Howard Blue's

Afghan & Iraqi Wars
	When President Obama had to decide whether or not to send additional troops to Afghanistan he gathered as many experts together as he could. We should do the same. But since the Secretary of Defense and the generals are too busy to consult with each of us, we'll have to settle for some good and relevant books, in this case memoirs.

To read reviews about a book or order it, click on its title. To quickly reach one of the subtopics immediately below, click on it.

Afghan War

Corwin, Philip. Doomed in Afghanistan: A UN Officer's Memoir of the Fall of Kabul and Najibullah's Failed Escape, 1992. Rutgers University Press, 2002.

Franks, Tommy. American Soldier. Regan Books/Harper Collins, 2004.  By the U.S. General who led the American and Coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Luttrell, Marcus. Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. Little Brown, 2007. A four-man team of Navy SEALs is sent to kill a Taliban leader in Afghanistan, and only one survives the mission.

Mullaney, Craig M.  The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education. Rutgers University Press, 2009. An Army captain’s education at West Point, life and experiences as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and service as an officer in Afghanistan.

Rico, Johnny. Blood Makes the Grass Grow Green: A Year in the Desert with Team America. Presidio Press, 2007. By a veteran who fought the Taliban after 9/11.

Tamarov, Vladislav. Afghanistan: A Russian Soldier's Story. Ten Speed Press, 2004.  During his 20 months in a minesweeper outfit beginning in 1984, the author collected an array of photos to help tell his story.

Gulf War /Operation Desert Storm

Eriksen, Marcus. My River Home: A Journey from the Gulf War to the Gulf of Mexico. Beacon Press, 2007.

Haass, Richard N. War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars. Simon and Schuster, 2009. A combination of memoir and analysis on two wars in Iraq by a former adviser to Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Hunt, Peter. Angles of Attack: An A-6 Intruder Pilot's War. Ballantine Books, 2002. A bomber pilot recalls his dozens of night missions from an aircraft carrier over the Persian Gulf.

Manchester, Steven. The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy.  Hellgate Press, 2000. A soldier’s experience before, during and after the Gulf War.

Pfarrer, Chuck. Warrior Soul: The Memoir of a Navy Seal. Presidio Press, 2004. A Hollywood screenwriter’s grabbing account of his days as a Navy SEAL including his involvement in covert operations in the 1980s and early 1990s in Central America and the Middle East.

Iraq War

Bellavia, David and Bruning, John R.  House to House: A Soldier’s Memoir. Free Press, 2008.  Ultra-right wing staff sergeant’s memoir of 2004 battles in Fallujah.

Benimoff, Roger and Conant, Eve.  Faith Under Fire: An Army Chaplain's Memoir. Crown, 2009.  Baptist chaplain provides spiritual guidance to soldiers in Iraq.

Bremer, L. Paul III.  My Year in Iraq: The Struggle to Build a Future of Hope.  Threshold Editions, 2006. George W. Bush’s former administrator for Iraq gives his spin on his effectiveness.

Burana, Lily.  I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles.  Weinstein, 2009.  Former stripper marries army major, moves to West Point and undergoes great psychological turmoil after husband’s tour of Iraq.

Buzzell, Colby. My War: Killing Time in Iraq. Berkley Trade, 2006. A cynical look at Blooker prize winning author’s year-long army stint in Iraq fighting with “the good guys” in a dirty war that “only those who are here can understood.”

Crawford, John.  The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell: An Accidental Soldier's Account of the War in Iraq.  Riverhead Trade, 2006.  College student joins National Guard for tuition benefits; ends up serving in Iraq in 2002.

Folsom, Maj. Seth W. B. The Highway War: A Marine Company Commander in Iraq.  Potomac Books Inc., 2007. An officer’s experience commanding one of the first units serving on the front lines in 2003.

Franks, General Tommy. American Soldier. Harper Paperbacks, 2005. The former Commander in Chief of the US Central Command’s experience in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Friedman, Brandon. The War I Always Wanted: The Illusion of Glory and the Reality of War. Zenith Press, 2007. The author fought in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Garen, Micah, and Carleton, Marie-Hélène. American Hostage: A Memoir of a Journalist Kidnapped in Iraq and the Remarkable Battle to Win His Release. Simon and Schuster, 2007.

