The mother in the beginning can’t compare WW1 with the way in Iraq where she lost her child. War is not pretty and I wish it wasn’t part of the human existence, but it is. While understanding her grief, I served in the US Army for 15 years and served in the first Gulf war , Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, and afghan, I understand first hand her pain but the reasons we were there were noble and it wasn’t for oil or to get revenge on Safdamn for daddy Bush. You dishonor us all to include the dead with such talk

Ignore the angry mother in the forward. She doesn't understand the nature of the story. Otherwise, this is an excellent story about accepting death and why war exists. It's awful, but it is our nature. we will never stop until we overcome greed and jealousy.

The book is totally ruined by the narrator who has the most dramatic and obnoxious voice. I frequently had to turn the volume down to try to get through the book. You’re better off reading paperback.