I recently had to read a book for my history class. It's called Generation Kill written by Evan Wright. My teacher occasionally adds it to the list of books we had to read this semester, she said it was somewhat of a controversial book, because she receives many complaints about it. Overall, I did not see the controversial part, I enjoyed the story of these brave men.
Before reading the book I had not been familiar with the Iraq War or military in any way. I have no friends or family serving, so it is a world away from me. This book opened my eyes in so many ways. The author did such a good job at painting the picture of the war and the setting that the men were in. The harsh weather, the horrible conditions, and the lack of supplies. There are many not so positive things I could say about the war, but I was amazed at the soldiers in the story. Wright again did such a fantastic job about depicting these men. He illustrates their physical features and how built they were. He shared about their personalities during combat as well as off the field. Throughout the book, I truly felt like I knew these men and my heart went out for them every time they had to go up against a tough situation where they were usually being ambushed or just struggling with missing their families.
I also saw the other side to the war. Wright also described the Iraqi civilians and what they were going through. They are people just like me. They are scared people trying to provide for their families who are struggling with so much. It broke my heart to hear about the conditions they have to live with. To think that they live in a war torn country day in and day out while shots and bombs falling are an everyday occurrence. I am truly blessed.
Whether my teacher knows it or not, my eyes have been opened to what is really going on across the world. My prayers are now filled for those brave men and women who are trying to fight for what is right and for the poor, hurting, sick, and scared civilians.
I highly recommend this book to others as well. It is an amazing book to get an inside look at this war that we all seem to be consumed by, but may not know as well as we think. There is a lot of profanity in the book...so it may not be for the easily offended. Enjoy reading!
Halley
11 years ago
3 comments:
Haley, I would be interested in reading that book if you still have it around and are finished with it? Perhaps we could trade that for Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I believe you were the one the other day who said it was a book you were wanting to read? As long as my reading note marks don't bother you, I would love to trade books!
Okay...I should be wrapping, packing, and doing a whole lot of other things right now, BUT I couldn't resist and just had to pop by to say HOLA to you gals!! : D I'll stop back again to comment about your post, but I did have one astute observation to share(unrelated of course to your post!) Did you realize that when you use the first letters of your names, you get AAH or HAA?? Just thought that was fun and wanted to bring that to your attention!
Okay...that's all and back to business here! Hope you're enjoying a fabUlous weekend!
Great post. Here's a relevant heads up:
Evan Wright, author of Generation Kill, is publishing a new book next month about his experiences with different subcultures in America. Here's one description of the new book:
“From his work as a reporter at Hustler magazine, to his National Magazine Award–winning writing for Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, Evan Wright has always had an affinity for outsiders—what he calls “the lost tribes of America.” The previously published pieces in this collection chart a deeply personal journey, beginning with his stark but sympathetic portrayals of sex workers in Porn Valley, through his raw portrait of a Hollywood überagent-turned-war documentarian and hero of America’s far right. Along the way, Wright encounters runaway teens earning corporate dollars as skateboard pitchmen; radical anarchists plotting the overthrow of corporate America; and young American troops on the hunt for terrorists in the combat zones of the Middle East. His subjects are people for whom the American dream is either just out of grasp, or something they’ve chosen to reject altogether. Sometimes frightening, usually profane, and often darkly comic, Hella Nation is Evan Wright’s meticulously observed tour of the jagged edges of all those other Americas hiding in plain sight amid the nation’s malls and gated communities. The collection also includes an all-new, autobiographical introductory essay by the author.”
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