Bowden has written a masterful account of the Black Hawk Down tragedy which became a famous Tony Scott movie. The scene is grim: Mogadishu under the warlords with an inept, incompetent United Nations force presuming that it will separate the warring factions and restore peace. The United States commits its troops to snatch a warlord and his cronies to cripple the terrorists gripping this impoverished nation and its capital. Political consideration such as the prohibition of armor takes precedence over protecting the troops. The October 1993 incident raises a lot of questions about elite units, vicious house to house fighting, the support that is possible or necessary to engage such terrorist forces, etc., In addition, there were reports that Osama bin Laden had urged (or some say even sent his underlings) to attack the American troops. The subsequent withdrawal of the troops by Clinton had some analysts saying that this act emboldened bin Laden in subsequent years. With powerful descriptions about the elite fighting units predicament under a mission gone awry, this book will at least acquaint the reader with horrible consequences of modern warfare.

Bowden has written a masterful account of the Black Hawk Down tragedy which became a famous Tony Scott movie. The scene is grim: Mogadishu under the warlords with an inept, incompetent United Nations force presuming that it will separate the warring factions and restore peace. The United States commits its troops to snatch a warlord and his cronies to cripple the terrorists gripping this impoverished nation and its capital. Political consideration such as the prohibition of armor takes precedence over protecting the troops. The October 1993 incident raises a lot of questions about elite units, vicious house to house fighting, the support that is possible or necessary to engage such terrorist forces, etc., In addition, there were reports that Osama bin Laden had urged (or some say even sent his underlings) to attack the American troops. The subsequent withdrawal of the troops by Clinton had some analysts saying that this act emboldened bin Laden in subsequent years. With powerful descriptions about the elite fighting units predicament under a mission gone awry, this book will at least acquaint the reader with horrible consequences of modern warfare.

Great read, action packed. Some parts make you want to cringe, others make you want to cry. I will say that it can get a little gruesome at times and the violence does get to be numbing after a while.

This is one of the best books I've read. The reader gets a street level view of what really happened in Mogadishu. The media made this incident look like an embarrassment to the United States Military when one can clearly see from this book that they did an exceptional job on an epic scale. The author is incredible in his writing, descriptions, and familiarizing the reader with the soldiers involved in the action.

The only negative I can see is that a reader with no military background may get muddled down with the military acronyms, terminology, and ranking structure.

Aside from that you cannot go wrong with this book and I can see this book being used in a syllabus for a College Course down the road, if it isn't already.

Like far too many other Americans, I failed to pay enough attention to the nation's involvement in Somalia. In fact, it wasn't until my wife and I stumbled into a cable broadcast of the film adaptation of "Black Hawk Down" that it really grabbed my attention. Having missed the beginning of the film, we both guessed wrong at where it even was taking place, and in fact initially mistook it for fiction.

Fittingly, Mark Bowden reveals that some of the Rangers engaged in the battle of Mogadishu had trouble accepting the reality of the horrendous situation they found themselves in, at times laughing at the absurdity of the carnage and the increasing liklihood that they would not survive a firefight in the Third World against starving people in sandals. Bowden did a masterful job of capturing those emotions, as well as chronicling all that took place in real time. In this regard, I respectfully disagree with reviewers who have criticized the pace of the book -- which I feel supported the fact that every aspect of the battle took much too long and heightened the peril.

Bowden deserves much credit for having the courage to visit Somalia for research, especially with the knowledge that four Western journalists had been murdered in Mogadishu a few years earlier. He also deserves our thanks for detailing the determination of Somalis who sacrificed themselves to achieve an objective that had become extremely important to them. I can't think of another book that does as good a job of respecting both sides and presenting an even balance of perspectives.

"Black Hawk Down" is also important because it explains how the beating the US took in Mogadishu affected foreign policy for years to come -- including decisions to avoid involvement in other nations such as Rwanda, where human rights were being trounced. I strongly encourage anyone, especially those who, like me, more or less blew off this episode of American History, to buy or borrow this book and devour it. My only caution is that the graphic descriptions of injuries are not for the faint of heart.

Exciting, fast paced narrative. Reads well. A wee bit disorganized, but not to avoid.

I had actually avoided reading this book because I thought I knew the story already. I saw the movie - I've heard the stories. I was wrong. For me, the book unfolded beautifully and horribly all at once. I was drawn into the lives of the people on both sides. I thought Bowden did a good job of telling some of the Somali side of the story without trying to stuff it down our throats. If you're like me and haven't read this book because you don't think it can hold your interest at this point, I say reconsider. I was stunned by how much "more" there was, beyond what I had gleaned from other sources. Great book that captures the stuff we should never let be forgotten.

This was a great book, I think everyone who liked this novel should read
Detained Differencesby J. Robert Rowe, also a military man and a great story!

With respect to the mission and those that served, any disparaging statements I might make about this book in the review are purely from a literary perspective. The stories in this book exemplify such noble traits as bravery and loyalty. Nothing could tarnish these evident characteristics in those that were there.

"Black Hawk Down" is much more than a tale of modern war. It is a parable of leadership. By the author's own writing, leadership failed to modify strategies and allowed an undisciplined militia to put American military in a precarious situation. The most powerful military in the world failed to adapt. It may be labeled as a matter of overconfidence. This scenario exists in civilian life as well as military. The lesson is almost certainly learned with lumps.

From a literary standpoint, I politely disagree with the idea that the book is written in a "fast-paced" style as other reviewers have stated. I found the chapters to be too short to connect with members of the crisis. This is unfortunate because these people are more than faces in the crowd. At times, I even had to refer back in the book to remind myself about characters. Obviously, this is not the type of book to read in one sitting. The author did not accommodate this characteristic of his book.

Often times, books about modern war are difficult to read because the story gets lost in the details. To a certain extent, I felt like Mark Bowden fell into this paradox. This an important story, but I felt the storytelling could be improved.

