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Making a Killing: The Explosive Story of a Hired Gun in Iraq
 
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Making a Killing: The Explosive Story of a Hired Gun in Iraq (Paperback)

by James Ashcroft (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Price For All Three: £15.03

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Product details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Virgin Books (5 Jul 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0753512343
  • ISBN-13: 978-0753512340
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.6 x 2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 14,143 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #5 in  Books > Biography > Historical > Countries & Regions > Middle East
    #9 in  Books > Biography > Political > Countries & Regions > Middle East
    #13 in  Books > Biography > Medical, Legal & Social Sciences > Philosophy

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Product Description

Review
"'This diary of death and destruction radiates not just personality, but that elusive, lyrical honesty the existentialists used to call 'authenticity' Daily Telegraph"

Product Description
An explosive insider's account of life as a private contractor in Iraq. In September 2003, James Ashcroft, a former British Infantry captain who served in West Belfast and Bosnia, landed in Iraq as a 'gun for hire'. It was the beginning of an 18-month journey into chaos. In "Making a Killing", Ashcroft provides a first-hand view of the secret world of private security where ex-soldiers employed to protect US and British interests can make up to $1000 a day. But he also reveals a new kind of warfare where the rules are still being written. Although hostilities are officially over, the fighting goes on. Scores of US soldiers are dying every day, Coalition Forces are struggling to defend their own bases, let alone bring order and every insurgent killed only recruits a dozen more to fight Western forces.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Making a Killing: The Explosive Story of a Hired Gun in Iraq
65% buy the item featured on this page:
Making a Killing: The Explosive Story of a Hired Gun in Iraq 4.6 out of 5 stars (24)
£6.99
The Circuit: An Ex-SAS Soldier / A Secretive Industry / The War on Terror / A True Story
13% buy
The Circuit: An Ex-SAS Soldier / A Secretive Industry / The War on Terror / A True Story 4.3 out of 5 stars (31)
£3.99
Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege
9% buy
Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege 4.9 out of 5 stars (130)
£4.05
The Deniable Agent: Undercover in Afghanistan
7% buy
The Deniable Agent: Undercover in Afghanistan 4.2 out of 5 stars (14)
£5.99
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Customer Reviews

24 Reviews
5 star:
 (19)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (24 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping book, 13 Feb 2007
By Francesco Lancellotta (Salerno/Brescia, Italy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Making a Killing: The Explosive Story of a Hired Gun in Iraq (Hardcover)
Among the four books already published about security contractors in Iraq, this is for sure one of the best, if not the best. You'll get a picture of the atmosphere you sense in Baghdad, the mayhem and the comradeship. It's a well written book, I recommend it even for the final considerations about US foreign policy especially in Iraq. James Ashcroft tells you what Time, even criticizing the US foreign policy in Iraq, was not able to say: Bremer's awful mistakes, the gung ho people and the desk generals who ponder things the US way.
Buy this book and you'll not regret the money you spent.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Reality from Iraq, 3 Jan 2007
By JohnBM9 (Belgium) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Making a Killing: The Explosive Story of a Hired Gun in Iraq (Hardcover)
I read the book into the early hours of the morning.
The story is dramatically but modestly told, genuinely informative and
overall, an excellent read.
The author's observations and opinions, made to the american officers' audience, on pages 210-217, are the most suuccinctly stated comments on the reasons for the war I have read to date.
This book is essential reading for those people wishing to make their own mind up.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth a punt..., 2 April 2007
This review is from: Making a Killing: The Explosive Story of a Hired Gun in Iraq (Hardcover)
When I started reading this book I immediately became suspicious of the "action sequences", they had a slightly hyped almost Hollywood ring to them. I made my mind up that this was going to be all gung ho and no substance. Thankfully I was wrong, as you move further into the book you start to get a picture of what it is like to live in a land who's culture is completely alien to ours. Reading about the friends made and lost gave this book more of a sentimental side that wasn't expected. I also have to admit that Ashcrofts perception as to why we went to war gave me something to think about. I'd recommend this book, its easy to pick up and hard to put down and although some parts may be "boys own", its definitely worth buying.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Misleading jacket blurb / product description
The blurb for this book claims that "scores of US soldiers are dying every day". Unless the central premise of this book is that the death toll in Iraq is many times that which... Read more
Published 16 days ago by Tim Haveron Jones

5.0 out of 5 stars Making A Killing by Captain James Ashcroft
A well written book. Ash, a gun for hire, wanted to tell us a story about his time in Iraq. Clifford Thurlow showed him how it could be told. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mr. S. S. Khatu

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensational but thought provoking and 'authentic'
Overall I found it a very readable but there were a few points where I wondered if it was an accurate reflection of what actually happened or the temptation of the publishers to... Read more
Published 14 months ago by J. Kemp

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!
The book is a well written and covers the dramatic events in a very unassuming style.

The author's opinions and observations of the environment are well balanced and... Read more
Published 14 months ago by MattS

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly compelling
Thoroughly enjoyed this books.
Charts the start of the iraq occupation, unfortunatley highlights that Iraq as the author says may take 10,00o years to resolve!
Published 17 months ago by Simon Haslam

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
Made it to my top of the year if not better! A fabulous read. It makes you laugh, it leaves you in sorrow. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Rafal Gruszczynski

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I have read in ages sikk
I read this book over the summer and finished it in 4 days. It is really well written and far more entertaining than any hollywood blockbuster. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Ben O'Brien

5.0 out of 5 stars Good future here for a new author.
Most of the reviews here have got it right.
A well written and good account of the life the author led while being a Private Security Contractor. Read more
Published 21 months ago by A. Cresswell

5.0 out of 5 stars At last an honest account of the chaos !
"Ash" was there, and explains his worm's eye view of the horrific chaos that the occupation of Iraq has become. His honest Brit. pro. Read more
Published 22 months ago by James Arnold

5.0 out of 5 stars Killing Book A Life Saver
Who could believe that such good - well, good writing and honest feelings - could come out of such a horrible war and such a horrible experience of the war? Read more
Published 23 months ago by Terence Doyle

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