www.mercenary-wars.net

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE

MERCENARY WARS

 

Books

A list of books on the subject of Mercenaries and Mercenary wars

If you are interested in the subject

all the following are well worth a read

       
 
  '888 Days in Biafra' by Samuel Umweni Published by iUniverse, Inc. (7th May 2007) ISBN-0595425941. ISBN-13-978-0595425945. 236 Pages. About the Book & review.........Read Pre-view
       
 
  'Acabou' by Tim Green. Published by Covos Day ISBN 1-919874-08-9. Softcover Size 225 x 150mm. Re-printed Aug 2003. Overview
       
 
 

'AK47' The Complete Kalashnikov Family Of Assault Rifles by Duncan Long Published by Paladin Press; 2nd printing edition (1st September 1988) ISBN-10: 0873644778. & ISBN-13: 978-0873644778. 192 Pages in English Reviews

       
 
 

'AK47 The Grim Reaper' by Frank Lannamico Published by North Cape (2009). ISBN-10: 0982391803. & ISBN-13: 978-0982391808. Reviews

       

'The Official Soviet AKM Manual' by James F. Gebhardt (Translator) Published by Paladin Press (1st January 1998) ISBN-10: 1581600100 & ISBN-13: 978-1581600100 106 Pages In English Reviews

       
 
 

'Legends and Reality of the AK' A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the History, Design, and Impact of the Kalashnikov Family of Weapons by Charlie Cutshaw and Valery Shilin published by Paladin Press (1st March 2000) ISBN-10: 1581600690. & ISBN-13: 978-1581600698. In English 192 pages. Reviews

       
 
 

'The AK-47 and AK74 Kalashnikov Rifles and Their Variations' by Joe Poyer. Published by North Cape Publications, Inc.; 2nd edition (15th September 2006) In English ISBN-10: 1882391411. & ISBN-13: 978-1882391417. 186 Pages... Reviews

 
   
 
 

'The Gun that Changed the World' by Mikail Kalashikov. Published by Polity 1st edition (3rd November 2006). ISBN-10: 0745636926. & ISBN-13:978-0745636924/ 224 Pages in English Reviews

 
   
 
 

'7.62 x 39 mm AK-47 Handbook' by Skennerton & Riling. Published by Ray Riling Arms Books (1st January 2005) ISBN-10: 094974980X. ISBN-13: 978-0949749802 Reviews

 
   
 
  'AK-47' The Weapon that Changed the Face of War by Larry Kahaner Published by Wiley (19th Oct 2007) ISBN 10 - 0470168803 & ISBN 13 - 978-0470168806. In English, 258 pages ...Reviews
 
   
 
 

'A Opção pela Espada' (The Option By The Sword) by Pedro Marangoni. Third Editon now available at Bubok of Portugal. .....To read the ..Overview

       
 
 

'Affaires Africaines' by Pierre Pean published by Fayard 1983. ISBN No 2213013241, 9782213013244. Contains 340 pages. No Book Cover

 
 
 

'Arabian Assignment' by David Smiley and Peter Kemp Published by Leo Cooper 1975. Contains 248 pages

 
 
 

This is not a mercenary book, but is too good not to include it if only to read about the training and work they under took.

'Ask Forgiveness Not Permission' A true story of a discrete, post 9/11 operation in the ‘badlands’ of Pakistan. by Howard Leedham MBE. ISBN: 978-1-903071-67-0. With 360 pages. Comments ----------------Purchased here.

