Anybody read "Once an Eagle"?

[Swede]

So in the Libyan fable it is told
That once an eagle, stricken with a dart,
Said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft,
“With our own feathers, not by others’ hands,
Are we now smitten.”
Æschylus

I read it so long ago,but I always remember the quote that inspired the name of the book. Sad Sam Damon was a great character too.

[petronius]

1. Read it years ago

and really liked it. I'm guessing it's not required reading in chickenhawk neocon circles - I think it's pretty obvious which character would have been the pubbie...

[Swede]

2. Courtney Masengale?

His name came to me as soon as I read your post.

[petronius]

3. That's the guy

I imagine he would fit in perfectly well with the current White House crowd, and is probably on the Halliburton board of directors even now... (For another relevant literary reference, it took me a minute to remember the name Halliburton - I kept wanting to type Harkonnnen.)

[Swede]

4. The will to power dredges up the worst throughout history.

But the worst always have the best fighting them.

[Historic NY]

5. What would Sam do?

Thirty years after its initial publication, Once An Eagle has become a touchstone for the military professionals who devise and carry out our nation's defense. According to the New York Times, "Once An Eagle has worked its way over a generation into the mindset and lexicon of the American military." Named to the Marine Commandant's Reading List, it is required reading for all marines, is assigned to West Point cadets, and is featured in the United States Army War College's annual leadership seminar. Soldiers emblazon the protagonist's name-Sam Damon-across their tanks, and military officers at every level make decisions by asking themselves, "What would Sam do?"

http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060196963

The NBC mini-series of 1976 was also a fairly good adaptation of the book .

[Swede]

6. Well that's pretty cool.

Sad Sam is one great character.

[Historic NY]

7. You made me go hunting for my copy, its here somewhere in my library.