This is not the easiest book to make sense of as I have no idea it’s supposed to be. It seems to be little more than the average boy band exploitation photo book, one that features all sorts of mediocre photos licensed from the cheaper picture libraries connected by either quotes from magazines or a poorly written at best history of the band. Seeing as this book is about the Clash, the "only band that mattered" or somesuch, I presume that this approach to text would be inappropriate to the band’s fans, so instead of a poorly written biography to attend the numerous images – many in colour, as they might say – we instead have a series of poorly annotated lists – UK discography, single releases and chart position, a long list of Apollos and Odeons that stands as a complete UK gigography, a bootleg discography, etc. A list of the Clash’s producers even gets a page. However, as an authoritative, factual bible, Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg falls down in that it almost completely omits any information from the USA. No proper discography, no gigography, barely any mention beyond a Highest US Chart Position page and another dedicated to "Two Important USA CD Albums" (neither of which is the radically US edition of the debut album. Go figure). For a band that spent much of the early 80s trying to break the US, I would have expected it to figure prominently in the Clash’s story, but Parker’s take on the band is one where the band never went off to follow the Who into death or glory. I suppose Parker just didn’t have any memorabilia from America to pad out the illustrations with. Whatever, as the Yanks say. Regardless, if you are looking for a bunch of lists about the Clash and can't be bothered to look them up online, or if you want a book full of pictures of Clash records – both legal and black market – interspersed with black and white photos of the Clash standing around and looking cool and a handful of rather dull full colour shots, this is the book for you. If you desire neither of these things, stay away and go read a real book. It's what Joe would have preferred you do anyway.