JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. Among his creations are some of the world's most popular series including Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett and the Private novels. He has written many other number one bestsellers including collaborations with President Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, stand-alone thrillers and non-fiction. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed adult author in UK libraries for the past fourteen years in a row. He lives in Florida with his family.
This book will take your breath away, break your heart, and leave you in awe -- President Bill Clinton Raw, authentic, and above all, inspiring -- Admiral William H. McRaven, US Navy (Ret.) Combat is hard to make sense of. Probably because, in many ways, it makes no sense. James Patterson and Matt Eversmann's unvarnished portrayal of soldiers is right on. Each of these stories of the personal experience of combat is unique, homespun, and honest. God bless them, one and all. -- Brigadier General Peter Dawkins, US Army (Ret.) A vivid and authentic portrait of life in the modern military . . . Powerful. This edifying collection captures the highs and lows of the military experience. * Publishers Weekly * Up close war is a tapestry of individual stories, as painfully raw, improbably funny, and completely human as the soldiers themselves. James Patterson and my former Ranger comrade Matt Eversmann, have brilliantly woven together an image that is as compelling as it is entertaining. -- Stanley A. McChrystal, General, US Army (Ret.) Urgent and full of suspense . . . In this wide-ranging, consistently absorbing collection, the authors cover the entire spectrum of American military action during the last 50 years, from Vietnam to the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq . . . A gripping account of American military members' experiences before, during, and after wartime. * Kirkus * Extraordinary . . . a deeply intimate insider's look -- Richard Engel, NBC News Chief foreign correspondent James Patterson is one of America's great storytellers. He is a also a first-rate reporter. He and Eversmann have collected stories of brave men and women who have defended our country. Each one is a profile in courage. Read this book and you will have even greater respect for those who serve in our military. -- Chris Wallace, anchor, FOX News Sunday ... powerful. This edifying collection captures the highs and lows of the military experience -- Publishers Weekly