Jarhead : A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles

By Anthony Swofford

In his searing memoir "Jarhead," Anthony Swofford examines his life as a marine in the first Gulf War with unflinching honesty, and explores the unsettling aftershocks of that life-changing experience with clarity and biting wit.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (October 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743287215

Book Description

In his New York Times bestselling chronicle of military life, Anthony Swofford weaves his experiences in war with vivid accounts of boot camp, reflections on the mythos of the marines, and remembrances of battles with lovers and family.

When the U.S. Marines -- or "jarheads" -- were sent to Saudi Arabia in 1990 for the first Gulf War, Anthony Swofford was there. He lived in sand for six months; he was punished by boredom and fear; he considered suicide, pulled a gun on a fellow marine, and was targeted by both enemy and friendly fire. As engagement with the Iraqis drew near, he was forced to consider what it means to be an American, a soldier, a son of a soldier, and a man.

About the Author

Anthony Swofford served in a U.S. Marine Corps Surveillance and Target Acquisition/Scout-Sniper platoon during the first Gulf War. He attended American River College; the University of California, Davis; and the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. He has taught at the University of Iowa and Lewis and Clark College, and his work has appeared in The New York Times, Harper's, Men's Journal, Details, and The Iowa Review. A Michener-Copernicus Fellowship recipient, he lives in Oakland, California, and teaches at St. Mary's College.