Hamoudi, Haider Ala. Howling in Mesopotamia: An Iraqi-American Memoir. Beaufort Books, 2008. Views of a man who lived with relatives in Baghdad during the war on what went wrong in Iraq.

Haass, Richard N.  War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars.  Simon & Schuster, 2009. Author's experiences serving in the two Bush administrations during both Gulf wars and the differences between them.

Harris, Jayme.  Dare, Dream, Discover: From the US Air Force to the Middle East and Beyond.  Emerald Book Co., 2008.  Female Air Force pilot, on assignments in Kosovo, Iraq, Pakistan.

Johnson, Shoshana.  I’m Still Standing:  Memoirs of a Woman Soldier Held Captive in Iraq.  Simon and Schuster, 2010.

Kittleson, Lance. Meditations from Iraq: A Chaplain's Ministry in the Middle East 2003-2004.  CSS Publishing Co., 2005.

Kubba, Juman.  The First Evidence: A Memoir of Life in Iraq Under Saddam Hussein.  McFarland & Co., 2003.

Mansoor, Peter R.  Baghdad at Sunrise: A Brigade Commander's War in Iraq. Yale University Press, 2008.

Morgan, Cynthia I.  Cindy in Iraq: A Civilian’s Year in the War Zone.  Free Press, 2006.  After 3 failed marriages, civilian goes to Iraq to work as civilian truck driver.

Popaditch, Nick and Mike Steere.  Once a Marine: An Iraq War Tank Commander's Inspirational Memoir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery.  Savas Beatie, 2008.

Raday, Sophia.  Love in Condition Yellow: A Memoir of an Unlikely Marriage.  Beacon Press, 2009. Political liberal marries West Point graduate who is called back to active duty in Iraq.

Sgrena, Giuliana. Friendly Fire: The Remarkable Story of a Journalist Kidnapped in Iraq, Rescued by an Italian Secret Service Agent, and Shot by U.S. Forces. Haymarket Books, 2006.

Skiba, Katherine M. Sister In The Band Of Brothers: Embedded With The 101st Airborne In Iraq. University Press of Kansas, 2005.

Smithson, Ryan.  Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI.  HarperCollins, 2009.  High school senior experiences 9/11 through media, marries high school sweetheart and enlists in Army Reserve; deployed to Iraq, interacts with Iraqi children, now writes as therapy for PTSD.

Souza, Corinne.  Baghdad's Spy: A Personal Memoir of Espionage and Intrigue from Iraq to London.  Mainstream Publishing, 2005.

Stewart, Rory.  The Prince of the Marshes: And Other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq.  Harvest, 2007.  Former soldier and diplomat goes to Iraq, becomes a provincial governor in 2003 though speaking little to no Arabic.

Winkle, Clint Van. Soft Spots: A Marine's Memoir of Combat and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. St. Martin's Press, 2009. Account of combat in Iraq and subsequent post-traumatic stress disorder.

Zaremba, Michelle. Wheels On Fire: My Year of Driving—and Surviving—in Iraq.  L&R Publishing, 2008. Female staff sergeant tells how she led supply convoys through Baghdad from 2004-2005.

Iraq War - Conscientious Objectors, Protestors

Benimoff, Roger and Conant, Eve.  Faith Under Fire: An Army Chaplain's Memoir. Crown, 2009.

Blair, Russell. Contractor Confessions: Tales from Iraq.  The Independent Texan Press, 2007.  A civilian contractor working for KBR/Halliburton on his two years in Iraq.

Delgado, Aidan.  The Sutras of Abu Ghraib: Notes From a Conscientious Objector in Iraq.  Beacon Press, 2007.  Egypt-bred soldier discovers Buddhism and gains conscientious objector status in Iraq.

Key, Joshua and Hill, Lawrence. The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq.  Grove Press, 2007.  Man joins army to learn trade and provide for family, is sent to Iraq, later deserts and moves family to Canada.

Lewandowski, James E.  Road Hunter in the Land Between the Rivers: Disillusioned Hearts and Minds.  Prairie Hills Pub., 2008.  Gun truck soldier’s account of Iraq in 2004.

Wile, Joan. Grandmothers Against the War: How We Got Off Our Fannies and Stood Up for Peace. Citadel Press, 2008.