or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
153 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict (Paperback)

by Tim Collins (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
Price: £6.97 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.02 (22%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Friday, November 13? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
48 new from £0.01 104 used from £0.01 1 collectible from £1.00
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 51 used & new from £0.01
Paperback (Export/Airside/Ireland ed) 17 used & new from £0.01
Audio CD (Audiobook) 2 used & new from £12.00
Audio Cassette (Audiobook) £14.67 £14.67 8 used & new from £2.24

Frequently Bought Together

Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict + Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege + An Ordinary Soldier: Afghanistan: A Ferocious Enemy. A Bloody Conflict. One Man's Impossible Mission
Price For All Three: £15.76

Show availability and delivery details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Dusty Warriors: Modern Soldiers at War

Dusty Warriors: Modern Soldiers at War

by Richard Holmes
4.6 out of 5 stars (24)  £6.48
Soldier: The Autobiography

Soldier: The Autobiography

by General Sir Mike Jackson
5.0 out of 5 stars (4)  £5.99
Soldier: The Autobiography

Soldier: The Autobiography

by General Sir Mike Jackson
4.3 out of 5 stars (9)  £12.29
Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege

Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege

by Sgt. Dan Mills
4.8 out of 5 stars (148)  £3.95
An Ordinary Soldier: Afghanistan: A Ferocious Enemy. A Bloody Conflict. One Man's Impossible Mission

An Ordinary Soldier: Afghanistan: A Ferocious Enemy. A Bloody Conflict. One Man's Impossible Mission

by Doug Beattie
4.6 out of 5 stars (20)  £4.84
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 512 pages
  • Publisher: Headline Review (3 April 2006)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0755313755
  • ISBN-13: 978-0755313754
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 72,275 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #32 in  Books > History > Britain & Ireland > Post-war Period, 1946-Present

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Review

'He is a thinking soldier with a gift for words and tells his story well' John Keegan, SPECTATOR; 'This absorbing tale, by turns dramatic, thoughtful and humorous, is a lesson in the humanity behind a country at war' SUN; 'The book is a fascinating, detailed account of what he and his men went through in the invasion and delivers a hard-hitting message of where the Coalition has gone wrong since the invasion' Sydney SUN HERALD; 'His memoir is incendiary' Glasgow HERALD; 'Painfully compelling' Allan Mallinson, THE TIMES (Various )


Product Description

From the moment Tim Collins’s speech to his men in Iraq was made public, this soldier–thinker became a hero and an inspiration to world leaders and infantrymen alike. To a public suspicious about the motives for war, he offered some explanation for it and inspired a mood of optimism and humanity that has since been sadly lost. And yet, only two months later Collins was pilloried by two national newspapers and accused of war crimes. But this is only part of his story. From taking command of 1 Royal Irish in the aftermath of the Sierra Leone hostage crisis to combating the Loyalist murder gangs in East Tyrone, Rules of Engagement is a powerful memoir that offers a frank and compelling insight into the realities of warfare and a life lived on the frontline.
See all Product Description

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)
(1)
See all 4 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict
91% buy the item featured on this page:
Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict 4.4 out of 5 stars (19)
£6.97
Soldier: The Autobiography
3% buy
Soldier: The Autobiography 4.3 out of 5 stars (9)
£12.29
Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege
2% buy
Sniper One: The Blistering True Story of a British Battle Group Under Siege 4.8 out of 5 stars (148)
£3.95
In Foreign Fields: Heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan in Their Own Words
2% buy
In Foreign Fields: Heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan in Their Own Words 4.9 out of 5 stars (17)
£5.91
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

19 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (5)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, 24 April 2006
By N. Brett (Wiltshire, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This is a really important book on a number of levels. I have seen some of the reviews that have commented about the author's philosophy but it does help us understand his mind set and approach!

The title suggests this is a full autobiography but it mainly deals with Iraq with a little bit before and a little afterwards.

Collins is a natural leader and his approach to the Iraq conflict should have been a benchmark for the rest of the conflict, i.e put into place standards and controls that would allow the free Iraq people to govern themselves and allow the early withdrawal of British and US troops. Very much a thinking and intelligent leader (although he admits his mistakes) you can see how his tactics work and the resulting improvements in the areas under his control.

Equally fascinating is his view and understanding of the people of Iraq. They come across and a warm but complex people and it is easy to understand how and why they have re-acted to the conflict in the way they have. There is a small section on the way a British cemetery has been immaculately maintained through the passion and loyalty of the locals that was quite moving.

