Making the Corps: 10th Anniversary Edition with a New Afterword by the Author [Paperback]

Thomas E. Ricks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 2007

The United States Marine Corps, with its proud tradition of excellence in combat, its hallowed rituals, and its unbending code of honor, is part of the fabric of American myth. Making the Corps visits the front lines of boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina. Here, old values are stripped away and new Marine Corps values are forged. Bestselling author Thomas E. Ricks follows these men from their hometowns, through boot camp and into their first year as Marines. As three fierce drill instructors fight a battle for the hearts and minds of this unforgettable group of young men, a larger picture emerges, brilliantly painted, of the growing gulf that divides the military from the rest of America.

Included in this edition is an all-new afterword from the author that examines the war in Iraq through the lens of the Marines from Platoon 3086, giving readers an on-the-ground view of the conflict from those who know it best

Editorial Reviews

Review

Steven Komarow USA Today A thousand years from now, a historian looking at the U.S. military will do well to cite Rick's book.

Samuel Freedman Chicago Tribune Anyone reading this book cannot help but think that America has many lessons to learn from the Marines.

Lt. Col. Ralph Peters U.S. Army (Ret.), Parameters The book is informative, thoughtful, fun -- a great, swift read. Making the Corps is a splendid, enjoyable, memorable book.

Eliot Cohen Foreign Affairs A must-read for those concerned with civil-military relations in the United States.

Stephen E. Ambrose author of Citizen Soldiers and Undaunted Courage This is a wonderful book. Ricks combines fine descriptive writing, thoughtful comparisons between the Corps of today and the past, and between the Corps and the U.S. Army, and insightful speculation about the future of the Corps -- all enclosed in as good a piece of storytelling as I have read in decades.

About the Author

Thomas E. Ricks is The Washington Post's senior Pentagon correspondent. A member of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams for national reporting, he has reported on U.S. military activities in Somalia, Haiti, Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Kuwait, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq and A Soldier's Duty.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; Anv Rep edition (July 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141654450X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416544500
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If someone you love is becoming a Marine, February 22, 2010

By 

Robin (Bethesda, Moldova, Republic of) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making the Corps: 10th Anniversary Edition with a New Afterword by the Author (Paperback)

When I learned that a family member was about to become a Marine recruit, I could not have been more ignorant. The Marine Corps? What does that mean?

This book gives you an idea of how new recruits become Marines and how the Corps is different from the other services. If you love a Marine, or a young person who wants to become one, this is an excellent introduction. In addition to the bootcamp stories, you learn about the culture of the Marines. I know that I was fascinated by the authors comments on how much more relaxed Marines are with the press, how innovative they can be, and how much harder it is to get a promotion.

The book is not all complimentary. There are interesting issues raised about the conflict between Marine and civilian culture. The book was originally published in peace time, and that also made a difference in the attitudes of the people portrayed in the book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This explains alot...., August 29, 2009

By 

Lauren "book worm" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making the Corps: 10th Anniversary Edition with a New Afterword by the Author (Paperback)

As someone who has entertained an interest in military culture her entire life, I picked up this book expecting a day to day account of the rigors of boot camp. What I got was a well-written explanatory account of Marine culture. As someone who knows many, many Marines, I always attributed their fierce loyalty to a family environment, but never knew that it was born out of basic training. Thinking about comments I have heard in the past ("Don't go into the corps if you aren't planning on taking care of my Marines"-a police officer who hasn't been in the Corps in 20 years to his son who wants to be an officer) this book not only reenforces where they came from, but also corroborates them. I recommend this book to anyone who is curious, anyone thinking about joining, anyone with close friends or family in the Marines.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Semper Fi, Do or Die, March 28, 2011

By 

AircrewUp (Colorado Springs, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making the Corps: 10th Anniversary Edition with a New Afterword by the Author (Paperback)

All I ever wanted to be in this world was a Marine, from the age of six my super heroes wore dress blues and kicked ass in the pacific, vietnam, korea, or the gulf wars of today. While I grew up and the hero worship went away as I grew smarter (and hopefully a wee bit wiser) I was still left with the passion and drive to become an United States Marine. In middle school and high school this book was my constant companion, I must have read it at least 50 times in between pestering my recruiter and preparing myself for boot camp. Now I am the Marine and an Honorably Discharged Veteran of my beloved Corps and this book still remains one of the best books you can read if your going to boot, graduated boot (prepare for a nostalgia trip), or just want to understand these Marine nutcases you've seen around now and then.


Oohrah