If you have no military background, and have ever wondered what life is like for our troops and their families, this is the book for you. If you DO have a military background, this is still the book for you.

The Blog of War, edited/compiled by Matthew Currier Burden (BlackFive), is exactly what the title suggests – a compilation of blog entries by military folks. Here you will read of friendships made, of loved ones missed, of friends gone ahead, and of homecomings. You will read of decisions to fight, and decisions to not pull the trigger. You will read first-person witnesses of the day Iraquis voted in free elections for the first time since Hussein came to power, and first-person accounts of the battle for Fallujah.

You will also read first-person accounts of becoming a casualty, of being wounded.

Some of the entries Matt chose, I’d already read online, usually from links I found at Blackfive.net. My favorite soldier, Sgt Hook is represented, as is Sgt Lizzie’s story of the day she was wounded. And he included the always-moving “Taking Chance,” the story of a Marine escorting Lance Corporal Chance Phelps’ body home to Wyoming for burial. It was good to read them again, to be reunited with old friends, as it were.

Many of the stories brought me to tears, but that’s ok. All of the stories reminded me of how proud I am of our troops, and how grateful I am that these folks are on our side.

I want to share this book with all my non-military friends, but I don’t know how many of them would “get it.” But I can’t help thinking that if anything would help them “get it,” this would be the book to do it.