The Fighters by C.J. Chivers

THE FIGHTERS by C.J. Chivers is a highly praised analysis of military history and American

combat in Afghanistan and Iraq which offers the perspective and experiences of six combatants described by the publisher as a fighter pilot, a corpsman, a scout helicopter pilot, a grunt, an infantry officer, and a Special Forces sergeant. Chivers said that his one organizing idea was to convey “that they are human,” especially to readers who may not have served or know anyone in the military. It is certainly eye-opening and at times an almost overwhelming emotional experience to read the personal details about the danger and suffering that these soldiers and their families faced, both during and after deployment.

Chivers was an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps in the Persian Gulf War and is a Pulitzer Prize winning correspondent for The New York Times. THE FIGHTERS was recently featured on PBS NewsHour and here is a short video interview with Chivers:

THE FIGHTERS received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. You can read or here an excerpt here.  Please look for a copy on our shelves soon.