Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(134)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I received an advance copy of From Baghdad, With Love for review at Bookslut.com. I expected it to be a very heartwarming story about a soldier trying to save a stray puppy from Iraq and it certainly is that kind of book but I was surprised to find also an excellent war memoir here - the sort of book about Iraq that I don't think we have seen nearly enough of. The author is an active duty marine but he manages not to overly politicize his story - amazingly this is the sort of book that will appeal to those who both support and oppose the war. More than anything though it is just about how it is over there - how utterly insane it is - for US troops and civilians. On top of all of that it is also about why saving an animal in Iraq could mean so much to a soldier, something that I imagine few Americans realize is even happening everyday.

From Baghdad, With Love is a wonderful surprise and will equally appeal to both male and female readers. It is a sure bet for dog lovers but beyond that, for anyone trying to understand the impact the situation in Iraq is having on our soliders (and that means all of Americans), this should be viewed as critical reading.

When Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman walks down the hallway of a compound housing U.S. Marines in Fallujah, Iraq, he's startled by a noise. He shouts and raises his gun, his nerves still on edge from having just patrolled the dangerous streets of a city in the grip of violence. His adversary? A five-week-old stray puppy. "There's fear in his eyes despite the bravado," writes Kopelman in FROM BAGHDAD, WITH LOVE. "He's only a puppy, too young to know how to mask it, so I can see how bravery and terror trap him on all sides while testosterone and adrenaline compete in the meantime for every ounce of his attention. Recognize it right away."

The "little outlaw" has been named Lava in a nod to the nickname of his rescuers' regiment --- the 1st battalion, 3rd Marines, otherwise known as the Lava Dogs. In a breach of military policy, the Lava Dogs have been secretly caring for the tiny canine. "The newest grunt" has been "de-flead with kerosene, de-wormed with chewing tobacco, and pumped full of MREs [Meals Ready to Eat]."

Although the soldiers enjoy Lava's energetic company and take comfort in the routine of caring for him, Kopelman included, they avoid talking about what will become of the puppy when they move on. And then something happens. Perhaps it's when Lava falls asleep head first in Kopelman's boots. Or maybe it's the morning he wakes up to find Lava curled in a ball at the bottom of his sleeping bag. "Once I decide to save Lava," Kopelman says, "it becomes an unprogrammable mission I don't have the smarts to reassign or the guts to walk away from."

What begins is Kopelman's five-month effort to get Lava out of Iraq and into the United States, no small feat in a war-torn country where red tape runs deep and the well-being of one dog is of little consequence except to the few who have come to care for the "cute but fairly drastic breach of military law." What is truly remarkable is that even after Kopelman leaves Iraq, the wheels keep turning to get Lava out of the country, thanks to a group of people determined to complete the mission.

Along with Kopelman's first-person account, in which he conveys the harsh realities of life in Iraq, are the stories of those who worked to help him bring Lava home. There is Sergeant Matt Hammond, a Marine recovering from life-threatening wounds who looked after Lava when Kopelman was transferred to another base, and who later arranged a special convoy to take the pup to Baghdad; Anne Garrels, an NPR journalist who sheltered Lava in Baghdad's dangerous Red Zone; "Sam," an Iraqi who risked his life obtaining vaccination papers (and dog biscuits) for Lava; and John Van Zante, director of public relations at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in California, who wonders "what the heck possessed a three-tour, tough-guy Marine to try to save a little puppy in the middle of a war."

Indeed, with death and destruction rampant in Iraq, why should the fate of a single puppy be of much importance? In the pages of FROM BAGHDAD, WITH LOVE, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman shares his and Lava's remarkable story --- one that is heartwarming and heartbreaking, inspiring and candid. Kopelman explains how and why, in the midst of war, he forged a life-altering friendship with "a mangy little mutt."

--- Reviewed by Shannon McKenna

I was looking for a technical book and just happened to see the cover of this book. I'm a veteran, so I took a chance and bought it. I sat down at 8 p.m. with the book thinking I'd read myself to sleep. At 2 a.m. I finished the book. I laughed, cried, cringed and cried some more. What a great story. I was with the Marines for four years and totally know how "gungy" they are. I also know they are big "boys" with big hearts. I've recommended it to everyone I know.

This is a superb, and surprising, combat memoir that impressively mixes genres. I'm not a pet owner/dog lover so I admit I approached the book with curiosity more than urgency; would the focus be the emotional connection with an animal or the emotional response to hardcore combat? Well, it's both. If the overarching goal of a book is to prod the reader to turn the page...wondering "what's going to happen next"...Kopelman drills it. This book is not for those who relish the confines of convention. It's a visceral, heart-felt, even strange journey to find light in the dark.

This is the story of Lava, an Iraqi dog that many good people (and a handful of Marines) labored to save and provide a home for in America. But more so, it's the memoir of a Marine who disobeyed orders to save Lava's life. This isn't a dog book; it's a Marine book about a Marine at war with his own humanity.