Great book, highly recommended. Hard to believe these men survived. With each page you dont think their situation could get worse, and then it does. Great details. Good movie but a great book.

Tell's the story of courageous fighters even when the mission does not go their way during a modern war. Great for all new recruits in the armed forces!

The beginning of this book kinda made me want to be a soldier but as it got into the actual horrors of war it seriously scared a strong sense of reality into me. Anyone who is thinking of joining the military should read this book first. Not that I'm trying to discourage people but just that they should take it seriously and not just think of it as an easy way to pay off school loans or something.

Anyway, the book is fantastic. Get it and read it.

This book is great. It tells about the Battle of the Black Sea extremly well with several different perspectives. From stories of some of the Delta opperators to the Habr Gidr clan members fighting them, this book tells it very, very well. Only Flags of Our Fathers rivals Black Hawk Down. If you like combat books, I highly recommend this book.

Let me incorporate, by reference the many well earned accolades of the other reviews. This is an exceptional book and deserves the praise. However, there are some limitations.

The first is that two men watching the same person do nothing more than walk down the street may have perceptions of the event that would make it appear that they observed two different events, the second is that some of the intimate observations of those who fought there may have been reserved during interviews and the third is that Bowden may have received some politically correct guidance from above. Finally there is something enlightening in the unedited words of some of the experienced participants.

MSG Howe, a legend in the Special Forces community wrote an excellent book , Leadership and Training For the Fight. Deliberately misses the well edited polish as he uses presents personal combat experience to illustrate the key subjects he is discussing. Much of the action is on the ground as a participant in what became knows as Blackhawk Down. Howe discusses the critical differences in between the Rangers and Special Forces as they fought together. The second additional reference are the two books by Durant, In The Company of Heroes and Night Stalkers.

One of the messages of the other books on the subject which directly conflicts with the conclusions of Blackhawk Down is the impact of the removal of the AC-130's from the area had on the operation. The theater commander was denied the AC-130 gunships and American armor. Bowden repeats the Washington spin that the gunships would have been ineffective in the urban environment. However, Durant notes the huge psych impact when the gunships were returned to the fight a fee days later, while he was still held prisoner. It is further reported that the Secy of Defense came down to the SF camp once they were home to apologize for the removal of the gunships and soften the blow that there would be no formal after action report.

The performance of the gunships in several firefights in Afghanistan clearly demonstrated that they could work very closely with troops on the ground who were vastly outnumbered and fighting for survival within stone throwing distance. There also no doubt that the Little Birds and gunships could have been used together.

Durant and Howe provide the framework to understand the tactics and mission of those on the ground and in the air on those fateful days.

All three books leave the reader stunned at the quality, dedication and effectiveness of those who serve our country.

This rates as one of the best military histories I have ever read.

Mark Bowden is scrupulously careful, balanced, and thorough. He presents a very complex incident with color, passion, and detail, cataloging the sounds, smells, and visuals of this frightful engagement.

He allows the participants among American and Somali soldiers and noncombatants to tell their own stories in their own words. Occasionally he steps back and presents historical/political background to let the reader see this "Battle of the Black Sea" in context.

The movie version (Ridley Scott directing) was exceptionally well done, fast-paced, fierce, gritty, and like the battle itself, ultimately very sad and leaving a sense of futility, given that the U.S. scampered out of Somalia shortly after the battle. Yet the movie was light and almost careless of many details compared with this book.

Move over, Cornelius Ryan.

I'm so upset that I watched the movie first. In my opinion the book is 100x's better and I'm surprised to see how many story lines that they have changed. The details just make you shake your head in shock. In the movie they didn't really mention (I can't recall) Air Force Combat Controller's. Honestly if it wasn't for them there would have more casualties. It's an amazing modern war story that won't put you to sleep. I enjoyed the pictures at the end of the book. I like to put names and faces together.
A great read from beginning to end.

A historic first hand account about the US prisoner snatch that went horribly wrong. The day is October 4, 1993 and Task force Ranger along with First Special Operations Detachment Delta (Delta Force) is flying into Mogadishu, Somalia. Two Black Hawk Helicopters of the 160th Special Operations Air Regiment (Nightstalkers) are shot down over the city. Then begins the historic rescue of the downed pilots and there crews that eventually lasted through a bloody night leaving 18 Americans killed in action.

A historic first hand account about the US prisoner snatch that went horribly wrong. The day is October 4, 1993 and Task force Ranger along with First Special Operations Detachment Delta (Delta Force) is flying into Mogadishu, Somalia. Two Black Hawk Helicopters of the 160th Special Operations Air Regiment (Nightstalkers) are shot down over the city. Then begins the historic rescue of the downed pilots and there crews that eventually lasted through a bloody night leaving 18 Americans killed in action.

This book captures the subject matter like no other book could. The research that went into this story was well worth it. The story covers a military conflict like no other that I have read. The intensity, fear, courage and just sheer determination to survive when others are falling around you was just awesome. This book covers the one feeling of war that no other book has dared to cover, the feeling of not leaving a comrade behind when things go so very wrong. You will definitely not feel the same after reading this story. You go in young, very much like the troops who were there, and you come out a person who is definitely more mature. You will be robbing yourself of a literary masterpiece of military nonfiction if you do not pick this book up and read it.

