Book Review

This book is a moving collec tion of letters from the front

in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a remarkable account of the lives and experiences of Americans at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, put together by Rear Admiral Stuart Platt (retired). It is a moving collection of letters, e-mails, and blog entries from those serving the Afghanistan and Iraq.

Critics who have read it report that this collection of correspondence preserves for future generations the experiences of men and women in uniform, and presents a unique perspective about what is actually going on day to day in the tents, on the road, and in the weeds in those two countries.

The letters were written from the heart and tell the truth about life on the front lines (lonely, hot and dangerous), as well as life on the home front (lonely, anxious and supportive).

Handwritten letters, which were, until the current conflict, the only source of communication home from the front lines, are being replaced by e-mail and Web logs, or "blogs." The book will remind many how important it is to preserve these more ephemeral records of our nation's history.

The letters of soldiers serving in action during the post-9/11 wars shed light on many topics, including their pride of rebuilding a nation, feeling patriotic in their roles abroad and handling the death and loss of fellow soldiers.

The book reinforces the fact that this is the finest military in our history and how much the nation owes them. The number of soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan is now equal to the numbers of Americans who perished on September 11.

Letters From the Front Lines is available in bookstores.