Best History eBooks of Military Weapons

Drawing on his unmatched firearms knowledge and combat experience, Kyle carefully chose ten guns to help tell his story: the American long rifle, Spencer repeater, Colt .45 revolver, Winchester rifle, Springfield 1903 rifle, Thompson sub-machine gun, 1911 pistol, M1 Garand, .38 Special police revolver, and the M-16 rifle platform Kyle himself used as a SEAL. No matter how much danger he faced, we always knew Chris would come out alive with an awesome story filled with close calls. He exemplified each word of the SEAL Creed, and he deserves the highest honor and respect for what he put on the line to keep his brothers safe from the enemy. Whether he sat high on a rooftop taking out the enemy threatening his teammates, or if he was fighting side-by-side with a Marine platoon, his mission was always clear: “draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect his brothers.”. I am so glad to see this important book, American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms , come to life, because it meant so much to Chris to get it completed. Lastly, y’all should know Taya and their kids receive the author proceeds of American Gun , so buy this awesome book in bulk and share with friends. Bestselling author Kyle (American Sniper) was putting the final touches on this discerning study of 10 firearms—completed by his widow and Doyle—that changed the course of warfare when he was killed at a gun range. Corral and the Battle of Cowpens during the American Revolution, recounting close calls, colossal errors, and the weapons that gave one side a key advantage over another.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is informative based on the firearms selected and an easy enjoyable read."
"While the ten guns chosen (American Long Rifle, Spencer Repeater, Colt Single-Action Army Revolver, Winchester 1873 Rifle, M1903 Springfield, M1911 Pistol, Thompson Sub-machine Gun, M1 Garand, .38 Special and M16) are sure to be a source of argument (why one firearm was chosen over another), Kyle justified his choices with plenty of stories/accounts of the guns in action. I personally enjoyed reading the chapter on the “Wild West” and detailed account of the infamous shootouts and the guns associated with them. The chapters covering the twentieth century are obviously heavily associated with US involvement in World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam and many of the accompanying story-lines are Medal of Honor citations."
"Enjoyed the book."
"I never stopped to realize how much of our history and freedom that we enjoy is a direct result of the fact that we had superior guns."
"If every history book were like this, you wouldn't be able to beat the kids away fighting to sign up for history classes in schools."
"Purchased this for my husband who is interested in guns, and he loved the easy-to-read writing style."
"I purchased this book for my Dad after he read American Sniper."
"I've been into firearms for 50 years and have shot everything from .22 CB caps to .458 Win."

Top cybersecurity journalist Kim Zetter tells the story behind the virus that sabotaged Iran’s nuclear efforts and shows how its existence has ushered in a new age of warfare—one in which a digital attack can have the same destructive capability as a megaton bomb. For Stuxnet, as it came to be known, was unlike any other virus or worm built before: Rather than simply hijacking targeted computers or stealing information from them, it escaped the digital realm to wreak actual, physical destruction on a nuclear facility. "Exhaustively researched...Zetter gives a full account of this “hack of the century,” as the operation has been called, [but] the book goes well beyond its ostensible subject to offer a hair-raising introduction to the age of cyber warfare." “A true techno-whodunit [that] offers a sharp account of past mischief and a glimpse of things to come…Zetter writes lucidly about mind-numbingly technical matters, reveling in the geekery of malware and espionage, and she takes the narrative down some dark electronic corridors… Governments, hackers and parties unknown are launching ticking computer time bombs every day, all coming to a laptop near you.”. -- Kirkus.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It also went into detail about the history of attacks on industrial machinery and the hypothetical concerns that are present in the future of this threat given the current infrastructure in place and what's being done on a public level to mitigate the risks."
"It's a current history book (yes, with real facts, notes and references) written by a competent investigative journalist."
"Complete linkage with the work done by David Albright's team at ISIS--which has been providing detailed tracking information on Iran's nuclear activities--is also an integral part of the narrative."
""Countdown to Zero Day" reads like a fictional thriller, yet is obviously a real story."
"The critics reviews of this book stole all the great adjectives, but I will echo that this book is alarming, mesmerizing, compelling and add that I believe this is a rallying cry for the digital protest movement."
"A must-read for anybody who is interested in understanding why those in the know positively shudder upon consideration of the effects of cyber war."
"I haven't read it all yet, but this book is very easy to follow if you are into the subject (and engaging enough that even if you are not that familiar, you could very likely find it interesting enough to keep reading)."
"I had a basic understanding after reading articles about stuxnet in NYTimes and arstechnica and I feel that I am fairly abreast of current events but this book offers a deeper perspective and narrative showing me the exact details involved in how the events unfolded."

