docjh's review against another edition
5.0
Stories organized around a few themes, but the points-of-view and specific subjects are diverse. Masterful and deserving of the 2014 National Book Award.
eldiente's review against another edition
5.0
This was not an easy book to listen to. I have little direct military experience (two uncles served in the Navy during the Korean War and a grandfather served in World War 1) but I have always thought it decent and appropriate to thanks military personnel in uniform with something like "thank you for your service". After this collection of stores, I am uncertain if this expression of gratitude is appreciated or expected. What do those returning from war want? How do they feel and how are they adjusting to home life? This book asked these types of questions and didn't pretend to give comprehensive or complete answers.
The final story used a phrase I found to be an indictment of my attitudes toward the recent war in Iraq -"we are all gun six". That expression will remind me that even though I haven't pulled the trigger, I am somewhat responsible for supporting those political leaders who made decisions leading to war. All citizens bear some responsibility and duty for assuring that war is justified. That is a high standard.
The final story used a phrase I found to be an indictment of my attitudes toward the recent war in Iraq -"we are all gun six". That expression will remind me that even though I haven't pulled the trigger, I am somewhat responsible for supporting those political leaders who made decisions leading to war. All citizens bear some responsibility and duty for assuring that war is justified. That is a high standard.
mary412's review against another edition
2.0
Did not finish this volume of short stories. I have read other books about the soldier's life that spoke to me, but this one - not so much.
chanman's review against another edition
I think that this is the kind of text that people are going to love for it's brash truth telling, or feel uncomfortable about because of that same factor. It is inevitable that this novel will make you explore your own feelings about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the treatment of our war veterans. It also made me, personally, feel guilt for just saying "Thank you for your service" to any war veteran I see. It made me feel guilty for the idea that I can never understand what these brave men and women have had to deal with, and that that simple sentence is all I can come up with.
Which is odd because the book is in no way written with this goal in mind. It does not pass judgement on anyone, from the boots on the ground, loved ones of veterans, to the civilians who oppose both the war and those who served in it. Each person simply has a role to play in each story and they play that role, for better or worse. This book merely explores the topics of bureaucracy, religion, corruption, and survival within the context of a war zone, juxtaposed with a seemingly apathetic and/or ignorant public and says "Here is what happened, deal with it."
While this is admirable, it isn't necessarily the best strategy for a compelling narrative. It just has stories that explore one topic to another through the confusing and conflicting lens of war. It switches people, occupations, and topics to form a narrative that I found disjointed and, eventually, uninteresting. I am not saying that this didn't make this book work overall, just that this didn't make this book work for me. Perhaps it is because that I am a civilian with no military background, but I found these series of short stories more uninteresting than compelling. I give it three stars out of five.
Which is odd because the book is in no way written with this goal in mind. It does not pass judgement on anyone, from the boots on the ground, loved ones of veterans, to the civilians who oppose both the war and those who served in it. Each person simply has a role to play in each story and they play that role, for better or worse. This book merely explores the topics of bureaucracy, religion, corruption, and survival within the context of a war zone, juxtaposed with a seemingly apathetic and/or ignorant public and says "Here is what happened, deal with it."
While this is admirable, it isn't necessarily the best strategy for a compelling narrative. It just has stories that explore one topic to another through the confusing and conflicting lens of war. It switches people, occupations, and topics to form a narrative that I found disjointed and, eventually, uninteresting. I am not saying that this didn't make this book work overall, just that this didn't make this book work for me. Perhaps it is because that I am a civilian with no military background, but I found these series of short stories more uninteresting than compelling. I give it three stars out of five.
rangerpanties's review against another edition
5.0
This was powerful. I am still recovering from its words. It has brought up alot of memories of many different emotions. Its overwhelming. All the people who sent us to war should read it. And dont do it again unless you are sure.
cincominuticos's review against another edition
5.0
This collection of short stories is awesome. I decided not to read them all at once -you feel tempted to do it right after the first story-, but instead read one per session as if it was a new episode of a t.v. show. The author, a veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps, portrays the impact of the Iraq war on soldiers, veterans and their families and acquaintances.
