audiobook A Short History of Air Power by James L. Stokesbury in History

Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. If you love history; if you feel a burning desire to ...By Mark FreburgIf you love history; if you feel a burning desire to understand history--but you can't keep yourself planted long enough to read 600 page tomes that attempt to cover every nuance of every historical event that occurred regarding the subject matter at hand; may I introduce you to Professor James L. Stokesbury's books? The late professor was Dean of of History for many years at Acacia College in Canada; though American born. A true history nut; he was also a very intelligent man and a gifted writer who liked to to write short books on big topics. His "Short History Of..." series are masterpieces in my humble opinion; starting with the American Revolutionary War up to the Korean War. Each a reasonably short--yet complete--volume; covering everything you need to know; and doing it in a witty yet profound manner that will have you putting the book down when you finish and looking for another of his titles.A Short History of Air Power is no different. If the topic is of interest to you this book will get you grounded--no pun intended--in the subject; from the Wright Brothers to air power in Vietnam and beyond. The rapid evolution of air power is something we might think we understand; but when assembled with dates and events and the personalities of men who brought us from the Wright Flyer to the F105; this history grabs us and makes us realize just how amazing the first 75 years of air power really were.As I mentioned; besides that profundity; Professor Stokesbury also was a very witty fellow. He never makes light of the tragedies of war--just the opposite; but he never fails; either; to make clear the ironies in history; be they personal or national. Many times in his books I found myself laughing; if a bit sardonically.This is a great book; as has been every one of his I've read--which I believe to be every one he's written. You won't be sorry for having purchased this book.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. One of the best books on the history of Air Power; ever.By Muddy L.Stokesbury had the rare gift of making even the mundane historical facts interesting. He also possessed a rare wit. This book has more than a couple of chuckles among a wealth of historical observations. His untimely death was truly a loss.