No comments about In the Name of Honor.

1 comments about Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile, and Upheaval in the Middle East.

1. Too often in today's media, we hear of "sectarian conflict" in Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and many other Middle Eastern countries. Nevertheless, we fail to understand what these conflicts consist of, or why they exist in the first place. In this well researched and written account, Deborah Amos takes us inside the ethnic conflict of Sunni and Shi'a Muslims in Iraq, and educates us about their struggles of resettlement and exile. The depth of Amos' reporting is exceptional, as she was fortunate enough to develop intimate relationships with many Iraqi refugees. This is a worthwhile read for anyone who wants to understand the ethnic conflicts of post-war Iraq.

5 comments about Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood.

1. Been there done that. United States Army Special Forces. He voices the unspoken thoughts of the soldier in combat. The world and the politically correct do not want anybody to know what it is really like. He tells it all. Eloquently. I always kept track of the location of the Marine units. If I needed help I wanted good help. I did Viet Nam Inc, Grenada, recovering Jim Jones congregation, the Beriut Lebanon Marine barracks, the Practice Gulf War and the real Gulf War. War is Hell.



2. It is amazing that soldiers can fight under these conditions. Less a daily log, more of a highlighted trip to hell. This one allows those at home to sample the life. Now you know why they didn't follow the Olympics that summer.



3. Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership and Brotherhood is by far the best military memoir I have ever read. I am a Veteran of the First Gulf War with the First Marine Division, just like the story of G/2/4 in Joker One. I have to say that these Marines are carrying on the finest traditions of the USMC and have made me so proud.
   
   The book is fantastic in it's tale of a transition of a young Lieutenant in command of a platoon for the first time in combat. Lt. Campbell changes from a nervous, naive, inexperienced leader (as every leader starts out as, whether he admits it or not) into a battle weary, strong, competent leader. The details of the day-to-day living bring the lives of these Marines to the reader in a way that very few writers have accomplished.
   
   I am truly humbled by the service of Lt. Campbell and his Marines. I will tell you that as I finished the book, I openly wept with the pain that Lt. Campbell felt.
   
   Obviously, I recommend this book for every American. Semper Fi Marines.



4. I decided to pick up this book after reading Campbell's article in Guideposts magazine. I wanted to see how his faith fared while he was immersed in the military/combat life. In the book, the faith/Christian themes are pretty low-key; however, the insightful observations Campbell draws about the human spirit and LOVE in particular were - for me - a clear expression of his spirituality.
   
   This is the most balanced war memoir I've read. It's not about politics and it's not dripping with military ego/pride. Campbell's ability to be straightforward and honest about his own shortcomings, regrets and emotional state is truly compelling. It's about his personal journey and how he is changed by what he experiences - and he's not afraid to tell it like it is. He's obviously driven, and he's hard on himself, which only served to make me admire him more (not unlike the fictional military officer in my second novel).
   
   On top of that, he's either got a natural knack for writing or he's got an incredible editor, because this book pulls everything together in a way that other Iraq memoirs haven't (and I've read a number of them). And that makes the book even more powerful. Well done!



5. Good read. People don't realize the great job our troops do in harms way.

5 comments about Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi woman's journey from the heart of war to the heartland of America.

1. Saved by her Enemy is an engaging story that paints a vivid portrait of Iraq and Iraqis. Definitely a must read! Very timely and relevant to critical events taking place today.



2. For someone who can rarely get interested in books I read this book from cover to cover. A very compelling story of a young lady's journey from war torn Baghdad Iraq to the USA. It is an uplifting story of Rafraf's becoming a translator for NBC in Iraq increasing becoming a target and with the help of Don Teague (co-author of this book) and his colleagues with whom Rafraf had worked with help her leave her home for America. A picture of faith in God is portrayed by Don Teague who believes a higher purpose brought him to Iraq and to that end helps Rafraf's departure. This is a story for today of the current lives of people around the world. American's take much for granted, this story will make you humble. Realize that there are more important things in life. Helping one another should be number 1. Great story great book... well worth reading. Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi woman's journey from the heart of war to the heartland of America



3. What a wonderful story! I'm so happy to have been invited to the book signing in Coronado last Monday. I will have to buy another copy to share as Don and Rafraf dedicated mine. I knew Kiki and Don over 20 years ago when we all worked in a show at Sea World. (Why is this missing from Don's bio???I've got video). We were so young. And, now, this beautiful, beautiful story. Bravo! I was busy last week, but when I sat down to read, I read it from cover to cover, non-stop. It's an honor to know you and it was lovely meeting Rafraf. I will be sharing your inspiring book with my international students....



