From the declaration of bias, to the 10 factors that lead to war, to the footnotes, recommendations on additional research and a thorough index, there is a lot to like in Richard Maybury's style and this book in particular. After reading my first book in the series, I am a fan and excited to read other titles!
While the 10 factors are compelling, and the Usual Suspects theme particularly insightful, please don't assume I agree with all presented here. The Barbary pirates, Spanish-American War and Philippine occupation, Iraq war and even September 11th are presented too simply. True, the book is geared in format toward younger readers, and Maybury has declared his bias, but leaving out that the pirates were encroaching on international shipping lanes for their victims (as opposed to the victims invading their space), the Philippines were already engaged in a war with Spain and were eventually granted independence without a further war (as opposed to the USA being the primary aggressor with a desire to colonize), that Iraq invaded Kuwait and a coalition of nations opposed them (as opposed to the USA being swung by a single propaganda trick - a trick that I didn't remember though I lived at the time) or that September 11th attacks are a linear blowback against American leadership (as if there were no additional religious or social motivation) is a bit too myopic for an author that claims he wants his readers informed of various dynamics at work in foreign affairs.
I was also downright angry about his comments regarding the USA being dismissed from the UN Council on Human Rights in 2001, the same term that SUDAN was elected!?! (He failed to mention either the plethora of terrorist countries that sat on the council at the time or the questionable composition or the council today.) This incident had more to do with the ridiculous ineptitude of the UN Council on Human Rights to speak with conviction to volumes of human rights offenses worldwide, American hesitation in continuing to primarily fund an organization intent on marginalizing itself, and the repeated unjust censure of Israel, than a retaliation for failures of American leadership.
I also felt, given the topic was World War I, there were too many references to September 11th, each of which is highlighted with reference to the Maybury book in which the attacks are explicitly elucidated. I don't mind the referral and would like to read the additional title, however, these parochial references to a complex historic event close to our time were distracting. They also might be concerning to younger readers who may feel the impact of September 11th more personally than the discussion of World War I. A single, or even a few, references to the carry forward affects of World War I is preferred. It also made me curious as to the date of publication. My edition says "revised 2003". Smacking these single paragraphs about Sept 11th, many with the *same text* and argument seemed like a careless revision rather than original composition.
Nonetheless, I find the perspective challenging. The libertarian position IS closer to what the founders intended and NOT commonly found in the increasingly statist environment of USA and Europe. Incidentally, I agree with Maybury that BOTH liberals and conservatives have a statist philosophy that sees big government salvation as solution without regard to encroachment on individual liberty. I remember reading "The 2,000 year leap forward" and being particularly challenged by the founder's idea of non-intervention in world affairs - Maybury has given tremendous insight into what such a stance would involve. He also illustrates the Swiss model of a domestic fighting force in a way that 'clicked' for me, though his discussion of guerrilla warfare seemed double-minded.
The question is not whether to have your student read this book, but when? A student needs to demonstrate both the ability to handle cause and effect thinking as well as be comfortable with sorting out contrary ideas. When the student has reached that point, this is excellent education, even if he or the teacher, doesn't agree with all that is printed.