Books & Reviews
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 The Battle WithinAuthor: Alastair Luft The Battle Within journeys deep inside a troubled soldier struggling to adapt to life after combat. Set in a backdrop of war in Afghanistan, the story captures the obstacles arrayed against serving members and veterans who want nothing more than to serve their country and have a normal life, yet who struggle with the reality and stigma of PTSD. In this compelling book, Luft shares his perspectives on the meaning of service, sacrifice, and the effect of violence on a person’s humanity. Click here for more information. |
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 TribeOn Homecoming and Belonging Author: Sebastian Junger Sebastian Junger's Tribe: on Homecoming and Belonging is unlike his previous books, which were focused on single events or subjects. Instead, Tribe is a rambling narrative about the contrasts between how individuals live in modern society and life in smaller and closer communities. He directs much of his attention on the plight of soldiers returning from combat where each is intrinsically linked to his / her buddy and often depends on the unity of a small group for feelings of safety, security and comradeship. Click here to read the book review by Tim Dunne. |
Charlie Foxtrot Fixing Defence Procurement in Canada Author: Kim Richard Nossal This book looks at the mess that is defence procurement in Canada. It begins with a survey of a century of procurement failures, from the Ross rifle during the First World War to the on-going problems with the CF-18 Hornet replacement. Nossal shows why Canadian governments, both Liberal and Conservative, have been unable to get defence procurement right, and proposes a series of “fixes” that focus on shifting the political culture of national defence in Canada. |
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Too Young to Die Canada's Boy Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen in the Second World War Author: John Boileau and Dan Black A companion book to "Old Enough to Fight: Canada’s Boy Soldiers in the First World War", this new book covers the experiences of several underage soldiers in Hong Kong, Dieppe, Italy and North-West Europe; sailors and merchant navy in the North Atlantic; and airmen in Britain and over Occupied Europe. In book stores now, it sells for $34.95.
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 Test and Evaluation of Aircraft Avionics and Weapon Systems2nd Edition Author: Robert E. McShea With its main objective being to provide the Avionics & Weapons Systems Test Community with a prime reference book on the basics of Avionics & Weapons Test & Evaluation, I found this to be both a very comprehensive, and well balanced textbook for everyone from Flight Test Engineers to support staff. Each chapter provides approximately 40 hours worth of detailed flight test curriculum interspersed with related historical and anecdotal information which is helpful in retention and a wider comprehension of the situation at hand. Each chapter also includes an extensive list of review questions at its close... Click here to read the book review by Jonathan Knaul. |
Dependent Author: Brenda Corey Dunne Dependent deals with issues ever-present in today’s service families — early marriage, frequent and long absences, the culture of rank, post traumatic stress, as well as harassment and abuse of power by higher-ranking officials. It presents a raw and realistic view of life for the lives of the invisible support behind the uniform. |
 Military Justice in ActionAnnotated National Defence Legislation Author: The Honourable Mr. Justice Gilles Létourneau & Professor Michel W. Drapeau (Col Retired) Get the only published section-by-section annotation of the National Defence Act and the Queen’s Regulations and Orders. Military Justice in Action: Annotated National Defence Legislation provides you with a greater understanding of Canadian military law, whether you are involved in the judiciary, the military or civilian arm, or the military police. Military attachés, diplomats and government officials at the provincial and federal levels, defence procurement specialists and law scholars will also benefit from the valuable annotations in this portable resource. Commanders and commanding officers will find this new resource a reliable tool when dealing with discipline, claims and grievances as well as administrative law matters. |
 From Cold War to New MillenniumAuthor: by Colonel Bernd Horn These war stories testify to the feats of courage and tenacity of Canadians tested in combat or engaged in the sometimes tedious regimen of peace. From Cold War to New Millennium detailes the story of The Royal Canadian Regiment from 1953 to 2008. The RCR’s history after the Korean War paralleled the growth and evolution of Canada through dangerous and trying times – from the brink of nuclear Armageddon to a freefall of global destabilization, economic catastrophe, resurging global terrorism, and the birth of transnational terror networks. The RCR contributed to the victory in the Cold War, participated in the bitter stabilization campaigns of the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia, and fought and bled heavily in the reconstruction and counter-insurgency battle in Afghanistan. |
 Wearing the Green BeretA Canadian with the Royal Marine Commandos Author: By Jake Olafsen Olafsen served for four years as a Commando in the Royal Marines, an elite military unit based in the UK. He went to Afghanistan twice: in 2006, he went to confront the Taliban in Helmand Province for six months, and in 2007, he did it all over again. His story is filled with experiences, accomplishment, patriotism, and camaraderie. But all good things come at a price, and the sacrifices he made for the Corps are significant; he has killed the enemy and buried friends. This is an honest, gutsy story about the mud, the blood, the triumphs and the tragedies. |