4. I loved this book for so many reasons... hard to know where to start. First of all if you've ever watched the network correspondents in war zones and wondered how they did it? Here's your answer. Secondly... it gives such insight into what Iraqis were thinking as we touched down in their country. It's a story that tests cultures, faith, and then shows how they come together. I had to order two... one to pass around to friends and one to keep at home!



5. This is a great book that reads very fast. I found it to be a very captivating story because it is about as genuine and authentic as any book you can find about Iraq, the war or Muslim life -- having been co-written by two people connected to the war and Iraq in very different ways. Nevertheless, this book transcends all preconceived notions about these topics and gets down to the basic goodness of people. As a war correspondent, Don Teague experienced the war first hand through his journalist endeavors and this book details many of Don's experiences during his time in Iraq. Although the stories Don tells are captivating and often downright scary, Don doesn't try to portray himself as a hero for covering the war. Rather, Don incorporates a nice mix of humor and seriousness that keeps you turning the pages. The stories of Rafraf's life growing up in Iraq are amazing and both defied and confirmed many of my prior conceptions about life in Iraq.
   
   The story of Don's friendship with Rafraf and the transition of Rafraf's beliefs as they relate to America, its government, its people and its religions are truly amazing. It's got a great (and surprising) ending too! Regardless of whether you are for or against the War on Terror, this book gives a whole new perspective about the good that can come from any situation. I highly recommend this book!

5 comments about Paradise Valley (Virgin River, Book 7).

1. This was actually a pretty good read. Of course we are reunited with the lovely characters from Virgin River and there's always something going on in this small group. I really got into Rick and Liz's story. It was heartwarming and touching to see the two young lovers work it out through the obstacles placed before them. Now I know the second story was suppose to be about Dan and Cheryl but I felt that story was lacking. I believe that if the author would have cut some of Abby and Cameron's story out, she could have helped us get to know them better. There was entirely too much time devoted to Cam and Abby. Overall the story was good and I look forward to reading about who else pops up in Virgin River.



2. Rick is wounded in Iraq and pushes Liz, Jack and all the others who care about him away. Walt and Muriel yet again bore me to tears. Abby and Cameron proceed with their relationship, but after their exciting beginning in a previous book, leave me disappointed. There are irrelevant tangents that should have been edited out.
   
   This book really drags in a lot of places. With each new addition to the series, Robyn Carr seems to devote more and more time to talking about home renovations. And I'm sorry, but that's just too boring to fill half a novel. She goes into so much detail about every aspect of every house, and what is going to be done to change it, I did a lot of skim reading. Those are pages that would be better off filled with plot of some sort.
   
   I'm not entirely sure why Carr's editor lets her get away with her poor plotting and structure time and time again. The first couple of chapters of this book belonged in the book preceding it. They featured characters who starred in Temptation Ridge - characters who had nothing to do with the main story in Paradise Valley. The fact this is a series does not excuse the way the author so blatantly runs one book into the next. Series or no series, each book should be able to hold up on its own, and this one does not. And, yet again, she finished the story featuring the wrong characters.
   
   I've never been much of a fan of Rick and Liz. Rick is a Gary Stu to Mel's Mary Sue, and I've never been all that interested in reading a book featuring him. Though it is officially Rick and Liz's book, they aren't in it very much, and when they are the scenes are repetitious and uninteresting.
   
   One thing that left me very perplexed was Mel's reaction to Rick's injuries. When she found out, she really didn't seem to care. Her reaction was so cold, unemotional; I couldn't figure out what was going on. Mel has always been a bit of a Mary Sue. Everybody loves her and all the men think she's beautiful and perfect. But in the end she's an extremely forceful, self-righteous character. I really want to like her more, but nobody ever calls her out on her behaviour.
   
