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Lions, Donkeys and Dinosaurs: Waste and Blundering in the Military
 
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Lions, Donkeys and Dinosaurs: Waste and Blundering in the Military (Paperback)

by Lewis Page (Author), Harold Evans (Preface)
4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Product details

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd; New edition edition (5 April 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099484420
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099484424
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 103,278 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Independent on Sunday
I'ts very unlikely that anything this entertaining or important will be
written on military matters this year. It deserves to be a bestseller.

Sir Max Hastings, Daily Telegraph
Page writes with force and wit...I hope he soon gets the job he deserves,
as a defence correspondent in the national media. The MoD and chiefs of
staff might tremble in their boots about the consequences, but that is as
it should be. Page does a splendid job.

See all Product Description

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Customer Reviews

42 Reviews
5 star:
 (26)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (4)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (42 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and well written, 18 May 2006
By researcher (Oxford, England) - See all my reviews
To most of us defence expenditure is not the most exiting subject. Page gets around this by writing in an exiting, informative and often humorous manner. I have no reservations about recommending this book to anyone. Indeed, it is an essential read for anyone who worries how their tax is being spent. Thirty billion pounds a year is an awful lot of cash to be spending on rubbish kit.

After some checks - it seems factually correct to me. Indeed, I can't find the inconsistancies profered by his detractors and wonder about their motivations.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Shocking, verifiable - and a page turner, 21 May 2006
Really - I can't say enough about this book. Military and civilian friends alike have been equally taken with it, causing a spate of letter writing to MPs. Page gives the UK forces their very large due, but is merciless on inadequate and feather-bedding politicians, defense contractors, and senior officers. He also writes wonderfully.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Frightening but terribly plausible, 31 Dec 2006
Lewis Page enumerates the various ways in which the defence budget is misused to keep the armed forces in their traditional, but now ineffective, roles, and keep BAE Systems in profit. I have no direct knowledge, unlike other reviewers here, but it correlates frighteningly well with messages I get from other sources. Basically, Page claims, with detailed working out, that we could get armed forces four or eight times as effective as those we have for the same money as we now spend, or even less. He has convinced me.

The book is extremely readable, even a page turner, and will be worth reading for those with interests either in the militarly or in complex systems.

To the reviewer who accuses him of getting his figures from tabloids: he states that they were drawn from military and MOD websites. Pleas prove him a liar, if ytou can.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Sub-Daily Mail nonsense
Sadly the author's limited military experience seems to have not included working in procurement, but did include reading lots of tabloid newspapers. Read more
Published 3 months ago by M. D. Eagles

4.0 out of 5 stars It's like "Bad Science" but for the defence industry
I've always been bemused by my government friends' complaining about the constant infighting between the 3 services (apparently there's a huge argument brewing right now between... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Unreal

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent entertaining, informed and witty look at the armed forces
I picked up this book as I've always been interested in military history, and thought it would be interesting to read something about the way the UK military works today... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Steven Brown

1.0 out of 5 stars Appalling book, don't waste your money.
The only reason I gave this book one star is because the Amazon site does not allow me to give it zero. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Book fan

4.0 out of 5 stars Depressingly True..?
Not having any forces experience I can't comment directly 'from the front line' of the UK military; but experience of the prevalent culture and working practices of another... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Captain Subtext

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for every British Citizen
Thoughtful but entertaining writing style bringing to life what would otherwise be a difficult subject. Read more
Published 15 months ago by R. Purvis

5.0 out of 5 stars Atten-SHUN!
I'll keep this brief because most of the things I wanted to say have already been said...

1. Read more
Published 18 months ago by lifeclearout

5.0 out of 5 stars A considered view of the Defence Forces
This book gives a very good explanation of what kind of forces are operated by the United Kingdom and how they dispose of their budget funding. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Nicholas

2.0 out of 5 stars Good points and bad points
Lewis Page has certainly managed to make the whole issue of military procurement into an interesting read. Read more
Published 20 months ago by A reader.

5.0 out of 5 stars letter from an old lion
Whatever this book's flaws--and there are a few--it's still one of the most brilliant critiques of bureaucratic bungling I've read. Read more
Published 21 months ago by T. Burkard

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