Ralph kauzlarich, a perennial optimist convinced that his men would be. As a compelling read, the good soldiers is all good. Among those called to carry it out were the young, optimistic army infantry soldiers of the 2nd battalion, 16th. Fort rileys good soldiers at kansas state university. In afghanistan, in april 2004, ranger pat tillman was accidentally. While vivid and moving, finkels gruntseye view is limited. The military hero from the book the good soldiers is lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich. This is the story of one baghdad year in the life of an army battalion under the leadership of lt. Lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich is by far the closest to. Whether youre a combat veteran, a soldier s mom, an iraqi, the 43rd u. I found it to a description of the war in iraq that was very painful to listen to. The year is april 2007 to april 2008, and their assignment is president george w. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the good soldiers by david finkel. The good soldiers 2009 is a nonfiction book about the 2007 troop surge in iraq written by david finkel, chronicling the deployment of 2nd battalion, 16th infantry regiment of the 4th infantry brigade combat team, 1st infantry division, nicknamed rangers, under the command of lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich.
By contrast, david finkels the good soldiers could hardly be more specific, more up close and personal. Ralph kauzlarich, the deputy chief of staffeffects coordinator for the 1st infantry division, was promoted to colonel at a ceremony held at the united states divisionsouth headquarters on contingency operating base basra aug. Ralph kauzlarich, the leader of the 216, is portrayed in the book as an optimist. With the good soldiers, david finkel has produced an eternal story not just of the iraq war, but of all wars. New york times best seller the good soldiers, to be. Ralph kauzlarich in april 2007, the very beginning of the battalions deployment. In early 2007, david finkel, a pulitzer prizewinning writer with the washington post, was writing an article about thenlt. Oct 11, 2009 fastforward 64 years to 2007, the year the pulitzer prizewinning washington post reporter david finkel brings to astonishing life in his chronicle of modern combat, the good soldiers.
Much of the book focuses on the confident and optimistic commander of the 216, lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich, but readers will also come to know dozens of other personalities from the battalion, running from the top to the bottom of the chain of command. Finkels main character is the battalion commander, col. This operation is to help restore iraq from the war. October 21, 2014 for eight months, journalist david finkel watched as lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich repeatedly told himself, its all good, in order to get through the 15 months of. The battalion arrived in iraq in early 2007 as part of the. Finkel, a reporter for the washington post, deploys with the second battalion, sixteenth infantry regiment of eight hundred soldiers out of fort riley, kansas under the leadership of u. Effects of iraq war shown in soldiers stories thehill. Pulitzer prize winner david finkel speaks of the good. The good soldiers by david finkel joined by col ralph. Ralph kauzlarich, a man in his early 40s who comes across as affable, committed, religious, hardworking and naive. Adam schumann, the great soldier who finally had to face that hed been through too much. The simplest way to describe the good soldiers, by david finkel, is to say that it is primarily a book about a certain army unit in a particular place and time during the iraq war. All the while assigned to an area that the battalions commander, west point grad lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich, came to consider an expletivedeleted version of an outhouse without the house. Ralph kauzlarich, will be familiar to anyone who has read david finkels acclaimed account of bravo company 216, the good soldiers.
Army lieutenant colonel, ralph kauzlarich, in early april of 2007. It is the characters, in fact, who make your book so alive. The good soldiers opens with a lengthy account of the many things that have not yet happened to lt. The good soldiers takes a single yearlong slice of the war april 2007 to april 2008 and makes its unifying story the gradual shift of initially optimistic, gungho soldiers like kauzlarich away from an attitude of cando optimism and eagerness to work with the iraqis to creeping disillusionment and sometimes outright disgust for the. His book focuses on the triumphs and traumas of that. Good soldiers details the suffering behind the surge in. Ralph kauzlarichs 2nd battalion, 16th infantry regiment, when. One cadet asked kauzlarich what was the toughest thing that he experienced in iraq. Riley, kansas through their deployment to iraq, where, instead of escorting convoys and securing roads in the western part of the country, they become. New york september 15, 2009 not since tim obriens the things they carried has there been such a searing. Their leader, lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich, cares deeply about the men under his command. Gary jones during a november 2004 investigation, kauzlarich said hed learned kevin tillman, pats brother and fellow army ranger who was a part of the battle the night pat tillman died, objected to the presence of a chaplain and the saying of prayers during a repatriation.
David maraniss, author of they marched into sunlight. Ford huffman, military times david finkel has written the most unforgettable book of the iraq war, a masterpiece that will far outlast the fighting. He is a battalion commander of the army infantry 216, the rangers. Ralph kauzlarich, whose dogged cando optimismhis motto is its all good pits itself against declining morale and whispers of mutiny. This last movement, the return home, is the most profound.
The book, the good soldiers written by david finkel, a staff writer for the washington post, is a gritty, in your face look at current warfare. Ralph kauzlarich, whose optimism, compassion, and basic human decency, one learns, are entirely. I brought my experiences as a mother to the reading and found it so difficult to read about each year, my daughters university chooses a theme for the freshman writing seminar and assigns a reading to go along. In that regard, the good soldiers is not for the timid, or those bothered by soldiers combat zone language. The simplest way to describe the good soldiers 1, by david finkel, is to say that. Ralph kauzlarich, a perennial optimist convinced that his men would be the difference in winning the war. Ralph kauzlarich lieutenant colonel, and commander of the 2nd battalion, 16th infantry regiment. In april 2007, he led a battalion of 800 soldiers into one of the most dangerous areas in baghdad. Good soldiers details the suffering behind the surge.