   And then Dan went and turned into Doctor Phil, and it occurred to me just how impossible this author finds it to write realistic characters. Everyone is perfect. They're all kind and helpful and the men are so effeminate it is obvious they are written the way a weak woman might fantasise men would act. They speak with a woman's voice - no real men are like Virgin River men.
   
   The Walt/Muriel storyline still bores me, and all the real-life celebrity name-dropping that comes with the fact Muriel is a movie star is still stupid. This couple is just so...blah...by the end I was skimming their parts, and found I didn't miss out on much.
   
   This book was just boring for me. I tried really hard to get into it, but there wasn't anything to hold my interest, and I skimmed over much of it. Carr's strength is definitely NOT plotting - her books never have much of interest going on. What she's good at is characterisation, but even that fell flat in this edition.
   
   There are babies everywhere again. If there's anything you want to know about pregnancy, you're better off reading this series than something from the bookstore's health section! It's very telling that the author thanks her midwife consultant first in the acknowledgement section of every book. Shows her priorities are far more on the baby part rather than the love part. To me, paragraphs about medicine and pregnancy complications just aren't fun. And, the author's prejudices are front and centre yet again. Even though this time a character goes to hospital to deliver, she's too late for an epidural. In Robyn Carr's world, all women want natural homebirths. All breastfeed. All want seven thousand people present when they give birth. Everything is always the same. And this couple's story ended the moment they had babies. In the Virgin River world everyone's stories always end the moment they produce offspring. As if having a baby is their only worth.
   
   What really annoyed me about the baby obsession in this book was when a traumatised Rick returned to Virgin River. Nobody who loved him could get through to him, but then Paige plonked her baby in his arms, and - voila! - Rick was back. Robyn Carr always writes about babies being miracles, but that was utterly stupid.
   
   I also did not appreciate the constant references to how `huge' Abby was with her pregnancy. I was insulted on behalf of a fictional character!
   
   Once again the author makes the mistake of repeating the same information over and over. And over. When something happens we see every conversation between characters where they find out the news. For example, the way Abby and Cameron met is relayed to us about four times in this book - each time with a different character finding out the news. WE - the readers - do not need to experience these conversations. We already know this stuff; the other characters should find out off the page.
   
   I did not appreciate all the `women of a certain age' scenes. Apart from being incredibly boring, it seems anyone over fifty is desperate to have thousands of grandchildren, and they are quite happy to force their plans onto their children. On top of that, they are obsessed with weddings, and don't believe a relationship with children can work without marriage. This series is in many ways so terribly old fashioned I simply cannot believe the author is in my parents' generation. Her writing often reads like something from my great grandmother's generation!
   
   There quite simply was nothing worth reading in this book in the Virgin River series. The `story' was nothing more than mundane details about characters' mundane lives. I could have put this book down and gone and experienced exactly the same thing on my own. When I pick up a book I want something memorable to actually happen.
   
   Of everything I found wrong with book seven in this series, the biggest problem was that I was just plain bored.



3. Gosh this one had too many plots, and there wasn't enough time dedicated to any of them. Robyn Carr always has a lot of storylines running at the same time in her books, but there's usually one that is the main focus. Here, there wasn't, and I found I didn't care about any of the characters. I never liked Rick and Liz much, but the back of the book said this was their story. It really wasn't. They were hardly in it.
   
   Robyn Carr needs a better editor; someone who will force her to plot her stories better and make her find the heart of her book. There are too many tangents, and this book is a really annoying read.



4. I have read all 8 Virgin River books by Robyn Carr (2 more to be released soon). They are excellent stories but are a bit sexually explicit for my taste. But each book develops new characters, as well as continuing with previous ones. I definitely have enjoyed the story content.



5. The book was received in a timely manner and was in good condition......a great read.

5 comments about The Only Thing Worth Dying For: How Eleven Green Berets Forged a New Afghanistan.

