12/14/2020

Bestseller Patterson （Deadly Cross） and retired U。S。 Army Ranger Eversmann gather firsthand accounts from veterans， most of whom served in Iraq or Afghanistan， to deliver a vivid and authentic portrait of life in the modern military。 Many of the soldiers profiled are children of career military men and were spurred into action by the 9/11 terrorist attacks。 Their specialties range from helicopter door gunner to dentist （Maj。 Gen。 Ron Silverman fixed Saddam Hussein’s broken tooth after he was captured in 2003）。 Recurring themes include the shock of entering a war zone， the experience of losing a friend， and battles with alcohol， drugs， and PTSD。 Contributors express mixed feelings about their Afghan and Iraqi allies， doubts about the prospects for long-term stability （“Iraqi culture isn’t wired for democracy”）， respect for their foes （“The enemy is smart， coming up with ingenious ways to blow us up”）， and pride in their service。 Some stories make clear that the technologies allowing for easier communications with the home front than in previous wars also bring immediate access to family dysfunctions。 Though the loose structure and lack of transitions from one soldier’s story to the next can be disorienting， the overall effect is powerful。 This edifying collection captures the highs and lows of the military experience。 （Feb。）

James Patterson is the world's bestselling author。 The creator of Alex Cross， he has produced more enduring fictional heroes than any other novelist alive。 He lives in Florida with his family。
 
Matt Eversmann retired from the Army after twenty years of service。 His last assignment was as an Infantry Company First Sergeant in the 10th Mountain Division during the surge in Iraq。 He spent almost half of his career in the 75th Ranger Regiment and was a member of Task Force Ranger， the unit immortalized in the film Black Hawk Down。 Matt and his family live in West Palm Beach where he runs his own consulting company， Eversmann Advisory。
 
Chris Mooney is the international bestselling author of fourteen thrillers。 The Mystery Writers of America nominated Remembering Sarah for an Edgar Award。 He teaches creative writing at Harvard。