It's honest and courageous. After reading this book I'd guess other Marines might not think highly of Jay Kopelman. But I really appreciate that he had the bravery and integrity to avoid sugar coating his direct disobedience of General Order 1-A. I was surprised (and impressed) that he admitted to placing his Marines (the Lava Dogs) into harms way to make a "milk run" to transport his dog to Baghdad. It was extremely irresponsible. It's not a choice I would've made (however, I did make some poor decisions during my tour I'm not proud of, and I wasn't there when Kopelman allowed his Marines to leave the gate), but I respect Kopelman for including this in the book. It shows he's telling a true story of the confusion of war and the reaction of the human condition, and that's worth something. This book is not a typical pro-war or anti-war propaganda piece.

As the book is now, I give it three stars. I disagree with some of the reviews here. There are parts that seem inconsistent in voice and tense, almost like two different people wrote it in sections rather than collaborating on the work in its entirety. If the first sixteen chapters looked like the remainder of the book and little parts here and there were cleaned up, I'd give this book four and a half or five stars. Also, I didn't care for the chapters written in the present tense; however, even though I struggled to accept the present tense style until chapter seventeen, I didn't consider this stylistic choice in my rating process.

Even though I gave From Baghdad, With Love three stars, I still found it entertaining and informative. This is a book worth reading, especially if you like dogs and understand how people grow so attached to them.

The book starts on rocky ground, but hang in there, it gets better. As I traversed the written land mines, I found less and less of them. As I finished the first few chapters, I liked the book more. There are places that I would've preferred more description and use of the SHOW instead of the TELL, but I could still enjoy the story for what it is.

Overall, I like this book. It's a good story even if it could have used more work and rewriting prior to publication, but it is what it is.

Have you ever read a book and gotten so sucked into the story that you had to remind yourself it's not actually happening right now? What an incredible book and a very fast read! By the time you've finished it you are very clued in on what it's like to be a Marine in Iraq. Lava helped the people who cared for him to re-connect to their humanity. Just as the SAR dogs helped the workers at Ground Zero re-connect after a hard day searching the rubble, Lava helped Jay Kopelman get through his tour of duty in Iraq. What an incredible dog! And what an intense affirmation of the human-canine bond.

Jay Kopelman's "From Baghdad, With Love," focused on Jay's journey to bring a stray puppy from Baghdad to the United States. In 2005, Jay was a Lieutenant Colonel stationed in Iraq and he came across this mangy puppy who the Marines named "Lava." It was a clear violation of the rules as military personnel were not allowed to keep any pets as their main mission was to focus on the war. As Jay's love for Lava grew, he was determined to give a better life to this puppy. Eighty percent of the book focused on Jay's effort to seek help from various individuals and organizations to bring Lava over to the United States.

This was a heartwarming story of the devoted love from a Marine, determined to rescue this dog, despite breaking the rules repeatedly. He may drew some criticisms from the military or the public, but it undeniable that he cared truly for Lava. The book was not exactly a very well-written book and I also wished that the author threw in some personal stories in there. But I guess his main purpose in this book was to talk about Lava's adventurous journey to the United States. Despite that, this was definitely worth reading and I also think that the author touched upon a difficult subject in terms of the living conditions of stray animals during the war as he mentioned how some dogs were eating dead bodies for sustenance.

It was the picture on the cover that got me. I bought this book, From Baghdad with Love Friday night. I finished it Saturday after lunch. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. This is one of the best dog/humanity stories I have ever read. I LOVED it.
Lt. Col. Kopelman, the Lava Dogs, Anne Garrels, Sam and Lava are unforgettable. Great insight on the war, too.

BEFORE I read any animal story, I HAVE to know that the animal lives. I went to the inside back cover to read about the author and it states that he lives in CA w/ his wife, 2 dogs, Lava and Koda and cat, so I knew it was safe.

God bless Lt. Col. Kopelman, the Lava Dogs, all our Armed Forces and LAVA! Thank you for your service to our country.

When Marine Jay Koppelman and his unit raid a house in Iraq,all they find in it is a lively,adorable puppy.Unsure of what to do with him,Jay takes
him back to their headquarters.Although Marine rules forbid keeping pets,
Jay promptly falls in love with the irresistible pup he names Lava,and is
determined to get him to America.What follows is a riveting,suspenseful
story of survival.Koppelman tells it brilliantly.Watching this big,strong,
tough Marine melt over a little dog is wonderful.Their love and affection
for each other is obvious right from the start,and it really comes across to the reader.Jay's langauge and prose are rough at times,but remember,he IS a Marine.Read this moving,powerful book.You'll be glad you did!

I just finished reading From Baghdad, With Love and found it to be one of the best books I've read this year. I am a dog-lover and was first drawn to the book by its cover, but I am also the aunt of a Marine who just returned home from Iraq a few days ago. He served much of his time in Fallujah and Baghdad and as I read this book I felt like I had some sense of what he must be going through over there. The story of Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman and Lava is so much more than a "save the dog" story. It weaves the search for humanity in a place of utter chaos with the story of an utterly adorable stray dog just trying to survive. I wish there was a way to know how things turned out with "Sam" ... his devotion to Lava was one of my most memerable effects from the book. Thank you, Jay, for your honesty and for caring enough to share Lava's story!