1. A wonderful book that shows who the real heroes are. Too bad they are interfered with by the sometimes dumb brass.A must read if you are interested in the politics of the service and who the real soldiers are.A very reflective book on Afghanistan also.Too bad Bush got bored and went to Iraq instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan!I highly recommend the book.



2. Eric Blehm is a marvelous and immensely talented writer. He lays out the background story of The Only thing Worth Dying For in the beginning chapters, quickly running through a huge number of people's names and military jargon.
   
   Blehm's talents are many and difficult to describe in a review - much better to read in person. But #1 amongst his talent is Blehm's ability to concisely interpret interviews and reports into a coherent whole. His depiction of events involving evaluation of wounded soldiers is graphic and real. Blehm is a researcher who digs deeply into his subject, reading and interviewing and tracking every bit of information to its source.
   
   Another of Blehm's talents for those of us without a military background is the way he takes military jargon and reduces it to just the important concepts. He also succeeds in helping readers follow the ever-expanding cast of characters.
   
   Nothing in Blehm's writing is extraneous. Nothing is wasted.
   
   The best part of The Only Thing Worth Fighting For is that, though written in the genre of creative non-fiction, Blehm is scrupulous in keeping himself out of the story. He lets the ODA team, and what happened to them in Southern Afganistan, stay front and center throughout the book.
   
   Eric Blehm is writer we should keep an eye on. He is young, though experienced. He is talented. His next project will be greeted with much anticipation. I'm sure it will be as great as The Last Season and The Only Thing Worth Fighting For.



3. Incredible. I hate reviews that spoil the story, so all I'll say is that this book is not pro-war or anti-war. It tells a story of brave men and some terrible things that good people go through.



4. Have not had a chance to read this yet, but it's the next one I plan to read!



5. I'm not a huge reader, but I have a personal connection to one of these soldiers. This is an amazing story about the bravery, stength and courage of our soldiers and the danger (and stupidity) that they face everyday. It's not a "war" story or "political" novel, but a story men making sacrifices for the greater good. While I already know my friend's an amazing person, it was comforting to see that this story re-affirmed that. Thank you to the brave soldiers of the ODA574.

5 comments about Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle.

1. I cannot find enough superlatives to describe how amazing this book was to read! The actual photographs that were taken and included along with the soldier's words and feelings, only added to the impact that this book will leave upon anyone, of any age, who is privileged enough to be a reader of this true and heartwarming tale of true survival. I keep this book always being passed along to my friends to read and be inspired by. First and foremost, they know it must always be returned to me, because I read and re-read it so many times over, and even my little rescued dog sits mesmerized in my lap as I turn the pages and softly read the words aloud to him. This story of heroism and prevailing love, should be required reading for any age group.



2. I read the review of this book in People magazine and bought it for my children for Christmas. As I read it to them and thought of the men and women that brave the days and nights overseas and in strange places for our freedom and protection, it was so heartwarming that in the midst of these challenges, a basic friendship and camaraderie would form between the author and his special dog. What an incredible journey these two took together. When the kids say their prayers they pray for peace and no more war. Whenever that day comes we will all be grateful. Until then books like these keep us hopeful.



3. You'd have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by the beautiful story of a stray dog in Iraq who befriends a Marine, following him across the desert and finally being sent to safety in the U.S., where he was eventually reunited with the soldier. I remember vaguely reading about this incident in the newspaper but the way Dennis tells the story through a simple narrative and wonderful photographs (most of which were taken by Marines at the time), graphics, and maps left me with goose bumps! A story for all ages, particularly animal lovers, about the unbreakable bond that develops between animals and humans. Highly recommended.



4. 
   This is a heartwarming true story about an abandoned Iraqi dog who meets an American Marine and quickly bonds with him; he loved getting belly rubs. Unfortunately, soldiers cannot keep pets so the Major had to leave the dog behind when he returned to base. Nubs did not want to be separated from Brian and eventually traveled seventy miles across a forbidding desert to find him at his base on the border between Iraq and Jordan. Brian decided to adopt Nubs and solicited funds to make it possible to send Nubs to his home in San Diego. Neat photographs and copies of correspondence accompany informative text. This is a wonderful story about a group effort by soldiers, friends and Jordanian officials to get Nubs safely to San Diego where he and Brian now live. This is a feel good book for the whole family to enjoy.



