5.0
Basic
ByPublisher Description
Every American fighting man and woman share one thing in common: they have all survived basic military training.
tells the story of that training.
Col. Jack Jacobs and co-author David Fisher recount the funny, sad, dramatic, poignant, and sometimes crazy history of how America has trained its military, told through the personal accounts of those who remember the experiences as if they happened yesterday.
If you've been through bootcamp, these memories of drill instructors, marching chants, combat training, hospital corners, and the shared feeling of triumph are guaranteed to make you smile. And those who haven't done it will understand and appreciate this life-changing experience that turns a civilian into a soldier—and in just eight weeks.
Download the free Fable app

Stay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
Rate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
Curate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesBasic Reviews
5.0
““When it seems that every high-powered military weapon is aimed directly at you, and when the melon that used to be the head of your best buddy is disintegrated in a sickening pink spray just inches from you, the entire chemistry of your existence changes into something that can't be duplicated in any other laboratory of life.”
"Surely, survival is a triumph of chance over choice, for the randomness of selection on the battlefield is staggering. A spray of automatic weapons fire will miss one man and tear to pieces the warrior inches from him. In the midst of a firefight, whether you live or die is often the result of blind luck, the serendipity of fate, and the first derivative of this luck is fear."
this book was telling a lot more stories than i had hoped, and what i mean by that is i had anticipated a guidebook. A step by step, if you will. And what i got was: (This person from 1918’s military experience was a little different.”) it was very experience based, while i was hoping for more advice. Like “oh these are some simple things to remember when going through basic training.” And that wasn’t what i got.
The writing was so good though oh my god. I found myself getting so excited to read this!
10-18-25 (44 pages!)
10-19-25 (64 pages!)
10-20-25 (10 pages!)
10-26-25 (54 pages!)
10-27-25 (34 pages!)
10-29-25 (64 pages!)
10-30-25 (28 pages!)
(5/5)⭐️”
““When it seems that every high-powered military weapon is aimed directly at you, and when the melon that used to be the head of your best buddy is disintegrated in a sickening pink spray just inches from you, the entire chemistry of your existence changes into something that can't be duplicated in any other laboratory of life.”
"Surely, survival is a triumph of chance over choice, for the randomness of selection on the battlefield is staggering. A spray of automatic weapons fire will miss one man and tear to pieces the warrior inches from him. In the midst of a firefight, whether you live or die is often the result of blind luck, the serendipity of fate, and the first derivative of this luck is fear."
this book was telling a lot more stories than i had hoped, and what i mean by that is i had anticipated a guidebook. A step by step, if you will. And what i got was: (This person from 1918’s military experience was a little different.”) it was very experience based, while i was hoping for more advice. Like “oh these are some simple things to remember when going through basic training.” And that wasn’t what i got.
The writing was so good though oh my god. I found myself getting so excited to read this!
10-18-25 (44 pages!)
10-19-25 (64 pages!)
10-20-25 (10 pages!)
10-26-25 (54 pages!)
10-27-25 (34 pages!)
10-29-25 (64 pages!)
10-30-25 (28 pages!)
(5/5)⭐️”
David Fisher
(a.k.a. the Rope Warrior) has performed for millions of fans throughout the world. He has made over 100 national television appearances and has performed for Boris Yeltsin in Russia and for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Since 1993, David has performed live for over five million school children. Fisher can perform razzle-dazzle tricks most people think are impossible -- like jumping rope while sitting on the floor (a.k.a. rump jumps or tush-ups).
But what he does better than anyone is teach seemingly impossible tricks so that kids can do them successfully. With a little practice, your kids will build confidence, stay fit, and have fun. You may even be tempted to join in the fun yourself!
Other books by David Fisher
Start a Book Club
Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!FAQ
Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?
Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?
How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?
Do you sell physical books too?
Are book clubs free to join on Fable?
How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?
