Ackerman brings to bear his skills as a storyteller to narrate a tale that’s as suspenseful as any thriller. He seamlessly blends these scenes with quotidian family moments.

The quality of the writing stands out...From the opening lines, clean, clipped sentences have the quality of simplicity.

This book, while not a comprehensive analysis of the full 20 years of war in Afghanistan, is powerful testimony to what went wrong despite the bravery of American military personnel and our Afghan allies. Ackerman reflects on his personal and professional journeys in Afghanistan; his analysis says much about America and why the way the nation fights twenty-first-century wars has little impact on the general public and why there is so little accountability for failure. Ackerman’s tales are compelling and heartfelt; this title will stand the test of time as a warning against further military misadventures..

Making sense of chaos is never easy, but this powerful book does much to explain why America’s debacle in Afghanistan ended the way it did.

... haunting.