Larry Kahaner

To say I'm unimpressed with the content of this book is an understatement. There are too many technical errors to ignore; it seems that the author and/or publisher failed to have an individual familiar with firearms review the content before publishing. In fact, I'm surprised it was published at all. The writing is mediocre, and reads like a freshman's attempt at writing on a topic they are not familiar with. For a more technical read, I suggest The AK47 Story: Evolution of the Kalashnikov Weapons by Edward Ezell. Or for a better social narrative try AK47: Story of a Gun by Michael Hodges. Skip this book; unless you enjoy using your highlighter to find errors.… (plus d'informations)

A more or less impressionistic and journalistic account of the development and impact of the AK-47 family of assault rifles. The descriptions are vivid, the analysis less impressive. The contrast that the author draws between soldiers who are highly trained to aim carefully and "make every shot count" (as in the United States and other Western armies) and Third World soldiers, revolutionaries, and terrorists who spray bullets indiscriminately from cheap and widely available AK-47s, and consequently kill and wound huge numbers of civilian bystanders, is especially memorable. The author also describes how AK-47s have contributed to huge instabilities in various parts of the world, especially Africa. The author's analysis of how AK-47s have done so is, however, impressionistic and open to question.… (plus d'informations)