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Product Description
Book Description
An outspoken account of a life lived through war and conflict - Mike Jackson is Britain's most experienced soldier
Product Description
General Sir Mike Jackson's illustrious career in the British Army has spanned almost 45 years and all that time he has shown loyalty, courage and commitment to the British army whilst also being an undeniable media attraction.
A man of substance where foreign policy is concerned, he has served in theatres from the Artic to the jungle but is perhaps best known for his role in charge of the British troops to end ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, for assembling the British ground component of the coalition that toppled the Taliban, for equipping and organising the army we dispatched to defeat in Iraq and for re-organising the British army with aplomb. His drive, enthusiasm and dominating personality were always popular with his soldiers and drove him right to the top of his profession. He may have been a general but he never stopped caring about the men and women in his charge, despite the politics.
Soldier: The Autobiography exhibits all the qualities for which Jackson is admired; his professionalism, his honesty, his directness, his exuberance and his sense of humour. Most of all it gives a vivid sense of what modern soldiering entails.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Whenever people mention the subject of "great" British military commanders they might be forgiven for automatically thinking of Montgomery and Slim for their's were the battles on which the future of the free world was to depend. In a post-World War Two Britain, however, the names of few senior commanders from any of the three British armed services spring readily to mind. Within her army, however, the Parachute Regiment is able to claim more than it's fair share. Names like Anthony Farrar-Hockley, Geoffrey Howlett, Peter De La Billiere - to name but three. Now the name of Mike Jackson may be added to that august list of the greatest commanders of modern times.
It was 1971 when I first met Mike Jackson. I was a corporal attached to 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment in Palace Barracks, Northern Ireland. He was battalion adjutant in the rank of captain. The next time we met was some 18 years later in that same barracks. By then I was the captain - and he the brigadier. No, we were not in uniform, in fact he was playing a very hard game of rugby and I was a mere spectator. He was running down the wing at the time when an opponent bundled him off the field of play. He landed right beside me. "Hello Ned, good to see you again" he said and promptly got on with the game.
Since retiring as the professional head of the British Army, much has been said and written about General Sir Mike Jackson. Only he will know which plaudits are true and which are not. The one single characteristic for which he will always be remembered is, of course, the fact that he cared about the men under his command and when finally appointed Chief of the General Staff, that meant every single soldier in the British Army.
This autobiography is, of course, his story and, at a time when peace has finally returned to Northern Ireland and the Balkan states but with wars continuing in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is an important story for those who want to know what it is that makes a commander "great" over so many years of such troubled times. Unlike many other biographies, Mike Jackson makes no attempt to write this account through rose-tinted glasses or rewrite events to reflect what he might have wished had happened. This account is how it happened - warts and all.
It is a fascinating and engaging read and a book that should be read by every single person with an interest in what our forces are doing - and have been doing, for the past 45 years. As far as the British armed services are concerned, it is a story which should be read by officers and soldiers alike. They will all be the better for having done so.
NM
Retired British Army Major
It was 1971 when I first met Mike Jackson. I was a corporal attached to 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment in Palace Barracks, Northern Ireland. He was battalion adjutant in the rank of captain. The next time we met was some 18 years later in that same barracks. By then I was the captain - and he the brigadier. No, we were not in uniform, in fact he was playing a very hard game of rugby and I was a mere spectator. He was running down the wing at the time when an opponent bundled him off the field of play. He landed right beside me. "Hello Ned, good to see you again" he said and promptly got on with the game.
Since retiring as the professional head of the British Army, much has been said and written about General Sir Mike Jackson. Only he will know which plaudits are true and which are not. The one single characteristic for which he will always be remembered is, of course, the fact that he cared about the men under his command and when finally appointed Chief of the General Staff, that meant every single soldier in the British Army.