The good soldiers by david finkel joined by col ralph kauzlarich theusahec. Ralph kauzlarich, whose dogged cando optimismhis motto is its all goodpits itself against declining morale and whispers of mutiny. Battalion 216 izzy interpreter for the americans and is originally from iraq, but goes by izzy. The year is april 2007 to april 2008, and their assignment is. Ralph kauzlarich, who says, its all good no matter what terrible things are in front of his eyes and who might have been a cartoon in many peoples books but is not in yours.
And in telling the story of these good soldiers, the heroes and the ruined, david finkel has also produced an eternal talenot just of the iraq war, but of all wars, for all time. Army lieutenant colonel who had led a battalion of some eight hundred soldiers into baghdad as part of. Army infantry battalion, american journalist david finkels nonfiction book the good soldiers 2009 chronicles the 2007 troop surge during the iraq war. Pulitzer prize winner david finkel speaks of the good soldiers at the sottile. The good soldiers chronicles colonel ralph kauzlarichs 15month mission leading the 216 infantry battalion out of fort riley, kan. The good soldiers by david finkel farrar, straus and giroux 285 pp. Forms of belief and the limits of irony in david finkels the. Its all good and were winning roll off his tongue without irony. And in telling the story of these good soldiers, the heroes and the ruined, david finkel has also produced an eternal talenot just of the iraq war, but of all wars. The good soldiers follows an army battalion in iraq. Their leader, lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich, cares deeply about the men under his. Sep 24, 2009 the good soldiers by david finkel farrar, straus and giroux 285 pp.
Gary jones during a november 2004 investigation, kauzlarich said hed learned kevin tillman, pats brother and fellow army ranger who was a part of the battle the night pat tillman died, objected to the presence of a chaplain and the saying of prayers during a repatriation ceremony in germany. Ralph kauzlarich, whose dogged cando optimism his motto is its all good pits itself against declining morale and. Rick atkinson, author of an army at dawn and the day of battle this is the finest book yet written on the platoonlevel combat of the iraq war. The longterm aftermath is worse still as the books central character, lieutenant colonel ralph kauzlarich, visits the ruined soldiers and their families. Sep 29, 2009 thats not the only paradox in the good soldiers. Unfortunately, mere words such as those cannot do it justice, because. In language that often suggests the incantatory rhythms of tim obriens fiction, finkel focuses on one battalion, the 216, also known as the rangers. Rick atkinson, author of an army at dawn and the day of battle. Ralph kauzlarich is a lieutenant colonel in the war in iraq at the time the surge was announced by george bush. To ask other readers questions about the good soldiers, please sign up. Ralph kauzlarich, the books flawed but unequivocal hero, was also, at least at one point, this very type of good soldier. The good soldiers by david finkel joined by col ralph kauzlarich.
May 18, 2011 the simplest way to describe the good soldiers, by david finkel, is to say that it is primarily a book about a certain army unit in a particular place and time during the iraq war. For eight months, journalist david finkel watched as lieutenant colonel ralph. Forms of belief and the limits of irony in david finkels. Unfortunately, mere words such as those cannot do it justice, because in all its complexity and subtlety it is as close to perfection as a book about iraq and the. The good soldiers david finkel, a reporter for the washington post was embedded with a battalion of about 800 troops in iraq. The good soldiers mostly concentrates on the emotional toll of fighting a war and losing fellow soldiers. Exactly what finkel was trying to get across with the book is a complex matter. Dec 17, 2009 the good soldiers is nearly unbearable. Ralph kauzlarichs 2nd battalion, 16th infantry regiment when kauzlarich pitched the idea for finkel to do a midtour and. Another soldier, one of his best, hadnt yet written in the journal he kept. Good soldiers 2014 junior community book discussion. Oct 14, 2009 the good soldiers chronicles colonel ralph kauzlarichs 15month mission leading the 216 infantry battalion out of fort riley, kan.
The garbage in david finkels superb iraq book big think. Mar 11, 2011 fort rileys good soldiers at kansas state university. Nov 06, 2009 it is the characters, in fact, who make your book so alive. A platoon from charlie company jumped in front of us and we lost people. Oct 21, 2014 pulitzer prize winner david finkel speaks of the good soldiers at the sottile. His soldiers werent yet calling him the lost kauz behind his back, not when this began.
Combining the action of mark bowdens black hawk down with the literary brio of tim obriens the things they carried, the good soldiers is an unforgettable work of reportage. The good soldiers offers the most intimate view of life and death in a twentyfirstcentury combat unit i have ever read. Ralph kauzlarich, whose dogged cando optimismhis motto is its all. Jan 01, 2009 the good soldiers was the book chosen this year. Worm dirt mary tillman just recounted this incident. Jul 16, 2014 the good soldiers by david finkel joined by col ralph kauzlarich theusahec. Those dreams would be along soon enough, but in early april 2007, ralph kauzlarich, a u.
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