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  <title><![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]></description>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[Amazon.com]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Jun 26 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jun 24 08:48:53 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jun 29 07:37:59 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Before picking up this book (on Kindle) some of the reviews I had read suggested that the language and demeanor of the Author were unrealistic (even &quot;over-the-top&quot;), meant to paint a &quot;Rambo&quot; portrait of him, in some self-glorifying way.<br/><br/>Honestly, that's one of the thin...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/25305023">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <date_added>Mon Apr 14 19:30:40 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Apr 14 19:39:10 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Wow. War is hell. Words escape me. <br/><br/>&quot;America is not at war, The Army is at war; the Marine Corps is jammed up at the gates; and America is at the mall.&quot;]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Dec 02 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Dec 02 18:12:36 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Dec 02 18:13:25 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[  This book was a phenomenal depiction of the brutal, hand to hand combat in the Second Battle of Fallujah.  Told from the perspective of an infantry Squad Leader, I think this book complements some of the more familiar, and broader perspectives by providing a direct insight into the daily routines ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39153971">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39153971]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <date_added>Sat Sep 26 06:55:38 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Sep 26 07:00:34 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Intense, proper look into the early years of American infantry in Iraq sweeping house to house in an epic testiment from this Staff Sergeant. The whole book covers 3 days as far as his missions, but encompasses the neverending American spirit &amp; the lifelong honor of heroes that serve our country eac...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72541699">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72541699]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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  <ratings_count>21</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit.<p><em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. An instant classic in hardcover, this timeless story features a new afterword and a question and answer section with the author.</p>]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Sat Jan 24 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun May 04 21:28:10 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jan 24 19:38:51 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Just a searing and amazing book.<br/><br/>I saw him giving a talk about his book in a bookstore, on C-SPAN. It was back in 2007, when the book was out in HC. I was so memorized by his talk that I vowed to buy the book when it came out it paper. And I did. I didn't read it until now, because I got ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21609595">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21609595]]></url>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
  </title>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[Eric]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Apr 13 15:45:38 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Apr 13 15:53:26 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is a pretty engaging story of one sergeant's experience in Iraq.  He tells it in a very melodramatic, epic style, which is somewhat amusing, but the information is all there.  Unlike most military memoirs, which are careful to say only good things about others, Bellavia is fairly blunt in his o...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20080357">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20080357]]></url>
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      <review>
  <id>19732727</id>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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  <read_at>Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Apr 08 12:14:29 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Apr 08 12:22:04 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I know I vacillate back and forth between flaming liberal hippy and little boy who thinks war is video games, and neither perspective is all that appropriate for this book...that said, it's completely terrifying and kickass and easily the biggest adrenaline-rush I've ever gotten out of reading a boo...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/19732727">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>44093838</id>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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  <read_at>Mon Jan 26 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Jan 23 14:01:36 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jan 29 04:43:29 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[The author, an Army Staff Sergeant, wrote a very profane and honest account of his experience in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006. It is not for the faint at heart. I found the final chapter, where he explains his reasons for ultimately leaving the Army, the best. Anyone who had a dad to to war as I did or h...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44093838">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Jun 05 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat May 31 13:47:26 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jun 24 05:28:41 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was a really difficult book to get through - first because I am not a military person, so struggling to understand the acronyms, the jargon and the general military mindset was such a foreign experience. Secondly, this was a graphic book, and the content itself was difficult to wade through. Bu...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/23392092">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2007</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Feb 08 20:01:26 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Feb 08 20:05:03 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A book with no politics but a tale &quot;as it is&quot; of what our guys have endured in Iraq. They do sacrifice, they do struggle and American soldiers are true heroes although not perfect beings, they have a perfect sense of duty and honor to their country, their families and to each other.<br/>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2007</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[Just picked it up at the airport on a whim]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Apr 14 11:08:54 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Apr 16 12:09:47 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[House to House is a David Bellavia's memories about the War in Iraq. This is not an anti-war book, it is not a pro-war book. This book simply relates the experiences, thoughts, and stories of the hand to hand (or house to house) combat that was fought in Iraq. Be warned, you cannot unread this book,...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20138397">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20138397]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/20138397]]></link>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[House to House: A Real Soldier's Iraq Story]]>
