The Sharp End is the story of James R. Davis’s 11 years as a Canadian soldier. Those years spanned involvement in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda and saw the dissolution of the Canadian Airborne Regiment. The author participated in these events and gives a fascinating first-hand account that sometimes differs from the official version.

Davis is intelligent and perceptive, and overqualified for a job in the infantry. Throughout his army service, he took his role seriously and worked to improve his skills. Upon hearing he was going to be sent to the former Yugoslavia on United Nations peacekeeping duty, he took the time to learn Serbo-Croat. He is a keen observer of what is going on around him and is aware of the bigger picture.

Davis is critical of the army high command, politicians, and the United Nations. He thinks it disgraceful that Canadian peacekeepers would be sent to Croatia without helicopters to fly out casualties or a hospital to fly them to, and blames the United Nations for not protecting the people it had persuaded to disarm. Davis also highlights the differences between civilian and military perspectives that led directly to the disbanding of the Airborne Regiment.

The Sharp End offers vivid descriptions of a soldier’s life on the ground, particularly in Sarajevo. Davis explains the jargon, but the light style occasionally slips over into military chauvinism. An index would have been helpful.

This book is likely to appeal to former soldiers and anyone involved with Canada’s military. It will also be of interest to the general reader looking for an accessible, behind-the-scenes take on some recent headline news.