Review of "CHARLIE FOXTROT"

[Robin Craig]

CHARLIE FOXTROT By Kim Richard Nossal a book in the Point of View series published by Dundurn.

I am not one prone to reading dry material published by the scholarly types as a rule, just not my kind of read.

So, I thought as a service to other forum members, I would spend the time and type my thoughts in the way of a book review, as this book has so many connections to me and to other forum members.

The book is a $19.99 paperback and is a look at "Fixing Defence Procurement in Canada" from the point of view of someone who has no military connection at all. Kim Nossal is not a former or current serving member of any military that I know of.

Kim is however, my neighbour and I enjoy having random conversations with him as we both go for our mail at the road, our driveways oppose each other.

I respect Kim hugely and have learned so much in the way of a geo-political education since we have been neighbours over the last 5 years.

For any of you with an interest in how we came to have various military equipment this book puts a different spin on what you think you might know and sets out some very real answers to why we are in the pickle we are and how the procurement system is flawed and will remain so until change is effected.

A good quick and wholly digestible read that even a lay person like myself was able to get through without difficulty. Some words used made me reach for a dictionary but it never hurts to increase one's lexicon.

A book I feel privileged to own, as my copy was a gift from Kim himself and has an inscription, which always makes it so much more personal.

I hope others get the same positive insight that I gained.

By way of disclaimer, we always need to be clear on motives, I am not being paid for this review, it is the review of the work of a friend and neighbour without compensation.