       
 
  'Barrel Of A Gun' Misspent Moments in Combat by Al J Venter. Overview
       
 
 

'Biafra Journal’ by Michael Mok Published by Timeline Books 1969. Contains 96 pages. No book cover,

 
 
 

'Black ops' the rise of special forces in the C.I.A, the S.A.S, and Mossad by Tom Geraghty. Published by Pegasus Books 2010. 440 Pages. ISBN 1605980978, 9781605980973. 440 Pages and illustrated. More Details

       
 
 

'Blackwater' The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army by Jeremy Scahill Nation Books 2008 (revised/updated edition). Overview Contains 550 pages

 
 
  'Bloodsong' An Account of Executive Outcomes in Angola by Jim Hooper. 240 pages published by Harpercollins Pub Ltd (October 2002) ISBN-10: 0007119151. ISBN-13: 978-007119158. Description/Review
       
 
  'Britain and the Yemen Civil War, 1962–1965' by Clive Jones Book Overview
 
 
 
'Cold War Guerrilla' Jonas Savimbi. The U.S. Media, and the Angolan War. by Ellaine Windrich. Review
 
 
  'Conflicting Missions' Havana, Washington, Pretoria. by Piero Gleijeses. ISBN 1-919-85410-X Hardback, 504pp; size 242 X 160mm, b/w pics and in-text illustrations. Overview
       
 
  'Congo Mercenary' by Mike Hoare published by Sycamore Island Books. Overview. Signed new copies of this book Click Here
       
 
  'Congo Warriors' by Mike Hoare. Published by Paladin Press (Blue Jacket Books) 2008. Overview. Signed new copies of this book Click Here
       
 
 
'Cold War In The Congo' by Frank R Villafana. The confrontation of Cuban Military forces 190 to 1967. Review. ------- Book Preview.
 
 
 
'Congo Unravelled' Military Operations from Independence to the Mercenary Revolt 1960-68 (Africa@War) by Andrew Hudson. Published by Helion and Company (15 Jun 2012) ISBN-10: 1907677631. ISBN-13: 978-1907677632. Paperback 72 pages. Review. Purchase Here
       
 
 
'Corporate Warriors' by Peter Singer (Writers Bio) -- Review. --- Google On Line Read.
 
 
 
'Counsel For The Mercenaries' by Dan A. Cesner (4th Sep 2010) Kindle E-Book.This book is fiction but the trial of the mercenaries is based upon the actual trial of thirteen mercenaries in the African country of Angola which occurred during 1976. The writers brother was a member of the American legal team that was sent to Angola to represent the two Americans at the Trial.
       
 
 
'Devils Guard' by George Robert Elford Published by the New English Library 1976. Contains 336pages. Review
 
 
 
'Dirty Combat' by  Dave Tomkins Published by Mainstream 2008. ISBN No 184596389X, 9781845963897. Contains 336 pages. Book-Overview
 
 
 
'Dirty Deeds Done Cheap' by Peter Mercer published by John Blake 2009. Contains 272 pages. Overview
 
 
  'Dirty Work 2' (The CIA In Africa) by Ray E (ED) Published by London Zed Press 1980, New Jersey Lyle Stuart 1978. Contains 532 pages. Review
 
 
  'Dogs of War' by Frederick Forsyth. First published by Hutchinson 1974 and later Published by Corgi Books. ISBN No 0-552-11695-5. Contains 439 Pages. It's fictitious but the plot has been used on a couple of occasions.
       
 
  'Drop Zone Borneo' The RAF Campaign of 1963-65 - 'the Most Successful Use Of Armed Forces In The Twentieth Century': By Roger Annett. Published by Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN : 9781848844056 Review
       
 
  'Executive Outcome' Mercenary Intervention in Angola and Sierra Leone, 1993-1996. By Andrew Hudson (Africa@War Series 12). 72 page Paperback. Helion and Company  ISBN-10: 190938464 XISBN-13: 978-1909384644. Review
       
 
  'Executive Outcomes' Against All Odds by Eben Barlow. Reviews
       
 
  'Fighting Manual' The Definitive Soldiers Handbook by Peter McAleese and John Avery. Reviews.
       
 
  'Fireforce' One Man's War in the Rhodesian Light Infantry. by Chris Cocks. Publisher 30 Degrees South; 4Rev Ed edition (June 3, 2009) ISBN-10: 095848909. ISBN-13: 978-0958489096. 320 Pages. Amazon ranks it in their top 100 books. More Details & Reviews.
       
