This Man's Army: A Soldier's Story from the Front Lines of the War on Terrorism

This book is very well written and entertaining. I also served in the Infantry in the 10th Mountain Division and his book pretty much tells it like it is. I like most his depictions of what infantry life is really like, especially the games and horseplay that they do.

"This Man's Army: A Soldier's Story from the Front Lines of the War on Terrorism," by Andrew Exum, is a memoir by a U.S. Army infantry officer who saw combat in Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Exum gets into detail about his military education and training. He discusses his time in ROTC, and also takes the reader through the phases of Army Ranger school. He also covers his stateside duty at Fort Drum, New York. The book shifts into a more intense mode when Exum recalls the infamous 9/11 attacks, after which his unit was mobilized for wartime duty. He discusses his unit's activities in Kuwait. After taking the reader in detail through his missions in Afghanistan, Exum describes his return to the U.S. after the war, and the changes that occurred in his life. I really enjoyed this book. Exum's straightforward, down-to-earth writing style is nicely complemented by some thoughtful literary and cultural references throughout the book. His accounts of military training and wartime service are interesting, especially his accounts of encounters with the press. The book strikes me as a well-rounded account; he deals with the excitement and soldierly bonding of wartime, as well as its tedium and annoyances. He creates warm and entertaining portraits of the soldiers he served with. He presents a compelling view of Afghanistan: a "Wild West"-type environment of rugged natural beauty. Exum also offers his musings about the relationship between war and spirituality. "This Man's Army" struck me as grimly ironic in light of ongoing operations in Iraq. Exum notes how at one point he felt the Afghan campaign was "the greatest war ever," "an adventure," a "big game [. . .] against an overmatched opponent." Of course, Iraq has proven to be a much more difficult and deadly theater. Overall, I found this book to be a thoughtful and informative look at contemporary training and warfighting in the U.S. Army. Recommended companion text: "Not a Good Day to Die," journalist Sean Naylor's nonfiction account of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan.

"This Man's Army" provides both civilians and servicemembers a thorough examination of entry-level officer training and the early days of the Global War on Terror. It was entertaining and informative, with only a very few dull spots. The author's use of quotes from more established authors was an interesting aspect to the book. All in all, his words will ring true to most soldiers serving in a post 9/11 Army, and will provide great insight on the part of civilians attempting to understand the modern Army. My only significant complaint was the author's perception that his Ivy-League education somehow made him a rarity in the modern Army.

I ran across Andrew Exum on Book TV while channel surfing. I had no idea who he was or what he authored. I was about to switch the channel to ESPN or HBO like any good male should do but I heard the words "war" and "army." So, I continued watching. Besides being extremely fair when questioned (or baited) about his politics (I think we all are sick of bias these days), Exum was extremely intelligent, organized and compassionate. I think his compassion struck me the most - especially since I just returned from a short trip on the 405 freeway where I felt like choking a few people in the cars next to me. I picked up his book later at the local Borders and finished reading it the next day. I was thoroughly impressed with not only what such a young man accomplished to date but his struggle with physical, religious, social, academic and political forces constantly poking at him from different directions. All of this while serving as an American at war. Not unlike his appearance on Book TV, Exum's story has an inspiring undertone of compassion as well. Here is a guy who escaped the comfort of an easy life, graduated from a no doubt difficult stint and Penn, enrolled into ROTC as the only way to pay for his higher education, went through Ranger School twice, served the U.S. on the battlefield and then writes an excellent book. I would be proud to do just one of those things. But, Mr. Exum does them all. And, he does them with kindness, courage and thoughtfulness. It is a testament to his humanity when, in the book, he tells of being extremely upset (for good reason I might add) at one soldier who developed self-inflicted traumatic seizures during a mission. This is the only time where I questioned Exum's compassion. Funny thing is, as you continue reading, Exum realizes the same thing and later kicks himself for it. The other thing I'd like to note about this book is the humor. I found myself rolling in laughter at some of the antics Exum and his men get into. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone but there is a lot of fun woven into Exum's story. One instance that comes to mind involves someone's testicle inadvertently hanging out of a tear in the pants at an inopportune time. Another is when Exum describes one of his soldiers in that he would trust him with his life but not with 20 bucks. Exum is no saint. But, neither am I or my friends. However, we came to realize that love and compassion will never let you or your buddies down. And, throughout the book, Exum continues to say that he is not the only person serving in our armed forces who is this way. There are people from all walks of life, filled with hope, fear, compassion and intelligence fighting for their buddies and the rest of us every minute of every day. Exum reminds me of the song by Rush called "New World Man". I look forward to reading more about his life as I would call him a leader of New World Men in these turbulent times ahead.

I picked up Captain Exum's book because, like all Americans, I have more than a passing interest in the subject matter. I did not expect that I would read the book almost in one sittting. I couldn't put this one down. Exum knows how to tell a story. With what seems to be an innate sense of rhythm, he has crafted a book that is alternately exciting, witty, and insightful---but retains the unmistakeable ring of honesty throughout. This book should be required reading. But unlike most books billed as required reading, this one will leave you wishing there were another 100 or 200 pages of more of the same.