Something to Die For [Mass Market Paperback]

James Webb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

It is a bloody game as old as nations and politics. And it has always been played with the lives of the most loyal and brave.

Colonel "Wild Bill" Fogarty has been a dedicated soldier for most of his adult life -- an able warrior who was bloodied but survived the folly called Vietnam. Now short-sighted policy-makers in Washington are manufacturing another little war for questionable purposes, gambling with human lives in cut-throat game of power, greed, and personal ambition. "Wild Bill" has seen too many young men destroyed in pursuit of shadow causes. But it is not his role to question, simply to serve--no matter where or for what reasons...no matter who has to die.

From bestselling author, decorated Vietnam veteran and former Secretary of the Navy James Webb comes a blisteringly authentic novel of the ruthless politics of war -- a searing indictment of those at the top who dictate military policy...and a moving tribute to the courageous soldiers who must pay the ultimate price.It is a bloody game as old as nations and politics. And it has always been played with the lives of the most loyal and brave.

It is a bloody game as old as nations and politics. And it has always been played with the lives of the most loyal and brave.

Colonel "Wild Bill" Fogarty has been a dedicated soldier for most of his adult life---an able warrior who was bloodied but survived the folly called Vietnam. Now short-sighted policy-makers in Washington are manufacturing another little war for questionable purposes, gambling with human lives in cut-throat game of power, greed, and personal ambition. "Wild Bill" has seen too many young men destroyed in pursuit of shadow causes. But it is not his role to question, simply to serve---no matter where or for what reasons...no matter who has to die.

From bestselling author, decorated Vietnam veteran and former Secretary of the Navy JAMES WEBB comes a blisteringly authentic novel of the ruthless politics of war---a searing indictment of those at the top who dictate military policy...and a moving tribute to the courageous soldiers who must pay the ultimate price.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA --An exciting and timely novel that reads like today's headlines. Webb's narrative takes time to develop, but becomes absorbing in the second half as he paints a convincing picture of power politics in Washington and shows the impact of these struggles on U. S. military strategy in the Third World. He deftly describes war from a warrior's perspective--from the exhilaration of impending action to the despair over fallen comrades. What's more, he has gone to great pains to ensure that civilian readers are neither exasperated with jargon nor bewildered by tactics or equipment. On the contrary, his accounts of action in the Eritrean Desert by Cuban, French, Ethiopian, and American troops are compelling and readily comprehensible.
- Nick Vaux, Jefferson Sci-Tech, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Colonel Bill Fogarty is called to fight a war in Eritrea for reasons even he, a military man down to his Tennessee genes, spots as fraudulent. He becomes a compliant victim when a major conflict between a congressman and a defense secretary needs a diversion to distract the U.S. public. In the familiar web of international manipulation and megalomaniacal ambitions of twisted bureaucrats, Webb argues that if soldiers must die, let them die for worthy causes. Author of the revered Fields of Fire ( LJ 9/1/1978), he tries to instill into this fictionalized battle account the anguish of a real war. The transference does not quite take. Instead this morality play-cum-thriller must rely on portraits and vignettes of real-life Washington. In their own way, these are very good and certainly measure up to the demands of the Washington novel, but Webb fans will feel as if they consumed a Twinkie when they thought they were getting seven-grain bread.
- Barbara Conaty, Library of Congress
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Avon (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380713225
• ISBN-13: 978-0380713226
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #847,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book., February 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Something to Die For (Mass Market Paperback)

Webb is one of the best military authors out there. This book combines both the soldiers' view of life, as in Fields of Fire, with the seamy side of military life; our senior military and political leadership. If you enjoy any of the Clancy-type military/political thrillers you will enjoy this book and realize Webb actually inserts some thought and insightful commentary while giving a good read.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Webb winner., March 3, 2002

By 

Larry Knudson (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Something to Die For (Mass Market Paperback)

Yep, you need to get this one. It's an excellent story about a battle that may very well happen - although the players may not be the same - the ground will be.

