Library Journal: The Indian Ocean has been a major commercial trading area for many centuries. Kaplan (Imperial Grunts: On the Ground with the American Military, from Mongolia to the Philippines to Iraq and Beyond) asserts that it is the most important such commercial area, carrying half the world's container shipments and even more oil trade. The littoral states on the southern edge of Eurasia are vital to U.S. interests because of the two current U.S. wars, the oil reserves there, and the large Muslim populations. Rising powers China and India rely on it for their trade. Kaplan takes readers on a tour of the region, including East Africa, Oman, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Indonesia, explaining in each case the state's historical reliance on the Indian Ocean and relationships with neighboring states as well as its importance to vital U.S. interests. VERDICT The result is a rich portrait of geopolitical complexity—it is not policy prescriptive but emphasizes that the players in the region deserve increased attention from Western policymakers. Many pundits and sources can seem overly simplistic and bellicose in their foreign policy recommendations. This more nuanced discussion will appeal to thoughtful readers of current events and international affairs.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York