The Bomber Mafia

I know very little about ww2–enough to be dangerous but by no means an expert. As always, Gladwell takes a complex topic, the shift in bombing strategy regarding Japan, and makes it accessible. This is a morally and historically interesting read.

Great story-telling from the author. Engaged in this entertaining story from beginning to end.

This is basically a long episode of his podcast. Which, fine, but it shouldn't have been a book. It doesn't feel like a Gladwell book- it feels like an episode of Revisionist History. And a third of the book being clips did not work for me - the audio quality is usually poor so I would rather the author just read the quote in most cases. I think Gladwell got a little too into using direct clips in the podcast and is blurring the lines too much here - a book should have a lot more from the author themself. This book honestly just felt like a cash grab, my least favorite of Gladwell's stuff by a large margin.

I listened to this one. It was informative and engaging. Similar to a podcast

This book was both well-written and a fascinating (but disturbing) exposure to the weaponry of World War II. The author presents thoughtful moral dilemmas that militaries encounter during war. At its core, the book asks whether it's more moral to use conventional weapons that preserve civilian human life or to use any means necessary to end the war as soon as possible. Ultimately, I'm somewhat reassured that our modern weaponry is more advanced and specialized, which minimizes impact to non-military targets. I definitely recommend this book for both a history lesson and evaluation of moral questions during wartime.

This is a minor Gladwell book. Not that interesting and not the usual entertaining style. It does deliver some good information but the it continuously overstates the importance of it all.