Book Club: Final Post?

Dexter Filkins has balls. 

I respect the hell out of the writer of this book for going into such a harsh, dangerous place to report the truth.  He gives both sides of every story, the way a story should be told.  He had so many near death experiences, it's incredible that he made it out alive.  He risked his life in the name of honest journalism, how can you not respect that?  Many journalists lost their lives in greusome attacks throughout the danger zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, Filkins made it out alive and I don't know how he did it.  Pretty remarkable.

The book itself was good.  The structure was interesting in a good way and a bad way.  The author structured it with purpose.  The way the stories make up the entire book makes it all right to jump around if you want to or need to.  I feel like if the reader wants to skip over a story, that's OK, no big deal, just start at another spot and not miss a beat.

The book is amazing in that it brings you into the action.  We, as readers, are used to seeing it on TV.  While reading the book, Filkins brings us into the real setting without the bullshit that news stations or news papers or anything else puts in for filters.  He is clearly a non-biased journalist reporting from war bringing it to our attention the realities and struggles of both sides. 

I would suggest it to anyone interested in war in general, history, and the like.  It was a good read with a lot of insight.  Again, I respect Dexter Filkins for reporting the way he did (un-biased), and for putting himself in the line of fire (literally) to get the story, or stories, he wanted.