Through the Crosshairs - Andy Dougan

In Through the Crosshairs, Andy Dougan chronicles the art of sharp shooting, from the first instance of strategic execution during the English civil war to the snipers in the jungles of Vietnam. Dougan identifies the great snipers of each era and explains the circumstances in which their reputations were established and very often embellished. From the gunman who chose not to fire on a retreating George Washington during the Revolutionary War to the "white stocking" of Chechnya, Through the Crosshairs is a fascinating look at the marksmen and -women who have taken up the gun to expert and deadly effect. In an era in which we've attempted to make warfare as impersonal as new technology will allow, Through the Crosshairs illustrates how the sniper, while once a pariah in the eyes of his fellow troops, has evolved into a chillingly ideal soldier for modern warfare: precise, economical, remote, and, most important, lethal. Dougan's book is a fascinating reminder that despite our attempts otherwise, man may always be the deadliest weapon of all.