In case those two negative reviews of my new book on generalship got you worried

In contrast to Col. Gentile's
review that I mentioned last week, and the
negative review by the British hussar that I
carried the other day, here's the word on my new book from the
just-released issue of the Army's Military
Review:

THE GENERALS IS
a controversial but nonetheless
important read for military professionals seeking
to understand the management of Army generals over the last 70 years.

.
. . Readers may be tempted to dismiss Tom Ricks' book as one written by a
prejudiced outsider, a journalist who has never served as a soldier. This would
be a mistake. The
Generals contains
considerable research,
much from first-hand sources of soldiers, officers, and general officers. Those
sources frame Ricks'
discussion. Ricks also draws material from letters, journals, and duty logs.
The reader gets the
feeling of looking over the shoulder of people engaged in one of the most
dangerous and vital endeavors
in which military professionals engage: fighting and winning the wars.

.
. . Both civilian and military DOD personnel should read the book. Some readers
may find Ricks'
premises questionable and his conclusions unsatisfying. However, rather than
avoiding a controversial
discussion, the Army and the rest of the Department of Defense should face this discourse
head-on and use it to improve itself. Even if some think he fails to diagnose
the disease, the
symptoms he describes are undeniable, as evinced yet again in the recent series
of senior officer
meltdowns. The Generals is an excellent source for leader
development programs.