What is the author's tone in the nonfiction book, Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War?

One of the most intriguing and engaging aspects of the book, its analysis and its commentary, of what might be described as the author’s blend of science and style – of integrating a direct, no-nonsense, clearly researched summary of fact with on-the-scene anecdotes, unexpected insights, and witty commentary. The book’s themes and subjects could very easily make for a tonal quality tending towards the dry and academic, but the author successfully walks the tightrope balance between saying what needs to be said about both the scientific and military perspectives of her subject and doing so in a way that makes both accessible and opens the door to deeper, broader, more engaged understanding by the reader.