Review of Memoir of a Deserter
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TAGGART C DAVID
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- Latest Review: Memoir of a Deserter by Thomas Foster
Review of Memoir of a Deserter
[Following is a volunteer review of "Memoir of a Deserter" by Thomas Foster.]
The story begins with 9/11, which softly helps steer young Thomas Foster (also known as "Boggs") away from Texas and down a new path he hadn’t considered. Thomas Foster doesn’t shy away from telling tough and honest details, like his story of paperwork with his recruiter.
Part 1 quickly introduced me to the ways of the military. I could feel the fray of basic training at Fort Benning—the coldness, the yelled orders. The move to Advanced Individual Training as a combat medic at Fort Sam Houston felt very important to me. His reaction to discovering “combat medic” meant real danger on the front line and seemed to cause trouble for him later on. The program deepened even further to become far more demanding at Airborne School.
That is where the living history comes alive. Helping set up a Forward Operations Base (FOB) in Wardak Province, going through "Afghani Flu," and learning about a very different culture all stayed with me clearly from the beginning. After that, the move to Iraq was first marked by our unusual base near Tikrit, followed by the great surge into Baghdad and more missions based at Camp Taji.
What stood out to me were his stories of fighting at Yusufiyah, the death of Specialist Barbieri, and the difficult decision to occupy Iraqi homes. The short mention of Camp Bucca hints at things that are not right. On his break from Baghdad, the main decision in Foster’s story begins to form, leading into the next part of his life.
"Island Time" in Part 2 felt different from the first part in many ways. After his time in the military, Vieques, Puerto Rico, to see how he handles life on his own terms. Among the many lessons I learned was having to stay in an unstable hotel, face poverty on the island, fall victim to a large robbery, and finally work as a kayak tour guide in the beautiful bay of bioluminescence. Thomas Foster’s portrayal of his Viequan relationships—Shamini, Lourdes, and Cleo—is honest and includes the real-life ups and downs of people connecting. I was especially interested in how he handled the DRNA and got his tours permitted. The book ends as he goes back to the U.S. because of family matters, and he also gives a thoughtful look at the ongoing results of his earlier decisions.
I was most caught up by the way Foster writes in a straightforward, easygoing manner. He seemed to be telling me his story with complete honesty and openness. For instance, admitting he didn’t fully grasp the wars or his love relationships helped make the book feel closer to real-life stories.
The book’s heart is its frank and honest tone. His explanation of how government officials reacted without sympathy showed the sacrifice he made because of his service.
I didn’t come across any errors, as the editing was good, so I didn’t get truly distracted from the story. I rate Memoir of a Deserter 4 out of 5 stars. I’m not giving the book a full 5 stars, mainly because I wished for a deeper exploration of some of the most difficult events, even though his straightforward style is compelling. The author tells an open and strong story of looking for the truth and freedom, both in the regimented army and as a man on the run.
I feel that this book would be especially valuable for readers interested in real, in-depth soldiers’ stories, questions about right and wrong, and personal transformations. It’s made for people who want to understand the impacts of war on humans and how far some go when facing extreme situations. If you’re attracted to books about delusions, escaping reality, and the search for what’s real in our lives, I think Foster’s book will be interesting to you.
******
Memoir of a Deserter
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The story begins with 9/11, which softly helps steer young Thomas Foster (also known as "Boggs") away from Texas and down a new path he hadn’t considered. Thomas Foster doesn’t shy away from telling tough and honest details, like his story of paperwork with his recruiter.
Part 1 quickly introduced me to the ways of the military. I could feel the fray of basic training at Fort Benning—the coldness, the yelled orders. The move to Advanced Individual Training as a combat medic at Fort Sam Houston felt very important to me. His reaction to discovering “combat medic” meant real danger on the front line and seemed to cause trouble for him later on. The program deepened even further to become far more demanding at Airborne School.
That is where the living history comes alive. Helping set up a Forward Operations Base (FOB) in Wardak Province, going through "Afghani Flu," and learning about a very different culture all stayed with me clearly from the beginning. After that, the move to Iraq was first marked by our unusual base near Tikrit, followed by the great surge into Baghdad and more missions based at Camp Taji.
What stood out to me were his stories of fighting at Yusufiyah, the death of Specialist Barbieri, and the difficult decision to occupy Iraqi homes. The short mention of Camp Bucca hints at things that are not right. On his break from Baghdad, the main decision in Foster’s story begins to form, leading into the next part of his life.
"Island Time" in Part 2 felt different from the first part in many ways. After his time in the military, Vieques, Puerto Rico, to see how he handles life on his own terms. Among the many lessons I learned was having to stay in an unstable hotel, face poverty on the island, fall victim to a large robbery, and finally work as a kayak tour guide in the beautiful bay of bioluminescence. Thomas Foster’s portrayal of his Viequan relationships—Shamini, Lourdes, and Cleo—is honest and includes the real-life ups and downs of people connecting. I was especially interested in how he handled the DRNA and got his tours permitted. The book ends as he goes back to the U.S. because of family matters, and he also gives a thoughtful look at the ongoing results of his earlier decisions.
I was most caught up by the way Foster writes in a straightforward, easygoing manner. He seemed to be telling me his story with complete honesty and openness. For instance, admitting he didn’t fully grasp the wars or his love relationships helped make the book feel closer to real-life stories.
The book’s heart is its frank and honest tone. His explanation of how government officials reacted without sympathy showed the sacrifice he made because of his service.
I didn’t come across any errors, as the editing was good, so I didn’t get truly distracted from the story. I rate Memoir of a Deserter 4 out of 5 stars. I’m not giving the book a full 5 stars, mainly because I wished for a deeper exploration of some of the most difficult events, even though his straightforward style is compelling. The author tells an open and strong story of looking for the truth and freedom, both in the regimented army and as a man on the run.
I feel that this book would be especially valuable for readers interested in real, in-depth soldiers’ stories, questions about right and wrong, and personal transformations. It’s made for people who want to understand the impacts of war on humans and how far some go when facing extreme situations. If you’re attracted to books about delusions, escaping reality, and the search for what’s real in our lives, I think Foster’s book will be interesting to you.
******
Memoir of a Deserter
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Memoir of a Deserter by Thomas Foster
