Eat the Apple

A Memoir

By: Matt Young

Narrated by: Charlie Thurston

Length: 5 hrs

Publisher's summary

A gut-wrenching, beautiful memoir which explores toxic masculinity and the devastating consequences of war on one impressionable young soldier

Matt Young joined the Marine Corps aged 18, after a drunken night that culminated in him crashing his car into a fire hydrant. The teenage wasteland he fled followed him to the training bases of California. Young survived training and then three deployments to Iraq as an infantryman.

Eat the Apple is the searing and honest response to those years. Visceral, ironic, self-lacerating and ultimately redemptive, Young's story drops us unarmed into Marine Corps culture and lays bare the vulnerability of those on the front lines and the true, if often misguided, motivations that drove a young man to a life at war.

Tender and brilliantly written, Eat the Apple is a powerful coming-of-age story that explores toxic masculinity and maps the insane geography of our times.

©2018 Matt Young (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

I felt like I was in the Marine Corps again.

I loved it and appreciated the comedy in the reality of what Marine Corps experience is truly like.

6 out of 5

If you ever wore the Eagle, Globe & Anchor, or if you didnt't.....It's must read.

Desperately wants to be Anthony Swofford's Jarhead

Any additional comments?

The author desperately wants "Eat the Apple" to be Anthony Swofford's "Jarhead," but it falls well short. Although it tries to use Swofford's method of writing, it's missing Swofford's raw, yet poetic voice.

Overall, it is a decent read/listen, but the glowing reviews of this book on Amazon.com are clearly from the author's friends and family.

Highly Recommend for Marines (current and former)

I have been out of the Corps for over 2 years now. This book is a must read for Marines who are trying to make sense of it all and adjust back to civilian life.

Excellent. An expert witness of the under belly that is the USMC Infantry

Great book. The author conveys exactly the raw emotions that one goes through while serving with the USMC infantry. The repercussions of violent culture and alcoholism is very well explained. A must read.

Good to read if a loved one is enlisted

I recommend this book if you have a high schooler or older that wants to join the military or if you have a loved one that’s enlisted. It gives us civilians a peak into what life is really like for the enlisted. No romance or fluff about it. Also helped me understand why those recently out of the military struggle.

Interesting

As a 20 Marine, I enjoyed this book. it took me back to my time serving. Many similar situations and thoughts. It reminds me that we are a brotherhood, not individuals suffering alon, and that we should take care and look after one another even after we become "civilians".

typical Marine experience

Essentially, this is how I would sum up my experience as a first termer. It got better for a while, as the enlistments piled up. Then went off a cliff at the end. This has brought back many negative feelings about my experience.

Interesting Perspective

After the r/usmc community recommended this book, I decided to give it a listen. Other than just a general recommendation to the public, I highly recommend this book to junior and senior Marines alike. The author is good at converting difficult and overwhelming feelings into relatable terms. Military jargon is explained thoroughly enough that anyone could follow along and understand.

While I could generally relate to the everyday "Marine Things" discussed throughout, my experiences and feelings will never be exactly the same as those of the author. I am grateful for his perspective and honest insight. It will help me to be a better leader and a more understanding friend.

This book is an interesting listen. The only thing I found irritating is that at times the tone of the narrator did come off as whiney. Although, that may have been intentional. From the outside-looking-in, some choices could have easily been made differently. Things could have been better, and it seemed like the author brought bad times upon himself. However, in the moment, I know everything the author felt and did made sense. I admire him for having the strength to share his experiences so that others could connect, learn, and know that they are not alone.

Real

No sugar coating; just reality. This guy can really write. This reader thanks you.

And life goes on.