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  <average_rating>4.00</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>5</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[This is the personal side of battle, where emotion, courage, and strength are stretched to the limits.         <p>In one of the most compelling combat narratives ever written, Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, Army infantry platoon leader, gives a teeth-rattling, first-hand account of eleven straight days of heavy house-to-house fighting during the climactic second battle of Fallujah. His actions in the firefight, which included killing five insurgents in hand-to-hand combat, earned Bellavia the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and New York state's highest military honor, the Conspicuous Service Cross. He has been nominated for the Medal of Honor and for the Army's second highest combat medal, the Distinguished Service Cross.</p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Fri Feb 20 18:24:12 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I read it in 2 days, it was like I was watching a movie, I couldn't put it down... and despite all the war and horror, there was some comic relief.  It will have your heart racing, you will cry, and laugh.  ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47003922]]></url>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Fri Jan 09 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jan 08 13:47:46 -0800 2009</date_added>
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    <body><![CDATA[Intense first-hand account of the battle of Fallujah.... Fairly quick read with amazing double climax.  You'll never find reports like this in the media- great read.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42378761]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <date_added>Wed Nov 07 18:36:29 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Nov 07 18:57:24 -0800 2007</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I organized a booksigning event with this author last weekend. It was incredible and emotional. I was honored to be a part of it. It was eye-opening and a bit jarring. My brother was in Iraq &amp; Afghanistan, and although I know he didn't experience what David did, the message still rings clear to me. ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8815662">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2007</published>
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    <body><![CDATA[Brutal memoir of the U.S. invasion of Fallujah. War is not a pretty thing. My hat is off to men like Sgt. Bellavia.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39087621]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Sep 16 12:25:31 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Sep 16 12:32:51 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Yet another narrative from a soldier, Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, who participated in some of the most intense fighting in the Iraq War, including the battle for Fallujah in 2004.  It reads like an action movie; there were parts where it was like a slow motion, second by second detailing of the f...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33017349">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Sun May 10 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Best book about War in Iraq that I have read so far. David tells this story with lots of humor and emotion.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59305734]]></url>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit.<p><em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. An instant classic in hardcover, this timeless story features a new afterword and a question and answer section with the author.</p>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[One of the best books I've read in awhile.  A must read on a battle Americans know little about.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jan 12 06:20:25 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jan 12 06:21:04 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Another riveting modern war story.  The writing is better than most, but still not fantastic.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42771514]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[House to House: An Epic Memoir of War]]>
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    <![CDATA[&quot;Blood flows over my left hand and I lose my grip on his hair. His head snaps back against the floor. In an instant, his fists are pummeling me. I rock from his counterblows. He lands one on my injured jaw and the pain nearly blinds me. He connects with my nose, and blood and snot pour down my throat. I spit blood between my teeth and scream with him. The two of us sound like caged dogs locked in a death match. We are.&quot;<p><p><p>On the night of November 10, 2004, a U.S. Army infantry squad under Staff Sergeant David Bellavia entered the heart of the city of Fallujah and plunged into one of the most sustained and savage urban battles in the history of American men at arms. <p><p>With Third Platoon, Alpha Company, part of the Army's Task Force 2/2, Bellavia and his men confronted an enemy who had had weeks to prepare, booby-trapping houses, arranging ambushes, rigging entire city blocks as explosives-laden kill zones, and even stocking up on atropine, a steroid that pumps up fighters in the equivalent of a long-lasting crack high. Entering one house, alone, Bellavia faced the fight of his life against six insurgents, using every weapon at his disposal, including a knife. It is the stuff of legend and the chief reason he is one of the great heroes of the Iraq War.<p><p>Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, <em>House to House</em> is far more than just another war story. Populated by an indelibly drawn cast of characters, from a fearless corporal who happens to be a Bush-hating liberal to an inspirational sergeant-major who became the author's own lost father figure, it develops the intensely close relationships that form between soldiers under fire. Their friendships, tested in brutal combat, would never be quite the same. Not all of them would make it out of the city alive. What happened to them in their bloody embrace with America's most implacable enemy is a harrowing, unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resiliency of the human spirit. <p><p>A timeless portrait of the U.S. infantryman's courage, <em>House to House</em> is a soldier's memoir that is destined to rank with the finest personal accounts of men at war. <p><p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <date_added>Sat Oct 31 11:34:12 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Oct 31 11:35:10 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Very good memoir. Gripping and real eye opener to the brutality of combat in the 21st century.]]></body>
    
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