5. God bless our Soldiers! This is a great book for kids. Very heart warming and also a true story!

5 comments about The Good Soldiers.

1. I could not put this book down. It was an eye opening experience hearing about the men my age at war. I have recommended this book to all my family members and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know what the surge felt and looked like through the eyes and hearts of our soldiers. I appreciated that the book didn't lean left or right, or tried to justify the war. It was an honest account of the soldiers out there doing the work and risking their lives (and losing them) for a cause (whatever that cause did or did not turn out to be).
   
   An excellent book and frankly any voter should read it since we are the ones electing the people who make the decisions regarding this war.



2. One of the most poignant books I've ever read. Seeing the soldier's story of this war so well treated is gratifying. Finkel tells it straight without the intensifiers and without resort to the cloying agendas of a political cant. The colonel and his soldiers acted in accord with the Army's expectations, and by showing us that, Finkel is saying a lot for the unit, all its soldiers, and the Army that trained and equipped them. The immensity of the commander's responsibility and his courage as a battle commander deserves the highest respect possible. Importantly, this chronicle of his unit is a tribute to every infantry battalion in the U.S. Army (as well as to the many other units that have effectively become infantry units). The unit mission was far more demanding than anything our commanders have had to face since Vietnam, and because it was all urban combat, it was likely a far tougher 15-month deployment than those deployments the Vietnam era commanders had to face. The Army has a cadre of officers now who have had to deal with the worst realities of war and its aftermath.



3. A jacket review of The Good Soldiers avers that "[t]his may be the best book on war since the Iliad." That's quite a claim, considering the thousands of years of history and probably hundreds of thousands of volumes that have since been published on the subject. While I'm not nearly well read enough to be able to make such a boast, The Good Soldiers is easily the best book on any topic I have read in the past 5 or 10 years. Author David Finkel brings his readers into the hearts and minds of an American infantry battalion posted in Baghdad during the 2007 surge, led by Lt Col Ralph Kauzlarich. Kauzlarich initially isn't the most sympathetic character, but within a chapter or so I found myself caring about him, his unit, and their mission. The fact that this takes place amidst nearly indescribable insanity made me ache for the tragedy that is the Iraq war.
   
   Finkel does it all by paying attention to the small details like the seemingly unimportant conversations between characters and the routines they follow when preparing for a patrol, or late at night when they can't sleep. Finkel's effortless prose makes the story compelling, though his lack of presence in the story itself makes me wonder how he (presumably an embedded correspondent) could have possibly captured so many details from so many lives, even when they're home on mid-tour leave or visiting injured comrades at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He describes the privation of the Iraqis, the frustration of the grunts, and the sacrifices of their families with equal tenderness. Even as the Iraq war appears to be fading from our collective consciousness,the scenes brought to life in The Good Soldiers, whether of combat, doctors struggling to save a patient, or of a soldier's mother and wife caring for their wounded loved one... these will stay with me for a long while.



4. Eye opener. Gets you in touch with what Iraq was really like for our soldiers. Well written.



5. Abraham Lincoln once said, "if you look for the bad in people, you will find it." I got this book because I wanted to learn about the Surge and what made it successful. (It was successful) If you want analysis and insight into this campaign, save your money. This book is a selective diary about a Ranger brigade's 15 months in Iraq and their misadventures. I say selective in that it will skip a couple of months and then go into exhausting detail about the tragedies of certain soldiers on a certain day. The pattern is relentless; the soldiers try to do right but everything goes wrong. People die. People get wounded. They kill the wrong people and the bad guys get away. It is incredibly depressing.
   
   Finkel's reporting probably is very accurate and carefully documented, but I question if it is truly a fair analysis of this campaign and war in general. If you compare "Marine at War"Marine at War for example with this book, you will see similar situations and similar suffering on the part of the soldiers involved, but today's reporter has been steeped in the idea that ALL War is unacceptable and nothing is worth the sacrifice that these men did. Consider the quotations listed in the front of each chapter by President Bush making it appear that everything is fine when in reality nothing is working. Today's reporter is so concerned about getting the facts that he fails to convey the motives of the characters.
   