 
 

'Fire Power' by Chris Dempster and Dave Tomkins their version of what happened in Angola as they were there. Published by Corgi Books1979. Contains 240 pages. Reviews

 
 
 
'Five Fingers' by Gayle Rivers. (New Zealand) Contains 280 pages. Review
 
 
  'Four Ball One Tracer' Commanding Executive Outcomes in Angola and Sierra Leone by Roelf van Heerden as told by Andrew Hudson. Published by Helion & Company (June 2012) ISBN: 1907677763. . ISBN-13: 1907677762. 320 pages. More details
       
 
  'Former Soldier Seeks Employment' by John Miller Macmillan 1989. Contains 227 pages. No Book Cover. Reviews
 
 
 

'Garibaldi, the Revolutionary and his Men' by Andriea Viotti. Published by Blandford Press 1979. ISBN No 0713709421, 9780713709421. Contains 236 pages. No Book Cover

       
 
  'Ghost Force' The Secret History of the Special Air Service by Ken Connor. Published by Cassells Military Paperbacks. ISBN 0-304-36367-7 Preview
 
 
  'Guerrilla Wars in Africa'': Lisbon's Conflicts in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea by Al J Venter. More details
       
 
 

'Gunship Ace' The Wars of Neall Ellis, Gunship Pilot and Mercenary by Al J. Venter. Releasing on December 9, 2011 More Details and a Preview

       
 
  'Guns For Hire' The inside story of Freelance Soldiering by Tony Geraghty first Published by Portrait in 2007. Paperback published in 2008 by Piatkus. ISBN 978-0-7499-2873-5. www.piatkus.co.uk Overview
       
 
 
'Have Gun Will Travel' (paper back), 'A Mercenary's Tale' (hardback with photos) by Karl Penta and Published by John Blake Publishing Ltd. 2003 ISBN 1 904034 50. Book Review
 
 
  'In Search Of Enemies' by John Stockwell Published by WW Norton  NY 1978. Contains 285 pages. Overview
       
 
  'Katanga 1960 - 63' Mercenaries, Spies and the African Nation that waged war on the world. by Christopher Othen. Published by the History Press on 7th September 2015. ISBN - 10: 0750962887. ISBN-13: 978-0750962889. Purchase
       
 
 

'killerkommando' (Killer Command) about the CIA and Contras by Hannes Bahrmann, Peter Jacobs , Christoph Links. ISBN 9783355002967. Flexible cover, 148 pages, from the series of concrete-nl (77), property & Reference Book, published by New Life1st January 1987. Printed in German Synopsis

       
 
  'Killing Zone' by Harry McCallion Review
       
 
 
'Legionnaire' by Simon Murray Published by Sidgwick and Jackson 1978 and New English Library 1980. Contains 348 pages. Overview. ---- Review.
       
 
  'Licensed To Kill' Hired Guns in the War on Terror by Robert Young Pelton. Published by Three rivers Press New York. 2006/7 ISBN 978-1-4000-9782-1 Sample Read. ........Reviews.
       
 
 
'Live To Spend It' A Mercenary Guide for the 90s by Frank Camper. During the 1980s there were a number of para-military schools in the United States. Two covert ops veterans started it all, Mitch WerBel with Cobray, and Frank Camper with the Mercenary Association. The Merc School was the associations’s training course. The course was mentally demanding and physically cruel. 225 pages, softcover. Frank Campers Books List
 
 
  'Looking For Trouble' SAS to Gulf Command, Autobiography by General Sir Peter De La Billiere. Published by Harper Collins 1994 ISBN 0 00 637983 4 Reviews
       
 
  'Mad Dog Killers' The story of a Congo Mercenary by Ivan Smith. Published by Helion and Company (15 May 2012) ISBN-10: 190767778X. ISBN-13: 978-1907677786. Paperback 160 Pages. To purchase click here
       
 
  'Major Mike Williams' Major Mike Williams as told to Robin Moore further Information
       
 
  'Merc' the American Soldier of Fortune'. by Jay Mallin and Robert K. Brown. Author of the American Soldier of Fortune magazine. Contains 216 Pages.
 
