In 12 short stories, Klay manages to bring the reader into the minds of soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as those who came home, and the feelings that each of them has. There are moments of pure comedy, some of it infuriating, and moments that make you stop and catch a breath. This book has been compared to "The Things They Carried" for the new wars and having read both, it is an apt comparison. An amazing debut and an amazing book.