   All bureaucracy's are SNAFUS. The army is no different. Managers are always asked to keep up morale when they know their campaigns are doomed. The soldiers in this book paid a terrible price. But their suffering is just as bad as all soldiers have faced through the centuries. The tactics and the technology may be different, but the confusion and the pain soldiers endure is universal.
   
   If you want a book that details all the bad things that can happen to a soldier in Iraq, this is your book. If you want a book that jutifies your view that this war was senseless, read this book. If you want to know what our soldiers learned in their struggle to carry the fight to the enemy, don't buy this book. If you want to understand why the enemy was fighting our men, read something else. And finally, if you want a happy ending which shows how our forces brought peace to all the warring factions and returned Iraq from the brink of chaos, definitely, this book is not for you!

5 comments about They Fought for Each Other: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Hardest Hit Unit in Iraq.

1. Outstanding book that takes a hard honest look at the realities of Soldiers in combat. It also shows the struggles that they faced after loosing so many of there brothers in arms. Amazing book. A must read for those who want to see what our Soldiers sacrifice every day.



2. This book was a difficult read. I had a loved one serve in this unit and lose many brother, so knowing the ending made it all the more difficult. I wish it was listed under fiction and that the events that unfolded were not true experiences these young men and women went through. I felt that the author should have spent more time describing the soldiers characters (and some of them were characters)and although I understand that there are limitations when writing a book I felt it would have been better to have shown some more of the other struggles the soldiers were going through as well. The personal life struggles (which they still had to deal with amidst their grief). Wives leaving husbands during the deployment, babies being born without the support of the fathers, financial burdens being placed on the families when pay was an issue. Also, some of the every day living conditions these guys had to go through. There were some good ones touched on but a lot that were left out. Again, I know that there were limitations when writing the book. I think the readers will get a really good look at the personalities and struggles the Commanding Officers went through but I think a lot of the soldiers get left out of the story. Too many to cover all of them in the book but not enough was touched on in regards to them. It really felt more like a story about the leaders and not the soldiers. I can almost see a screenplay now and can visualize how it will play out. A story about the courageous leaders and all they went through to try to sculpt and mold their men into the soldiers the army wanted them to be. Basically avon ladies selling avon door to door but soldiers selling peace to a society that seems to me, would not know what to do with it. When things go so very wrong and too many lives are lost and they truly have had enough they are accused of mutiny and this tight knit family of brothers is seperated. The many lives lost was the true tragedy here but so is what remains of the post war soldiers. Post Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Brain Injuries, amputations, severe burns, etc. The thing I hope the reader takes away from this book the most is a deeper understanding of the American soldier's sacrifice and service. Of the unfathomable sacrifice he/she has made. This book is a good step towards opening the eyes of Americans. I hope to see more stories like this offered in the future.



3. This book was very difficult to read, fighting back tears, and repressing memories better soon forgetten. I try everyday to remeber the "brothers" lost in combat, and everyday I try to forget the horror.
   Kelly is a wonderful person, who wrote a wonderful book that vividly portrays the actuality of war.
   Thank you, Kelly, for writing this. Thank you, 1/26...Charlie Company are Warriors...
   Let us not forget that many were lost during that fifteen months...Much love to my fellow Blue Spaders!
   "Doc" Roth



4. this book was a very difficult read, having been a part of this unit, 1-26 Blue Spaders. Everyone in this book was a friend and brother to me and reading this brought back my own fears. Kelly did a fantastic job painting the picture to everyone who reads this as to what exactly we went thru, what all combat soldiers go thru, things that don't get shown on the 5 o'clock news. Thank you Kelly for writing our story, and thank you to all the guys of 1-26



5. I was in Baghdad as part of the surge, arriving about six months after the Blue Spaders with a brigade from the Big Red One, so I certainly identified with those in the 2nd "Dagger" Brigade and kept tabs on what was going on in their sector.
   
