No True Glory

A Frontline Account

By: Bing West

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Fallujah: Iraq's most dangerous city unexpectedly emerged as the major battleground of the Iraqi insurgency. For 20 months, one American battalion after another tried to quell the violence, culminating in a bloody, full-scale assault. Victory came at a terrible price: 151 Americans and thousands of Iraqis were left dead.

The epic battle for Fallujah revealed the startling connections between policy and combat that are a part of the new reality of war.

The Marines had planned to slip into Fallujah "as soft as fog". But after four American contractors were brutally murdered, President Bush ordered an attack on the city, against the advice of the Marines. The assault sparked a political firestorm, and the Marines were forced to withdraw amid controversy and confusion, only to be ordered a second time to take a city that had become an inferno of hate and the lair of the archterrorist al-Zarqawi.

Based on months spent with the battalions in Fallujah and hundreds of interviews at every level (senior policymakers, negotiators, generals, and soldiers and Marines on the front lines) No True Glory is a testament to the bravery of the American soldier and a cautionary tale about the complex, and often costly, interconnected roles of policy, politics, and battle in the twenty-first century.

©2005 Bing West (P)2005 Books on Tape

great book!

one of the best ones yet. the narrator made me fill as though I knew these Marines personally. there were times I found myself on the edge of my seat. I would literally cringe when one of the Marines would go down and joyfully raise my fist in the air and loudly give a " Hell yea! " when the guys would close with and destroy the enemy. I'll be adding this one to my library and I strongly recommend that you do the same. Semper fi and God speed my brothers.

Courage and Insanity

Great Book. Gives a phenomenal background on the Battle of Fallujah and details many stories of individual courage displayed by American Infantrymen. All in the midst of chaotic, disorganized and disastrous political decisions made by their superiors in Baghdad & Washington.

This is a must read book!

If you are as sick as I am of the press not providing adequate coverage of the heros still fighting in Iraq today, then you must read this book! It is well written and well read. Well worth purchasing.

Incredible

A grueling account of a battle that had to be fought against an enemy that needed to be defeated.

Excellent

This was a great listen well documented account of the battle for this pivotal city in Iraq. You never hear about the brave soldiers and the intense fighting that went on. Well read and well written this is something everyone should listen to no matter what side of the issue you are on. The Author gives you a wide view of all that went into the decision making process to under take this fight.

Very well detailed and objective.

A must read by anyone interested in the subject of American combat in Iraq. One of the best in my opinion.

a perspective for history books

Not just a 1st person perspective of the battle but an equal historical perspective of the politics surrounding it.

great

good book. decent narration. lots of individual battle stories wrapped together with an overview of the way the generals and field commanders points of view on the events leading to the second battle of Fallujah. I've listened to it numerous times.

No True Glory (Unabridged)

I got this book because I'd read The March Up by the same authors. I found the book riveting in its portrayal of the gritty details of the battle of Faluja. Anyone who has a position on the war should read this book. I found it illuminating, troubling and ultimately affirming of the character of the American fighting man. Regardless of your politics you come away recognizing the courage and sacrifice of the grunt on the ground.

Excellent

This was a very enlightening read. I learned much that the press never covered. I felt frustration at the indecision that came from the Brass out of Washington DC who sat in comfort instead of the hot desert sands The narrative flows at times like a documentary and like at times like a novel but the two come together without distraction. The narration was very well done. At the limited times of 'combat conversation'' Mr. Dean did not try to give voices to each person which in this case I thought was the best approach. I thought it very well worth a credit. And at some later date will probably listen to it again just to keep the facts straight.