to read and release

A really interesting book, brutal and 'in your face' at several points and not my normal reading, but I'm glad I read it. Swofford was a US marine during the first Gulf War, serving in Saudi and Kuwait as a 19 year old. The book is about his experiences as a young recruit and of the mundane boredom and brutal, grotesque reality of modern warfare. I'm afraid I knew very little about the US marines (although I did host two former marines several years ago when they spoke in Glasgow at a Military Families against War rally) and much of my impression was from the (glamourised, cleaned up version) presented on NCIS.

Although only the last few chapters of the book are actually set there, I'm counting this book for Kuwait in the 666 and around the world challenges as the book is very much about the build up to entering Kuwait after it was invaded by Saddam Hussein.

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