Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down is the most gripping story of modern warfare out there.

The book drops you into a crowded marketplace in the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia with the U.S. Special Forces -- and puts you in the middle of the most intense firefight American soldiers have fought in the modern era.

This mission, conducted in 1993 wasn't just a disaster for the Clinton administration.  It was a disaster for the 18 soldiers killed and the dozens wounded.  Against all odds and with little help from their leaders back at base, the soldiers in this operation showed honor on the battlefield and the character and fortitude that makes me proud of the sacrifices our soldiers make on our behalf.

Bowden's blow-by-blow description of the operation and its spiral into disaster hurts to read at some times, but ultimately venerates the sacrifices made by each and every one of the soldiers on the ground that day.

For those that like stories that fit into DVD players, Ridley Scott's adaptation of the book is superb.  And he doesn't pull any punches when he puts those soldiers' hell on screen.

Both book and film highly recommended, especially for those unfamiliar with the efforts our soldiers go to in order to defend our freedoms and liberties.