# Nonfiction about modern combat

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 13, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854 "2016-09-13T14:34:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854/1 "2016-09-13T14:34:37Z")

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I just finished a fantastic [memoire](https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Marshes-Other-Occupational-Hazards/dp/0156032791) about the British Occupation of Iraq circa 2003-2006. Most of the book was about the political dynamics in Southern Iraq. But there were also a few stories about combat that I thought were interesting, as told from the perspective of a veteran but without the bullshit you find in a lot of the genre. It reminded me a little of the documentary _Restrepo_.

I’m interested in other first-person accounts of combat at the squad or at most company level in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know there’s a ton of it out there, but I don’t really know which of it is dreck and which of it is worth reading. What’s good?

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854/2 "2016-09-13T18:08:01Z")

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\*Generation Kill \*is quite good, and was made into an HBO series.

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854/3 "2016-09-13T18:26:41Z")

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Not quite so recent, but _Blackhawk Down_ by Mark Bowden is excellent.

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**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854/4 "2016-09-13T18:27:54Z")

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House to House

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**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854/5 "2016-09-13T19:44:54Z")

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The Outpost - Jake Tapper - long and detailed and made me wonder just how incompetent some of our military leaders are. Truly heroic soldiers in an untenable position.

Victory Point - Ed Darack - a broader look at the larger story surrounding the Lone Survivor incident. More bungling at pretty high levels.

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**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854/6 "2016-09-14T17:35:43Z")

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House to House by David Bellavia was very good with lots of combat stories.

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonfiction-about-modern-combat/765854/7 "2016-09-15T00:13:15Z")

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Thanks for the suggestions. I picked up House to House. Well-written so far.