Of course there is much mention of both the famous speech and then later on, the allegations against Collins. It was dis-heartening to see the way that the British Army and establishment failed to support Collins and allowed his name to be smeared in the press when they should have stood by a true asset.

While a biography will obviously paint a reasonably positive view of the author, I think this is a frank account and I have no doubt that the British Army needs more people like Collins.

I learnt a great deal from this one and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who is interested in either the Iraq conflict or military leadership.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Man of Honour, 8 Mar 2006
By Meredon (Australia) - See all my reviews
Tim Collins comes across as a man of honour, integrity and ability.
His book is full of insight, educated comment and some great humour. He allows the reader to be with him in some very tense and dangerous situations. He also clearly shows us that desk jockeys and management wannabes have no place in judging those who have placed themselves in harms way and alludes to the fact that without practical experience and wisdom the allies will make an almighty mess in Iraq. His personal experience of injustice is a salutary warning for us all - as personalities and politics are a constant threat to justice and reason - however there is another lesson in that life will use any means to precipitate the mid-life transition - particularly in an outstanding man of action.
Tim Collins shows how the job should be done in an excellent book - we can only hope that men like him train the armies of the future.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Officer Class, 23 Aug 2005
By Dr. P. J. A. Wicks (London, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Rules of Engagement: A Life in Conflict (Hardcover)
I agree with previous reviewers who have detailed this excellent book but thought I would add another angle of analysis. In a market segment dominated by individual tales of derring-do on the battlefield, in his autobiography Tim Collins gives us an insight into the very difficult role of battlefield management. If you want detailed pages of tech specs on weapons loadouts and obscene bodycounts read an SAS book; in Rules of Engagement these heroic exploits usually get a line or two. Instead we are given a detailed overview of the psychological and organisational issues involved in running an army regiment, which is often where the real battle is fought.

He understands that having the right kit with you is as much about looking the part as doing the job, the role of the regiment as an extended family that looks out for its own, and how strong leadership is the backbone of the British Armed Forces. I particularly enjoyed the sections contrasting the outlook of the Brits to the Americans in running an army, they are undoubtedly well trained, well equipped, and make all the right noises but appear sorely lacking in experience amongst their lower ranks. In addition to the other qualities mentioned here and other reviews, this book serves as a fine tribute to the Royal Irish Regiment and the community that supports them.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent insider's account of life in the Army
I had this book recommended to me and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a fantastic account of what life in the modern army is really like. Read more
Published 2 months ago by mclanno

1.0 out of 5 stars Self-serving account
One speech before war and people fall in love with this guy! Sub-Blair, sub-Henry V, but great fodder for the gullible. Read more
Published 19 months ago by William Podmore

5.0 out of 5 stars A role model for soldiers and writers alike
I bought this book having heard Tim Collins lecture on leadership and strategy. Since he is impressive in person, I had high expectations and I was not disappointed. Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2007 by G. H. Fraser-sampson

5.0 out of 5 stars ASYMMETRIC WARFARE
Colonel Tim Collins first achieved fame for his address to his troops when about to go into battle in Iraq. Read more
Published on 2 Jul 2007 by DAVID BRYSON

5.0 out of 5 stars Pull up a sandbag
As a former soldier myself, I bought this book as a holiday read at the airport and was not disappointed - in fact it was very hard to put down. Read more
Published on 16 Jul 2006 by K. Dawson

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Superb
This is a book every politician should read, he did far more for Iraq in his tour of duty than any politician managed, they should be taking notes on the concept of honour and... Read more
Published on 18 May 2006 by Mr. T. Holden

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential read for Military Personnel going to Iraq
An excellent well written insight which would provide anyone deployed to Iraq with some of the tools to make a tour out there a better time
Published on 26 April 2006 by A. Mclean

4.0 out of 5 stars Great on soldiering. Weak on philosophy.
Like his contemporary, Lieutenant-Colonel Tim Spicer, Colonel Tim Collins describes, in fair detail, his life and times in the British Army, and how he ultimately became... Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2006 by S Smyth

3.0 out of 5 stars Review
A bit disappointing. In Iraq Col. Collins' regiment moved into areas where the elite regiments (Paras and US Marines) had already done the hard work, so essentially his was a... Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2006

4.0 out of 5 stars From Belfast to Baghdad
Lt Colonel Collins’ autobiography focuses largely on his role as commander of 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment (1 RIR), in Gulf War 2, which is rather unfortunate as he... Read more
Published on 13 Jan 2006 by C. J. Husing

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject












i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Ad

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.