Pete Postlethwaite died today. His death saddened me for a number of reasons, not the least of which being he was a tremendous actor. Most relevant in this case, as I read The Book Thief, I marveled at what a well constructed character Leisel's foster father was and how perfectly Pete would have played him on screen. That being said, this might be a book better left to the imagination, for it's utterly sad and absolutely worth reading. Highly recommended.

This was fantastic.

Loved it!

Absolutely loved this.

I've read more than a couple negative reviews of Generation Kill, which recounts an embedded journalist's journey with Recon Marines through the first stage of 'Iraqi Freedom.' These folks all seem dismayed that the young marines are portrayed as reckless, or crass, or lacking heroism. That there were no real obstacles, that their mission was mishandled, or futile.

I think that was the whole point. Like a slice of the war as a whole, their superiors made terrible judgment calls, they took an unacceptable amount of friendly fire, and killed a lot of civilians. It's not like this was a tale of fiction where soldiers have strong morals and the enemies are 100% evil. In a way, the marines of Generation Kill are much more human. They routinely show remorse, question their actions, and above all, question their superiors.

I watched Band of Brothers and it made me cry. Reading Generation Kill made me lament my misspent tax dollars. Nevertheless, it was a gripping read that I think accurately depicted this generation of enlisted and their officers. Like Band of Brothers, it's also been adapted as an HBO miniseries.