   We heard about Adamiyah and just about all of it was bad. Kelly Kennedy does a very good job of capturing how difficult an area of operations it was, while writing a poignant tribute that effectively tells the story of one particular company of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry.
   
   I remember standing in our TOC and looking on in horror at the UAV feed both days when the Bradleys in Charlie and Alpha were destroyed. As a former armor officer, my greatest fear was being burned alive in my tank, and seeing that become a reality for those brave men kept me awake a night for days afterward.
   
   Kelly is a brilliant author. She was supposed to embed with our brigade, but the schedule changed and she couldn't make it. I wish now that she had, because she brings great credit to her profession. Her own experience and understanding of military and medical topics makes her an ideal person to write this book.
   
   Based on the positive comments from the Blue Spaders alone, she did her best and got it right.
   
   It's a tough story, but these men and women continued to serve with honor even in the darkest of times. Not every unit can say the same, and unfortunately, I've experienced the depravity of men pushed too far that they snap and destroy their own lives as well as the lives of others to include innocents and their loved ones all in the pursuit of an "eye for an eye."
   
   Thank you, Kelly for telling the Charlie Company and the rest of the Blue Spaders' story. Even those of us who were over there can't really comprehend how devastating those losses were, and how much strength and courage it took for those Soldiers to pick themselves up every day and continue to go out there when it all seemed so futile. I lost a good friend to an EFP and found myself questioning the mission a lot. But the book does a great job of putting it into perspective and making sure their sacrifices will not be forgotten.

5 comments about Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death.

1. My son was in B Company during this deployment to Iraq. From what he wrote to me while he was there, I could tell this book was an accurate collection of what was going on with 1/502nd and especially with the soldiers of B Company. How the commanders were more worried about picking up cigarette butts and whether the men were clean shaven and properly dressed than they were about them getting a few hours of shut-eye or some food in their stomachs before they had to go out and risk their lives again. It wasn't difficult to see how they would feel like they were the "forgotten" after requesting just the basic needs and being turned down time after time, and how silly it seemed to the soldiers that they had to have gravel at the Battalion so they wouldn't get their boots muddy was first priority! The combat stress team was totally ineffective - especially when the treatment of the day was Ambien and/or Seroquel and send them on their way. Even when red flags were sent up about Green, upper command dismissed it. Losing so many of their good friends day after day was taking a toll even on the guys that had been on several tours, let alone the first tour soldiers.
   
   Thank you Jim Frederick for a glimpse into what these soldiers went through. The thought and honest interpretation of just what these guys were thinking and feeling rang true and I hope that people everywhere will get a chance to read your book.



2. I am a former 11B Infantryman who was in Iraq at the time when most of these events took place. I also went to basic training with Jesse Spielman (B co., 1-19 INF, Ft. Benning, GA). Yeah, there was a lot of stuff going on at the time, but killing civilians only breeds more insurgents, if you want to disregard the moral implications altogether. I think those guys (Green, Barker, etc...) are indirectly responsible for the kidnapping and murder of their fellow soldiers later on. I was a little surprised to hear of Spielman being involved in this. He was not very agressive in basic and would not stand up to a certain bully in the platoon that guys smaller than Spielman would. He may have had courage with a weapon in his hand and his buddies around, but I believe he is a physical coward. He must be having a hell of a time in prison. Green should've been given a severe beat down. Not excluding the Iraqis he murdered, he ruined several people's lives and careers with his bragging. I guess he felt guilty about quitting in the middle of the deployment. Supposedly this place was the most dangerous place in Iraq at the time, yet the book says they often went off one their own, sometimes in pairs, to raise hell. There was no way I could've done that and expect to live. Maybe they just didn't care. Well, it was a pretty good book overall. But just remember, the fight only got worse after these guys left, then stopped around mid 2007 (except Mosul). Also, read about the Army's C co 1-26 Infantry's deployment in Baghdad in 2006-7. It was "worse" than these guys' deployment (and they didn't commit any atrocities). Also check out COMBAT DIARY THE MARINES OF LIMA COMPANY. Pretty bad deployment and NO ATROCITIES.



