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Battle Ready (Commander Series) Paperback – May 3, 2005
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- Print length464 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateMay 3, 2005
- Dimensions6 x 1.05 x 9 inches
- ISBN-109780425198926
- ISBN-13978-0425198926
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Product details
- ASIN : 0425198928
- Publisher : Penguin Publishing Group; First Edition (May 3, 2005)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 464 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9780425198926
- ISBN-13 : 978-0425198926
- Item Weight : 1.1 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.05 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,007,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #14,733 in Military Leader Biographies
- #15,344 in United States Biographies
- #17,072 in American Military History
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Tom Clancy is America's, and the world's, favorite international thriller author. Starting with THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, all thirteen of his previous books have hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. His books, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, PATRIOT GAMES, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER and THE SUM OF ALL FEARS have been made into major motion pictures. He lived in Maryland where he was a co-owner of the Baltimore Orioles.
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024In Battle Ready, Tom Clancy joins forces with retired Marine General Tony Zinni and co-author Tony Koltz to deliver a gripping exploration of military leadership, strategy, and the evolving challenges of modern warfare. The book seamlessly weaves Zinni’s storied career—from his days as a Marine lieutenant in Vietnam to his role as Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)—with Clancy’s sharp narrative style, creating a deeply engaging read that transcends the typical military memoir.
One of the book’s standout features is Zinni’s thoughtful commentary on leadership. He emphasizes the need to care deeply for those you lead and highlights the importance of balancing military might with diplomacy, cultural understanding, and humanity. His ability to adapt to new challenges—from counterinsurgency efforts in Vietnam to complex peacekeeping operations in Africa—underscores his status as a thoughtful and forward-thinking leader.
Zinni’s personal anecdotes—from facing down warlords in Somalia to navigating tense negotiations with international leaders—bring a raw, authentic edge to the book. His reflections on the failures and triumphs of U.S. foreign policy, particularly during his time at CENTCOM, provide invaluable insights into the intricacies of global conflict and the price of leadership.
Battle Ready is a profound meditation on leadership, responsibility, and the changing face of warfare. Whether you’re a student of military strategy, a leader seeking inspiration, or someone interested in the interplay of diplomacy and force, this book offers a compelling look into the mind of one of America’s most respected military figures.
5.0 out of 5 stars Warrior DiplomatIn Battle Ready, Tom Clancy joins forces with retired Marine General Tony Zinni and co-author Tony Koltz to deliver a gripping exploration of military leadership, strategy, and the evolving challenges of modern warfare. The book seamlessly weaves Zinni’s storied career—from his days as a Marine lieutenant in Vietnam to his role as Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)—with Clancy’s sharp narrative style, creating a deeply engaging read that transcends the typical military memoir.
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
One of the book’s standout features is Zinni’s thoughtful commentary on leadership. He emphasizes the need to care deeply for those you lead and highlights the importance of balancing military might with diplomacy, cultural understanding, and humanity. His ability to adapt to new challenges—from counterinsurgency efforts in Vietnam to complex peacekeeping operations in Africa—underscores his status as a thoughtful and forward-thinking leader.
Zinni’s personal anecdotes—from facing down warlords in Somalia to navigating tense negotiations with international leaders—bring a raw, authentic edge to the book. His reflections on the failures and triumphs of U.S. foreign policy, particularly during his time at CENTCOM, provide invaluable insights into the intricacies of global conflict and the price of leadership.
Battle Ready is a profound meditation on leadership, responsibility, and the changing face of warfare. Whether you’re a student of military strategy, a leader seeking inspiration, or someone interested in the interplay of diplomacy and force, this book offers a compelling look into the mind of one of America’s most respected military figures.
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2004Tom Clancy lives up to his reputation...he has chalked up another best seller. "Battle Ready," is a stirring narrative of Anthony Zinni's legendary 40-year Marine Corps career.
Clancy's eloquent certification of Major General Zinni's military credentials provides a formidable platform for a very tough critque of the intellecutual authors of the United States invasion of Iraq. Moreover, Clancy's well-known hawkish convictions adds volume to Zinni's powerful charge that the Bush administration failed the American people.
The former United States Central Command Commander in Chief points many fingers...and backs it up with solid facts. Zinni is a classic gentleman and officer and like many other Marines I know from Philadelphia...he tells it like it is. To this end, Zinni has articulated the most powerful charges I have ever seen a retired Marine Corps officer use against an administration at war. Highly recommended.
Bert Ruiz
- Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2004I suppose that professional military people will read "Battle Ready" avidly, following, as it does, the very interesting career of Tony Zinni, who retired as a four star Marine Corps general. But it serves a non-military audience admirably, as well.
When I go to a Hollywood movie with a military character in it, I am pretty resigned to the fact that that character will be cartoon-like: some Hollywood writer's cliche of what a military man is like. I grew up in a military family, so I know better; but many people don't. And of all the services, I think the Marine Corps is the most vulnerable to such stereotypes.
You can't read this book and retain such a stereotype in your mind. Tony Zinni is brilliant, subtle and nuanced. His subtlety and brilliance come across in many ways, including his perspective on various well-known leaders he encountered in his forty-year career in the Corps and his peace-making special missions at the direction of the State Department after he retired from the Corps.
For example, even though I very much enjoyed the book "Black Hawk Down" and recommend it, this book gives you a different perspective. Tony Zinni was the chief of staff of the Joint Task Force in Somalia before the catastrophe occurred that is described in "Black Hawk Down". Formerly, I had read with grim satisfaction about the violent death of Mohammed Aideed, who is widely blamed for the American and Somali deaths in that episode. Zinni has a differenty analysis. He did not admire Aideed in the same way, for example, that he admired General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, but he considered Aideed manageable, and, in fact, he believed that Aideed was the only Somali leader with the ability to bring order to the chaos that was and is Somalia. After Zinni left, the U.N. authorities and the U.S. military leadership that succeeded Zinni tried to marginalize Aideed, erroneously, in Zinni's opinion. The events that led to the book "Black Hawk Down" were a miscalculation by all parties.
Zinni's perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is equally interesting, though less surprising. The Bush (43) administration sent Zinni to the Middle East as a special envoy to facilitate the peace process. Zinni portrays Ariel Sharon as genuinely in love with his country, down-to-earth and direct. He characterizes Yasser Arafat as charming but an unmitigated impediment to peace, who wants to be remembered as the great leader of the Palestinians who never yielded. Zinni also describes in some detail the sickening role of extremists like Hamas in the impasse.
In all, "Battle Ready" is thought-provoking reading and highly recommended.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2014I liked the book as it gave insight to "being a Marine". I had hoped this book would have devoted a chapter to details of the Iraq occupation plan that General Zinni developed so I could compare how the Bush Administration executed the War. There were over 600,000 tons of know explosives that were not secured and we have 670,000 that have been given disability including 300,000 traumatic brain injuries from IED's made from these explosives.
Top reviews from other countries
andrea roagnaReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 12, 20185.0 out of 5 stars The best of the Commander series
Zinni is likable, human, and had an incredible life. Soldier, peacekeeper, commander. Rare virtue and storytelling
W. BrahamReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 20175.0 out of 5 stars Great value and service
Great value and product

