Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Home Front, in the Words of U.S. Troops and Their Families
Edited by Andrew Carroll
Random House (2006), Hardcover

My opinion – not at all humble…

READ THIS BOOK!!!

http://www.arts.gov/national/homecoming/anthology.html#

I think EVERYONE should read this book. I don't care if you're conservative or liberal. I don't care if you support the current administration or not. I don't care if you support the current military mission or not. I don't care if you're political or not. I don't think it matters.

This book is an amazingly crafted view of humanity. The men and women who contributed their stories, their thoughts and their feelings are utterly human, Parents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, best friends and strangers. These are the slices of everyday life. Far from routine, but the life each of them is living – and many are dying for – each day.

I opened this book for the first time at lunchtime on Monday and made it about a quarter of the way through before going back to work. After work I went to dinner and for a walk with N, then went home and read for a while before crawling into bed. I got home from work a bit early on Tuesday, since it's my flex afternoon. I picked up the book, made a pot of tea and curled up in the cat's chair to read. I didn't put the book down until the phone rang around 8:00pm. By then I had cried more than a few tears, laughed out loud (done both over at least one story – happy journey, Tigger) and made it almost all the rest of the way through the book. This is not an easy book to read. It is poignant, it
is heart-wrenching, it is make-no-mistake graphic and it is, in an odd sort of way, uplifting. It touched me in such a visceral way that I dreamed it Tuesday night. I didn't dream /about/ the stories, I woke up feeling inside them.

It shows our men and women in uniform not as Saints or Monsters, not as Bad Guys or Heroes. There are plenty of heroic things going on, there is saintly compassion. There is Death -- sometimes at our side and sometime at our hands. There is doubt, there is fear, there is love and longing shared by out troops in the field and the families and friends at home. There is humility and humanity. It is war.

Last night I went to a reading / signing / discussion at Third Place Books. In addition to the editor, Andrew Carroll, four of the contributing writers were present and read from the book. One of the writers is my friend, Staff Sgt. Jack Lewis, US Army Reserve. He was joined by Lieutenant Todd Vorenkamp. US Navy, Captain Ed Hrivnak, US Air Force and Captain Zoltan Krompecher, US Army. The experiences they share are nothing short of powerful – how things that are the activities of everyday life take on such a different sheen in the light of war, in the face of death and in the commitment to duty.

It was my great honor and privilege to share a drink and dinner with them afterward. More discussion was had – among friends, now. This book started as a "Gee whiz…" conversation which was a truly brilliant idea – ask the everyday folks what they think and how they feel and share the results with the world. The troops, the families, the friends are all doing the very best they can to live a relatively ordinary life under extraordinary circumstances. They have my unending respect because, among many other things, they mostly succeed while doing jobs that most of them never expected to have to do.

The 'foot-stomper' in this semi-narrative, semi-book review?

BUY THE BOOK!

It's not a particularly cheap book, but it's not outrageous, either. I'm going to be buying several copies, at retail. The reasons to buy it instead of getting it from the library? It's a book we should have and keep and share with our kids. It's a book that will have meaning for a long time after the conflicts are over because it is a diverse selection of really high quality writing about the human experience. As long as we retain our humanity that will be of value. Last? The proceeds from the book will be used to provide arts and cultural programs to military communities.

Buy it, Read it, Link it, Share it!

Robbie ( )