Customer Reviews

Last Journey: A Father and Son in Wartime

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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This book brings home the reality of what now appears to be at best a "questionable" war and its impact on real people. A father opens up his and his son's private lives as they experienced, each from their own perspective, service to our country in the US Army.

A compelling, heart rending book that exposes what a soldier experienced growing up, finding a call to serve, and paying the ultimate sacrifice during the course of that service.

As a father of a son about to deploy to Iraq in a Stryker Brigade from the same base as Darrell Griffin, Jr., this book helped me to understand and prepare for that seperation and begin to come to grips with the totallity of what that does and might encompase.

May God continue to bless our troops in their service and Darrel Griffin Sr. and his family in their suffering and healing associated with his son's death.

I was stationed in Fort Lewis and was assigned to the same company as Grif when he got back from Iraq before he volunteered to go again. I barely knew him but only heard great things from everyone in Alpha Company about him, this book is an amazing depiction of the outstanding man he was, I curse myself now for not getting to know him more when I had the chance. I recommend this book to everyone, I can't say enough good things about it.

This story interweaves e-mails, calls, interviews and a journal. It brings forth the conflict of a thinking warrior. Someone I discussed this with commented that it seemed to be "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair" for this generation.

I bought this book a few weeks ago after seeing it mentioned on CNN. The article about the book seemed compelling enough so I ordered the book the same day. The book reminds us of the war in Iraq and Afganistan. More importantly, it reminds us to keep thinking, questioning and asking why. The book provides great insight to a single soldier, the men and family around him, and the sacrifices they have or are making for what we might just be taking for granted each day. I read the first 250 or so pages in the first few days after receiving the book. I was pulled into Skip's life and story and his experience as a soldier. When I realized that his death was only about two weeks off, I had to put the book down. I wasn't ready to have him die or have his story end. I can't imagine the loss of a child, husband or brother in this way but as Griffin Jr. and Sr. remind us, it's happening every day. Skip died for me just before my daughter's soccer game started this morning. I cried for Skip and his family today.

Buy this book. Read this book. Think about what Skip and his comrades in arms have said and are doing in the name of freedom.

Darrell Sr. and Diana: Thank you for sharing your family's story so openly and honestly. G-d bless you.

I had the honor to serve with SSG Griffin, so this book had a strong appeal to me. While I read it I was taken back to my time in Iraq. Griffin Sr. did an excellent job in capturing a soldiers story over there. I recommend this book to anybody trying to learn a bit, or get a feel for how the toll that this war has taken on the American soldiers and familys.

Darrell Griffin, Sr.'s Last Journey: A Father and Son in Wartime is the embodiment of a parent's unconditional love for his child. Fulfilling his son's personal ambition of writing a book upon his return from duty overseas, the author takes it upon himself to honor Darrell "Skip" Griffin, Jr.'s wishes while simultaneously paying homage to his son who was cut down by an enemy bullet in March 2007 during his second tour in Iraq.

Utilizing the sullen imagery of his weekly visits to Skip's grave near the family home in Los Angeles, Griffin introduces his story through the eyes of a father still trying to cope with the wartime loss of his son. Painting the portrait of a troubled boy brought up in a fractured family atmosphere, Griffin details Skip's curious and mischievous nature as well as his keenly developed sense of social justice. Through difficult family situations, Skip and his father managed to make time to discuss a variety of topics during sessions that they would refer to as "The Great Conversation," a dialogue covering subjects ranging from theology to philosophy, politics to ethics. This conversation would continue for years, and later on, over thousands of miles, right up until Skip's death.

Within days of being notified of Skip's passing, Griffin devoted himself to completing "the book that Skip was born to write." Seeking every possible resource to accomplish this goal, including a personal written request to General Petraeus, Griffin was finally granted passage in to the theater of Iraq to meet with the soldiers who spent their lives and final moments with Skip. Their interviews and testimony to Skip's leadership and guidance add a crucial element to Griffin's story. They reveal a pure admiration and respect for Skip that Griffin knew as his father, but now witnessed from his son's fellow warriors.

The core of this book lies within the collection of emails, journal entries, and letters that Griffin pulled together from Skip's tours in Iraq. These exchanges illustrate the struggle that was taking place not only between two nations, but moreover, within a soldier heaved helplessly into this unruly and lethal conflict. With great depth and introspection reminiscent of the classical literature with which he surrounded himself, Skip's journal entries seek to rationalize the constant cycle of events happening around him. Here, as well, emerges a man beginning to cast doubt about his own survival through the war. Skip's personal insight and self-awareness allowed him to be in tune with his surroundings, and in some regard, with his own destiny.

Griffin's tone throughout the book varies between distraught father and eloquent narrator. It is possible to feel his pain as he recalls the fond memories of his son and the troubling images of his death. Griffin does not convey his story through military tactics and battlefield strategies. Though unit deployments and combat scenarios are provided, the essence of Last Journey is the soulful search that unremittingly persevered in Skip while he was alive and the aching journey that continues on in his surviving father.

While Last Journey may never materialize as a war time literary classic, it remains a meaningful work for its ability to express grief and gratitude in a very honorable manner. Darrell Griffin, Sr. will be a mourning parent for the rest of his days, yet he does not hide from this new role. Though he is sorrowfully enrolled in this new responsibility, he embraces it to honor the memory of a cherished son, a loving husband, and an American soldier.

This is a true story of Sgt Griffin's first tour of duty in Iraq in 2004, and his struggles before joining the Army. It is hard reading, but very factual. Sgt Griffin was killed on his second tour in Iraq and his father finished the story. My son served on this first tour with Griff and has told me many of the same stories Griff tells in this book. I wish the Griffin's peace at the loss of their son.

I would recommend this book to anyone. They courage of the son and the father through the difficult times during the war and then to lose him is very heartfelt. I praise his father for continuing the book. If you would like to know what it is like in Iraq, please read this book.

This book arrived in a timely manner and was enjoyed by the reader. It was recommended by a friend and Amazon provided great service by the appearance of the book shortly after placing an order. Thank you, again.