What It Is Like to Go to War

By: Karl Marlantes

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of the bestselling and award-winning Matterhorn comes a brilliant nonfiction book about war and the psychological and spiritual toll it takes on those who fight.

“I wrote this book primarily to come to terms with my own experience of combat. So far—reading, writing, thinking—that has taken over thirty years.”

In 1969, at the age of twenty-three, Karl Marlantes was dropped into the highland jungle of Vietnam, an inexperienced lieutenant in command of a platoon of forty marines who would live or die by his decisions. Marlantes survived, but like many of his brothers in arms, he has spent the last forty years dealing with his war experience. In his first work of nonfiction, Marlantes takes a deeply personal and candid look at what it is like to experience the ordeal of combat, critically examining how we might better prepare our soldiers for war.

Just as Matterhorn is already acclaimed a classic of war literature, What It Is 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.

Karl Marlantes, a cum laude graduate of Yale University and Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, was a marine in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals for valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten Air Medals. He has lived and traveled all over the world and now writes full time. He and his wife, Anne, have five children and live on a small lake in Washington.

©2011 Karl Marlantes (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A staggeringly beautiful book on combat…[Marlantes] is a natural storyteller and a deeply profound thinker.” (Sebastian Junger, New York Times bestselling author)

Soul rendering story

This is the most heart felt rendition of this topic I have read/heard. Should be required reading at the Pentagon and VA.

Very well done ,

Would you consider the audio edition of What It Is Like to Go to War to be better than the print version?

Malantas brings into light what it is to go full cycle with from wanting to be a warrior, to being a warrior and to finally realyzing the price you pay . He has come a long way on his trip , Freddy 60 - 68 Semper Fi

Who was your favorite character and why?

All the fallen real warriors. That never made it back to tell their story. Malantas was here to let us know the real deal.

Good And Bad Mixed In Together

This is a good book and 90% of it is superb and thoughtful and quite forward thinking, while 10% is backwards thinking sexism with a dash of homophobia for good measure and this makes me so incredibly sad.

The good: The author pulls heavily from his personal experience in war while also referencing millennia of writings on warriors and is incredibly detailed. This is useful for all who are considering military service, have had military service, are related to anyone with military service, or in fact have (or know others who have) experienced great trauma in life. The insightfulness with which the author examines this topic helps bring about several suggestions which if implemented would greatly assist any of the above people, or help others wanting to relate to them.

The bad: The author drops into unscientific personal allegorical opinions on gender roles and (briefly) sexuality, in a way that tries to put forth his outdated models of gender norms as a fact that we need to return to.

The balance: Overall this is a good and useful book which is quite forward thinking in many ways that is unfortunately marred with backwards thinking on gender roles.

Must read for service members and civilians

Karl Marlantes allows himself to be vulnerable in this story of his service. He touches on the separation of those who send our young people into war and the lasting effects that soldiers sometimes carry with them.

Highly recommended book.

Modern warrior perspective

intelligently written, the best first person perspective of war and fighting I have yet listened to. Also interesting thoughts on past, modern and future society. Narrator showed great respect for the subject matter. His performance helped add to the meaning of the authors story.

Thought Provoking

Not sure how to describe my integrating of the ideas but glad I listened to them. Will probably need to hear them again Excellent naration.

Great!

He draws some very incorrect conclusions near the end of the book, but overall it is a great read filled with important information. The narrator did a great job as well.

Amazing Share by Author - Info Much Needed!

I would recommend this book to anyone who has, thinks they have, or may have- PTSD.

The author relates his war experiences in Vietnam, and his journey to wholeness and healing.

This allowed him to make it back and rejoin society in a way that has eluded so many.

He also offers suggestions for changes that could make the combat experience and returns from combat better.

I could not recommend this book more highly to the intended audience.

Amazing Author and Narrorator

I love this book. I first read his other book Matterhorn and loved that but this his me on a different level. As a combat veteran, this book will bring you to tears from time to time and actually brings to light things you aren't even aware of until it's spoken. It enlightened me and damn near brought tears to my eyes several times.

The author is amazing and the narrator did a very impressive job. I would recommend this to any fellow combat veteran.

Absolutely life changing

I wish my mentors had forced me to read this book 8 years when I first joined the military.