This autobiography is, of course, his story and, at a time when peace has finally returned to Northern Ireland and the Balkan states but with wars continuing in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is an important story for those who want to know what it is that makes a commander "great" over so many years of such troubled times. Unlike many other biographies, Mike Jackson makes no attempt to write this account through rose-tinted glasses or rewrite events to reflect what he might have wished had happened. This account is how it happened - warts and all.
It is a fascinating and engaging read and a book that should be read by every single person with an interest in what our forces are doing - and have been doing, for the past 45 years. As far as the British armed services are concerned, it is a story which should be read by officers and soldiers alike. They will all be the better for having done so.
NM
Retired British Army Major
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Obviously this book is likely of greatest interest to those serving or who have served in the forces. Still, General Sir Mike Jackson is a very interesting, succesful and capable man and his life and has had a remarkable career.
As others point out the book is written in a very matter of fact way and he tries hard and generaly succeeds from providing his opinion and angle on key events throughout his career. This is seen from his explanation of the history of the troubles of Northern Ireland where he portrays feeling and the history of all sides well, without making judgement of the validy of those.
What the book is longing for (at least in what I look for in a biography) is more insight into his mind, his decisions, his way of thinking, how he lived. He touches only briefly off his perosnal feelings and thoughts in areas such as describing the Warrenpoint bombings as horrific and describing the scene. He then goes onto say he didn't have any sleepless nights from it as it's not part of his character. He also has a strong dislike of Wes Clark and his way of working which comes across. That's about it from a personal insight viewpoint. Sure, he gives his views, frustrations and thoughts on subjects such as the political situation is Kosovo, but there's so little of what really makes the man and who is is deep down which is a great shame. Still, a very well written and enjoyable book, this aside.
As others point out the book is written in a very matter of fact way and he tries hard and generaly succeeds from providing his opinion and angle on key events throughout his career. This is seen from his explanation of the history of the troubles of Northern Ireland where he portrays feeling and the history of all sides well, without making judgement of the validy of those.
What the book is longing for (at least in what I look for in a biography) is more insight into his mind, his decisions, his way of thinking, how he lived. He touches only briefly off his perosnal feelings and thoughts in areas such as describing the Warrenpoint bombings as horrific and describing the scene. He then goes onto say he didn't have any sleepless nights from it as it's not part of his character. He also has a strong dislike of Wes Clark and his way of working which comes across. That's about it from a personal insight viewpoint. Sure, he gives his views, frustrations and thoughts on subjects such as the political situation is Kosovo, but there's so little of what really makes the man and who is is deep down which is a great shame. Still, a very well written and enjoyable book, this aside.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Just finished General Jacksons book on holidays last week and could not put the book down. An excellent read of a Professional soldiers 40 plus years military career from Sandhurst too retirement. If you have any interest in military affairs you will not be dissapointed with this volume.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Generally speaking...
This book provides an excellent and edifying insight into the author's British Army career, and his tours of duty, including Northern Ireland, the Balkans, and the Middle-East. Read more
Published 14 months ago by J L Burton
Soldier, the autobiography
A great book, written by General Mike jackson, detailing his life from childhood through to his efforts in Northern Ireland to other conflicts in the world. Read more
Published 17 months ago by kav
Well Written
Very detailed story Of General Jackson. Provides detail and is not the typical stuffy "I did this and I did that" book that one would expect from a military officer. Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2009 by C. lester
Gripping reading
I don't read many books. This book was recommended by a work colleague, so I purchased it.
I'd owned it for several months before I started to read it a week ago. Read more
I'd owned it for several months before I started to read it a week ago. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2009 by Mr M I Rooke
An excellent book - whether you are army or not
I read this book on my travels to Egypt and it was superb. In fact, its the first book Ive kept an interest in all the way through for a long time!!! Read more
Published on 23 Nov 2008 by SHANN
A Brilliant Summary of Recent European History
This book is a brilliant summary of recent European history, written in a very acceptable form. If you're fuzzy about the difference between Kosovo and Bosnia, or never really... Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2008 by C. Hession
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