Cherry by Nico Walker

If you're curious about the throes of drug addiction, this one's right in the middle of it. It's an ugly book - but that's not to say anything about its quality. It's just that the book deals with a terrible situation, a terrible addiction, and a terrible life.

The book's a sort of run-on rambling journal of a druggie kid who joins the Army, goes to Iraq, lives long enough to come home, then robs banks to support his heroin addiction. It's raw, bloody, and horrific. He doesn't blame anybody else (but neither does he take any blame himself). You really don't want to think that this shit happens, and is happening. But I'm sure it is.

It's a novel. Fiction. But 30 seconds with Google tells you Walker's a veteran in prison and apparently has written about what he knows. It reminds me a great deal of James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces," which was originally touted as nonfiction then revealed to be a fabrication.

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle

With 160 (or more) recorded sniper kills, Navy SEAL Chris Kyle became the epitome of post-9/11 American heroism. What makes a guy like that tick?

It takes all kinds to make the world go around, and I'm glad I don't have to do Kyle's job (also - glad not to be his wife). It boils down to this: Kyle seems like a pretty regular guy who thinks differently than I do. I found it an interesting story - quite captivating.

We chose this book for the library's book discussion because it was OverDrive's "Big Library Read" and for a limited time they made it available as an immediate download with no holds waiting. Also, it seemed like a genre we hadn't touched on much in the past.

Despite the fact it's all about war, this isn't an overly graphic book. He's pretty matter-of-fact about his work and the things he's seen; while he's proud of his talents, the book doesn't come off as braggadocious or self-serving. It's also uniquely apolitical.

Since the book was published, Kyle died in a tragic civilian incident, his wife wrote her own book, and Clint Eastwood directed an Oscar-nominated film starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle. I'm curious to know more, and I will be checking into Taya's book and the film.

Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak

Based on a true story, this kids' novel relates the friendship between a platoon of Polish soldiers during World War II and a young brown bear they rescue and raise.

While at heart it's a cute animal story, this book's not for younger readers - the depictions of war are toned down, but they're still true to life. In one scene the soldiers open up about the horrors they've seen: boys blown to smithereens right before them, boots with the leg still in them, etc. It's appropriate, but still gory. Our library's copy is cataloged in the preteen section for middle school readers.

Voytek the bear wreaks havok on their camps, but also protects the soldiers from invaders. He's a mascot for the group, but also helps load ammunitions and supplies with the transport team. And for a group of men far from home and separated from all they love, he growing bear is a heart-warming friend and companion.

I enjoyed the balanced depiction of the hardships of war and the friendship and camaraderie of the group. The zoo they accumulate through their travels (in addition to the bear, there's a monkey, dogs, and a parrot) seems unlikely and unruly - but really did happen. How they managed to get away with it is amazing.