The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell

An Accidental Soldier's Account of the War in Iraq

By: John Crawford

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

Length: 5 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

The only book about the war in Iraq by a soldier on the ground, destined to become a classic of war literature.

John Crawford joined the Florida National Guard to pay for his college tuition; it had seemed a small sacrifice to give up one weekend a month and two weeks a year in exchange for a free education. But one semester short of graduating, and newly married, he was called to active duty, to serve in Kuwait, then on the front lines of the invasion of Iraq, and ultimately in Baghdad. While serving in Iraq, Crawford began writing short nonfiction stories, his account of what he and his fellow soldiers experienced in the war. At the urging of a journalist embedded with his unit, he began sending his pieces out of the country via an anonymous Internet e-mail account.

In a voice at once raw and immediate, Crawford's work vividly chronicles the daily life of a young soldier in Iraq: the excitement, the horror, the anger, the tedium, the fear, the camaraderie. Altogether, the stories slowly uncover something more: the transformation of a group of young college students, innocents, into something entirely different.

©2005 John Crawford (P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Crawford's writing pulses with urgency, and, gloriously, his story of being an American soldier in Iraq is shattering and relentless." (David Amsden, author of Important Things That Don't Matter)

solid book.

I listened to the last chapter multiple times. it reminded me of when I came home.

A very worthwhile listen

This seems like quite an insightful view into the Iraq war and probably into most wars. Fortunately, I’ve not been to war so I can’t really know. My only quibble is that the narrator, while doing a very good job overall, mispronounces a few words, including the name of the author’s hometown! How can this happen?!?

Good book

As an Iraq Infantry Veteran this was an all around good book. I able to finish it in one day and thoroughly enjoy. Narrator could have been better.

Very real first person story!

As a veteran of the same war, I can certify this as real and authentic as it gets.

OIF veteran relatable

My role in the war was much different but I could relate to the story. I can also relate to the aftermath. The casual reader might find this lacking the climactic action energy. However, it illustrates in raw nature the experience of OIF particularly in 2003/2004. Well done. Recommend to other OIF vets.

Truthful and well done

I’m of the same generation and veteran of the same war, found it very relatable, laughable and enjoyable. Will listen again I’m sure.

Honest

This is probably the most honest account of the Iraqi war I've read or listened to. When it was over I felt like someone had punched me in the gut, but I now know more about the average G.I. in Iraq than I've learned in countless hours of watching CNN and Fox News. There's no bandwagon, no flag waving - just young men who perform their duty to God and country at great cost to themselves and their loved ones. And yes, they use very bad language and borderline racism against the Iraqis, but these boys are in a war zone and the language fits the environment.

A Great Story Very Well Read.

A gut wrenching story of the conditions which the U.S. soldiers and the Iraqi civilians endured in the initial U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003-2004.

INFANTRY IN IRAQ

After reading a bunch of books by Navy SEALS, this is my first book by an Army Infantry guy. Just a normal guy, in ROTC/National Guard for the college tuition, who got called up after 9/11 and had a really sh*ty war. After all the alpha male, noble warrior books, I think this was closer to what the average guy experienced in Iraq. The last chapter, "the last true story I'll ever tell" is devastating.

Fun read

Loved the mundane details of life in the combat zone.