by Robbie ter Kuile
“I Am a Soldier, Too — The Jessica Lynch Story” by Rick Bragg is a memoir that should be required reading for every elected official on the national level. Every American would also be inspired by reading the story or listening to it on audio book.
A memoir is intended to cover a short time period in a person’s life. This memoir is also about the community in which Jessica Lynch grew up in the hills of West Virginia and how our country responded to her story. It is about the first battle of the Iraqi war and how Lynch, who was a member of the 507 Maintenance Company in the U.S. Army, found herself in the middle of a fierce ground fight.
Most Americans may remember hearing the news stories of how Lynch was captured by the Iraqis and then rescued from the Saddam Hussein General Hospital by the American Special Forces. Even though we know the outcome of the story, the author has written this story so well that you won’t be able to stop reading or listening to the book until you hear every last detail.
You can find the audio version at the Lanier Library. The Lanier Library is located at 72 Chestnut Street, Tryon. Call 828-859-9535 or visit www.lanierlib.org for more information about becoming a member of the Lanier Library. The library is open on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., on Wednesday from 4 – 7 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., and from 1 – 4 p.m. on Sunday.