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larryerick's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book because I had been so very impressed by the "powerful narrative" of the author's previous book, The Good Soldiers, which covered American combat troops in the Middle East conflicts. This book follows combat troops home to the United States, now broken men, and the families in America dealing with them and with those who did not make it home. Frankly, this book should have been part of the first. The two narratives are inexplicably linked. Perhaps, readers could not have handled that much raw emotion in such a large dose. Neither book is something a reader can take in large gulps. Combined, they are devastating. Ironically, I finished this book on the day of the second important Fort Hood shooting. No matter what you may read or hear in the media about that recent event, you will not truly understand the dynamics until you have read this book -- or lived it for yourself.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
4.0
War is a tragedy and a waste. All these soldiers and their families have been so damaged by their horrific experiences.
justinsim's review against another edition
4.0
“thank you for your service” David Finkel
Davids second book on the time he spent as a journalist in iraq, the first one earned him the pullitzer prize. A non-fiction narative that reads like fiction.on the “after war” the soldiers struggle with PTSD and readapting to real life. This was a hard book for me to read after experiencing one of my friends losing his battle with PTSD, and others struggle with physical and mental wounds from tours. If you dont understand the symptoms and gravity of the PTSD epidemic affecting service members and first responders around the world pick this up, it will break your heart, make you angry at the people around them , feel sorry for them, and realize just how bad we are at accepting and understanding people around us with mental illness. This book is a little more tame than the good soldiers and didnt hit me quite as hard but still excellent. Pick up one of his books ASAP you wont regret it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Davids second book on the time he spent as a journalist in iraq, the first one earned him the pullitzer prize. A non-fiction narative that reads like fiction.on the “after war” the soldiers struggle with PTSD and readapting to real life. This was a hard book for me to read after experiencing one of my friends losing his battle with PTSD, and others struggle with physical and mental wounds from tours. If you dont understand the symptoms and gravity of the PTSD epidemic affecting service members and first responders around the world pick this up, it will break your heart, make you angry at the people around them , feel sorry for them, and realize just how bad we are at accepting and understanding people around us with mental illness. This book is a little more tame than the good soldiers and didnt hit me quite as hard but still excellent. Pick up one of his books ASAP you wont regret it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
calville's review against another edition
4.0
This book was, as you might expect, really depressing, but it was not unrelentingly bleak. I particularly appreciated the focus on the wives and girlfriends of the returning soldiers, who, unlike those soldiers, never signed up to be in constant fear for their safety and don't get any special combat pay for the violence they suffer. This is a really sad but really well-written and well-reported book.
fallingletters's review against another edition
4.0
Brief thoughts originally published 31 January 2015 at Falling Letters.
For the past few years, one of the first books I read in a new year has to do with war. Not sure how that happened, but that's why I finally sought out this book.
I didn't realize this is something of a follow-up book. I wish I had read [b: The Good Soldiers|6633912|The Good Soldiers|David Finkel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442327825s/6633912.jpg|6828305] first, because it did feel like I missed the first part of the story. It's on my list now.
I always feel a little strange when reading a book about such an American subject. Canada has soldiers, too, but in a different political and cultural climate than America. I wonder what reading this book would be like for an American who had strong feelings, either way, about the Iraq war. I was a bit thrown by Romeo Dallaire's foreward and then the introduction that praised Dallaire's work. I thought, "Wait, what is this book about again? It is about Americans in Iraq, right?"
This isn't a book to read for a great reading experience. This is the kind of book you pick up so you can bear witness to the tragic stories inside, and try to come to terms with the fact that these are real people, real lives, contained within. It is not an uplifting read. This is something you should read so you can maybe start to understand. The writing is plain and factual. Recording the words and the actions of the families in this book is more than enough to make an impact. It's a tough read, especially when you're let into such intimate moments of these people's lives. You're learning about so many people in so many difficult places, and what you're getting is just a snapshot.
