John Padbury appreciation

John Padbury

John doesn’t do anything in half measures. It’s all or nothing. Getting his book, Battle for Hurungwe, to publication was a challenge – pushing boundaries – on numerous fronts. Thanks to mutual trust in each other’s aim and commitment to producing a quality product at a decent price, the book saw the light of day – both sales and comments proving its worth. John has also been a force in marketing his book – both online and in person.
It’s a specialist book, telling of his work in Special Branch in then Rhodesia, today Zimbabwe. Detailed, honest, meticulously checked and verified, it shows what can be produced by someone with vision. This is evident in the book too.
And, about the book – it’s more than a history. It’s a lesson in using conflict scenarios to work for peace, understanding the other side’s motives and desires and finding a way to mitigate them to the benefit of all. While the essence is Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, its message is applicable to any war situation.
This is a long book, an easy-ish read. But for busy on-the-ground or in-the-field operators, too clumsy (book size) and too much to wade through. The grapevine has it that there’s a shorter, more tactical version looming… watch this space, but while you wait, why not indulge in reading Battle for Hurungwe.
Since writing this appreciation, Asymmetric Warfare has been published with another book on its way.