Fast paced in the journalistic mode. Bowden obviously did his homework to piece together this story, and the reader should be grateful. This version is the true-ish (see caveats below) story of downed helicopters and Ranger and Delta units trapped on the dingy streets of an ocean-side African nation in October 1993. The overall mission to grab lieutenants of the local Sammi (Somali) warlord Aidid (perhaps eventually Aidid himself?) is the background upon which events unfold. The raid to one of his strongholds goes horribly wrong. The Americans are outnumbered by Somali militia. They are resented by Mogadishu's residents. They haven't been tested in this sort of anything-goes dirty fighting since Vietnam. The mission could have turned out like one of those successful hush-hush Panama escapades. But convoluted politics distract senior decision makers. Too many blind spots cripple the American soldiers on the ground. Inter-unit cultures clash and result in miscommunications. Even the youthful exuberance of the men, used to the tedium of ongoing training without serious engagement, all add to the tragedy that unfolds. And it is a tragedy, both for the Americans and the Somalis. The American soldiers fought bravely--but they fought desperately. And that's the heart of BLACK HAWK DOWN, a desperation of what it was like to be an American in uniform in a place and time Bowden doesn't want readers to forget.

FOR CIVILIANS: If you are not a serving member or retiree of the military, you might find this an excellent read. Bowden takes great care to make sure you can follow the action. Military-speak is there, of course, but they are explained in simple terms for the average citizen to understand. You don't have to know the difference between an M-60 and an M-14 to enjoy the human factor of this struggle. Exposition on operational, tactical, and strategic components of the battle are kept to a minimum yet enough there for you to understand how and why they possibly contributed to what went wrong and what went right.

FOR SERVICE MEMBERS: An active duty soldier said this was one of his all-time favorite books and suggested I read it. Now I can see why. It's not your droll read of WWII battles by retired generals and hungry history professors. What this book does well that the Ridley Scott movie of the same name does not is give you the sense of being there as though you were one of the Rangers. "Predicament" is an understatement when you live, eat, breathe your fellow men day in and day out only to see their inner spirits darken in the clouds of dust and shrapnel and pierced flesh. This book is not visceral, actually. What you do get is the gamut of emotions--anger, frustration, fear, shock, determination--mostly from the perspective of the Rangers. The Epilogue is probably better than the Afterward if you want to stay away from the political dimension of BLACK HAWK DOWN's central struggle. And the Sources are quite amusing and enlightening.

CAVEATS: It's not a classic like the publisher's and reviewers' blurbs suggest. It feeds journalistic sensationalism without itself being rather sensational. It is difficult to rise above the journalistic mode without falling into the common trap of icky yucky sentimentality to reveal more than "just the facts, ma'am." I don't think Bowden ever intended to depart from the journalistic style. That is good in many ways, but it is not in some ways for me personally. After all, a journalist writes for a mass audience and has no business "getting intimate" with the reader. But if Bowden had done that, I'd give his contribution to the American bookshelf 5 stars.

Inside sources tell me the figure of 18 soldiers dead is off by a factor of almost 2. So, I'm not sure just how "true" this story is. It is accurate but very incomplete.

As told by Mark Bowden, the story of this struggle makes quite a case for the tyranny of democracy. From the decisions Bowden made, corroborating evidence "by majority," to life-and-death decisions made by senior commanders not on the ground but nevertheless an important element of the action, it is of course always difficult to be fair yet make a statement worth listening to or reading. For the soldiers, they fulfilled their duties admirably despite the odds: listening and executing is the pattern of their profession. But since Bowden is a journalist and tells this story in that style, matter-of-factly yet with minimal "human interest" expos&ecutes, the "rawness" of the events leaves something to be desired. I can follow who got hit by what and how and the immediate why, a certain intensity--an RPG here, a sniper there, the gauntlet of bullets that the Humvees went through. But when I searched my heart, I put a finger on that "something." I wanted to ask, Why is THIS story, especially the curious title, worth reading, that is, worth my attention span? We contemporaries are easily war weary yet, as humans have always been throughout time, our appetite for war and the stories that come out of the fighting are never satiated. Perhaps the only way for history to forgive is to forget. Perhaps also, though, forgiveness is not a factor in this story. Whenever I read military nonfiction, either straight history by historians and participants or by third-party storytellers who aim to be accurate, what my heart yearns is a "happy ending." Despite the carnage, despite the desperation, why should I continue to trust my fellow human beings after reading this story?

*** WARNING *** possible plot spoiler

The heart of the story, methinks, as well a credit to Bowden's storytelling for including it, deserves to be reprinted here in full (pp. 401-2 in the paperback edition). It is the message from former ambassador Robert Oakley to Aidid partly to negotiate pilot Mike Durant's release. The message sums up in words what American will signifies that armed troops could not:

"This is not a threat...."
"I have no plan for this, and I'll do everything I can to prevent it, but what will happen if a few weeks go by and Mr. Durant is not released? Not only will you lose any credit you may get now, but we will decide that we have to rescue him. I guarantee you we are not going to pay or trade for him any way, shape, or form.... So what we'll decide is we have to rescue him, and whether we have the right place or the wrong place, there's going to be a fight with your people. The minute the guns start again, all restraint on the U.S. side goes. Just look at the stuff coming in here now. An aircraft carrier, tanks, gunships...the works. Once the fighting starts, all this pent-up anger is going to be released. This whole part of the city will be destroyed, men, women, children, camels, cats, dogs, goats, donkeys, everything.... That would really be tragic for all of us, but that's what will happen."

That's not what eventually happened, thank goodness. Yet, BLACK HAWK DOWN itself is not redemptive. Don't forget that for ONE crucial man, Americans at the prime of their lives and scores of Somalis met their doom in one way or another, their life ended or they went on but never fully recovered from a certain disaster. And for ONE MORE man, American forces were prepared to level a city. For Somalia lives in Aidid as much as America in Durant. As Bowden aptly points out, if not Aidid, some other Somali would be in his place to be a thorn in America's side. But he does not say the same about American soldiers. Soldiers are dispensable from a political perspective. One is as interchangeable with another like parts of an M-16. That is a humbling fact of soldiering were it not for the name that wears the uniform. War is a dark thing but, methinks, we are not. At the scale of individual American soldiers and Somalis, I'm making a positive case for Bowden that I was able to glean a sense of the "better angels of our nature." At the scale of a story to be told and read, I did not find that better side. Now, I'm more likely to want to remember the names of the soldiers moreso than the title of the book. Perhaps for that reason alone, you should give this book 5 stars where I'm unwilling. The story is nonunique, but the persons involved were worth remembering. And that is a shame, for one goes to dying willingly knowing full well events are larger than the person.

