Jarhead
by Anthony Swofford
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
everyone
Welcome to the Suck.
Being a jarhead is frustrating. At least, that's what been described so vividly by Anthony Swofford.
Jarhead means a member of the United States Marine Corps. When used by civilians it could be considered derogatory, but it is used often among Marines. The term originates from the "high and tight" haircut that many Marines have, which makes their head look like a jar. It did NOT originate from their uniform or cover.
This book reminded me of another novel, Catch...more
Being a jarhead is frustrating. At least, that's what been described so vividly by Anthony Swofford.
Jarhead means a member of the United States Marine Corps. When used by civilians it could be considered derogatory, but it is used often among Marines. The term originates from the "high and tight" haircut that many Marines have, which makes their head look like a jar. It did NOT originate from their uniform or cover.
This book reminded me of another novel, Catch...more
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Read in January, 2006
The acclaimed memoir from a Marine who served in Operation Desert Storm. This book irritated the heck out of me; I found it completely overrated. The only compliments I can pay this book are twofold: first, it’s very readable – you should finish this in a sitting; secondly, there are moments where the book overcomes its myriad problems and provides clear insight into the thought processes and feelings that a Marine probably experiences. For instance, Swofford describes a moment after the war...more
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Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles is a brutally honest account of war through the eyes of a Marine. The book documents Swofford's own experience as a young Marine, both in battle and in the confines of military life. Swofford's story is unique as the American public rarely gets to hear the point of view of the soldier. So often we hear and read about pro and anti- war rallying, however even with all of these conflicting viewpoints, the soldier's voice, the most fun...more
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Read in January, 2006
{Warning: Strong language} Once upon a time I read a review of the book Jarhead, by Anthony Swofford, which peaked my interest. DH Jeff was thoughtful enough to pick me up a copy. I'm glad he's not a marine, or at least anyone like Mr. Swofford. Honestly, I kept thinking, "what a horse's a-- this guy (Swofford) is." And, did I need any reminders that so many of our young marines will screw anything around - and I do mean anything? Especially while they're bemoaning the...more
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Read in August, 2006
I read this after watching the film. It was also spurred on by a general interest in war writing/war narratives.
I found it very interesting, particularly since the range of characters, and their involvement in various episodes, seemed to have been slimmed down to allow for narrative ease on the screen. Indeed, the episode where the marine imitates the bugle did not even happen to Swofford. Nevertheless, this seemed to give a more nuanced view of the marine's perspective. Swofford, in his own...more
I found it very interesting, particularly since the range of characters, and their involvement in various episodes, seemed to have been slimmed down to allow for narrative ease on the screen. Indeed, the episode where the marine imitates the bugle did not even happen to Swofford. Nevertheless, this seemed to give a more nuanced view of the marine's perspective. Swofford, in his own...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone
I decided to read this book because of what I have heard of the book. I think the book is a good example of exposing the inner side to any complex thing. People, when they hear and see the military always think about toughness, strength, power and reward. Yet, they do not see a lot of what goes behind the scenes. I think that Anthony Swartford was brave in that he was one of the first to succesffully show what happens.
This book is mainly about warfare and what goes on inside the ...more
This book is mainly about warfare and what goes on inside the ...more
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Read in March, 2008
Well, this book is a honest, brutal look at an American Marine's life during the Gulf war of the early 1990's in Kuwait. It details the daily existence - the trials, physical, psychological and spiritual of an average Marine in training and eventually in combat. The author wrote this book with the intention of giving a window into the world of the marines - but it is much more than that. It details the struggles which this soldier has internally - this makes the book powerful and worth readin...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone interested in the mind of a USMC.
I read this book because I saw the movie. No, I take that back. I read this book because I saw the movie AND because I wanted to get into the mind of a Marine. I know Marines, I've met a whole variety, and let me tell you they are some of the strangest fucks you'll ever encounter. And I needed to know why. Jarhead helped me out. Although it's about the First Gulf War of the early 1990s (I was just turning 4), the themes I discovered in this story about community, questioning decisions, growing u...more
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
people interested in the military
This is a memoir from a marine sniper who has mixed feelings about his time in service, which included the first Gulf War.
It's better than the movie - it's well written(sparsely) and evocative. Most of the narrative though, fits the well worn cliches of the marines hammered into us by films like "Full Metal Jacket". It's more tempered by realism here (there is an incident during the narrator's training where a marine drill sergeant who engages in physical violence against his train...more
It's better than the movie - it's well written(sparsely) and evocative. Most of the narrative though, fits the well worn cliches of the marines hammered into us by films like "Full Metal Jacket". It's more tempered by realism here (there is an incident during the narrator's training where a marine drill sergeant who engages in physical violence against his train...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in November, 2004
recommended to Jonathan by:
NPRrecommends it for: military buffs, historians
The second-best book I've ever read about military life. Don't let the movie fool you; Desert Storm occupies less than a tiny bit of the book's material.
