What It Is Like to Go to War

War is as old as humankind, but in the past, warriors were prepared for battle by ritual, religion, and literature. In a compelling narrative, Marlantes weaves riveting accounts of his combat experiences with thoughtful analysis, self-examination, and his readings—from Homer to the Mahabharata to Jung. He talks frankly about how he is haunted by the face of the young North Vietnamese soldier he killed at close quarters and how he finally finds a way to make peace with his past. He discusses the daily contradictions warriors face in the grind of war, where each battle requires them to take life or spare life. Just as Matterhorn is already being acclaimed as a classic of war literature, What Its Like to Go to War is set to become required reading for anyone—soldier or civilian—interested in this visceral and all too essential part of the human experience.