Fast paced in the journalistic mode. Bowden obviously did his homework to piece together this story, and the reader should be grateful. This version is the true-ish (see caveats below) story of downed helicopters and Ranger and Delta units trapped on the dingy streets of an ocean-side African nation in October 1993. The overall mission to grab lieutenants of the local Sammi (Somali) warlord Aidid (perhaps eventually Aidid himself?) is the background upon which events unfold. The raid to one of his strongholds goes horribly wrong. The Americans are outnumbered by Somali militia. They are resented by Mogadishu's residents. They haven't been tested in this sort of anything-goes dirty fighting since Vietnam. The mission could have turned out like one of those successful hush-hush Panama escapades. But convoluted politics distract senior decision makers. Too many blind spots cripple the American soldiers on the ground. Inter-unit cultures clash and result in miscommunications. Even the youthful exuberance of the men, used to the tedium of ongoing training without serious engagement, all add to the tragedy that unfolds. And it is a tragedy, both for the Americans and the Somalis. The American soldiers fought bravely--but they fought desperately. And that's the heart of BLACK HAWK DOWN, a desperation of what it was like to be an American in uniform in a place and time Bowden doesn't want readers to forget.

FOR CIVILIANS: If you are not a serving member or retiree of the military, you might find this an excellent read. Bowden takes great care to make sure you can follow the action. Military-speak is there, of course, but they are explained in simple terms for the average citizen to understand. You don't have to know the difference between an M-60 and an M-14 to enjoy the human factor of this struggle. Exposition on operational, tactical, and strategic components of the battle are kept to a minimum yet enough there for you to understand how and why they possibly contributed to what went wrong and what went right.

FOR SERVICE MEMBERS: An active duty soldier said this was one of his all-time favorite books and suggested I read it. Now I can see why. It's not your droll read of WWII battles by retired generals and hungry history professors. What this book does well that the Ridley Scott movie of the same name does not is give you the sense of being there as though you were one of the Rangers. "Predicament" is an understatement when you live, eat, breathe your fellow men day in and day out only to see their inner spirits darken in the clouds of dust and shrapnel and pierced flesh. This book is not visceral, actually. What you do get is the gamut of emotions--anger, frustration, fear, shock, determination--mostly from the perspective of the Rangers. The Epilogue is probably better than the Afterward if you want to stay away from the political dimension of BLACK HAWK DOWN's central struggle. And the Sources are quite amusing and enlightening.

CAVEATS: It's not a classic like the publisher's and reviewers' blurbs suggest. It feeds journalistic sensationalism without itself being rather sensational. It is difficult to rise above the journalistic mode without falling into the common trap of icky yucky sentimentality to reveal more than "just the facts, ma'am." I don't think Bowden ever intended to depart from the journalistic style. That is good in many ways, but it is not in some ways for me personally. After all, a journalist writes for a mass audience and has no business "getting intimate" with the reader. But if Bowden had done that, I'd give his contribution to the American bookshelf 5 stars.

Inside sources tell me the figure of 18 soldiers dead is off by a factor of almost 2. So, I'm not sure just how "true" this story is. It is accurate but very incomplete.

As told by Mark Bowden, the story of this struggle makes quite a case for the tyranny of democracy. From the decisions Bowden made, corroborating evidence "by majority," to life-and-death decisions made by senior commanders not on the ground but nevertheless an important element of the action, it is of course always difficult to be fair yet make a statement worth listening to or reading. For the soldiers, they fulfilled their duties admirably despite the odds: listening and executing is the pattern of their profession. But since Bowden is a journalist and tells this story in that style, matter-of-factly yet with minimal "human interest" expos&ecutes, the "rawness" of the events leaves something to be desired. I can follow who got hit by what and how and the immediate why, a certain intensity--an RPG here, a sniper there, the gauntlet of bullets that the Humvees went through. But when I searched my heart, I put a finger on that "something." I wanted to ask, Why is THIS story, especially the curious title, worth reading, that is, worth my attention span? We contemporaries are easily war weary yet, as humans have always been throughout time, our appetite for war and the stories that come out of the fighting are never satiated. Perhaps the only way for history to forgive is to forget. Perhaps also, though, forgiveness is not a factor in this story. Whenever I read military nonfiction, either straight history by historians and participants or by third-party storytellers who aim to be accurate, what my heart yearns is a "happy ending." Despite the carnage, despite the desperation, why should I continue to trust my fellow human beings after reading this story?

*** WARNING *** possible plot spoiler

The heart of the story, methinks, as well a credit to Bowden's storytelling for including it, deserves to be reprinted here in full (pp. 401-2 in the paperback edition). It is the message from former ambassador Robert Oakley to Aidid partly to negotiate pilot Mike Durant's release. The message sums up in words what American will signifies that armed troops could not:

"This is not a threat...."
"I have no plan for this, and I'll do everything I can to prevent it, but what will happen if a few weeks go by and Mr. Durant is not released? Not only will you lose any credit you may get now, but we will decide that we have to rescue him. I guarantee you we are not going to pay or trade for him any way, shape, or form.... So what we'll decide is we have to rescue him, and whether we have the right place or the wrong place, there's going to be a fight with your people. The minute the guns start again, all restraint on the U.S. side goes. Just look at the stuff coming in here now. An aircraft carrier, tanks, gunships...the works. Once the fighting starts, all this pent-up anger is going to be released. This whole part of the city will be destroyed, men, women, children, camels, cats, dogs, goats, donkeys, everything.... That would really be tragic for all of us, but that's what will happen."

