An Angel From Hell by Ryan A. Conklin - ReviewProfessional reviews of the book are practically non-existent, as it appears that reviewers who know good books don't take the book seriously. Comments about it can be found on Amazon and other book sites, and while fans and friends of Ryan have dutifully done their part by pumping up the five star ratings, not everyone has been so kind. The harshest comment might have been the one titled, "So stupid, I'm surprised it's not written in crayon." For a different perspective, see the review at the Military Times: "An MTV soldier’s shallow report from ‘Hell’" For a positive spin on the book, see below.
This is MTV's Real World alumnus Ryan A. Conklin's attempt at writing a book. It is a personal narrative of his experience as a soldier during the course of a one year deployment to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In structure, tone, significance, and the impartation of understanding of the real lives of military men, the book is slightly reminiscent of the classic WWII memoir Guadalcanal Diary, by Richard Tregaskis.
It is the story of the author, a not uncommon young man who is unsure of his future goals after high school and ends up joining the Army. He is the boy next door, who impassioned by the events of 9/11 makes the serious decision to enlist and hopefully take some ardent retribution to the enemy. He is sent to Iraq and soon learns that there is much more to being a soldier in that inhospitable place than what his training back in the States had taught him. He learns about the reality of a different culture and a different people, along with the new lessons on fear, carnage, and yes, loss of friends. With the constant and implicit support of his buddies, Conklin completes his time in Iraq, but once at home is forced to realize that he can never fully leave it behind. As way of coping with the experiences he has endured, Conklin writes this book, and fortunately for readers, provides an understanding of what life was like being both a soldier and just a regular guy who happened to be in uniform in Iraq.
In the telling of the events that occurred in Iraq, Conklin creates a documentary feel for it. His writing produces imagery that can create a mental impression that you are with Conklin as he goes on patrol in his Humvee, rides a Black Hawk, or sees Baghdad for the first time. Conklin becomes the narrator and you see what a camera, had he been holding one, would have seen. Noteworthy is the fact that Conklin doesn't focus on only a few "exciting" moments with which to fill his book. Such an excerpt would not be an accurate portrayal of the soldiers' lives. Instead, Conklin includes a comprehensive representation of all aspects of their experience. So while there are plenty of times of being hit with IEDs and chasing the enemy, there are also the times of finding ways to stay awake (like with putting tobacco in your nose), making risque comments to someone who doesn't understand English just to make your buddy laugh, or playing games with the local children. It was important for Conklin to show that with the moments of terror and tragedy, the soldier also endures many additional hours of boredom and/or uneventful grunt work, or even times of mirth and laughter.
Of special interest is the feeling of Conklin concerning the Iraqis. His perception of them can be considered a reflection of his ability to maintain his humanity during the stress of being the target of attack. Since the enemy (the insurgents) were Iraqis, it might be a normal consequence to extend the usual dehumanization of the enemy to all Iraqis. It was a force that clearly affected Conklin, and it provides a study of the effect of combat situations on normally good people. The most interesting aspect of how the language, the ability to adequately communicate, makes a big difference in the level of empathy and awareness of others humanity.
To Conklin, his buddies in his company are the most important part of his time in the Army. It's their relationship with each other that keeps them safe and sane. It's not all positive with every other soldier, and Conklin makes that clear, but whether riding on a Humvee doing patrols, waiting to hear word about the fate of comrades, or enjoying each others company sleeping under the stars, it was the relationships that meant the most to Conklin. Other than using the toilet, there are no solo activities in Conklin's Army.
The writing style is clear and matter-of-fact, but still well colored. The tone is somber where appropriate but the levity of the playful nature of the author shines through throughout. Humor is found even in terrible situations. When his camp was attacked by a rocket, Conklin wrote that he and a friend arose from their cot to inspect the damage and then got a haircut, figuring if they were going to die while sleeping on their cots, they should at least look good. Using a few choice words, Conklin clearly expresses himself. Concerning his dislike of "fobbits" (soldiers who never left their Forward Operating Base), Conklin wrote, "fobbits were littered all over the massive post." Examining paragraph after paragraph, it would be difficult to determine that Conklin was not a experienced professional writer, which may be from the work of really good editors.
Areas in which the book was lacking appear to be more the fault of the publisher than the author. It is a non-fiction book on military history that necessarily includes many references to military parlance, organization, ranks, and weaponry, and this may be challenging for a reader who is not in the military. So an index, glossary, and perhaps an appendix would have been useful for reference.
Readers who would enjoy and find this book useful would include people interested in military history (and the Iraq War in particular), families of soldiers who might not be as open to tell their families about their own experiences, and college students studying current events.
Fan of The Real World are going to rate this book very highly, but a less biased view of the book would make it more of a 3 out of 5.
