phunter22's review against another edition
5.0
A fantastic book that provides a micro view of a war that was far too often seen only on a macro scale. This book is a horribly depressing account of the Army's 2-16 during their deployment as part of "the surge" in Iraq in 2007. If nothing else, this book is further proof of the complete waste of human lives and the mental and physical destruction of a generation that was the Iraq War. The story of 2-16 only strengthens my hatred for that conflict from beginning to end.
justalittlejen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
allanvdh's review against another edition
4.0
Extremely well written book, really encapsulates the environment at the time. Having been to Baghdad after this period it was great to be able to see and through the author feel, what had happened before I was sent there.
The Normal Abnormal or Iraq is the only way to explain it.
A great read as a non-military person explaining what the war was like.
The Normal Abnormal or Iraq is the only way to explain it.
A great read as a non-military person explaining what the war was like.
heatherbermingham's review against another edition
4.0
Consider this 4.5 stars. I really read this because I wanted to read Finkel's "Thank You for Your Service" and that appeared to be a companion of sorts to this book. In 2007-2008, Finkel spent eight months with a battalion of 800 United States Army soldiers from Fort Riley, Kansas, known as the 2-16. The 2-16 was part of George W. Bush's surge, and by the time its 15-month deployment was over, 14 of them were dead and another 75 would receive the Purple Heart.
I loved the writing in this book, but I'm having a hard time articulating why. Finkel really gets out of the way and just tells the story and his prose is very straight-forward and stripped down. Powerful but not fancy or flowery. Like a couple of other books I've read about Iraq and Afghanistan, he really captures the struggle of, in some cases, very young men trying to remain decent in extremely difficult circumstances, but he also does a couple of other things that I haven't seen as much and that I really liked. One, he emphasizes the disconnect between how Washington talks about the war during this period and what's actually happening on the ground, just how far politicians' talk is from a solider's experience. And two, he takes the time to examine the affect of U.S. presence on Iraqi people, both those who are actively helping U.S. forces and those who are trying desperately to stay uninvolved with either side. I found the section about Izzy, an Iraqi translator working with the 2-16 particularly moving.
Definitely recommended.
I loved the writing in this book, but I'm having a hard time articulating why. Finkel really gets out of the way and just tells the story and his prose is very straight-forward and stripped down. Powerful but not fancy or flowery. Like a couple of other books I've read about Iraq and Afghanistan, he really captures the struggle of, in some cases, very young men trying to remain decent in extremely difficult circumstances, but he also does a couple of other things that I haven't seen as much and that I really liked. One, he emphasizes the disconnect between how Washington talks about the war during this period and what's actually happening on the ground, just how far politicians' talk is from a solider's experience. And two, he takes the time to examine the affect of U.S. presence on Iraqi people, both those who are actively helping U.S. forces and those who are trying desperately to stay uninvolved with either side. I found the section about Izzy, an Iraqi translator working with the 2-16 particularly moving.
Definitely recommended.
eldobo's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed reading this book - it offered an interesting view into the surge in Iraq, without the political bias of other books I've read.
sleepyboi2988's review against another edition
5.0
If you dont hate war, after you read this book there is a good chance that you will and rightfully so. A visceral raw account of the 2-16 troops 15 months in Iraq and part of its time at home. The author at the beginning of every chapter has a quote from Bush during this time period claiming how 'The Surge' was working, yet the reality on the ground follows in the chapter and shows it was doing nothing but getting our guys killed in a quicker manner. Absolutely heart breaking but necessary reading if you want to understand how big of a screw up invading Iraq was.
juliaem's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of those books that I am hesitant to attempt to review at all, other than to describe it as heart-rending. Finkel has given a great gift to these service members in bearing witness to what it was like to be in the worst part of Baghdad during a terrible part of a terrible war. Reading this now, against a backdrop of grim ISIS-related headlines, merely underscores the importance of the book, and the importance of not growing numb to the plight of an area of the world still very much war-torn.
lxdesigner's review against another edition
4.0
this was a fantastic read. written by a journalist embedded with a ranger squadron for most of the Iraq war, it really gives a sense of what daily life in Iraq was life for infantry rangers. while remaining pretty neutral, politically it covers morale, mental health, and war, from both a leadership and subordinate point of view. this is very much not an account of a heroic battle, ala Black Hawk Down. This is the nitty gritty of the Iraq war.
rachelini's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting look at the US Army in Iraq, from a journalist who was embedded within the unit. It was emotional and brutal, but it felt quite familiar, and I think lacked the shock value of "this is what it's really like" that it would have had when it first came out. Worth reading.
cpinski's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent journalistic account, transparent in his observations and painfully compelling at times. Second half moreso than the first.