That's not what eventually happened, thank goodness. Yet, BLACK HAWK DOWN itself is not redemptive. Don't forget that for ONE crucial man, Americans at the prime of their lives and scores of Somalis met their doom in one way or another, their life ended or they went on but never fully recovered from a certain disaster. And for ONE MORE man, American forces were prepared to level a city. For Somalia lives in Aidid as much as America in Durant. As Bowden aptly points out, if not Aidid, some other Somali would be in his place to be a thorn in America's side. But he does not say the same about American soldiers. Soldiers are dispensable from a political perspective. One is as interchangeable with another like parts of an M-16. That is a humbling fact of soldiering were it not for the name that wears the uniform. War is a dark thing but, methinks, we are not. At the scale of individual American soldiers and Somalis, I'm making a positive case for Bowden that I was able to glean a sense of the "better angels of our nature." At the scale of a story to be told and read, I did not find that better side. Now, I'm more likely to want to remember the names of the soldiers moreso than the title of the book. Perhaps for that reason alone, you should give this book 5 stars where I'm unwilling. The story is nonunique, but the persons involved were worth remembering. And that is a shame, for one goes to dying willingly knowing full well events are larger than the person.

from the first page until the very last paragraph you'll find a taut action thriller..you'll almost feel the bullets whizzing by in this Somalia saga..and it's all true...what started out as a humanitarian rescue effort eventually escalated into a botched attempt to capture a warlord with Al Qaeda footprints all over the resistance effort before most Americans had ever heard of Al Qaeda..what could aptly be described as the first big battle of the war against terror..

from the first page until the very last paragraph you'll find a taut action thriller..you'll almost feel the bullets whizzing by in this Somalia saga..and it's all true...what started out as a humanitarian rescue effort eventually escalated into a botched attempt to capture a warlord with Al Qaeda footprints all over the resistance effort before most Americans had ever heard of Al Qaeda..what could aptly be described as the first big battle of the war against terror..

I would be concise about this thrilling book: It shows a modern combat in a dynamic narration that takes you in, without being an action novel. This is the real thing, very good written, and quite more catching that the movie, that is very well done. The Marines in my country watch the movie related to their urban combat training. A must read for any military student.

Outstanding account of this engagement. I have a close friend who was involved. From his account this is the way it went down.

"Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War" by Mark Bowden is about Operation Irene, better known as The Battle of Mogadishu. It became a running battle that went from October 3rd to the 4th in 1993 in Mogadishu, Somalia. Delta Force and Rangers soldiers were sent to arrest several of Mohammad Farrah Aidid's assistants. Not expecting any resistance they went in severely undermanned. Two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down and the men were reassigned to go and secure the crash sites. The 45 minutes mission became a harrowing 18 hour battle for their lives as almost everyone in the city picked up arms against the U.S. troopers and attacked them mercilessly. The book (unlike the movie) has no real solid protagonist through out, though I guess Staff Sergeant Eversman was supposed to be it. This battle was the most intense fire fight in American history since the Vietnam War, and that is a main reason that then President Clinton pulled the plug on the Somali aide program. For military buffs this is a must read. It is not about the planning stages (or the lack there of), but about how when it comes right down to it it's about the man beside you and not wanting to let him down. There were many heroes that day, Captain Steele (now colonel who is a lot of trouble right now in Iraq), Eversman, Specilist. Stebbins (who got some prison time later on for abusing his children), and almost everyone else there. Blackhawk pilot Mike Durant's ordeal after being shot down is detailed, and it actually humanizes the enemy somewhat as they cared for the man's injuries. The movie also down played the role of NATO in getting the troops out of the hot zone, but in the book they get their due recognition. The book, even though true story, is never dull, and some times you can actually feel the bullets whizzing past you. Aurthor Mark Bowden goes on to describe the 17 men who died that day, and the countless who were wounded so that you never forget that although the mission's objectives were met, the missionw as a failure. I also liked the problems that the mission had, like Rangers and Delta Force not able to work together out of pride, and how that actually hurt the mission (a problem still going on in the War on Terror). That is my problem with things right now, I guess. I see the same mistakes happening now (Operation Anaconda being prominent), and they've had a decade to fix it. "Blackhawk Down" is required reading for military officers; maybe they should not just read it, but understand what it's saying.

There are many amazing things about this book, Mark Bowden's 1999 account of a bloody battle in Mogadishu, Somalia that claimed the lives of 18 U.S. servicemen and hundreds of Somalian militia and civilians. Perhaps the most amazing for Bowden himself, given the unpretty nature of his tale, was how warmly "Black Hawk Down" was embraced by the U.S. military at all levels.

"Beyond the politics of the situation, beyond the critical debate over strategy and tactics, the story of what happened in Mogadishu resonates with the nobility of military service," Bowden writes in an afterword.

To which I can only add: Hell, yeah. The raid to capture two key lieutenants of a troublemaking Somalian warlord didn't start out as high-degree heroism, but as events rapidly deteriorated and a stirred-up local population decided to take up arms against the overseas invaders, something inside the Americans clicked and brought out something thought dormant since the end of World War II. Sure, they fought hard because they had to, but the way they remained calm, maintained battle integrity, and willingly and repeatedly laid themselves out on the line one for another is a stirring story.

The story of Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon alone is gulp-inducing, not just because of the sacrifice they knowingly laid down for their comrades but for the casual way they did so. Throughout his book, Bowden hones in on similarly brave deeds by men who, if surviving, have little explanation for why they acted so except that they didn't want to let down their buddies.

Bowden interviewed everyone he could for this book, and it shows. Events are described moment-by-moment in plain prose with a minimum of adjectives. Instead of a hundred pages of preamble, we start the story with the copters taking off for their target, a scene Bowden describes in a way that is vaguely, perhaps intentionally, reminiscent of Col. Kilgore's ride in "Apocalypse Now." For most of these soldiers, combat was something they only knew in movies until Oct. 3, 1993. That all changed in minutes, minutes Bowden slows down to the point the combat is as comprehensible as it can ever be.

