Bryan A. Wood

I was reading this book because I got it for free on Amazon, but even if it wasn't free, I would have bought it and liked it anyway. I think that this is exactly the kind of book I needed to read.
First of all, in spite of the name, this book is not 100% about warfare, war accounts, randomly shooting people and things like that. I mean, there are these aspects in it, but there is also a strong psychological side, and maybe this is what I liked so much about it. I think that the author did pretty well in not specifying that he was referring to the war in Afghanistan. I think that the "war" he mentioned was also referring to the one he had to fight within his own conflicted mind.
What I really liked about this book, besides it being deliciously easy to read (but the Kindle version could still go through a bit more of grammar reviewing), fast paced and relatively short, is that it talked about the war in the point of view of someone who was actually experiencing everything, someone who might have one day viewed every citizen of Afghanistan as a villain, and then realized that things are not as plain as that. I think most of the war books fail to give this conscious point of view: that some people do NOT want the war and are in the middle of the crossed fire against their will.
Another positive point of this book: the lack of a religious appeal. You know, the whole "the hand of god makes everything right" kind of thing. I haven't read too many books regarding war accounts, but the ones I read tend to go to the religious side, which I find contradictory to the cause they are fighting for. Unspoken Abandonment makes it very clear that Wood actually managed to find the strength to move on within concrete things: family, friends, work, the love of his life and his own willpower, and this was very motivational.
Excellent book. I really liked it and recommend it!… (mer)

Neither inflating nor decrying the sacrifice of soldiers, this book moves beyond the simple reporting of one man’s experiences of active service and its aftermath into an exploration of how experiencing extreme situations can leave anyone struggling to live a normal life.

The narrative is based on Bryan Wood’s combat experience in Afghanistan and return to civilian life. However – while there are tales of fire fights, tense stand-offs, and US policies – this is neither a war story nor a history; the greatest part of the action takes place in Wood’s head.

The book is written in two styles: a series of diary entries set in Afghanistan during a few months of 2003, and a more traditional memoir describing Wood’s return to the USA and attempts to find a place after his discharge.

Both sections are written in a clipped prose part way between history and fiction which gives both the feel of military thought and helps the reader share Wood’s feelings of separation and powerlessness. There are definite and well handled differences between the sections though: the diary is presented as a single linear document without commentary, whereas the rest of the book hints at events to come or returns to events past; this very neatly creates an impression that the events in Afghanistan are merely examples of issues both Wood and others faced, whereas the events following his return are at their core one deeply personal issue.

Although a strong thread of dislike at how civilians simplify active service, whether as a righteous crusade or an unnecessary action, is present Wood is equally honest about his own inappropriate attitudes: his disdain for those who talk without experience exposes the pretentious but also drives away those who seek to help.

Whatever your view on the morality of the US presence in Afghanistan or war in general this book raises questions about how we deal with disagreement, and how often our issue comes not from a flaw in the people on the other side of the perimeter or the office, but from grabbing and holding close the power we can for fear that the alternative is worse.

I found this book thought-provoking. I recommend it to anyone seeking a better understanding of the human cost of bearing arms for a modern society.

I received a free copy of this book.… (mer)

Unspoken Abandonment by Bryan Wood

First-hand account of a machine gunner serving in Afghanistan in 2003 and how he learns to deal with the memories of his experiences. Like he says, some things cannot be unseen. This is his story of learning to deal with PTSD and with psychological and emotional trauma.

This is very enlightening about the atrocious conditions in Kabul, the "rules" that American soldiers have to follow, even to the extent that they have to turn a blind eye to abuses they see committed by local Afghani people to others, mainly women and children.

There is also a devastating account of some soldiers' treatment after they were shipped home for rehab. This part was a little confusing to me because the abuse and neglect were reported to the culprit's superior officer, but we don't hear of any repercussions taking place. I'd be very "disappointed" if this kind of thing is allowed to continue once it is discovered. The people who put their lives on the line for their country should be treated like kings and queens when they return. Anything less is absolutely not acceptable.

Oh, a lesson learned from this book: Unless you've been in combat yourself, you may want to keep your opinions about the war(s) to yourself. Our ignorant remarks and opinions can be truly hurtful to those who have actually served and DO know what they are talking about.

The ending of the story seemed a bit abrupt with questions left unanswered about recent events in the author's life which were hinted at (enough to make the reader concerned) but not fully explained.… (mer)

The title of this book 'Unspoken Abandonment : Sometimes the part of going to war is coming home' says it all, really. Bryan Wood served in Afghanistan, and through his journals, he shares with us his thoughts, fears and emotions as a combat operative, and then later, his confusion and difficulty adjusting to 'regular' life when his tour ended and he returned home. We owe so much to people like Bryan who sacrifice so much and put their lives in danger just so we can live ours in relative safety. And we don't often think about how the horrors they experience affect them mentally and emotionally, taking it for granted that if they return without physical injuries or disabilities, that they're picking up their lives exactly where they had left them before they were deployed. This book does nothing to hide the challenges and also the joy that this soldier faced upon his return.

It's a wonderfully inspirational read and a very emotional one as well. It really brings home the message that whatever hardship or challenge I may think daunting, is nothing compared to what some of our men and women in uniform have to face.… (mer)