About this title: A larger-than-life fighter pilot and genius of aviation, engineering and military strategy, Boyd dared to challenge the intractable military bureaucracy and its outmoded practices. The single-minded determination developed in his youth carried him on to renown for his skill as a fighter pilot, for his passion as an instructor, his legendary ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Edition: 1st Printing
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Back Bay Books / Little Brown and Company
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780316796880ISBN:0316796883
Description: Near Fine. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Lower outer corner tip lightly rubbed. 484 pages. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Date Published: 2004-05-10
ISBN-13:9780316796880ISBN:0316796883
Description: Good. First edition paperback with full number line. Book in good condition. Does have small amount of highlighting in book. Does have some wear on cover. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Date Published: 2002-12
ISBN-13:9780316881463ISBN:0316881465
Description: New. Book is Brand New, Gift condition. Free tracking # included! International buyers are welcome. We ship every business day. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! read more
Edition: Number Line 10987654
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Back Bay Books, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780316796880ISBN:0316796883
Description: Very Good. No Jacket. 8 1/4 X 5 1/2. Pages are tight, bright and clean. Binding firm and straight. Illustrated with B/W photos. Covers, spine, edges and corners good+. 484 pages, epilogue, appendix, sources, bibliography & indexed. If needed for reference, research, analysis, dissertation or just enjoyment this is the one. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Date Published: 2004-05-10
ISBN-13:9780316796880ISBN:0316796883
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780316796880. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780316796880ISBN:0316796883
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Edition: First Edition, First Printing
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, Boston
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780316881463ISBN:0316881465
Description: Fine in Fine jacket. Collectible. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. x, 485 pp., illus., biblio., index; 25 cm. Tight, clean copy. Stated "First Edition. " Dust jacket protected in a mylar book cover. "John Boyd was arguably the greatest fighter pilot in American history. From the proving ground of the Korean War, he went on to win renown as the instructor who defeated--in less than forty seconds--every pilot who challenged him. But what made Boyd a man for the ages was what happened after he left the ... read more
Edition: First American Edition
Binding: Hard Bound
Publisher: Little Brown & Co
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780316881463ISBN:0316881465
Description: Fine in Fine jacket. Size: 8vo-7¾"-9¾"; F/F in Mylar. 1st edition. Unmarked. Unclipped. Index. Bibliography. Appendix. 485 pages. Illustrated. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780316796880ISBN:0316796883
Description: New, Publisher overstock, may have small remainder mark. Excellent condition, never read, purchased from publisher as excess inventory. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780316796880ISBN:0316796883
Description: New, Publisher overstock, may have small remainder mark. Excellent condition, never read, purchased from publisher as excess inventory. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Little Brown & Co, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780316881463ISBN:0316881465
Description: Very Good. Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" Tall. Trade sized paperback advanced reading copy with some general wear to covers & edges; interior clean & bright. General Military History. read more
"Bale and Brendan would especially enjoy this book. A description of the contributions to Aviation and the development of military aircraft by a renegade air force pilot who pushed the envelope both as a fighter pilot in Korea and FWS instructor at Nellis AFB as well as inside the Pentagon as he and his apostles worked at odds with their superiors to develop a light attack aircraft. A history of Energy Maneuverability Theory, the OODA Loop, and utilization of actual combat maneuvers as a guide to aircraft design. Good insight into the life span of development of new aircraft by Defense Contractors and the Pentagon and the political infighting and internal conspiracies inherent in the production process."
"This was fantastic. The writing was not great, but it wasn't intrusively bad. Boyd was just such a fascinating man (which, of course, also means that he was seriously flawed) and a brilliant thinker. This biography could have used a bit more analysis of that thinking."
"This was an excellent portrayal of John Boyd's life, influence, and theories. It details his personality, his contributions to military theory (as well as to the US Military itself) and covers his personal as well as professional life. Boyd is one of the great military theorists, as the developer of Maneuver Warfare, the OODA cycle, the Energy-Maneuverability Theory, and a major contributor to the design of the F-15 and F-16. Because of his abrasive personality, he was not widely credited for the work he did for several decades, and this book is part of the effort to broaden recognition of his enormous contributions to the theory of conflict.
The book suffers from a few faults. The author is clearly not familiar with some aspects of the military, and his explanations and opinions sound oddly prompted and one-sided in areas, as if he asked Boyd's closest friends, and felt no need to verify their comments with anyone else. I'm also somewhat uncomfortable with Coram's insistence that Boyd's obsession with military theory caused all his children to suffer severe emotional problems. In my experience, emotional problems are generally caused by a combination of environmental and genetic causes, and are very rarely directly and solely the fault of a preoccupied but loving father. I understand that the author had to get the views of Boyd's family, and felt a need to represent them in print in return for the work they did to help him acquire papers and background for the book, but like other aspects of the book, some of the opinions sound one-sided and much like personal gripes rather than researched fact. There is no doubt that Boyd was not an ideal father, but he was far from the opposite, and I came away with a poor impression of the rest of his family as well. Finally, the style of the book is common to military biography in that it is somewhat melodramatic and overblown. I've gotten used to that after innumerable books on Patton, but it might take the casual reader by surprise.
Still, I thought the important points were conveyed clearly and understandably, and I was fascinated by the glimpse into Boyd's life. I was aware of some of the work he had done, but some of it was new, and my opinion of his work is even higher than it was. He was a brilliant and dedicated man, with a true hunger for knowledge and understanding of what he experienced. His conclusions have advanced the theories of conflict to new levels, and have changed the face of warfare worldwide."
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