Somewhere within the book, there is a beautiful and insightful story about a colorful, influencial man. But the book buries Boyd's story beneath so many layers of hyperbole, overdramatization, and conjecture, that I almost lost sight of it.

Then again, this seems to mirror Boyd's own writing style, which you can sample in the appendix. ( )

John Boyd may be the most remarkable unsung hero in all of American military history. Some remember him as the greatest U.S. fighter pilot ever-the man who, in simulated air-to-air combat, defeated every challenger in less than forty seconds. Some recall him as the father of our country's most legendary fighter aircraft-the F-15 and F-16. Still others think of Boyd as the most influential military theorist since Sun Tzu. They know only half the story.Boyd, more than any other person, saved fighter aviation from the predations of the Strategic Air Command. His manual of fighter tactics changed the way every air force in the world flies and fights. He discovered a physical theory that forever altered the way fighter planes were designed. Later in life, he developed a theory of military strategy that has been adopted throughout the world and even applied to business models for maximizing efficiency. On a personal level, Boyd rarely met a general he couldn't offend. He was loud, abrasive, and profane. A man of daring, ferocious passion and intractable stubbornness, he was that most American of heroes-a rebel who cared not for his reputation or fortune but for his country.

Profound but long winded

This book serves as a great intro to Boyd’s life and work . It gets tedious and glosses over a few things . However Boyd is an interesting personality and his life serves as a great lesson . ( )

The most famous American fighter pilot I never heard of--not Rickenbacker, Bong, Boyington, Yeager, McConnell, Olds--but the one who re-rewrote the book on tactics; developed the engineering models that lead to the F-15, F-16, F-18 & the A-10; and he was the one who developed the OODA Loop (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act)--not some psychologist, but a damned fighter pilot. Probably not much of a surprise that he was hated by the guys with stars on their shoulders. Good. Ornery guys getting their way can be prickly--especially when they are right. ( )

Not very deep on the actual output of Boyd's thinking & the theories themselves (E-M theory, Creation & Destruction, OODA loop / maneuver warfare, and more!) It's more a look into Boyd's life, work, leadership, institutional battles, and enduring impact... yet those alone are thoroughly interesting, and the story's well told, gripping throughout. ( )