Author: James Brady
Publisher: VHPS (HOLT & ST MARTINS), Jul 2008
Binding: Softcover
ISBN: 0-312-37280-9
Synopsis
A ruthlessly candid book about professional killers not ashamed to recall their doubts as well as exult in their savagely triumphant battle cries. A book of weight & heft that Marines, & Americans everywhere, will want to read, & may find impossible to forget. 16-pg B&W photo insert; 6x9 inches, 320 pgs.
More Information
United States Marines, for more than two centuries, have been among the world?s fiercest and most admired of warriors. They have fought from the Revolutionary War to Afghanistan and Iraq, in famous battles become bone and sinew of American lore. But why do Marines fight? Why fight so well? Why run toward the guns? Now comes a thrilling new book, pounding and magnificent in scope, by the author some Marines consider the unofficial ?poet laureate? of their Corps.
James Brady interviews combat Marines from wars ranging from World War II to Afghanistan, their replies in their own individual voices unique and powerful, an authentically American story of a country at war, as seen through the eyes of its warriors.
Culling his own correspondence and comradeship with hundreds of fellow Marines, Brady compiles a story---lyrical and historical---of the motivations and emotions behind this compelling question. Included are the accounts of Senator James Webb and his lance corporal son, Jim; New York City police commissioner Ray Kelly; Yankee second baseman (and Marine fighter pilot) Jerry Coleman, and of teachers, firemen, authors, cops, Harvard football players, and just plain grunts, as well as the unforgettable story of Jack Rowe, who lost an eye and other parts and now grows avocados and chases rattlesnakes. Their stories poignantly and profoundly illustrate the lives and legacies of battlefront Marines.
Why Marines Fight is a ruthlessly candid book about professional killers not ashamed to recall their doubts as well as exult in their savagely triumphant battle cries. A book of weight and heft that Marines, and Americans everywhere, will want to read, and may find impossible to forget.
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING:
?These inspirational tales cover as many Marine experiences as Brady can pack in.? - Kirkus Reviews
?For anyone who wants to know how the U.S. Marine team works in war and peace, this book is indispensable.? - Booklist (Starred review)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
James Brady commanded a rifle platoon during the Korean War and was awarded the Bronze Star for valor. He captured these experiences in his books The Scariest Place in the World, The Marine, his New York Times bestselling novels Warning of War and The Marines of Autumn, and in his highly praised memoir, The Coldest War. His weekly columns for Parade magazine and Forbes.com are considered must-reads by millions. He lives in Manhattan and in East Hampton, New York.