 
 
'Mercenary' by Mike Hoare Published by Corgi Books 1979 (Originally 'Congo Mercenary' by Robert Hale 1967). Contains 350 Pages. Signed new copies of this book Click Here
 
 
  'Mercenary Commander' by Col Jerry Puren and Brian Pottinger.1986 ISBN 0-9470-2021-7. More details
       
 
  'Mercenary Commander' Original Book Cover
 
 
  'Mercenary's' Tactical Handbook. Learn the Tactical Secrets of a Soldier Of Fortune by Sid Cambell. CD-Rom E-Book. Review
       
 
  'Mercenaries' soldiers of fortune, from ancient Greece to today's private military companies by Michael Lee Lanning. published by Ballantine Books 2005. ISBN 0345469232, 9780345469236 272 Pages and Illustrated. More details
       
 
  'Mercenaries' Counter Insurgency in the Gulf by Fred Halliday London 1977. Contains 80 Pages. No book Cover
 
 
  'My Friend The Mercenary' by James Brabazon Published by Cannon Gate 3rd June 2010. Preview. and contact to purchase. Youtube Preview.
 
 
  'Nights of the Air' by Ezra Bowen. Time Life Books. Contains 192 Pages.
       
 
  'No Mean Soldier' by Peter McAleese. Published by Cassell Military Paperbacks 2000. First published by Orion in 1993. ISBN No 0-304-35684-1. Contains 384 pages. Overview
       
 
 
'On Wings Of War' My life as a pilot adventurer by Jean Zumbach. 252 Pages. Published by Deutsch, First English Edition edition (1975). Then by Corgi. ISBN-10:0233966234. ISBN-13:978-0233966236. The extraordinary life story of a Polish-born pilot and mercenary whose unquenchable search for adventure has taken him to all parts of the world on a wide variety of sometimes greatly dangerous missions. From an RAF pilot in WW2 he became a dealer in smuggled contraband, then a combatant in the Congo and Biafra, among other hair-raising occupations.
       
 
  'Portugal' - The Scramble for Africa by Paul Southern. December 2010. Softback, 256 pages. 17 illustrations, 8 maps. Overview.
       
 
  'Portugal's War In Angola. 1961 - 1974' by W.S. van der Waals. Published In English by Ashanti Publishing (31 Dec 1993) 324 pages. ISBN-10: 1874800510. ISBN-13: 978-1874800514. Review.
       
 
  'Real Soldiers Of Fortune' by Richard Harding Davis published by Paladin Press. Overview
 
 
  'Rebels Mercenaries and Dividends' by Smith Hempstone Published by Frederick a Praeger 1962. Contains 250 Pages. No Book Cover
 
 
  'Report of the Committee of Privy Councillors, appointed to enquire into the recruitment of Mercenaries' London 1976. No Book Cover
 
 
  'Rhodesia' by Robin Moore published by Condor, 1977 313 pages. Sorry no further information available.
       
 
  'Road to Kalamata' A Congo Mercenary's Personal Memoir by Mike Hoare. Sycamore Island Books, 2008. Paperback 2008. Overview. Signed new copies of this book Click Here
       
 
  'Rodesian War' A Military History by Paul Moorcroft and Peter McLaughlin. Reviews
       
 
 
'Save The Last Bullet For Yourself' by Rob Krott. Contains 256 Pages. Review.
 
 
  'Small Arms Today' Latest Reports on the World's Weapons and Ammunition (2nd Edition) by Edward Clinton Ezell. Research assistance from Carlos G. Davila and Peter Labbett. Published 1988 by Stackpole Books Harrisburgh. and Arms and Amour Press.
 
