About the Author

Thomas E. Ricks is The Washington Post's senior Pentagon correspondent. A member of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams for national reporting, he has reported on U.S. military activities in Somalia, Haiti, Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Kuwait, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq and A Soldier's Duty.

Reviews

"A thousand years from now, a historian looking at the U.S. military will do well to cite Ricks's book." --USA Today "An important book...essential reading for anyone who cares about the role of the military in America." --The Washington Post Book World "Anyone reading this book cannot help but think that America has many lessons to learn from the Marines." --Chicago Tribune "The most unique aspect of the Marine Corps -- its enduring culture -- has made it a renowned fighting force and endearded it to generations of alumni. Thomas E. Ricks has captured the essence of this legendary organization." --Frederick W. Smith, Captain, USMC 1966-1970, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Federal Express "More vividly than any outsider in recent memory, Tom Ricks has given us an acutely analyzed look at how the Marines have sustained themselves as the finest organization this country has ever produced. This is a book filled with insight and compassion, marked by respect for those who serve, and yet told from the questioning perspective of a first-rate reporter." --James Webb, Former Secretary of the Navy and author of Fields of Fire