Thursday, March 19, 2009

Big Boy Rules, by Steve Fainaru




From Internet Review of Books:

Commuting to war

BIG BOY RULES:
America’s Mercenaries Fighting in Iraq
By Steve Fainaru
288 pp. Da Capo Press $26.00

Reviewed by Wisteria Leigh

The cover of Big Boy Rules displays a bald, brawny soldier, biceps bulging, wrapped in a belt of bullets clutching his weapon while standing lookout through the sunroof of an SUV. Not exactly a picture to bring tears to anyone’s eyes. When you read Big Boy Rules, keep that vision in mind, but remember, I foretold your tears.

Steve Fainaru makes clear his position that the United States government’s use of private companies to replace and support US military is “an ugly business ... perhaps the ugliest business ...” Of the mercenaries, he says, “You didn’t have to draft them, or count them, or run them through Congress. You didn’t even have to know they were there.” Read more.....

Not just another war book-far from it! Discover what you don't know about mercenaries in the Iraq War. Steve Fainaru is a courageous reporter who investigated the War in Iraq from the inside. His Pulitzer Prize winning writing shouldn't be missed.

1 comment:

Literary Feline said...

I've been reading news stories about the independent contractors used to help in Iraq. There are so many facets to the war over there that we in America do not know about. I'll have to keep my eye out for this one. Thanks for the review, Wisteria!