   
 
 

'Soldiers of Fortune' A History of the Mercenary in Modern Warfare. by Tom Geraghty. (Illustrated) Published by Pegasus Books 2009. Digitised 17th December 2010. ISBN 160598048X - 9781605980485. 392 Pages. Reviews

       
 
  'Soldiers of Fortune' by Sterling Seagrave, Published by Time Life Books Alexandra Virginia 1981. Contains 176 Pages. No book cover.
 
 
  'Soldier of Fortune' In Action With The Dogs Of War by Al J. Venter. Published by Paperback Division of W.H. Allen. 1983: Africa in flames South Africa's new military government is fighting a brutal guerilla war on Zimbabwe's borders. And one crack mercenary unit like Major James McDowall's - brutalised by Angola, the Lebanon and Vietnam
       
 
  'Soldiers of Fortune' The Twentieth Century Mercenary by Peter MacDonald. Published by Multimedia Publications (UK) Ltd 1986. Containes 191 Pages. No Book cover. Overview
 
 
  'Soldiers of Misfortune' by John. S. Mannet. No book cover.
 
 
  'Someone Else's War' From 1960 to the Present, by Anthony Rogers Published by HarperCollins 1998. ISBN No 0 00 472078 4. Contains 320 Pages.
       
 
  'Tango Romeo' by Alan Brough about the life of Jack Mallock Pilot Extrodinaire.
 
 
  'Task Force Intrepid' The Gold of Katanga by D. R. Tharp [Kindle Edition] Sold by Amazon Digital Services. ASIN: B006LLWWLW. More Details
       
 
  'The Bay of Pigs' The Untold Story by Peter Wyden Published by Simon and Schuster 1979. Overview
 
 
  'The Biafra Story' The making of an African Legend by Frederick Forsyth. Published by Penguin 1969. Contains 291 Pages. Overview
 
 
 
'The Black Eagle' by John Peter Nugent, Published by Stein and Day 1971. Contains 198 Pages. Overview
 
 
  'The Cuban Invasion' The Chronicle of a Disaster by Karl E Meyer
Published by Frederick A Praeger 1962. No Book cover.
 
 
  'The Gun' How the AK-47 changed the world. by C.J. Chivers Published by Simon & Schuster 2010 - 496 pages Reviews
       
 
  'The Hilton Assignment' by Patrick Seale and Maureen McConville Published by Maurice Temple Smith-London 1973. Contains 240 Pages. No Book cover. Overview
 
 
 
'The Irish Army in the Congo 1960 to 1964' by David O'Donoughue published by Irish Academic Press
       
 
  'The Kovaks Contract' by Leslie Aspin published by Everest Books Ltd. Seller ID:  1144929111. Leslie Aspin hit the headlines in 1976 as the organizer of British mercenaries to fight in Angola. It was the least of this incredible man's exploits. In his sensational autobiography, he tells how he: smuggled arms to Libya; survived a shootout in a Malta back alley; doublecrossed the Mafia in a heroin deal; conned South African sanctions-busters out of £14,000 in twenty minutes; shot two hit men sent to kill him; spied on the IRA for British Intelligence. Packed with fascinating detail about the operation of international villainy, this is the autobiography of the man the British Press called "the spy marked down for death."
       
 
 

'The Last Adventurer' by Rolf Steiner and Yves-Guy. Published by Berge (1978 Hardcover in German). Later Published by Little, Brown & Co. Then Translated by Steve Cox & Published by Weidenfield and Nicolson. 275 Pages. ISBN-10: 0316812390. ISBN-13: 978 -0316812399. Reviews

 
 
  'The Story of the Northern Rhodesia Regiment' Edited by WV Brelsford. ISBN 0946995834. Reprinted by facsimilie edition Galago 1990 (original printed 1954). Hardcover. 134 pages. Includes lists of commandants, honours and awards, maps, B&W photographs, battle plans. Overview
       
 
  'To Hell' by Allan Faukner [Kindle Edition] Published by Wardog Publication, 1 edition (26 April 2011) Amazon Media EU S.à r.l. ASIN: B004Y5N2CU. Short story 3323 words. In 1976 Alan Humphries travels to Angola to join a group of British mercenaries fighting for the FNLA. He soon realises that not only has he gone to Africa, but also to Hell.
       
