Final Salute

A Story of Unfinished Lives

By: Jim Sheeler

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

They are the troops that nobody wants to see, carrying a message that no military family ever wants to hear. Since the start of the war in Iraq, Marines like Major Steve Beck found themselves charged with a mission they never asked for and one for which there can be no training: casualty notification. In Final Salute, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jim Sheeler weaves together the stories of the fallen, the broken homes they have left behind, and one man's effort to help heal the wounds of those left grieving. But it is not a book about war, politics, or liberal vs. conservative. Achingly beautiful and honest, it is a book that every American-every human-can embrace.©2008 Jim Sheeler; (P)2008 Penguin

Critic reviews

" One of the great underreported stories of the Iraq war."
-Janet Maslin, The New York Times

" A must-read account."
-The Wall Street Journal

" A powerful counterpoint to the impersonal statistics and verbal camouflage of military euphemisms that sanitize the true horror of war and dehumanize those who serve."
-The Washington Post Book World

a very powerful book

a moving retelling of the bravery and tragedy of Marines who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and those left behind.

Nonfiction at its Very Best

Jim Sheeler reports unflinchingly on the trauma and grief loved ones experience when they lose a soldier. By bringing us into their lives, he reminds us of the sacrifice military families make so that our own husbands and sons can sleep safely at night.

Honor Guard Necessity

I don't like to read. I don't have the attention span. I was challenged to read this book from the staff of The National Honor Guard Academy. Audio books was a great resource to overcome my deficits. Narration was optimal for this style of book. Thank you. Heavy Heart.

Driving and crying

Fantastic storytelling brings a hard subject home. not a casual listen, but worth every minute.