Mostly the book is about what it is like to be a marine. Swofford writes with an admirable self-awareness but also a complete lack of any personal revelation. Sometimes he seems to look down upon the behavior that he engages in, but at other times he revels in the military camaraderie. I can't be sure what Swofford really thinks about ...more
Mostly the book is about what it is like to be a marine. Swofford writes with an admirable self-awareness but also a complete lack of any personal revelation. Sometimes he seems to look down upon the behavior that he engages in, but at other times he revels in the military camaraderie. I can't be sure what Swofford really thinks about ...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
EVERYONE
one of my favorite books ever. swofford's writing is so poetic and tragic, while being funny and cynical. being a former marine and iraq veteran myself, i can relate to his experiences: the loneliness and despondency of soul while deployed, the paranoia toward significant others' actions while you're away, the fear of dying horribly. swofford expertly weaves his military brat upbringing, his travels throughout the marines corps and the world, love lost and gained and the pain of losing a close ...more
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Read in March, 2005
recommends it for:
Those interested in military and anti-war
Anthony Swofford was actually a teacher at Saint Mary's College, where I went. Once he was offered the movie option for the book he stopped teaching, but I did get a chance to talk with him about his book when he came into some of my English classes. I have to say that it is worth every word. Beware that it is written in the diction of a soldier, so it uses a lot of swearing and vulgarity, but underneath is a true intellect that understands the backwards and harmful nature of the military way...more
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Read in February, 2006
I liked Jarhead likely more than I might have if I had merely read it. However, I listened to the audio book where the author read it. I love books where the author reads it, and he his voice was very good to tell it.
That said, it was good, but I frequently found myself yearning for more details or for Swafford to go deeper into a situation or a profile of a fellow jarhead. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but sometimes I felt like I was wondering if there was more to know, just like he was often ...more
That said, it was good, but I frequently found myself yearning for more details or for Swafford to go deeper into a situation or a profile of a fellow jarhead. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but sometimes I felt like I was wondering if there was more to know, just like he was often ...more
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Read in October, 2006
Listened to the audiobook from Recorded Books.
If I recall correctly I didn't really like it. The narration was not very good.
Narrated By: Anthony Swofford
Anthony Swofford served in a U.S. Marine Corps Surveillance and Target Acquisition/Scout-Sniper platoon during the Gulf War. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s, Men’s Journal, and The Iowa Review. In Jarhead, a New York Times best-seller, he offers a devastating account of the war from the vi...more
If I recall correctly I didn't really like it. The narration was not very good.
Narrated By: Anthony Swofford
Anthony Swofford served in a U.S. Marine Corps Surveillance and Target Acquisition/Scout-Sniper platoon during the Gulf War. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s, Men’s Journal, and The Iowa Review. In Jarhead, a New York Times best-seller, he offers a devastating account of the war from the vi...more
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Read in January, 2007
It was a decent look into what Marines, particularly Marine Snipers, went through in the first Gulf War. However, Swoffard's view is, in this Marine's opinion, a bit skewed. Both after reading the book, then watching the film, I got the opinion of Swoffard that he was, as we called them, a s**tbird. He whined about the crap he did had saw and didn't get to do. He was a crybaby. He signed the same contract that the rest of us did, and if all he wants to do is bitch about what he has to do wh...more
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Read in July, 2007
I'm not sure how i feel about this book. since a lot of it is true, it didn't really have a plot. it was descriptions of events, some seemed unrealted things that he just remembered and some went with the book. It was interesting because it didn't talk about how he felt hardly at all. You just had to sort of guess by what he did and what was going on around him how he felt. It was mostly about what it's like to be a marine, i guess, and it's such a massive subject that with this book you just ge...more
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Read in July, 2006
Gritty and in your face with internal (and external battles), Swofford's tale has something that didn't quite translate into the movie. Although the details of the movie match the book's fairly closely, his story in print carries with it the confusion and anger of a young man trying to secure his masculinity that just didn't carry over to film.
An aspiring writer, Swofford captures the madness and boredom of his service as a marine in the Gulf War and the time later spent contemplating what i...more
An aspiring writer, Swofford captures the madness and boredom of his service as a marine in the Gulf War and the time later spent contemplating what i...more
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
people with a tough stomach
I read this book with the intention of understanding my brother (who is a Jarhead who has been to war twice). I have to say, while I might understand the things that come out his mouth a little better, I'm not sure as to his motivation for some things. This book gave me a greater respect for our service men (I have a military family, so you can imagine the scale of that assesment). It's an interesting look at history through the eyes of someone who saw it not as an over educated on-looker, bu...more
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Read in July, 2006
recommends it for:
anyone
Swofford's account of life as a sniper in the Marines during the Iraq War (the second one) is riveting. He is brutally honest (he wets himself when bombs drop the first time) and observant. There is also a lot of other non-combat material, like picking up German girls who then harass him for being in the military, or about a friend's suicide. I remember being amazed at such a vivid glimpse of what goes on in our armed forces. (They punish guys by yelling "Field Fuck" and dry humping th
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Has a copy to sell/swap
—
Read in November, 2007
This book never ended; however, there were some interesting things I took away from it. First, I felt it was interesting that in same ways Swofford embraces a Vietnam identity, such as when they watch war porn to get pumped up for actions, but he is so against playing 60s music. Like the film, discussions of not getting able to kill anyone were the most interesting, especially when you compare them to Hemingway's idea that killing something is the only way a man can become a man.
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