Review: An easy, compelling read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 24, 2013
Mohadishu Diaries by Eddie Thompkins III documents a soldiers experience with Operation Restore Hope in a non-judgmental way.  Just the facts, ma'am.  Thompkins did a great job pulling the reader into the book through first-hand experiences and believable dialog. He sugar-costs nothing, which I found refreshing. And because he uses military jargon sparingly, it is an easy, compelling read.  Operation Restore Hope helped identify Somali clan leaders responsible for the violence and insecurity in that country. Certainly not a subject of a book I would normally pick up, but I am glad I did.  Thompkins is thoughtful and meticulous in explaining his account of events.  Although there were a few spots that seemed incidental, they did not distract from the message, the people, the culture, the relationships, and the overall content of the book. I learned a great deal and the message stuck with me, which is preferred to simply finishing a book and forgetting the story. I hope Thompkins continues to write about his military experiences.  As one reviewer noted, maybe someday we will see an autobiography about Mr. Thompkins.