“Hotels, Hospitals and Jails: A Memoir” By Anthony Swofford
Twelve Books, $26.99
Published June 5th

What is it?
“Jarhead” author Swofford shares brutally honest stories about his family, random sex, hard drinking and his difficult relationship with his father, as he tries to cope with life and post-traumatic stress.
Why are we talking about it?
Swofford is an often-gripping narrator, at his best both angry and charismatic without apology. Though at times it feels like therapy on paper, it’s never less than readable. The chapter about visiting a veterans’ hospital has rightly been singled out as a remarkable piece of writing.
Who wrote it?
Anthony Swofford was born on an air force base to a Vietnam vet. He joined the marines and fought in the Gulf War in 1990-1. His first book, “Jarhead,” was a memoir of his time in the army that came out in 2003, and was turned into a movie starring Joaquin Phoenix. This is his third book.
Who will read it?
Former soldiers, and the families of former soldiers. Fans of “Jarhead.” Mostly meg ages 18-40 – it’s a very masculine read.
What do the reviews say?
Buffalo News: “Swofford uses his literary talent, and he has plenty of it, to get even for a childhood he remembers as woeful.”
Kirkus Reviews: “The author’s voice and energy are compelling, but his hot, volcanic anger saturates the narrative, and the sheer self-indulgence and lack of filter make the book oscillate from wildly engaging to off-putting.”
Publishers Weekly: “It’s the journalism rather than the memoir that makes this book worth reading.”

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