The untold story of an eccentric Wall Street tycoon and the circle of scientific geniuses he assembled before World War II to develop the science for radar and the atomic bomb. "He was too complex to categorize--financier, philanthropist, society figure, physicist, inventor, amateur, dilettante--a contradiction in terms," writes Conant. Tuxedo Park is an important book about the development of military technology in the United States; admirers of The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes and similar titles won't want to miss it. In 1928, he established a premier research facility in Tuxedo Park, N.Y., that attracted such brilliant minds as Einstein, Bohr and Fermi and became instrumental in the Allies' WWII victory. Through Conant's spare, unobtrusive prose and well-paced storytelling, Loomis emerges as a contradictory man who craved scientific accomplishment and influence, but rarely took credit for himself.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"One of the most compelling accounts I've ever read."
"Although I was vaguely aware of Alfred Loomis, it was the somewhat misleading reference to "Los Alamos" (in which I have a great interest) that caused me to buy this book."
"I love books about history and was very surprised that I was unfamiliar with Alfred Loomis, an extraordinary person who had a huge important role in both Science and World War 2."
"There is a certain frisson at the manner in which corners were cut in order to get the deals done, how some families and companies benefited simply because of contacts."
"The U.S. (and other countries) did an amazing number of creative and vital things in WW2."
"The principa person in the book was higly accomplished and never stinted with his wealth to aid in the progess of science."
"Just imagine the reaction if scientists from all across the nation suddenly just dropped out of sight...."
Best Conventional Weapons & Warfare History

This is the preliminary book to help you understand fundamental concepts such as MOA vs Mils and external ballistics, that can be like a trusted resource at the range. The author has a series of online instructional videos known for their ability to take seemingly complex areas of long range shooting and breaking them down so that they're easy to understand. The author has a series of online instructional videos known for their ability to take seemingly complex areas of long range shooting and breaking them down so that they're easy to understand. "Whether you're looking to dip a toe into the complex world of long range shooting, or you're a seasoned shooter with years of trigger time, Ryan Cleckner's book will prove to be excellent reference material. Whether you're looking to dip a toe into the complex world of long range shooting, or you're a seasoned shooter with years of trigger time, Ryan Cleckner's book will prove to be excellent reference material. Author Ryan Cleckner is unmatched in long distance accuracy and in this fantastic book, he tells us how it's done. While the subject of this book is hitting a target way out there with a heavier caliber super accurate rifle a small game hunter could even be blessed by this information. For law enforcement and citizens who want to be prepared for any long distance occasion, this book is absolutely a must read. Ryan Cleckner served as a special operations sniper team leader with the U.S. Army's elite 1st Ranger Bn. Ryan has a series of online instructional videos known for their ability to explain complex topics in a simple and digestible way.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Long Range Shooting Handbook gives a clear-cut, no B.S approach and explanation to the fundamentals of long range shooting. Another thing to note is that many books on this subject which are introductory level, which the Long Range Shooting Handbook is meant to be, spend the whole book saying, "In (book, course, etc.). The cover should read, "An extremely comprehensive handbook guide to long range shooting." The Long Range Shooting Handbook will be the absolute best purchase decision you've made for you shooting gear bag in quite some time."
"Alot of things I know or thought " I had known" were cleared up in the long range shooting handbook and its not all written like a powerpoint slideshow."
"Learned a lot from first read, some memories of Military training evoked."
"This is the easiest book to read on long range shooting."
"The pic is a 3 shot group out of a factory Savage LRP .260 at 1250yrds., that I made, using the same info that Ryan has given in his book."
"Ryan can explain complex information and decision making in a common sense way that makes the conclusion appear obvious, therefore easy to remember and apply."
"Ryan shares with the reader the fundamentals that will develop consistent long range shots."
"Then I found out about this book by Cleckner that was published in January 2016."
Best Nuclear Weapons & Warfare History

