And that's what this book is - valuable. No matter if you are an American or a European or you live on the Northpole - please read this book. I sure as hell don't care if you are pro-war is there such a thing? I think we owe it to them to hear their story. From the many books I read on this subject, this is, without any doubt, the most important one. Anyone with a "Support Our Troops" ribbon on their vehicle should read this book.
It's neither anti-war nor pro-war, and while readers may well find their own opinions about the Iraq war unchallenged, it will surely deepen their understanding of what that war means for those who have been fighting it.
Here in the words of about 35 soldiers, mostly men and mostly marines, are accounts of being under fire, taking casualties, witnessing bombings, dealing with loss, anxiety, and grief, while maintaining a perspective that allows them to continue from day to day - staying the course. It is impossible not to be moved by some of these stories. In some soldiers the initial idealism remains tried but uncompromised.
In others, there is anger and disillusionment. In still others there is the welcome intensity of fighting itself. Among even the ambivalent, there is often pride taken in jobs well done and difficult objectives achieved.
A frequent theme in their stories is the varying ability to perceive the Iraqis as fellow human beings or as so utterly foreign as to be beyond empathy. The reader quickly learns that it is inappropriate to generalize about the fighting forces in Iraq. As one of them says, if you ask a hundred different soldiers why they are there, you'll get a hundred different answers.
What the book speaks to is the need for Americans - regardless of their feelings about the war itself - to understand the immense toll that it takes on the mental and emotional health of individual soldiers, and that many return in great need of healing. For a further understanding of post-traumatic stress syndrome among those who have served in the military during wartime, read the books of Jonathan Shay.
Scott Meehan. Author 6 books 5 followers. This book is a compelling, vivid and somber account by 29 soldiers and marines who served our nation by fighting in Iraq. Some of the words and descriptions given by these men and women are shockingly inconceivable and unthinkable.
Other stories are simply too sad for any reader not to become emotionally stirred. The following are vivid excerpts that should cause serious contemplation of the end results by national leadership before committing human beings, especially the young, to partake in such a parody of events. Did you see what happened to us? How did it come to this madness and chaos LeHew, J. Oral histories of people recently returned from serving in iraq The media does a great disservice to the stories of actual servicepersons, mitigating their lives to managable narratives that don't really share the scope of what is going on, not even close I'd check out the book.
I think the last quote for the book is a good summary for why state-siders should bother with the book: "They [Americans] don't invest themselves in the real issues of the war. Why did we get over there? When are we going to return? What is happening? How many soldiers have died? If I were to ask you, ballpark -- how many soldiers have died in Iraq The roots of this war tree are deep and will soil the region for a century, we have to as a nation of couch-bound observers begin understanding the scope of this endeavor Neither pro- or anti-war, this book is an incredible collection of narratives from soldiers who served in Iraq.
Some are gung-ho about the experience; others wonder what we're doing over there and are filled with anger over what they see as the Bush administration's ignorance of what is actually happening on the ground and their failure to provide adequate protection for the troops--so many stories of soldiers holding a weapon in one hand and a makeshift steel plate in another trying to provide some coverage while patrolling in one of their flimsy humvees.
Regardless of whether you are for or against what is going on over there, this is a must-read. Specifications Number of Pages: Genre: History.
Sub-Genre: Military. Format: Paperback. Publisher: Back Bay Books. Age Range: Adult. Book theme: Iraq War Author: Trish Wood. Language: English. Street Date : November 2, TCIN : UPC : Description About the Book In this modern-day successor to the Vietnam classic "Everything We Had," award-winning investigative reporter Wood offers a gritty, authentic, and uncensored history of the war in Iraq, as told by the American soldiers who are fighting it.
Includes 8 pages of photographs and 1 map. Book Synopsis In this modern-day successor to the Vietnam classic Everything We Had , award-winning investigative reporter Trish Wood offers a gritty, authentic, and uncensored history of the war in Iraq, as told by the American soldiers who are fighting it.
About the Author Trish Wood is an award-winning investigative reporter who has been working with veterans of the Iraq war for more than two years. Report incorrect product info. Shipping details Estimated ship dimensions: 0. Return details This item can be returned to any Target store or Target. This item must be returned within 90 days of the in-store purchase, ship date or online order pickup.
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