, but offers ... new insights into these legendary leaders"--Publisher marketing.
