To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth
by Jeff Cooper
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jeff CooperEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-03-01
ISBN: 0873649737
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Paladin Press
Book Reviews of To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth
Book Review: 20 years with the Colonel, and still going strong!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're a sporting enthusiast, whether a hunter or a shooter (shottist, to use Col. Cooper's term...), the name of Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC, RET. is probably a familiar one. I was first exposed to the Colonel's work as a young infantry officer. The Marine Corps has a vested interest in developing their troop leaders. Professional reading is always encouraged. I read a short, easily read paperback listing "Principles of Personal Defense". The author was a retired Marine named Cooper. (If you haven't read that one yet, add it to your list! ) I was amazed at the volume of eminently practical and sound theory put forth in that book. As a Grunt, I was skeptical of anything that sounded far-fetched. I'd heard my share of war stories. That slim volume caught my interest. The Colonel earned my trust by simply and plainly telling the truth about combat.I spent quite a bit of time teaching Marines about combat. I hadn't actually been in combat, yet... still, an infantry platoon commander's job is to make sure his troops are prepared for combat.
Enter this book.
I got my first copy in the late '80's. Cooper's discussion of the Combat Mind-set earned the immediate approval and acceptance of every combat vet I spoke with. The young Marines I was priveleged to instruct received the information enthusiastically. For the last twenty years or so, I have been continuously involved in training, first with the Marines, through Desert Storm, and on to Police recruits, Police In-service, Corrections Officers and Tactical Response Teams. And the young fighters still receive the Colonel's ideas as enthusiastically as ever. My fifteen years of SWAT experience says that these theories work operationally, as well. The coverage in this work, while limited to a few short chapters, will constitute the very best investment you can make to cultivate your mind to walk easily in a troubled world. The chapter discussing how to deal with terrorism, written twenty years before 9-11-2001, ought to impress the most jaded skeptic.
But Combat Mind-set is just a small portion of the book. Colonel Cooper has an amazing knack for describing highly technical subjects such as terminal ballistics, weapons systems, bullet construction, etc. Subjects which are normally difficult to grasp come alive in varioius chapters so dedicated.
Have I left out you hunters? I've enjoyed hunting almost longer than I've enjoyed fighting. And I absolutely love a well-told hunting yarn. The last half of this book is dedicated to hunting, with a myriad of detail not normally associated with "sporting literature". From hunting "losl" in Norse woodlands, and the full panopoly of African antelopes, to the sometimes lethal encounters with his favorite game animal, syncerus cafer, the Colonel shares details that make those hunts come alive. His writing is just that good.
Is there anything critical to say about the Colonel's book? Yes. If you're offended by someone who tells the plain, unvarnished truth, if you're jealous of those who really have " been there-done that", and who write so well, that you think you went along for the trip, you may have a tough time digesting this book. "To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth" is not for the timid. Of the half dozen copies of this book that I own, I hope that one of them gets returned to me so I can sit by the fire and read it, once more, after this hunting season ends!
Summary of To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth
Combat mind-set, proper sighting, tactical residential architecture, nuclear war - these are some of the many subjects explored by Jeff Cooper in this illustrated anthology. The author discusses various arms, fighting skills and the importance of knowing how to defend oneself, and one's honor, in our rapidly changing world.Conventional Books
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