"Joker One" - B+

The full title of this non-fiction entry is "Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership and Brotherhood" and was written by Donovan Campbell. Campbell, a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Business School, tells his story of enlisting in the Marines and becoming a (largely unprepared, through no fault of his or his platoon's) commander of a 40-man infantry platoon called Joker One.

"Joker One" is a Band of Brothers-ish view of a Marine platoon in Iraq. The book is remarkably honest. Campbell beats himself up about the tough decisions he is forced to make and is unabashedly critical of his unit and of the Marines where necessary.

There will be times where I will compare "similar" books on this blog--basically saying, "if you want to choose between these two books with similar themes, read this one first." However, I haven't read Band of Brothers, but I'm certain that those of you out there who have will, at least in the backs of your minds, be comparing the two books. I can't tell you if Joker One will disappoint on that level or not. What I can tell you is that the honesty and emotion with which Campbell relates his experiences will elicit an emotional response in all but the most heartless reader. I give this book, which I enjoyed immensely, a "B" because it is not for everyone. Scenes will shock and will be upsetting for some. Also, a book on war, especially a book on THIS WAR which has polarized the US, will be unappealing from the get go for many.