H.W. Crocker

Don't Tread on Me: A 400-Year History of America at War

  Three Rivers Press, 2007

I had my doubts as to whether this book would be a dull account of the most relevant facts of the big and small wars America has been through untill today. Scarcely 400 pages to tell all the events related here made me expect a collection of un-related stories, dictionary-like and cold, rather than a single story with one hero and one voice telling it. But I was happy to find out that the author knew his job, and he made this book a joy to read. The hero is the American soldier, the Armed Forces, of course.

The author succeeds in this difficult task by giving us the whats and the hows and the whos of the wars and fights America fought, in an uncomplicated and straightforwardly fashion. Not devoid of sentiment, but not carried away by passion either. A cool and elegant history of the American Forces from the War of Independence to Afghanistan and Irak. It makes a perfect read for history buffs but, above all, for anybody who just wants to have a good time reading.