8.4 /10 1 Votes8.4
Language English Publication date September 15, 2009 ISBN 0374165734 | 4.2/5 Goodreads Publisher Sarah Crichton Books Originally published 15 September 2009 Genre Non-fiction Country United States of America | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pages 304 pp (hardback edition) Awards J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year Similar David Finkel books, Iraq War books, Non-fiction books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Good Soldiers (2009) is a non-fiction book about the 2007 troop surge in Iraq written by David Finkel, chronicling the deployment of 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, nicknamed "Rangers", under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Kauzlarich. The story follows Kauzlarich as he experiences the reality of war, and loses soldiers for the first time.
Contents
Background
In 2007 David Finkel embedded with 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combate Team, 1st Infantry Division, also known as the "2-16 Rangers", as they worked to stabilize a portion of Baghdad. During this time he witnessed first hand the realities of war and the toll it takes on those who engage in it. Using his experience reporting on the United States efforts to bring democracy to Yemen, David Finkel writes on the then ongoing Iraq War from the focused perspective of a single U.S. Army Infantry Battalion.
Reception
The Good Soldiers is a recipient of the ALA Alex Award (2010).