I was most interested in the generals discussing soldier suicides and General Chiarelli effort's to do something about it (see ~ pg. 100+). But it's such a difficult situation. If you're sending men into these horrific situations and then want them to be okay when they get back - what can you do? The current system is bloated and broken. It's really sad, seeing men who finally try to find help but then can't get it - hindered by politics, money, bureaucracy.
I don't understand the purpose of war. I admit I know very little about it, but I suspect there must be a better way to accomplish at least some of the supposed objectives of militants sent into areas like Iraq and Afghanistan. I know that the lives soldiers return to after completing their work is only one part of the picture, but after reading this book, I wish it was considered more. If I were American, I'd be thinking - what's the point if we're destroying our own people at the same time, if we can't help them after they've given everything for our freedom (or whatever it is you thank a soldier for...)? It's to remember what, if any good, comes out of such war.
For the past few years, one of the first books I read in a new year has to do with war. Not sure how that happened, but that's why I finally sought out this book.
I didn't realize this is something of a follow-up book. I wish I had read [b: The Good Soldiers|6633912|The Good Soldiers|David Finkel|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442327825s/6633912.jpg|6828305] first, because it did feel like I missed the first part of the story. It's on my list now.
I always feel a little strange when reading a book about such an American subject. Canada has soldiers, too, but in a different political and cultural climate than America. I wonder what reading this book would be like for an American who had strong feelings, either way, about the Iraq war. I was a bit thrown by Romeo Dallaire's foreward and then the introduction that praised Dallaire's work. I thought, "Wait, what is this book about again? It is about Americans in Iraq, right?"
This isn't a book to read for a great reading experience. This is the kind of book you pick up so you can bear witness to the tragic stories inside, and try to come to terms with the fact that these are real people, real lives, contained within. It is not an uplifting read. This is something you should read so you can maybe start to understand. The writing is plain and factual. Recording the words and the actions of the families in this book is more than enough to make an impact. It's a tough read, especially when you're let into such intimate moments of these people's lives. You're learning about so many people in so many difficult places, and what you're getting is just a snapshot.
I was most interested in the generals discussing soldier suicides and General Chiarelli effort's to do something about it (see ~ pg. 100+). But it's such a difficult situation. If you're sending men into these horrific situations and then want them to be okay when they get back - what can you do? The current system is bloated and broken. It's really sad, seeing men who finally try to find help but then can't get it - hindered by politics, money, bureaucracy.
I don't understand the purpose of war. I admit I know very little about it, but I suspect there must be a better way to accomplish at least some of the supposed objectives of militants sent into areas like Iraq and Afghanistan. I know that the lives soldiers return to after completing their work is only one part of the picture, but after reading this book, I wish it was considered more. If I were American, I'd be thinking - what's the point if we're destroying our own people at the same time, if we can't help them after they've given everything for our freedom (or whatever it is you thank a soldier for...)? It's to remember what, if any good, comes out of such war.
nicollej's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this on audio and the narrator added so much to the story.
This is a book about what happened to our soldiers over in the Middle East, how that affects them back at home, and our nation's failure, at times, to take care of the non-visibly wounded.
The stories are interesting and often heartbreaking. The book reads more like a fiction novel but don't let that lead you to think these things within it don't happen every day in real life. They do.
It was sometimes difficult to follow which person the narrator was covering at the time but it got easier towards the second half of the book.
Pick this one up. It will make you feel the whole spectrum of emotions.
This is a book about what happened to our soldiers over in the Middle East, how that affects them back at home, and our nation's failure, at times, to take care of the non-visibly wounded.
The stories are interesting and often heartbreaking. The book reads more like a fiction novel but don't let that lead you to think these things within it don't happen every day in real life. They do.
It was sometimes difficult to follow which person the narrator was covering at the time but it got easier towards the second half of the book.
Pick this one up. It will make you feel the whole spectrum of emotions.