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Randy Brown

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Twitter

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Genre

Poetry, Nonfiction, Humor and Comedy

Member Since

November 2015

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/randy_brown

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Freelance writer and citizen-soldier by day, and secret (writing as "Charlie Sherpa") blogger by night, Randy Brown was preparing in 2010 to deploy as the sole "knowledge manager" for an Iowa National Guard unit of 3,000 soldiers. ("Historian, librarian, lessons-learned reporter—it was sexier to say my job was 'Brigade Staff Jester,'" he jokes.) After a paperwork snafu dropped him off the list, he retired with 20 years of military service and a previous overseas deployment. He then went to Afghanistan anyway, embedding with his former colleagues as a civilian journalist.

Brown's often-humorous military-themed poetry and non-fiction have appeared widely in literary journals and anthologies. He was the 2015 winner of the inaugural Madigan Awar ...more

102 posts
Randy Brown's Blog

"Listen Up, Maggots! It's National Poetry Month!"

Archive photo: Army Reserve drill sergeants motivate a participant of the Army Reserve Fitness Challenge during a July 2016 Twin Cities Tough Mudder in Hugo, Minnesota. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Cliff Coy
This post, written by the author of FOB Haiku: War Poems from Inside the Wire, originally appeared on the Red Bull Rising blog April 6, 2016. It also was featured in the 2019 Military Read more of this blog post »

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Published on April 01, 2025 03:00

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Randy Brown’s books

Average rating: 4.64 · 102 ratings · 31 reviews · 10 distinct works • Similar authors

	Why We Write: Craft Essays on Writing War by Randy Brown (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Steve Leonard (Editor), Eric Chandler (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.48 avg rating — 40 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Welcome to FOB Haiku: War Poems from Inside the Wire 4.56 avg rating — 27 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	So Frag & So Bold: Short Poems, Aphorisms & Other Wartime Fun 4.80 avg rating — 10 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Things We Carry Still: Poems & Micro-Stories About Military Gear by Randy Brown (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Lisa Stice (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Vicki Hudson (Foreword) 4.80 avg rating — 10 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Twelve O'Clock Haiku it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 7 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Giant Robot Poems: On Mecha-Human Culture, Science & War it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Midwest Futures: Poems & Micro-Stories from Tomorrow's Heartland by Randy Brown (Goodreads Author) (Editor), F. Malanoche (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Twelve O'Clock Haibun: Parables & Poems from a Classic TV Show it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Reporting for Duty: U.S. Citizen-Soldier Journalism from the Afghan Surge, 2010-2011 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2016	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Good Morning, First Sergeant: 10 War Poems about Coffee 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Randy Brown rated a book it was amazing The Surge by Adam Kovac (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 30, 2025 12:45PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Surge by Adam Kovac. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Surge by Adam Kovac <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Randy Brown made a comment on How to Be a War Poet – Part 2 " Bryan J. wrote: "I took some inspiration from this month's essay; thinking of techniques and methods I hadn't previously considered. Might message you ...more "
Jul 01, 2024 08:48AM · see blog post
Randy Brown made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Request print/Kindle book be added to correct author profile topic " Please disregard. I now see that you have corrected the problem! Thank you for your assistance!!! "
Nov 08, 2023 01:55PM

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Randy Brown’s Followers (12)

Randy’s Bookshelves

Randy’s Friends (3)

Randy Brown

Goodreads Author

102 posts
Randy Brown's Blog

"Listen Up, Maggots! It's National Poetry Month!"

Combine Editions
Randy Brown’s books

rss
Randy’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Surge by Adam Kovac

Topics Mentioning This Author

recent posts
Randy’s Groups

Randy’s Friend Comments

Randy Brown’s Followers (12)

Randy’s Bookshelves

Randy’s Friends (3)

Randy Brown

Goodreads Author

102 postsRandy Brown's Blog

"Listen Up, Maggots! It's National Poetry Month!"

Combine EditionsRandy Brown’s books

rssRandy’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Surge by Adam Kovac

Topics Mentioning This Author

recent postsRandy’s Groups

Randy’s Friend Comments

102 posts
Randy Brown's Blog

Combine Editions
Randy Brown’s books

rss
Randy’s Recent Updates

recent posts
Randy’s Groups