A must-read.
[I feel compelled -in a good way- to read "The things they carried" by Tim O'Brien which I haven't read since I'm not a fan of this kind of fiction -clearly, I've missed a lot-].
A must-read.
[I feel compelled -in a good way- to read "The things they carried" by Tim O'Brien which I haven't read since I'm not a fan of this kind of fiction -clearly, I've missed a lot-].
idrumgood's review against another edition
4.0
I have basically zero insight into the military life. This book did a good job of showing me a side of things I was unaware of.
kochella's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not gonna lie, I started and stopped this book three times before I got past the first story. Hell, the first three sentences:
"We shot dogs. Not by accident. We did it on purpose, and we called it Operation Scooby."
I would stop there and think, "Really? You have to do it this way, Klay? You have to shove it in my face like Hollywood, when I'm trying to understand?"
I left the book sitting on my bedside table. It was a library book, so it became due. I returned it, unread.
About a month later I checked it out again because I felt compelled. Like it was my duty as a citizen leading a typically plump, clueless, suburban life to get past my (let's be honest) petty discomfort and spend some time with this book and what it had to say.
I am so glad I did. What I couldn't get past in those first three sentences was precisely what so many of the short stories in this collection depicted so skillfully - the spiritual and emotional maelstrom that our Marines and soldiers were thrown into when they served in the moral void that was Iraq. These young Americans were thrashed by war, then sent home with physical and emotional wounds so gaping and incongruous with our own lives that most of us had - and still have - no idea how to acknowledge, much less grasp them.
Klay's writing is gritty, unflinching, and vivid. Reading some of these stories felt like my raw soul skidding over sandpaper. But I think that is the very least of what I am supposed to feel if I am to understand anything. Especially when so many veterans don't have the option of simply closing the book on their own experiences of the war.
"We shot dogs. Not by accident. We did it on purpose, and we called it Operation Scooby."
I would stop there and think, "Really? You have to do it this way, Klay? You have to shove it in my face like Hollywood, when I'm trying to understand?"
I left the book sitting on my bedside table. It was a library book, so it became due. I returned it, unread.
About a month later I checked it out again because I felt compelled. Like it was my duty as a citizen leading a typically plump, clueless, suburban life to get past my (let's be honest) petty discomfort and spend some time with this book and what it had to say.
I am so glad I did. What I couldn't get past in those first three sentences was precisely what so many of the short stories in this collection depicted so skillfully - the spiritual and emotional maelstrom that our Marines and soldiers were thrown into when they served in the moral void that was Iraq. These young Americans were thrashed by war, then sent home with physical and emotional wounds so gaping and incongruous with our own lives that most of us had - and still have - no idea how to acknowledge, much less grasp them.
Klay's writing is gritty, unflinching, and vivid. Reading some of these stories felt like my raw soul skidding over sandpaper. But I think that is the very least of what I am supposed to feel if I am to understand anything. Especially when so many veterans don't have the option of simply closing the book on their own experiences of the war.
mark_lm's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of well written angry vet stories. My favorite story "Money as a weapons system" reminded me of Catch-22 and was the only story that I saw my own life and civilian job in.
blevins's review against another edition
4.0
Intense group of short stories [no surprise] set in Iraq, Afghanistan or featuring post-tour soldiers in America written by veteran Marine Phil Klay. I'm not a short story reader very often but felt this was one I had to read as it won the National Book Award & I generally like reading about war & soldiers [it's a world I'm completely oblivious of aside from books/movies]. Some of the writing is very powerful as it delves into the exhilaration of combat and more often the mind-numbing downtown between firefights. There's also a lot of soldiers trying to fit in moments in the collection. I'll be very curious to see if Klay can bring a non-combat story to life with the same quality in the future.