Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of an American Warrior
Duringa nearly forty-year career in the United States Army, Hugh Shelton has been known as a straight shooter—when he speaks he means what he says. Whether serving under a Democratic president or a Republican president, whether in a war that was popular at home or not, Hugh Shelton gave all he had, and asked nothing less of the men and women who worked for him. Politically...more
Audio CD, Abridged, 0 pages
Published
October 12th 2010
by Macmillan Audio
(first published September 28th 2010)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
184)
I must start off by saying that I met Hugh Shelton and his wife, Carolyn, and they are two of the nicest people I have ever met. As one who has always had respect for the military and a great interest in military history, while at the same time being an unabashed liberal, though not a pacifist, and a critic of American involvement in Viet Nam and Iraq, I found this book to be thoroughly absorbing in its description of how a country boy from North Carolina went from an aspiring aviation engineer...more
BOOK REVIEW
WITHOUT HESTITATION
By General (RET.) Hugh Shelton
Reviewed by Bill Breakstone, November 20, 2010
One bright, beautiful spring day in 1991, I left my office in Manhattan and took the subway three stops downtown to Chambers Street to view the homecoming parade of our troops returning from Desert Storm. Out in front of one of the brigades of the 101st Airborne Division was a tall, gangly, bespectacled Brig. General leading his troops past the reviewing stand. He was so tall he stood out li...more
WITHOUT HESTITATION
By General (RET.) Hugh Shelton
Reviewed by Bill Breakstone, November 20, 2010
One bright, beautiful spring day in 1991, I left my office in Manhattan and took the subway three stops downtown to Chambers Street to view the homecoming parade of our troops returning from Desert Storm. Out in front of one of the brigades of the 101st Airborne Division was a tall, gangly, bespectacled Brig. General leading his troops past the reviewing stand. He was so tall he stood out li...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
The first half of the book focuses on General Shelton's early life and rise through the ranks of the military to the position of Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. In it, he details military missions with which he was involved, what went wrong, and what worked.
The second half of this book is definitely a no-holds-barred commentary on military operations through the Clinton / G. W. Bush administrations. General Shelton is not afraid to tell it like it is offering praise when it is deserved and a fu...more
The second half of this book is definitely a no-holds-barred commentary on military operations through the Clinton / G. W. Bush administrations. General Shelton is not afraid to tell it like it is offering praise when it is deserved and a fu...more
An amazing and standup guy. Reads like MOH recipient Wesley Fox's book in that the chapters are by rank/grade with leadership lessons. However, a very different book considering the length and breadth of General Shelton's experiences and the chapters have some great subtitles too. He also interjects into the beginning of every chapter a small segment about the life changing event-his accident in 2002 that would have left most people paralyzed.
Initially I thought this book would be too preachy a...more
Initially I thought this book would be too preachy a...more
This was a departure for me. I got interested while listening to talk by Ruth Suehle at Ohio LinuxFest in 2011. Gen. Shelton had become Chairman of the Red Hat board (Ruth works for Red Hat), and so she took a look. She said it was not the sort of thing she would normally read, but that it surprised her. I decided that was enough of a recommendation, pulled out my phone, and bought it from Google Books as an eBook.
I must confess this was my first military autobiography. I had read Steven Ambrose
...more
I'm about 1/3 through this book, and it looks like I might not finish it given the direction my life is taking - too much else to do/focus on. However, I can definitely comment on what I have read.
Overall, this is an autobiography of a man who represents the best of our armed forces. General Shelton's generation of warriors experienced a kind of warfare that will never exist again. There are a lot of Vietnam memoirs and books out there - but the first part of this book is an exceptional first-ha...more
Overall, this is an autobiography of a man who represents the best of our armed forces. General Shelton's generation of warriors experienced a kind of warfare that will never exist again. There are a lot of Vietnam memoirs and books out there - but the first part of this book is an exceptional first-ha...more
I actually did not finish reading this book. Not because it wasn't good either. My problem with this type of material is that it is entirely too detailed on topics that I am pretty familiar with. If Gen Shelton's experiences as a Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lt Col, or Colonel were that much different than mine, I would have locked on and endured sore fore arms and read the whole thing. Bottom line is the book is too damn thick. I didn't even get to the good stuff when he had more than two stars...more
Lindsey was leaving for the Army so what do I read. A book that was damned good about the man that became the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff during the Clinton administration. You follow his career through Viet Nam, the Middle East, The Balkans and the first Persian Gulf War. You do not rise to his rank without being a very intelligent individual and he was. Wasn't sure how I would like the book when I started it and hated being done with it.
Good book from a good man. He is a pretty frank individual and it was amusing to hear his low opinion of Rumsfeld. Surprising to most of my military compatriots, he had a high degree of respect for Clinton, who comes across as a very humane individual. This volume is pretty much proforma for modern military biographies. If you are in between reads, you could do much worse.
Oh what a read...I strongly suggest this book. Yes it is so thick you could use it for a door stop, but it was a page turner for me! :)
I loved it because he earned his position through hard work. The memoir gives one the feeling that Gen. Hugh Shelton is a good and decent man. Also, the style of writing was straightforward and crisp; you'll love it.
Awesome biography
Honest account well worth the read. Lacks any serious discussion of mistakes but general officers tend to have perfect records - without such a record, becoming a general is near impossible. Presents several lessons, most important is knowing when to fall on one's sword over an issue. Also presents several good examples of the policy/strategy nexus.
Good book. I usually don't read memoirs or biographies, but this man is an intelligent gentleman who is able to accomplish so much in his life he should be very proud. They don't make them like that anymore!
Pretty fascinating autobiography. General Shelton comes across as a great leader and gives some interesting views into the inner workings of the military and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Rev does not recommend this book--too pedantic. Okay, I've gots lots more books to read!
Awesome audiobook. Great read for military members or history/war buffs anywhere.
Anyone who wants/has the honor of wearing the gold bar should read this book.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