What drove the Somalis to attack the soldiers, who were only trying to knock down someone who was starving most of them? Was it xenophobia, propaganda, or the narcotic herb so many of them chewed habitually? Bowden doesn't suggest many answers, they aren't really his to give, but he does note how intensely this played out. After a while, the U.S. troops stopped caring about who they shot, figuring anyone who didn't want to be there would have gotten out. I like to think of myself as sensitive, but after a while of reading I became pretty numb, too. The intensity of Bowden's story is all-consuming.

Judging from the reaction of the soldiers themselves, Bowden got matters close to the bone, a heartaching tale of guts and glory that eschews the patriotic boilerplate for something deeper. Especially now with so many in harm's way, this is worth a read.

A realistic depiction of the chaos and destruction of war.

I waited several years after seing the movie before picking up the book. In some ways the movie was better. Normally it is the other way around, but I suggest that you both watch the movie and read the book to gain a better understanding of the events.

Having spent a few weeks in Mogadishu, several months before the events depicted in this movie, I am still amazed at the anarchy and disregard for human life. Paul Howe touches on this a few times in the book when referring to civilians interacting with combatants (i.e. bringing them additional RPG rounds) and the use of human shields.

This country, over a decade after the events in the book, is still a real life version of "Lord of the Flies." Good book, good movie, terrible situation.

Having seen the movie numerous times and believing it to be the ultimate war/anti-war film, I decided to read the novel on which the movie was based. I was not disappointed because the novel seems to create a movie in ones brain and you find yourself in the boots of those young men fighting for their lives. It is a novel about a brotherhood of soliders who when placed in a desperate situation had only each other to rely on. It also is a story about how a super power that put men on the Moon and circled Mars with a space vehicle, couldn't direct a convoy of vehicles a matter of yards. A tremendous read and given our situation in Iraq, a very topical story.

A good book and story that needed to told, the movie can lets you see the action better, but book makes you see the men as heroes.

It should come as no news flash that this is a fine piece of journalism. After you've read it, which shouldn't take long, you might think that you blasted out of Mogadishu with Delta Force on the "Day of the Rangers".

Beyond the entertainment value, BHD will help provide context to the current events happening in Somalia.

I also highly recommend Bowden's "Killing Pablo".

Blackhawk Down follows the harrowing story of a two-day battle that took place in the remote town of Mogadishu in October '93. The description of the Americans and the Somali people is detailed and interesting. It is amazing to read how an actual battle took place. The book is full of gore and human suffering, which proved to be a real eye-opener for me. This is probably the most violent book I've ever read (or in my case listened to), but the message is powerful. Out there beyond our country we have soldiers fighting battles we might not even be aware of, but the battles are important nonetheless. Lives are important and we have soldiers risking theirs that we may live ours. My respect for the military went up several notches after experiencing this book.

I listened to this in audio book format. I couldn't find it being sold on Amazon so maybe it isn't available anymore. Still, I'm going to have to say this is probably a better book to read than listen to. The violent descriptions and the frequent use of the F-bomb doesn't make for the happiest of listening. Not to mention the man who voiced the book sounded robotic. I didn't really feel emotionally tied to anyone until near the end probably due to the passionless drone of the guy reading it. Also with all the different soldiers it was hard to keep up with their names, something that would most likely be easier if I'd just picked it up and read it.

Having seen the movie, I decided to read the book. And it is much more detailed and provides a lot more background info than the movie had time for. With close to 100 American Rangers and Delta Force soldiers involved in the early hours of combat, the book does a surprisingly good job of covering each fighting group's experiences. Unlike the movie, it also provides background info on and perspective of some of the Somalian fighters engaged. Essentially, the American contigent of Delta and Rangers was given the White House-initiated mission of capturing the de facto ruler of Mogadishu (Mog) and former Somali general, Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Over the preceding two months in Mog, this team (led by Gen. Garrison) had completed five other snatch and grab missions. They managed to capture some of Aidid's key lieutenants, but always missed collaring Aidid himself. On this, their sixth, mission things went badly wrong. I have a very strong suspicion that Garrison's team fell into a monstrous ambush orchestrated by Aidid. I'll leave it to the other reviewers to describe the frantic and relentless combat that the Delta/Ranger team had to face. This team had a nearly impossible mission recklessly dictated by policians ignorant of the extremely adverse odds in Mog. The team's ability to extract itself from a potential overwhelming disaster confirms the strength of their moral and mental discipline. Also vindicated is the use of their body armor and ceramic plates. Less reassuring was the political leadership, unit discipline, and inter-Allied coordination. With over 12 years of hindsight, it is hard to imagine why the US ever placed troops in Mog in the first place. (Read the Weinberger Doctrine that should have been followed.) I highly recommend the book. Mark Bowden, the author, did an outstanding job in capturing the personalities, the frenetic combat, and the unremitting danger this brave, elite team faced.

Marina Kushner
Author
The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote It Deceive Us and What We Can Do about It

Mr. Bowden is one of the greatest authors dealing with documentaries on this subject. Again, he descibes in detail what happened on the ground on that dreadful operation and soldiers that read this can clearly see the lessons learned in comparison to modern day operations. Mr. Bowdens ability to describe in articulate detail gives the reader the twisted feeling of actually being shot at without the rounds whizzing by your head. I truly couldnt put this book down!!!!

This is the true grit of war. People should read this for a greater appreciation of what our milary goes through. Their sacrifices are made to protect our freedoms.

In due course we will all die. But when we die, let us resolve that we shall have died confident that those who follow us will live freely; and that they, living as free men and women, will be grateful that at the threatened night, the blood of our forefathers ran strong.