3. This book is an incredible look into the difficulties of one platoon in the triangle of death in Iraq. The narrative is strong, and the reader is literally on the edge of his seat during certain scenes. The story of the day to day lives of these soldiers, often attempting to achieve impossible tasks in an impossible place at an impossible time drives the book forward. It reads quite quick. The research is impressive and its obvious that Frederick has spent countless hours with most of the major participants in the book. Thematically, the book is also an extended examination about effective leadership. What makes an effective leader? How can a leadership style in one circumstance be effective but in another be literally deadly? How can effective leadership overcome some of the worst military circumstances our nation has seen in years and, conversely, how can ineffective leadership make that situation even worse. Frederick's book is an impressive achievement and I would recommend it to a wide range of readers. By writing a book that is much more than just a history of a time and place in the Iraq War, I believe he's written a text that will be read for years to come.



4. The book offers tremendous lessons on the importance of sound, engaged leadership. Suprisingly, very little time was actually dedicated to the crime perpetrated by several of the soldiers. Not that I'm complaining. Frederick did a very good job of painting a vivid picture of the hell 1st platoom endured. What galls me is the complete and utter lack of leadership at the battalion or divison, which Frederick also notes through his writing. It is clear that the soldiers did not receive anything close to the proper level of support.
   
   Great book for anyone looking for insight into the importance of leadership skills. Wheter in business or the military, lessons can be gleaned. Well done...would strongly recommend this book.



5. Most of the reviews present already hit most of the high points, but the book deserves another five-star review.
   
   I went into it expecting more of a "true crime" focus on the rape-murder of the Iraqi civilians. I'm glad to say that while it's clearly an important part of this horrific deployment, it's placed in some sort of proper context. It really is the story of the platoon and company that those soldiers were members of, and not the other way around.
   
   Frederick's achievement in reporting is really amazing. A reader really feels like they've gotten to appreciate what these men went through. And, for Frederick to have pulled all this together without being actually being embedded with the unit at the time is phenomanal. David Finkel wrote the excellent "The Good Soldiers," and was actually present with his subjects for much of their deployment. I would say that Frederick does just as good a job here of really showing these men "in their element" even though he wasn't actually with them at the time.
   
   I've embedded as a freelance reporter in Iraq three times with infantry companies, though never in situations even 1/100th as awful as these soldiers were going through. The details of platoon dynamics were absolutely spot-on accurate; each time I went, I embedded with an infantry company similar to Bravo, and each time there was usually one platoon that wanted nothing to do with a reporter, another that was excited to have somebody new to talk with, and a third that was kind of in the middle. I sort of looked at these platoons the same way.
   
   So, I could appreciate the dynamics of leadership making a lot of difference in how soldiers felt on any given day. The platoon leaders and sergeants really set the tone, and Frederick does a great job of capturing that importance. It's something that's hard to grasp until one sees it up close.
   
   Facts and scenes like those above are what gave this book its credibility, at least for me. I never thought to myself, "wait, that doesn't sound right." It always did, as awful as that often was. That carried through the whole book.
   
   This book will and should make a reader very angry. The men involved in the crime deserve their sentence - but I think it's unfair that Green bore the harshest sentence. He wasn't the highest ranking soldier present. The battalion commander, now a colonel, probably did a good job in other areas of his AO, but if a platoon and company are this broken, I can't see how he doesn't share a large segment of the blame. But who knows. And, those are legal and emotional questions not really relevant to Frederick's storytelling and informational achievement.
   
   In the past few months, there have been several books - "The Good Soldiers," "They Fought for Each Other" - published that focus more on individual soldier's experiences, rather than on somewhat contrived "big battle" stories that try to make more out of specific engagements than they really deserve. I've never thought those books captured any honest aspect of this war.
   
   Soldiers - and I'm an Army war veteran, too - are never all heroes, like the media likes to sometime present. They are men and women going OUT THERE to do a hard job. I don't think a soldier wants to be built up on a pedestal; I think they just want people to know the truth. This book is the kind of hard truth that people should know.