Book · 2021 · nyt:combined-print-and-e-book-nonfiction=2021-05-16
The Bomber Mafia
Why people recommend it
The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell is a historical non-fiction book that explores the origins of precision bombing during World War II and the eccentric, technocratic visionaries who believed air power could radically transform warfare. The book received significant attention and varied commentary across multiple podcasts. On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday praised the work enthusiastically, describing the final days of the Pacific theater campaign as a fascinating subject matter that challenged the author to explore an unexpected historical narrative, which Malcolm Gladwell himself elaborated on by discussing the backdrop of the stories he sought to tell. Conversely, Robert Evans offered a more critical lens on Behind the Bastards, referencing the book to examine historical justifications for bombing campaigns and to critique the flawed takes associated with the titular group of military strategists. Through these diverse podcast discussions, Gladwell's work emerged as a compelling yet contentious examination of military technology, moral calculation, and the unintended consequences of trying to engineer a cleaner, more efficient form of global conflict through relentless innovation and strategic hubris.
Who recommended it
- Robert Evans Discussed
- Ryan Holiday Recommended
- Malcolm Gladwell Discussed
Robert Evans — 2 mentions
“anyway, there's this group called the Bomber Mafia that Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book on, uh, that had some terrible takes.”
“in order to be able to talk about how dumb we still are today um part of what made Kissinger remarkable though was his ability to rope conservatives in line for mass murder while also Charming the entire liberal establishment of the East Coast”
Ryan Holiday — 2 mentions
“and and his new book i would argue is a much more interesting subject matter than any of the other books the bombing campaign the final days of the second world war in the pacific theater”
“well i so i thought the new book was fascinating uh again it seems like maybe you're trying to challenge yourself to to write about something that you must have known”
Malcolm Gladwell — 1 mention
“and um again it's just a yeah that's part of that's sort of the backdrop for the story i was trying to tell in bomber mafia”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- Blink
- Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
- Catch-22
- Command and Control
- David and Goliath
- Guinness Book of World Records
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“so today my guest is the one and only malcolm gladwell the tipping point blink outliers david and goliath talking with strangers and now his new book the bomber mafia”