 
 
'To Katanga and Back' by Conor Cruise O’Brian  1962. Contains 370 Pages. Overview
       
 
  'The Killing Zone' by Paul Craig Review
 
 
  'The Modern Mercenary' by Peter Ticker covers a time from the early 60's and the Congo. Published by Patrick Stephens 1987. ISBN No 0-85059-812-5
 
 
 

'The New Mercenaries' by Anthony Mockler. Published by Corgi 1986. First published by Sidgwick and Jackson 1985. ISBN No 0-552-12558. Contains 374 Pages.

 
 
  'The Seychelles Affair' by Mike Hoare published by Paladin Press 2010. Paperback 244 pages. Overview. Signed new copies of this book Click Here
       
 
  'The Specialist' The personal Story of an Elite Specialist in Covert Operations by Gayle Rivers, Published by Corgi books1986. ISBN No 0-552-12736-1. Contains 314 pages. Overview
 
 
 

'The Unorthordox Soldier' Peace and War and the Sandline Affair. An Autobiograhy by Lieutenant Tim Spicer OBE. Published by Mainstream Publishing (October 1, 1999). ISBN-10: 1840183497 & ISBN-13: 978-1840183498. 256 Pages. Review.........Preview.

       
 
  'The War That Never Was' by Duff Hart Davis published by Randon House. ISBN: 9781846058257 Review
       
 
  'The Wonga Coup' Guns, Thugs and a Ruthless Determination to Create Mayhem in an Oil-Rich Corner of Africa by Adam Roberts. Published by PublicAffairs, First Edition edition (August 7, 2006). ISBN-10: 1586483714. ISBN-13: 978-1586483715. Contains 320 Pages. Reviews.
       
 
 

'War Diaries of Andre Dennison' by J.R.T. Wood published by Ashanti 1989. Hardback has 400 pages with 142 photographs. Copies available from Regimental books.com.au. Previewed on the Rhodeaian site

       
 
  'The Whores of War' by Wilfred Burchett and Derek Roebuck Published by Penguin 1977. Contains 240 Pages.
 
  'Wages of War' The Life of a Modern Mercenary by John Banks Published by Leo Cooper 1978. Contains 112 Pages.
 
  'Warfare By Other Means' South Africa in the 1980's by Peter Stiff. 600 Pages and Published by Galago Books (August 1, 2002). ISBN-10: 1919854010. ISBN-13: 978-1919854014. Book content & Reviews.
       
 
 

'War Dog' Fighting Other People's Wars' by  Al J Venter. Casemate 2006. Casemate Books, USA ISBN-13: 978-1932033090 Jul 2003 Hardback Cover photo on this page.ISBN-13: 978-1932033908 Apr 2008 Softback With Introduction by Frederick Forsyth Cover photo on Catalogue page 644 pages. 32 pages color photos, maps. Reviews

 
  'War Dogs' British Mercenaries in Bosnia Tell Their Story by Keith Corry Jones. Published by Century; 1ST edition (1996) ISBN - 10: 0712676317. ISBN - 13 : 978-0712676311. 272 Pages. Reviews
       
 
  'War Stories' by Al Venter and Friends - Al J Venter. Target release date : April / May 2011 More information
       
 
 
'White Soldiers in Black Africa' Hans Germani Published by Nasionale Boekhandel Beperk only in South Africa.
       
 
  'Who Dares Wins' The story of the SAS 1950 to 1980 By Tony Geraghty Published by Fontana Collins 1981. Contains 327 Pages.