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Operation Cure Boredom
Life in the military... as you've never read before.
At nineteen, filled with wanderlust and hormones, Dan Martin made the hilariously amazing decision to join the military to travel and meet girls. Three months later, with Desert Storm in full swing, he found himself surrounded by dudes with not much to do. What unfolded was a long, protracted series of adventures into the art of curing boredom. Told in a collection of vignettes, Operation Cure Boredom is a coming of age story in camouflage. From dodging alligators, to surfing the inside of a plane at 30,000 feet, to being taken hostage by a Frenchwoman, and sex education in church, this absurdist portrait of life in the military is both an iconic look at listlessness in wartime, and the whirlwind journey of a young man getting the adventure he didn’t know he needed.
At nineteen, filled with wanderlust and hormones, Dan Martin made the hilariously amazing decision to join the military to travel and meet girls. Three months later, with Desert Storm in full swing, he found himself surrounded by dudes with not much to do. What unfolded was a long, protracted series of adventures into the art of curing boredom. Told in a collection of vignettes, Operation Cure Boredom is a coming of age story in camouflage. From dodging alligators, to surfing the inside of a plane at 30,000 feet, to being taken hostage by a Frenchwoman, and sex education in church, this absurdist portrait of life in the military is both an iconic look at listlessness in wartime, and the whirlwind journey of a young man getting the adventure he didn’t know he needed.
333 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2016
2 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
About the author
Dan Martin
1 book49 followersDan Martin is a writer behind many digital and TV projects including: DC Kids, YouTube Nation, Knights In Hyrule, The Troop, True Jackson, VP, and Code Monkeys. He is an avid cookie monster, and a lover of naps, soccer, video games, NASA, and Bill Nye’s bow ties. He served in the United States Air Force from 1990-1994. He and his wife Arden live in Los Angeles with their three cats, Grouch, Meow Meow, and Keith.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 6, 2017
Absolutely loved this book. First-time author Dan Martin reflects on his four years' service in the U.S. armed forces in a sardonic and hilarious self-deprecating narrative full of laughs, mishaps, and misjudgments, told with a fond contempt for his younger self. And told beautifully, too. Dan doesn't put a foot wrong in this account. The text has clearly been worked on and worked on over the years until each chapter is fine-tuned to the most perfect pitch. I love David Sedaris's writing, and the anecdotes here frequently brought his work to mind. This is an indie author to watch. I'm only sad that I've finished it now. More, please, Dan.
April 12, 2017
Operation Cure Boredom by Dan Martin is a good-humored, raw and well written story about a teenage boy trying to find his way in the military, and in life. Dan Martin's book is hilarious, entertaining and a fast read.
Dan Martin takes us on a candid, side-splitting journey from his days of getting expelled from high school, drug rehab, joining the Air Force (to meet girls and travel), and finding his way in this big world.
A great refreshing memoir about a boy trying to figure out this whole #Adulting thing!
I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dan Martin takes us on a candid, side-splitting journey from his days of getting expelled from high school, drug rehab, joining the Air Force (to meet girls and travel), and finding his way in this big world.
A great refreshing memoir about a boy trying to figure out this whole #Adulting thing!
I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2016
I loved this book. The authors humor definitely comes through when telling these hilarious and bizarre stories from his time in the military. It was a great coming of age story! The writing had a bit of David Sedaris feel to it and will definitely keep you entertained and laughing.
January 3, 2017
This book was extremely entertaining, and I flew through it. I loved the look into the more mundane side of military life and the motivations behind why most people enlist. I also really enjoyed the humor and abundant sarcasm. Right up my ally!
October 28, 2016
Buy this book. Wait until you're having a really shit week. The kind of shit week that makes Gary Busey seem sane. Then, read this book. You can thank me later. ;)
October 19, 2016
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
In serious need of direction, training, something to do with his life post-rehab -- and gullible enough to fall for the outrageous assurances of military recruiters -- Dan Martin finds himself in Air Force boot camp. Which isn't as bad as, say, what Eugene Jerome went through in Biloxi or what "Joker" Davis endured at Parris Island -- but it's pretty bad. Thankfully, Martin can now laugh about it. And he does a pretty good job getting his readers to do the same. Martin's look back on his years in the military is told as a series of comic anecdotes -- while he is trying to portray what happened to him, he's doing it to make the reader laugh.