Well written - as usual.

35 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN ANGRY WARNING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF POWER ABUSE., March 17, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Something to Die For (Mass Market Paperback)

I FIRST READ SECRETARY WEBB'S "SOMETHING TO DIE FOR" AS A HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMAN IN 1992. AT THE TIME, NOT UNDERSTANDING THE REAL MEANING OF THE NOVEL, I SIMPLY THOUGHT IT WAS A COOL ACTION-PACKED THRILLER. NOT UNTIL I READ MR. WEBB'S "A SENSE OF HONOR," AND TOOK HEED TO COL.DAVID HACKWORTH'S HIGH REGARD FOR THIS NAVY CROSS WINNING WARRIOR, DID I UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS ALL ABOUT. THUS, I TOOK THE TIME OVER CHRISTMAS TO RE-READ "SOMETHING TO DIE FOR," AND REALIZED THAT IT WAS BITTER STINGING SATIRE AND WARNING ABOUT TODAY'S SOMALIAS,BOSNIAS AND MANY SO-CALLED "OPERATIONS OTHER THAN WAR." HAD THIS BEEN READ AS A CAUTION TO THE PENTAGON TICKET-PUNCHERS AND POLITICIANS AT THE WHITE HOUSE, WE WOULD NOT BE IN SUCH HOT WATER TODAY. COLONEL "WILD BILL" FOGARTY REPRESENTS THE CREAM OF TODAY'S WARRIOR. HAVING FOUGHT AND BLED IN VIETNAM AND OTHER DISTANT LANDS, HE KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO SEND HIS MEN OFF TO DIE. WHILE HE IS MORE THAN WILLING TO DIE FOR HIS COUNTRY,HE DOES NOT WANT TO SEE HIS MEN DIE IN VAIN. "THAT'S VITAL. SOMETHING TO DIE FOR." ADMIRAL "MAD DOG" MULCAHY REMINDS ME A LOT OF GLORY-SEEKING AND POLITICALLY CORRECT JCS CHAIRMAN SHALIKASHVILLI. DYING TO FEEL THE GLORY SIMILAR TO THE MIDWAYS, THE CORAL SEAS AND THE LIKE BEFORE RETIRING, HE DECIDES TO RUN HIS LITTLE WAR WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE TOP. HOWEVER, HIS GRANDIOSE CAMPAIGN ENDS IN DISASTER, KILLING SCORES OF MARINES, INCLUDING FOGARTY. OF COURSE, THE IRONY OF IT ALL IS THAT WHILE SHALIKASHVILLI GETS AWAY FROM THE DEBACLE IN SOMALIA, MULCAHY IS RELIEVED FROM HIS POST. SO MUCH FOR HIS GLORY. SELF-SERVING POLITICIANS LIKE HOLCOMB, LODGE AND "DOC" ADD TO THE STORY ANOTHER DIMENSION. IT IS THEY WHO COMPROMISE THE WARRIORS FOR THEIR OWN INTEREST. JUST AS CLINTON "HONORABLY" WITHDREW FROM SOMALIA, THEY DUB THE FIASCO "OPERATION JUSTIFIABLE ANGER," AND ATTEMPT SHUT IT FROM THE PUBLIC MEMORY. WHILE THE WARRIORS GOT LITTLE MORE THAN A HAND OF ASHES, DRAMATIZED BY POST-HUMOUS MEDAL OF HONOR CEREMONY FOR FOGARTY, THE GREEDY POLITICIANS TRIED TO TURN THIS FIASCO INTO GLORY. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF WARRIORS, SHUT OFF THE MEDIA BULLSHIT ABOUT THE DESERT STORM AND READ JAMES WEBB. THE MILITARY TODAY ISN'T ABOUT WHAT TOM CLANCY AND THE MEDIA SAY IT IS.