David Finkel (1) (1955–)

What were their sacrifices for? Was it all so someone could come along a decade later and get elected president and try to divide the United States into a broken country that would produce even more people ruined by war?

from An American Dreamer by David Finkel
Two doors down from us is a young family. We have been friendly with them ever since they moved in. We greet each other and stop to talk. The father plows our sidewalk when it snows and this fall I heard a racket and found him cleaning out our gutters.

In 2016 our political yard signs were not in sync. I worried it would ruin our friendship. I worry that in 2024 if they display Trump signs again, I won’t be able to feel the same way about them.

David Finkel spent years following the life of one man. A soldier with disturbing dreams. a family man and father who could count his blessings. A man who believed in the Constitution and was alarmed by what was happening in America. His neighbor is MAGA, a man with great challenges and a huge gun collection, as was his county and state.

These were his days now, the days of a moral man in the midst of a moment that felt immoral to him, a man who got into bed every night wondering in silence whether this would be another night for the dream.

from An American Dreamer: Life in a Divided Country by David Finkel
Cummings had put his life on the line for his country. He experienced the deaths of comrades at war. Unconcerned about politics, he did his duty. Now, nightmares regularly disturb his sleep. But the America of his ideals has been replaced by a country of hate.

When Finkel began recording the events in the book he had no idea of what was to come or that he would document four years of such important historical and legal importance.

Brent Cummings’ story will resonate with many who have struggled with the impact of America’s deep political division.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.… (mehr)

I januari 2007 meddelade George W. Bush att USA skulle använda sig av en ny krigsstrategi i Irak. Den gick under namnet ”The Surge” och handlade i mångt och mycket om att sätta in kraftiga truppförstärkningar.

Bland dem som lyssnade till presidentens ord fanns den nya, optimistiska infanteribataljonen 2-16, ”The Rangers”, som satte som mål att lyckas där andra tidigare misslyckats. Deras uppdrag: patrullera de farligaste delarna av Bagdad.

Under den tid som ”The Rangers” befann sig i Irak gick landet från fullständigt kaos till ett mer hanterbart tumult. Men för bataljon 2-16 var tillvaron allt annat än lugn, med vilda eldstrider, spända patrulluppdrag genom fientliga områden där varje skräphög kunde innehålla en bomb, och dussintals sårade och dödade kamrater.

Efter femton månader återvände soldaterna hem till Amerika som fullständigt förändrade människor.

Reportern David Finkel följde The Rangers under hela deras vistelse i Irak. Resultatet blev De goda soldaterna – en omskakande vittnesbörd över det moderna krigets fasor. Genom att berätta både vinnarnas och förlorarnas historia har Finkel med denna bok lyckats skapa ett krigsreportage av klassisk kaliber.… (mehr)

Este es un gran libro sobre la guerra y sobre los soldados. Sobre un grupo de soldados, de una edad media de 19 años, que fueron enviados en 2007 a Bagdad para cambiar el curso de un conflicto que se estaba perdiendo. David Finkel, ganador del Premio Pulitzer, se propuso ahondar en la realidad de esta sucia guerra compartiendo durante ocho meses la vida de los hombres del Batallón 2-16 y dando voz a estos “buenos soldados” para que contaran lo sucedido a través de sus experiencias, sus pesadillas y sus decepciones. Como ha dicho Doug Stanton: “Podréis abrir este libro dentro de unos años y decir: Esto es lo que realmente ocurrió”. Finkel no ha querido escribir un reportaje ni un alegato contra la guerra, sino mostrarnos el coste humano de una experiencia que acabó destrozando incluso a los supervivientes, conscientes de la inutildiad del empeño y de su fracaso.… (mehr)