He never sees any kind of action -- Desert Storm began and ended too soon for that, but he did travel the world as part of an aircrew maintenance team. Which leads him to all sorts of interesting locales -- and even more not-so-interesting ones. Throughout his enrollment, he matures -- somewhat -- making this a sort of coming-of-age tale, and the Martin that is honorably discharged isn't the same loser that enlisted.
I do think this could be 1/4-1/3 shorter, tightening up the narratives a bit would help. It meanders a bit, both in the individual stories and the overall narrative. I don't know that I found anything out and out funny, but I found much of it amusing. That's probably taste, or just the particular day I read it (although I think a more streamlined approach might have helped).
This could be the Non-Fiction Prequel to Joe Zieja's Mechanical Failure, the sensibilities that characterize Sgt. Rogers are seen very clearly in Martin. Martin's memories are good reminders for us that the military isn't just full of heroes or hyper-violent patriots, it's primarily full of regular Americans just trying to get their jobs done. Less over the top than Heller, Hooker and Abrams -- but in the same vein, and hewing closer to the truth. Operation Cure Boredom is the military memoir we all needed.
---
In serious need of direction, training, something to do with his life post-rehab -- and gullible enough to fall for the outrageous assurances of military recruiters -- Dan Martin finds himself in Air Force boot camp. Which isn't as bad as, say, what Eugene Jerome went through in Biloxi or what "Joker" Davis endured at Parris Island -- but it's pretty bad. Thankfully, Martin can now laugh about it. And he does a pretty good job getting his readers to do the same. Martin's look back on his years in the military is told as a series of comic anecdotes -- while he is trying to portray what happened to him, he's doing it to make the reader laugh.
He never sees any kind of action -- Desert Storm began and ended too soon for that, but he did travel the world as part of an aircrew maintenance team. Which leads him to all sorts of interesting locales -- and even more not-so-interesting ones. Throughout his enrollment, he matures -- somewhat -- making this a sort of coming-of-age tale, and the Martin that is honorably discharged isn't the same loser that enlisted.
I do think this could be 1/4-1/3 shorter, tightening up the narratives a bit would help. It meanders a bit, both in the individual stories and the overall narrative. I don't know that I found anything out and out funny, but I found much of it amusing. That's probably taste, or just the particular day I read it (although I think a more streamlined approach might have helped).
This could be the Non-Fiction Prequel to Joe Zieja's Mechanical Failure, the sensibilities that characterize Sgt. Rogers are seen very clearly in Martin. Martin's memories are good reminders for us that the military isn't just full of heroes or hyper-violent patriots, it's primarily full of regular Americans just trying to get their jobs done. Less over the top than Heller, Hooker and Abrams -- but in the same vein, and hewing closer to the truth. Operation Cure Boredom is the military memoir we all needed.
February 3, 2017
Genuinely funny, this book is a high quality stab at self deprecating humor. I picked this up thinking that I don't normally enjoy humorous reads, but I found that the easy to dive into style and the episodic nature of the tale made it easy to read when I wanted a smile and to let it sit otherwise. Honestly, a perfect companion for a bad day or a difficult to get started morning.
On another important note, Dan Martin certainly has a way of describing himself and the choices he makes but somehow manages to do it with out unfairly disparaging anyone but himself. Even his ex-wife makes it out relatively unscathed, which is something truly refreshing. I can only listen to so many stories from people in person or on paper that make other people out to be idiots or worse before I start to wonder about the person telling the story. Dan, I appreciate the respect you show other people while still making me laugh. I'm interested in what else you put out!
I received a free copy of this book to review via NetGalley, but in no way does this influence my review. Heck, the library is just as free!
On another important note, Dan Martin certainly has a way of describing himself and the choices he makes but somehow manages to do it with out unfairly disparaging anyone but himself. Even his ex-wife makes it out relatively unscathed, which is something truly refreshing. I can only listen to so many stories from people in person or on paper that make other people out to be idiots or worse before I start to wonder about the person telling the story. Dan, I appreciate the respect you show other people while still making me laugh. I'm interested in what else you put out!
I received a free copy of this book to review via NetGalley, but in no way does this influence my review. Heck, the library is just as free!
June 4, 2018
I won this book from Goodreads Giveaways. Thank you.
October 30, 2016
This book is what I imagine you would get if David Sedaris wrote a memoir about the time he joined the Air Force. A funny, painful and well written account of an outsider trying to find his place in the military, Martin's book is a super fast and entertaining read. It gives a fresh look into the modern military that will leave you not only laughing but wondering every time you see a military plane flying overhead if someone is "surfing" the turbulence inside. Highly recommend!
