Something to Die For
Book Reviews

Editorial Reviews, Washington Post Book World: Webb is not just a writer of war thrillers; he is a genuine novelist of ideas...A century hence, James Webb will be studied for the light he sheds on military life and civil-military relations at the climax of the American Century." 

The New York Times:  Brilliantly done...breathtaking in its vision.

All Customer Reviews:  A great book., February 14, 1999  Reviewer: A reader from Atlanta, GA.
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.

AN ANGRY WARNING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF POWER ABUSE., March 17, 1997 Reviewer: A reader
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 POSTHUMOUS 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.