The title of C.J. Chivers Pulitzer Prize winning book refers to the AK-47 (and its lethally improved successors, the AK-74 and AKM). The book provides a fascinating history of human combat since the American Civil War, largely through the view of the rifle, its designers and its users.
The automatic designed by Kalashnikov in 1947 (“Avtomat Kalashnikova”) represents the rare triumph of a Soviet mass-produced product that was superior to its Western (American) counterpart.
A quick sample:
“For people who study the universe of disorder, automatic Kalashnikovs serve as reasonably reliable units of measure.”
It is much stronger on history than on current events. Overall, an excellent read.
Reviews from the NY Times and Washington Post.