What makes a maverick? Is it simply an unorthodox mind, or is it more than that, a flagrant disregard for convention? Is there a place for the maverick in a disciplined military hierarchy; and if so, is the military maverick more likely to win, or lose,his battles?
In his absorbing study of heroes who broke the rules, David Rooney shows how it is so often the maverick who turns every challenge to triumph and wins the unwinnable. The contrary chaos of war can be so intimidating that - perhaps - victory can only belong to the maverick.
Here are the stories of twelve mavericks, from Alexander then great and Stonewall Jackson, through Garibaldi and Lawrence of Arabia to Second World War stalwarts such as Heinz Guderian and George S. Patton. Each had flaws that would have brought down a lesser man, but each proved their bravery and leadership in battle. Full of insight into the nature of the military mind, this book reveals by how much, and how often, success in battle depends on the irreplaceable prescience of just one man.
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