In Three Days in January , Bret Baier masterfully casts the period between Eisenhower’s now-prophetic farewell address on the evening of January 17, 1961, and Kennedy’s inauguration on the afternoon of January 20 as the closing act of one of modern America’s greatest leaders—during which Eisenhower urgently sought to prepare both the country and the next president for the challenges ahead. Ike looked to the future, warning Americans against the dangers of elevating partisanship above national interest, excessive government budgets (particularly deficit spending), the expansion of the military-industrial complex, and the creeping political power of special interests. “Bret Baier has given history a great gift: a riveting account of Dwight Eisenhower’s determination to call on his vast experience to prepare America for the perils of the new war--the cold war.” (Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation ). “Captures the essence of Ike’s leadership style. Three Days in January is a great read.” (Susan Eisenhower, CEO and Chairman of The Eisenhower Group, Inc. and Chairman Emeritus at the Eisenhower Institute of Gettysburg College). “Bret Baier’s Three Days in January brilliantly illuminates the genius and intrigue behind Eisenhower’s historic Farewell Address. ... Three Days in January is the BEST book on Eisenhower to appear in a very long time.” (DAVID EISENHOWER, Director, the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Public Service, and author of Eisenhower: At War , a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History). In this acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Bret Baier illuminates the extraordinary yet underappreciated presidency of Dwight Eisenhower by taking readers into Ike’s last days in power. Baier masterfully casts the period between Eisenhower’s now-prophetic farewell address on the evening of January 17, 1961, and Kennedy’s inauguration on the afternoon of January 20 as the closing act of one of modern America’s greatest leaders — during which Eisenhower urgently sought to prepare both the country and the next president for the challenges ahead.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In this absorbing historical story of transition of presidential power, during one of the most perilous times in our country's history, Baier brings to life the aspirations, hopes and concerns of a president (Eisenhower) in a generational shift in leadership to JFK."
"This book will give you a great respect for the Greatest Generation, as well as a fresh outlook on our world today."
"And I like the way he brought in our newest president and the forthcoming inauguration."
"As a lover of current affairs, Bret has written a captivating account of the transition of power to JFK, during a perilous time in our country."
"Very insightful and a wonderful look back!"
"An excellent book that summarizes the presidency of Dwight Eisenhower and analyzes the transition from from Ike to JFK."
"Given my understanding of the man from reading this book, I think he would not mind the fact that his legacy was overshadowed, but would most of all, want people to understand the difficulty of the presidency is and what a team effort in the White House should be and how important that piece is."
"This is a succinct, but thorough review of the presidency of Dwight Eisenhower, told based upon his last three days in office, prior the presidency of John F. Kennedy."
Best Biological & Chemical Warfare History

In The Demon in the Freezer , his first nonfiction book since The Hot Zone , a #1 New York Times bestseller, Richard Preston takes us into the heart of Usamriid, the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland, once the headquarters of the U.S. biological weapons program and now the epicenter of national biodefense. Jahrling is leading a team of scientists doing controversial experiments with live smallpox virus at CDC. For example, since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the subsequent end of its biological weapons program, a sizeable amount of the former Soviet Union's smallpox stockpile remains unaccounted for, leading to fears that the virus has fallen into the hands of nations or terrorist groups willing to use it as a weapon. This disturbing reality is the focus of this fascinating, terrifying, and important book. Based on extensive interviews with smallpox experts, health workers, and members of the U.S. intelligence community, The Demon in the Freezer details the history and behavior of the virus and how it was eventually isolated and eradicated by the heroic individuals of the World Health Organization. Some worry that further testing will trigger a biological arms race, while others argue that more research is necessary since there are currently too few available doses of the vaccine to deal with a major outbreak. Officially, yes, nods Preston, who devotes the first half of the book to the valorous attempt by an army of volunteers to wipe out the virus (an attempt initially sparked by '60s icon Ram Dass and his Indian guru) via strategic vaccination; in 1977 the last case of naturally occurring smallpox was documented in Somalia, and today the variola virus exists officially in only two storage depots, in Russia and at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta (in the freezer of the title).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Although natural smallpox does not exist, the US and Russia have maintained frozen smallpox."
"Unlike nation-state attempts to produce material for nuclear weapons, bio-weapons do not require the scale or leave the signatures of nuclear material production. The author does a great job in describing the process of taking an already deadly threat and engineering it into an even more dangerous threat using commonly available technology and knowledge. Forget the massive arrays of centrifuges needed for production of weapons grade nuclear materials. The balance, perhaps 65 people were distributed to trauma centers up to 50 miles away due to the vastly reduced capability of the regional trauma centers to deal with more than the normal day to day crash and gunshot victims."
"I have read other books by this author -- notably "The Hot Zone" -- and can recommend him highly."
"The author believes that this is a an error because it is possible now to engineer the virus so it can overcome vaccinations."
"This book is flat out scary at times, the cover particularly caught my gaze and I wasn't prepared for the story but I can't fault the author because the book has changed how I look at the control efforts now and the dangers we face."
"Although the book talks about the anthrax attacks after 9/11, the government's response, and the science behind it to try to contain the problem, and find the culprits, it really is about smallpox."