June 26, 2018
I received this book from GoodReads First Reads. Love this! Mr. Martin has the best sense of humor and a way or writing that had me laughing out loud. I mean folks were staring laughing out loud! I was left with a realistic idea of what his time in the military was about. I highly recommend giving this book a whirl. It is the best ride I have been on in some time.
February 1, 2020
Well written and entertaining.
January 7, 2017
Uniquely candid, self-deprecating, and a belly laugh on every other page. Think of this not as a military anecdote, but a reminder to look at life--oddities and all--with acceptance.
December 28, 2016
I'm a big proponent of not judging a book by its cover, however, I broke the cardinal rule with Dan Martin's memoir. Fortunately, the story-line helped sway my pre-judgment. Sometimes difficult to keep attention, the underlying message was clear and relevant to adults out there. I appreciated the flow of the personal narratives as each chapter was a mini event or memory in Martin's young life. Combining these, the take-aways include growing up and going against the grain. Dan embraces life's challenges and failures as those are unavoidable. The question of 'Now what?" in life and starting over after the army speaks to transitions and changes that we don't expect after we have some semblance of a plan mapped out. For the most part, I am not a fan of a rushed ending as this wrapped up pretty quickly. Even though it was a boy finds girl conclusion, it is quite comical that the entire memoir he was in search of meeting girls and the army seemed like the place to find them. Again, that may have been the surface level goal but creating his own life and embracing the changes turned out to be the life altering he was looking for - coming from a troubled childhood. As someone who is still trying to figure out this whole #Adulting thing, I found Martin's memoir refreshing as all of us have that struggle of experiencing the unexpected when it comes to growing up.
Memorable Quotes
"Almost entirely forgotten was the whole reason I joined the military - to meet girls and travel. It became this weird period in my young adult life where the combination of Clorox and tile floors was more fascinating to me than socializing"
"We were stuck between two worlds: wanting to be treated like an adult without having to act like one. I thought I was going to enjoy a responsible adulthood, but when I realized it amounted to more than playing video games on the weekends, I was no longer interested. There was no escaping myself"
"Because nothing motivates me more to change my life than the threat of having to relive my past"
"Because while I wasn't sure of anything at this moment, I knew being bored and having no plan had done me pretty well so far. And that was fine with me"
Memorable Quotes
"Almost entirely forgotten was the whole reason I joined the military - to meet girls and travel. It became this weird period in my young adult life where the combination of Clorox and tile floors was more fascinating to me than socializing"
"We were stuck between two worlds: wanting to be treated like an adult without having to act like one. I thought I was going to enjoy a responsible adulthood, but when I realized it amounted to more than playing video games on the weekends, I was no longer interested. There was no escaping myself"
"Because nothing motivates me more to change my life than the threat of having to relive my past"
"Because while I wasn't sure of anything at this moment, I knew being bored and having no plan had done me pretty well so far. And that was fine with me"
January 25, 2020
Hollywood Star Mel Gibson Women Beats? Hollywood Star Mel Gibson Women Beats? Los Angeles. Mel Gibson has come to the attention of the police. The officials took the investigation against the Hollywood Star because of domestic violence against his Ex-girlfriend. The police in California has begun an investigation against fabiosa Hollywood star Mel Gibson, because he is said to have beaten his Ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. The accusations against the actor is being investigated, said on Thursday the Sheriff of Malibu. The incident was on 6. January in the house of Gibsons in the celebrity town near Los Angeles have. At that time, the 54-year-old actor and the 14 years younger Grigorieva were still a Couple. The relationship between the two has been months since the gossip press. Recently, the Entertainment Website Radaronline had. com excerpts from a phone conversation published in the Gibson his Ex-partner wild, insulted, and declared that you've "earned" that he had you beaten. Gibson and Grigorieva had split in April, they have been together for a almost one year old daughter. The "Lethal Weapon" and "Braveheart"Star has seven children with his Ex-wife Robyn, with whom he was married for 30 years. (afp/ap)
February 8, 2017
The reason I chose this book was to read something different than usual. In general I tend to head towards horror or historical stories. This time however it was time for a change. That's how I ended up with this hilarious piece of work.
The story is presented as an autobiography with the writer telling about his life in a very humouristic and down to earth way. Going through his teenage years deprived of sex but with plenty of drugs towards the years he served in the army. He was never a hero nor did he achieve huge or great things in his life. He lived his life like most of us. The beauty of the story is that this is the story of a normal guy which makes it very relatable. A nice contrast for an autobiography considering most books are written about people who (think they) are special. Combine this with a very funny way of writing and the result is an excellent book. A very enjoyable experience!
