THE GOOD SOLDIERS

Mark Boyett delivers the words of U.S. Ranger Battalion 2-16's soldiers as they live, fight, and, in some cases, die during the 2007 “surge” in Iraq. Their unsophisticated and vulgar military language mixed with attitudes of hopelessness, depression, and fear paints scenes contrary to the optimistic view of President Bush, who said of the effort: "We are kicking ass." Boyett mimics the accents of the Iraqi translators, assumes the excitement and desperation of men in battle, and conveys the pall of death when it happens. Boyett's portraits of men and war bring alive what would be considerably less so on the printed page. The stories of these 21st-century soldiers exemplify the timeless universalities of lethal combat. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]