The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
Private Bartle and Private Murphy have gone through basic training together in New Jersey. Now they are shipped off to Iraq where the war changes them and makes promises very hard to keep.
I understand why this short novel has been up for awards. This is a stark look at life as a soldier in Iraq and what the day to day of the war is like. It is also the story of how these young men return home to the states, bringing the war home with them. It is about the unpredictability of war and the fragility of the human spirit. It is a powerful book, especially on audio.
