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Interviews | July 4, 2009

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luisalbertourreaLuis Alberto Urrea is a poet, novelist, journalist, and essayist who has been writing about the relationship between the United States and Mexico,... Continue »
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From Baghdad, with Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava

by Jay Kopelman

From Baghdad, with Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

When Marines enter an abandoned house in Fallujah, Iraq, and hear a suspicious noise, they clench their weapons, edge around the corner, and prepare to open fire.

What they find during the U.S.–led attack on the “most dangerous city on Earth,” however, is not an insurgent bent on revenge, but a tiny puppy left behind when most of the city’s population fled before the bombing. Despite military law that forbids the keeping of pets, the Marines de-flea the pup with kerosene, de-worm him with chewing tobacco, and fill him up on Meals Ready to Eat.

Thus begins the dramatic rescue attempt of a dog named Lava and Lava’s rescue of at least one Marine, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman, from the emotional ravages of war.

From hardened Marines to war-time journalists to endangered Iraqi citizens, From Baghdad, With Love tells an unforgettable true story of an unlikely band of heroes who learn unexpected lessons about life, death, and war from a mangy little flea-ridden refugee.

Review:

"The news from Iraq keeps getting grimmer, but Iraq veteran Kopelman and journalist Roth (The Man Who Talks to Dogs) tell a tale of radiant joy about Kopelman's efforts to safely transport Lava, the stray dog his Marine unit found in the wreckage of Fallujah, back to the U.S. Though the premise sounds cloying, Kopelman and Roth eschew sentimentality. They don't hesitate to detail the corruption of the Coalition Provisional Authority and the U.S. military bureaucracy or the extreme hardships of the Iraqi people. Kopelman's nagging qualms about keeping the dog in violation of military orders throw into relief his efforts to repress his guilt over working so hard to save a dog amid so much human suffering. Most bracing are the frank descriptions of the war's moral vacuum, where terrified men and women — like the dogs that Iraqi insurgents strap with bombs and send charging into the enemy — are driven to commit unspeakable acts they cannot possibly understand. The story of Lava's journey out of Iraq is exciting, but it's to Kopelman and Roth's credit that it's not nearly as harrowing as the story of what the dog left behind. 8 pages of b&w photos." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Synopsis:

This war memoir will capture the hearts of its readers, just as one scruffy puppy sneaked his way into the hearts of hardened Marines just when they needed it most.This war memoir will capture the hearts of its readers, just as one scruffy puppy sneaked his way into the hearts of hardened Marines just when they needed it most.

Synopsis:

This war memoir will capture the hearts of its readers, just as one scruffy puppy sneaked his way into the hearts of hardened Marines just when they needed it most.

Synopsis:

When Marines enter an abandoned house in Fallujah, Iraq, and hear a suspicious noise, they clench their weapons, edge around the corner, and prepare to open fire.

What they find during the U.S -led attack on the "most dangerous city on Earth," however, is not an insurgent bent on revenge, but a tiny puppy left behind when most of the city’s population fled before the bombing. Despite military law that forbids the keeping of pets, the Marines de-flea the pup with kerosene, de-worm him with chewing tobacco, and fill him up on Meals Ready to Eat.

Thus begins the dramatic rescue attempt of a dog named Lava and Lava’s rescue of at least one Marine, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman, from the emotional ravages of war.

From hardened Marines to war-time journalists to endangered Iraqi citizens, From Baghdad, With Love tells an unforgettable true story of an unlikely band of heroes who learn unexpected lessons about life, death, and war from a mangy little flea-ridden refugee.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
San, June 13, 2009 (view all comments by San)
Author Jay Kopelman weaves the facts of a very complicated war with the facts of love for a faithful companion. He tells the story from the point of view of a soldier who lives face-to-face with the grinding, brutal reality of the war in Iraq--a situation in which soldiers must put aside their hearts to survive. But putting aside your heart doesn't mean deadening it. When Kopelman finds a pup in Fallujah, he makes a friend who gives and receives love like his own--scrappy, raw, honest, complete. They survive the war thanks to each other. It's a beautiful story about the bond between a man and his dog, and it's a portrait of the kind of character that makes a good soldier. The book is as humbling as it is moving.
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jkang108, October 29, 2008 (view all comments by jkang108)
This book is great! It reminds us of the hardships that our soldiers must face in defending our freedom, but it reminds us that they, too, are still human. Sometimes it takes the companionship of an animal for us to remember that.

In continuing with this line of thought, I'd like to recommend FROM BAGHDAD TO AMERICA, the sequel, for those interested in the aftereffects of the war on our soldiers, particularly for Lt. Jay Kopelman and Lava. In the novel, Lt. Kopelman struggles with his return to civilian life, and seeks comfort in his relationship with Lava in order to overcome his debilitating mental trauma. This must-read for any families of returning soldiers is available now!
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kkwest, May 21, 2008 (view all comments by kkwest)
i loved it! my brother just recently returned from his tour and it made me realize what they go threw and not just the humans but the abandoned animals also.. the book was beautifully written! i read it in 2days! Just couldnt put it down!! LOVED IT!! and how cute is lava!!??
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(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781592289806
Subtitle:
A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava
Author:
Kopelman, Jay
With:
Roth, Melinda
Author:
Roth, Melinda
Publisher:
Lyons Press
Subject:
Dogs - General
Subject:
Essays
Subject:
Dogs
Subject:
Iraq
Subject:
Military - Iraq War
Subject:
Military - Iraq War (2003-)
Subject:
Iraq War, 2003
Subject:
Kopelman, Jay
Publication Date:
October 2006
Binding:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
196
Dimensions:
9.04x6.52x.87 in. 1.07 lbs.

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