Black Hawk Down is one extremely fast paced book. It's one of those books you simply cannot put down. The last chapter explained what many viewed as a Clinton Administration errors and why the United States has not helped as much recently in the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa is where barbaric clans rule the lands and the local, state, and national governments rule little if any.

This is a great book about infantry combat, courage and self-sacrifice. It is also a reflection of the outstanding army we had in 1993; before it was destroyed by perfumed princes and feminization. This is a book you want all prospective soldiers to read before they sign on the dotted line. The army is not about college money, day care, maternity BDU's and consideration of others training. It's about combat. There is no greater salute to the brave Delta Force troopers and Rangers than Mark Bowden's book.

I just got done reading this book cover to cover at the beach. What a gripping read. Although I haven't seen the movie, I did see a very nice 2 hour piece on the History Channel that Bowden participated in and included a lot of interviews with the Rangers from Task Force Ranger. I was worried it may have "spoiled" the book. It didn't.

This is a great book that should really be required reading. For some reason, this battle has been cast as some sort of disaster for the US. The performance of the Rangers and Delta Force was amazing. What heroism!

Black Hawk Down Penguin Group, 2000, 392 pp.
Mark Bowden ISBN 0140288503

In the dry and arid desert climate in Mogadishu, U.S. troops try to take down some high-ranking terrorist officials. Their once simple mission turns into chaos as one of their Black Hawk helicopters is shot out of the sky. This leads to an epic rescue mission, in which many lives are sacrificed. The intensity picks up as the town's people start to overtake the small amount of troops, and backups are late in arrival.
This book was really fun to read because of it authenticity. It is very dramatic and intense, and to think that it really happened is hard to believe. This is a great classic book that I recommend to anyone who likes action and fun reading.

Even if you've seen the movie, the book is definately worth reading. I have read many accounts of military combat, and this is one of the best such books out there. Intense action throughout.

The author goes to great lengths to get his facts straight. For example, the book is based largely on interviews with people who were actually there. At first, when reading the book, I was skeptical when the author would tell the reader what someone in the story was thinking--I wondered how he could know that. But he actually found out what those people were thinking by interviewing them. Everything in quotations represents the actual words somebody said (often taken from radio recordings made by the military). The author also went to Somolia to interview soldiers who fought against the Americans to get their side of the story. He was the only American journalist to visit the scene of the battle for years afterwards.

Mark Bowden's critically-acclaimed bestseller BLACK HAWK DOWN tells the tale of the famous Battle of Mogadishu, which occured on October 3, 1993 in Mogadishu, Somalia. 100 American Army Rangers were backing up a group of Delta Force commandoes in an attempt to capture two senior lieutenants of the Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The mission was supposed to take an hour and be relatively simple. Instead, the soldiers found themselves under attack by much of the city's population, which consisted of thousands of furious Somalis. 18 U.S. soldiers were killed in the fierce firefight which ensued; it's estimated that more than a thousand Somalis were killed. During the firefight, two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. The troops already on the ground rushed to save those in the downed helicopters, while Somali troops closed in on them. After the battle, President Clinton ordered the U.S. troopers withdrawn from Somalia and the whole bloody mess ended.

The author of BLACK HAWK DOWN, Mark Bowden, is a journalist who has worked on the Philadelphia Inquirer since 1979. Part of what makes this book so very impressive is the fact that, prior to working on BLACK HAWK DOWN, Bowden had hardly any experience with the military. He interviewed those involved in the Battle of Mogadishu, read official reports, listened to recorded radio transmissions, and watched video footage in his attempt to recreate the vicious battle between the Americans and the Somalis. Yet this book, which - as far as style goes - has more in common with a work of fiction than a historical piece, makes it seem as though Bowden was right there alongside the troops in their fight. Bowden pays attention to the details, and it pays off: this book really puts you in the moment. BLACK HAWK DOWN seems even more vivid due to Bowden's description of each person involved. I felt like I knew these brave men, and because of that, it hit me even harder every time one was in trouble.

I was surprised by just how riveting BLACK HAWK DOWN is. Bowden's writing is truly superb, and quite moving as well. He tells the story from the viewpoint of the soldiers involved, the strategists and politicians back home, the families of those killed, and the Somalis present at the scene of the battle. Each side is treated equally. Bowden's descriptions of the grisly firefight are horrific, and his descriptions of the aftermath are extremely touching. BLACK HAWK DOWN is a very impressive work of non-fiction. Highly recommended.

If you like war stories, this is one to read. It is action packed from the begining. I seen the movie and I would still read the book again, it feels like you're there when you are reading it. Two thumbs and a toe up!

I avoided this book for a good long while. While I read military history, for a long time I thought I didn't like modern stuff (post Korean War) much at all. I've recently discovered that what I disliked, at least in part, was the Cold War. Now that that's over, I can read about other modern conflicts, and they seem interesting to me. There are lessons to be learned, insights to be gotten, things to be observed.

Black Hawk Down recounts the famously bloody battle in Mogadishu where 18 US Army Rangers, Delta Force "operators" and aviators were killed by an angry mob of Somali "fighters" who were upset because their clan hadn't been chosen by the US and the UN to run the country. The army decided to launch a lightning strike to capture a couple of key men in that faction, and the resulting firefight was one of the most prolonged and violent in recent American history. Out of a force of 150 personel, 18 were killed and about 70 wounded. Those are casualties of close to 60%, which are very heavy under any circumstances. Approximately 500, perhaps more, Somalis were killed, both "fighters" and locals caught in the crossfire.

The operation was ultimately a failure, in that the Pentagon, Congress, and the White House all lost faith in the mission and shut down the American military involvement in the country. The one American taken prisoner was released without conditions a week and a half after the fight, and all American forces were withdrawn within a month.