The story is presented as an autobiography with the writer telling about his life in a very humouristic and down to earth way. Going through his teenage years deprived of sex but with plenty of drugs towards the years he served in the army. He was never a hero nor did he achieve huge or great things in his life. He lived his life like most of us. The beauty of the story is that this is the story of a normal guy which makes it very relatable. A nice contrast for an autobiography considering most books are written about people who (think they) are special. Combine this with a very funny way of writing and the result is an excellent book. A very enjoyable experience!
January 27, 2019
An underachiever s dream job: USAF
😬😊😎😏😇 5 stars
Started: 20 January 2019
Finished: 26 January 2019
Amazon: ?
Title:
An underachiever s dream job: USAF
Take Murphy of Murphy s Law fame, cross him with the most underachieverness person who you have ever met. Turn the result over to the USAF, stand back and watch the outcome.
Some of his antics can be understood only by knowing civilians of that period of time. I got this book thinking that it was a humorous book. It is humorous, just not the type I was thinking of. I believe that it would appeal to the younger generations. Then again I don t know of many who would surf in the cargo area of an aircraft. Much less never try it aboard an actual surfboard.
To get the full list of his adventures, you ll need to get this book.
😬😊😎😏😇 5 stars
Started: 20 January 2019
Finished: 26 January 2019
Amazon: ?
Title:
An underachiever s dream job: USAF
Take Murphy of Murphy s Law fame, cross him with the most underachieverness person who you have ever met. Turn the result over to the USAF, stand back and watch the outcome.
Some of his antics can be understood only by knowing civilians of that period of time. I got this book thinking that it was a humorous book. It is humorous, just not the type I was thinking of. I believe that it would appeal to the younger generations. Then again I don t know of many who would surf in the cargo area of an aircraft. Much less never try it aboard an actual surfboard.
To get the full list of his adventures, you ll need to get this book.
June 22, 2018
I received Operation Cure Boredom as part of the giveaway program. As I read Martin's book, I laughed and recalled my days in basic and tech school. Oh did his book bring back memories. His description of the stranger reminds me of one I lived with. Believe me it's easier to learn those lessons early than late.
June 16, 2018
A good humored and entertaining read
November 30, 2016
***I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review***
Dan Martin reminded me of some of the guys I knew in school and eventually grew up and taught as a high school teacher. He was a young man head in a very bad direction. The military seemed like a much better option, so he joined. During his years of service, he obtained a GED and gained a much more productive direction for his life. He worked on airplanes but never saw any real action. However, he was able to travel with the planes so he did get to see new places. He played at being married but it didn't last.
Most of the memoirs I have read were written by females. Reading one from a male perspective was a nice change. One I thought I might not like at first. I was wrong. Martin's sense of humor and honesty makes this a fun book to read. I actually laughed out loud during some of his stories about basic training.Though I have not been through the exact same situations he has, the emotions he experienced are universal and that clearly comes across in his stories. If I have any issues with the book, it would be that the third quarter of the book dragged a little. Don't let that scare you off from reading this story, though.
Dan Martin reminded me of some of the guys I knew in school and eventually grew up and taught as a high school teacher. He was a young man head in a very bad direction. The military seemed like a much better option, so he joined. During his years of service, he obtained a GED and gained a much more productive direction for his life. He worked on airplanes but never saw any real action. However, he was able to travel with the planes so he did get to see new places. He played at being married but it didn't last.
Most of the memoirs I have read were written by females. Reading one from a male perspective was a nice change. One I thought I might not like at first. I was wrong. Martin's sense of humor and honesty makes this a fun book to read. I actually laughed out loud during some of his stories about basic training.Though I have not been through the exact same situations he has, the emotions he experienced are universal and that clearly comes across in his stories. If I have any issues with the book, it would be that the third quarter of the book dragged a little. Don't let that scare you off from reading this story, though.
February 15, 2017
A funny and eventful (or uneventful) look a career in the Air Force.
humorous and interesting. Relaxing read.
I received an advanced copy of this from NetGalley.com and the publisher
humorous and interesting. Relaxing read.
I received an advanced copy of this from NetGalley.com and the publisher
December 3, 2016
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
The author give a real insight into his life in the US Air Force.
There is plenty of humour and laughs along the way.
Well worth a read.
The author give a real insight into his life in the US Air Force.
There is plenty of humour and laughs along the way.
Well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews