By Kevin Powers

Powers is a poet by education and passion and was a soldier by career for a while.  During the soldier chapter of his life, he served in Iraq and Afghanistan and this masterpiece was born from that.  The story focuses on the friendship of Bartle and Murph, both young, naïve soldiers thrown into the hell that is the Middle East wars.   Powers’ writing is so beautiful and descriptive displaying his excellent poetic talent.  His narrative of the scenery is at one moment peaceful and beautiful…starry skies and gorgeous desert landscapes…then in an instant shattered by the atrocities of war.  He does a great job creating confusion and chaos by jumping from past to present and war to home.  It is vivid and realistic and very well done.  I actually think it should be required reading in high school history classes.  And, as always, it makes me want to hug every service member I know and may come to know.  How do we say thank you to them all?

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