How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare Author: Walter J. Boyne From advancements to setbacks, the history of the military helicopter is a fascinating ride from invention to adaptation. Boyne’s analysis reveals how warfare and helicopters have evolved together, identifies great strides, and highlights those who have believed in such potential. He pays tribute to Vietnam’s Dustoff crew, who flew into combat zones to rescue wounded soldiers. He explains how General Bill Creech's contributions revolutionized the Tactical Air Command. On a controversial note, he points to mismanagement of U.S. military funds as explanation for why troops are using outdated designs despite billions spent on research and development. A retired Air Force Colonel and former director of the National Air & Space Museum, author Walter J. Boyne (enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2007) co-founded what is now called the Military Channel and is the chairman of the board of the National Aeronautic Association. |
 Citizen Sailors Chronicles of Canada's Naval Reserve Author: Edited by Richard Gimblett & Michael L. Hadley This commemorative volume, produced on the centennial of the Canadian Navy, records a special kind of citizenship: Canadians at sea in their nation's service while also living the demands of civilian occupations at home. This beautiful hard-cover book is filled with interesting photos and intriguing stories. The perspectives from Canada's Naval Reserve over the past century add an important dimension to the history of the Canadian Navy. |
 Hitler's PanzersThe Lightning Attacks That Revolutionized Warfare Author: Dennis Showalter In Hitler's Panzers, renowned World War II scholar Dennis Showalter presents a comprehensive study of Nazi Germany’s armored forces. By delving deeply into a detailed history of the theory, strategy, myths, and realities of Germany’s technologically innovative approach to warfare, Showalter looks at the military lessons of the past, and speculates on how the panzer ethos may be implemented in the future of international conflict. Interviews with soldiers, archival documents, and other information highlights the panzer’s contributions to the development of mechanized war and armor technology, their influence on the role of the army in German culture and society, and their role in the conduct of World War II. |
 No Prouder PlaceCanadians and the Bomber Command Experience 1939-1945 Author: David L. Bashow For a variety of reasons, most Canadian military historiography in the immediate postwar period produced an incomplete, historical record in the coverage of Canadian contributions in World War Two. The major emphasis of the historical record keeping appeared to be focused on a very small area of wartime events – primarily, the role of the government in the conduct of the war. While there was “official” and “semi official” survey histories of the three services produced, there was only a limited work carried out in this area. However to be fair there were a number of personal memoirs written, usually written by senior staff, or an occasional history of a particular engagement or event. |
 In The Footsteps of the Canadian CorpsCanada’s First World War 1914-1918 Author: Angus Brown and Richard Gimblett In The Footsteps of the Canadian Corps is a fascinating book. In many ways it resembles the work done by Ken Bell in his 1970’s book Not In Vain. The basis of both books being the return to old battlefields and pictorially comparing the landscapes and locations of combat while the conflict was still fresh and there condition today. Ken Bell tackled the WWII campaign in Northwest Europe while Angus Brown and Richard Gimblett ventured further back to the European battlefields of the Canadian Corps during World War I. Here the comparison ends. |
 The Insubordinate and the NoncompliantAuthor: Edited by: Howard G. Coombs When I was first asked to review this series of articles contained in this book I was most pleased to accept the task. I had a motive. During my Senior Year at Simon Fraser University I did extensive research into both the Conscription Crisis and the so-called “riots” as part of my major paper for the History program. I was eager to see what advances had been made in the intervening years. Sadly, I found that we seem to have made little progress and, in some cases, appear to have even taken a step or two backwards. We are only interested in seeing the tip of the iceberg. We forget that Discipline, as a component of morale, is a two edged sword. |
 Kasztner’s TrainThe True Story of Rezso Kasztner, Unknown Hero of the Holocaust Author: Anna Porter Every once in a very long while there comes a book that changes or challenges your understanding of events that you have previously learned. Kasztner’s Train is such a work. It tells the story of an average man who through guile, subterfuge and sheer tenacity managed to arrange with senior SS officials to have trains take hundreds of Hungarian Jews to a neutral country. Originally the SS requested that the Jewish Agency provide the Germans with 10,000 trucks. Through bravado and bluff, Kasztner managed to come to a more achievable solution and the train loads of Jews were allowed to proceed to their neutral destinations. It is also the story of the inability of the various Jewish agencies to act in concert with one another. |
