Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com
Summary:
Amazon Best of the Month, October 2008: Given the title, American Rifle is a book that many potential readers might dismiss without a thought. Don't do it: Alexander Rose's peculiar "biography" is not written for gun enthusiasts--though they'll certainly enjoy it--but for anyone interested American history from George Washington to the Wild West to Iraq. Drawing on original sources ranging from Samuel Colt to the soldiers who depend on the weapon the most, this book is an exhaustive history of the rifle's place in American culture, not only as an instrument of war, but also as a driver of technological innovation and advances in mass production that helped propel the United States into its role as both a military and economic superpower. Once you start, American Rifle will have to be pried from your cold, dead hands before you put it down. --Jon Foro
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
Good, generally, as the other reviews state- but technical problems
Customer Rating:
I enjoyed the book, a breezy read on a subject dear to my heart. Rose's style is similar to Edwin Tunis, within the pages of whose book "Weapons" I first cut my teeth some forty-six years ago, initiating a life-long pursuit of the subject, and to which I returned when reading "American Rifle" for reference.
Two amongst several errors or illogical descriptions, Rose describes Forsyth hunting birds with a ball, not shot, and refers to a percussion cap as a nipple- minor problems, but they don't build trust in the text.
However, glaringly, a photo of a German 1888 Commission Rifle and its enbloc clip are noted as the Mauser System and charging device, of which they are neither.
Also, whereas I can't back it up, Colt being cited as not having rifling machines capable of cutting anything tighter than a 18-or-16-to-one twist and thereby applying those rates to M-16's seems rather far fetched- my confidence in the information being conditioned by what I have previously mentioned.
A very enjoyable read
Customer Rating:
This book was a pleasant surprise. The Winchester on the cover caught my eye and I figured that a book titled AMERICAN RIFLE: A BIOGRAPHY was certainly worth a look. I'm glad I did as this is a fascinating account of the military rifle in American history. Mr. Rose begins with the Kentucky long rifle and continues to the debate over the M-4 carbine's role as our current front line weapon.
The author's dry wit and his descriptions of colorful characters makes for a fun read. If you enjoy U.S. military history and/or classic firearms then you should pick this up.
Interesting but Dry
Customer Rating:
As a gun owner and enthusiastic supporter of the 2nd Amendment, I enjoyed learning about the history of the American rifle. The book concentrates on how armories and private companies responded to the US Army's evolving, and sometimnes conflicting, rifle requirements. The prose is dry and I was ready for the book to be over by the time I was 1/2 through reading it.
American Rifle: A Biography
Customer Rating:
Well written and paced. This covers where and when our firearms history and manufacture began, where used and when used, plus design. Very informative and well worth adding to your library.
A truly excellent book
Customer Rating:
Mr. Rose has taken a huge amount of historical information and condensed it in to a very interesting set of stores with the American rifle the center theme in each chapter. The interesting points for me are his ability to tell a factual story and blend in political, cultural, military, and business issues at a point in time and place this information in a time line that make it a great read about great rifles in an emerging nation from the revolution to the present times. He takes great effort in developing technical data surrounding the rifle, its design, its caliper, the selection of ammunition and its development into a enjoyable story.
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