The book recounts the operation with a you-are-there intensity and immediacy which is remarkable. It also has the authentic feel of something that really happened, recounted as it actually occurred. Usually with a book like this (especially one written by a reporter) there are telling little details that are inaccurate. Here, if such occorred I didn't see it. Instead, the author tells the men's story as carefully and respectfully as he can, and the result is frankly riveting.

This is a depressing story, and I don't think it's appropriate to speak of enjoying the book. It's very well-written, however, and the author does a good job of conveying the course and results of the battle to the reader. Highly recommended.

A detailed and gripping read of the 1993 Mogadishu catastrophy, though heavily censored. Bowden apparently decided to omit accounts of U.S. forces resorting to using Somalis as human shields, and the excessive civilian toll that resorted from the wild street battles in favor of a tale more palatable to American patriotic sensibilities. Nevertheless, Bowden's accounts of ground combat are intense and vivid, and one comes away with great admiration for the men on the ground who did their utmost to help each other make it out alive, and the spectacular idiocy of the entire chain of command that conceived and executed and ordered this catastrophe, from the White House down to the commander at the scene. The dedication and commitment of the troops on the ground is heart-breaking. If only the same could be said of our failing leadership, then, and now.

I read "Black Hawk Down" a year before I saw the motion picture. After watching the movie (which i thought was very well done) i re-read the book. Although the movie attempted to be as true to life as possible that was simply not a possibility. They blended people and changed locations and situations to make a movie with a plot that is able to be followed. Mark Bowden wrote his book to be a rough time line and running story of what happened in the events. It is easily read and understood despite his habit of bouncing from place to place rapidly. I suggest that anyone who saw and enjoyed the movie read the book for it gives a much more accurate but equally exciting version of the events that took place in Somalia.

Having seen the movie, I decided to read the book. And it is much more detailed and provides a lot more background info than the movie had time for. With close to 100 American Rangers and Delta Force soldiers involved in the early hours of combat, the book does a surprisingly good job of covering each fighting group's experiences. Unlike the movie, it also provides background info on and perspective of some of the Somalian fighters engaged.

Essentially, the American contigent of Delta and Rangers was given the White House-initiated mission of capturing the de facto ruler of Mogadishu (Mog) and former Somali general, Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Over the preceding two months in Mog, this team (led by Gen. Garrison) had completed five other snatch and grab missions. They managed to capture some of Aidid's key lieutenants, but always missed collaring Aidid himself. On this, their sixth, mission things went badly wrong. I have a very strong suspicion that Garrison's team fell into a monstrous ambush orchestrated by Aidid.

I'll leave it to the other reviewers to describe the frantic and relentless combat that the Delta/Ranger team had to face. This team had a nearly impossible mission recklessly dictated by policians ignorant of the extremely adverse odds in Mog. The team's ability to extract itself from a potential overwhelming disaster confirms the strength of their moral and mental discipline. Also vindicated is the use of their body armor and ceramic plates. Less reassuring was the political leadership, unit discipline, and inter-Allied coordination. With over 12 years of hindsight, it is hard to imagine why the US ever placed troops in Mog in the first place. (Read the Weinberger Doctrine that should have been followed.)

I highly recommend the book. Mark Bowden, the author, did an outstanding job in capturing the personalities, the frenetic combat, and the unremitting danger this brave, elite team faced. (After reading the book, I am truly in awe of the Delta Force operators.)

The book Black Hawk Down was a really good book. I liked it because I'm already a fan of war books and this one by far is one of the best war books I have ever read. It was full of supence and action. Also the book was very detailed it makes you feel like your there and you can actully see whats going on. So over all I loved this book and recomed it to anyone remotly interested in it.

This compelling book does everything but put you in Somalia. Black Hawk Down is about the 1992 war in Somalia, when the United States invaded Somalia to take dictator Mohamed Farrah Aidid out of power. The gruesome war scenes in this book make war seem like hell on Earth.

Black Hawk Down depicts many "journies" that the American Rangers, SEAL, Delta Force, and other special forces go through. There are some graphic scenes that make you visualize awful and terrible attacks. This book portrays some intelligent tactics of the U.S. Army, and Black Hawk Down also describes the high level of training these soldiers go through.

When I first saw this book I couldn't wait to read it and once I started I couldn't put it down. Some parts of this book are not exactly "G" Rated, but that shouldn't keep you from reading this. I've always wanted to read about war and I have imagined what it would be like, and Black Hawk Down does an amazing job of bringing war to life. This book is not an easy read, it is about 300 pages, 400 including the epilogue, and there are some large vocabulary words in it. But it's worth it to pick this one up, and I promise it will hold your attention.

By 1993, America was the number one superpower in the world. It had the best and the biggest weapons. Modern warfare was understood to consist of extensive planning and the best technology available. But it was Robert Burns who said "the best laid plans of mice and men..." No one expected, therefore, that things would go as drastically wrong as they did in October 1993, when American troops in Somali found themselves besieged by mobs of civilians in what began as a routine mission to apprehend local warlords. An elite unit of U.S. Army Rangers was surrounded by hundreds of gunmen, and two helicopters, the best that the U.S. could produce, were shot down. How the Rangers made it through this ordeal and got back home is the heart of this story. Journalist Mark Bowden was with the Rangers, and his account of modern warfare is a fascinating account that you won't soon put down. In some ways, what happened in Somalia in 1993 was a precursor of the kind of fighting the American military would be doing in Afghanistan and Iraq, as such, this book has a new relevance. Very well done!

BlackHawk Down was a great book. The reason i thInk this is because it was writen in a way that it put you in the action, it made me feel like i was there in the middle of a war.
Another reason i liked this book is because it went almost exactly with the movie, and when i read a book i like to be able to watch the movie and there not be a big difference between it and the book. Also not only did the events follow along with each-other there were alot of the same words and the book used alot of detail in sense that it used the abbreviations the army does, it used the same weapons, and the same names of the people who were actually in the war. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

RYAN CARNEY