Battle Dress [Hardcover]

Amy Efaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2000

Andi Davis is looking for an escape from her disorganized, dysfunctional home life, and West Point seems the only logical way out. Andi figures that given everything she has had to put up with at home, West Point will be a breeze. But nothing could have prepared her for the first six weeks of cadet training, better known as Beast.

Andi is screamed at, belittled, and worn down during the long, grueling training that is designed to break cadets and then rebuild them into soldiers. The upper class cadets bark orders so fast that her head spins, and the fact that she is one of only two girls in her platoon makes things even more difficult. But Andi decides that anything is better than going home, anything.

This first novel by Amy Efaw, a West Point Class of 1989 graduate, is a powerful and gripping look at an intensely privatecommunity with its own rules and regulations. It shows us the terrors and triumphs of those who want to belong to a team.

Books for the Teen Age 2001 (NYPL)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this insider account of a female cadet's first summer at West Point, readers are given a potent dose of military life. Andi Davis is eager to escape her unstable family when she enrolls at "Woo Poo U," but she is not prepared to be humiliated and bombarded with confusing commands during the first few days of "Beast," the six weeks of basic training. As she is alternately whipped into shape (Will she ever master regulation push-ups?) and methodically stripped of her civilian habits (not to mention her $65 perm and her unauthorized deck shoes), she is plagued by self-doubt; the taunts of the upperclassmen echo the verbal abuse dished out by her mother. And as one of only two females in the platoon, Andi is determined not to be the "weak link." First-novelist Efaw, a graduate of West Point, does not question the grueling training tactics, much less the philosophies girding a military academy. She focuses squarely on Andi's personal struggle to conform to rigid, exacting standards. The dialogue is strongAthe upperclassmen's insults, the new cadets' awkward responses and private conversations create a thick, believable atmosphere. Even readers who disagree with Andi's values will be pulling for her. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up-Andrea Davis accepts an appointment to West Point, knowing its reputation for strenuous training but believing it can't be any worse than surviving her abusive mother, her silent father, and constant family fights. Andi believes her dysfunctional family has prepared her to meet all challenges. The story chronicles "Beast," the aptly nicknamed new-cadet program, from a female plebe's perspective. Nothing is left out, from arrival blitz through grueling physical training, "square" meals and lack of sleep, military science, and the daily regimen of marching and torment from upper-class cadets. Team building is always the training focus. Andrea confronts stereotypes and negative attitudes toward women in the military, fights her own fear of failure, and pushes herself to prove her abilities and worth. Based on Efaw's experiences, the novel provides insights into long-held traditions at a mostly unfamiliar, formerly male-dominated institution. Intense depictions of pain and the mental and physical near atrocities plebes suffer make this compelling, at times stomach-turning, reading.
Gail Richmond, San Diego Unified Schools, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (April 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060279435
• ISBN-13: 978-0060279431
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,005,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amy Efaw is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, the mother of five children, and self-described "soccer mom extraordinaire." A former Army officer and freelance journalist, Amy now lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, children, redbone coonhound, and Bengal cat. She's written two novels for young adults and plans on writing many more!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From one who's been there..., April 16, 2001

By 

S.T. (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Battle Dress (Hardcover)

As a female West Point graduate, I can tell you this book is a terrific account of a new cadet's first summer. I read it on a plane and couldn't put it down. The guy sitting next to me must have wondered why I alternately laughed out loud and wiped away tears. It brought back all the emotions of Beast Barracks and the challenges I faced. I sent copies to my parents and grandparents to give them more insight into my experience.

A woman's relationships at West Point are different than at most colleges; the competitive environment (where women often are viewed as the weak link) adds a new dimension to interacting with men and with other women. The low proportion of women (10%) makes them stand out more, warping their developing sense of self. Then add a dysfunctional family support system, and you get some idea of the challenges for Andi, the main character.

I truly hope Amy Efaw continues the story line. The lessons from West Point show young adults what they can achieve and overcome, and what success is all about.

If you want to read more about women at West Point, try to find a copy of Carol Barkalow's book, "In the Men's House." Carol was one of the first female graduates (1980) and her excellent book follows her cadet experience and early military assignments.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Motivational Book about Perseverance, July 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Battle Dress (Hardcover)

The setting of Battle Dress is West Point Military Academy, but the message I received from this first book written by Amy Efaw is: No matter what your life has been, it's up to you and your attitudes whether you make it or not. Never give up!

I found Battle Dress to be both motivating and good recreational reading, although I had to put the book down after the first two chapters because I was exhausted. Amy Efaw gives us a realistic and entertaining picture of a young woman's life at West Point without having to resort to filth and gore. "Andi Davis" leaves the disorder of her home and the insecurity of her childhood, and finds structure, identity, and acceptance at West Point. Efaw skillfully describes Andi's environment and experiences, her agonizing thoughts and fears, and her failures and triumphs. Andi doesn't always win, but then, neither do we. I cried with Andi, cheered for her, and laughed out loud.

The program at West Point, as described by Efaw, would probably seem harsh to the average reader; but they're training men and women to be leaders in potentially dangerous circumstances, where a careless mistake could cost lives. Since reading Battle Dress, I have a new respect for the Academy and its graduates. West Point may be the place where "striving for excellence" was invented.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book and insight into West Point, April 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Battle Dress (Hardcover)

Great book! Funny, poignant, easily held my attention. The main character, Andi, is someone we can all identify with. I found myself rooting for her and sharing in her successes and failures.

If any teenager is considering applying to West Point or thinking about the military, they should read this book to find out what to expect and how it prepare.