Marines in the Garden of Eden: The Battle for An Nasiriyah [Hardcover]

Richard S. Lowry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 2006

The true story of the bloodiest battle in the campaign to oust Saddam Hussein.

It began on March 23, 2003, a clear, sunny Sunday morning in the city of An Nasiriyah, Iraq, where members of the 507th Maintenance Company were stationed during Operation Enduring Freedom. The enemy ambushed the 507th at first light, killing and wounding twenty-one soldiers and taking six prisoners, including the now-famous Private Jessica Lynch. When night fell, 18 marines had given their lives in what would become the battle for An Nasiriyah.

For the next week, An Nasiriyah was rocked with gun and mortar fire, as the marines of Task Force Tarawa fought to wrest control of the city from Saddam's fanatical followers.

This the story of the battle for "The Nas," as seen through the eyes of the Marines, soldiers, and newsmen who made it through those terrible seven days, and would never forget what they experienced, what they learned-or those they lost in the name of freedom.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This account of "the bloodiest battle in the campaign to oust Saddam Hussein" in An Nasiriyah announces its overblown style in the first lines: "This is a story of heroism and sacrifice—of life and death. This is a story of today's Marine Corps." According to Lowry (The Gulf War Chronicles), the Marines and Special Forces "snatched victory from the jaws of defeat" and rescued Private Jessica Lynch through compassionate heroism, despite the loss of 34 Americans, nearly half of whom died through accidents and friendly fire. An essential target in the first days of the Iraq war, An Nasiriyah held two bridges over the Euphrates. Fighting inside the city was not part of the plan, but became inevitable when communications faltered and after Lynch's supply unit blundered into Iraqi positions. With admirable courage, U.S. forces fought through the streets, captured the bridges and rescued Lynch. Lowry's nuts-and-bolts description of the fight represents his strongest writing. Following the genre's convention of portraying individual soldiers, Lowry includes virtually everyone he interviewed; there are dozens of names, always followed by a flattering sketch (alternately "tough, yet fair" or "fair yet strict"). As additional evidence that these soldiers are America's finest, he quotes their patriotic statements, affectionate letters to their children, and their spouses' always favorable opinions. It took immense research to produce such detail, but Lowry's gushing account may not extend far beyond the Marines involved and their families. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

An embedded reporter with the First Marine Division provides this excellent monograph on the Battle of An Nasiriyah. The first major ground engagement of the second Iraq War, the battle began with the ambush of the 5307th Maintenance Company amid poor visibility and, one suspects, faulty intelligence. The marines quickly recovered their balance and tactical proficiency, and in close--quarters, combined-arms combat liberated the city from its own defenders' reign of terror. They also freed POW Private Jessica Lynch, about whom Lowry offers no sensational revelations. What he does offer is an excellent battle narrative, which, thanks to extensive interviewing, shifts from one unit to another, depending on which was most closely engaged. The result may not please antiwar readers, but probably neither Lowry nor the marines had the slightest intention of doing that. A book that adds considerably to knowledge of the state of the U.S. Marines and the variety of human beings who "are proud to bear the title." Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (June 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425209881
• ISBN-13: 978-0425209882
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,157 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Twenty-First Century Historian
Modern-Day Storyteller

Richard S. Lowry is an internationally recognized military historian and author. His latest book, New Dawn, the battles for Fallujah (Savas Beatie LLC, 2010), has been nominated for the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in History and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's coveted Wallace M. Greene, Jr. award. Richard has previously published the award winning Marines in the Garden of Eden (Berkley Caliber, 2006), The Gulf War Chronicles (iUniverse, 2003 and iUniverse Star, 2008), and US Marine in Iraq: Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003 (Osprey, 2006). Additionally, he contributed to Small Unit Actions (United States Marine Corps History Division, 2008).

He has been published in Armchair General, Military Magazine, Soldier of Fortune and The Marine Corps Gazette. Richard was the military consultant to David C. Taylor for the award-winning documentary film, "Perfect Valor." Richard frequently contributes to several internet news and blog sites i.e., www.op-for.com, www.theweeklystandard.com, and www.blackfive.com and now has his own site; http://blog.richardslowry.com. He also has a continuing military news column at http://www.examiner.com/x-30068-Orlando-Military-Headlines-Examiner.

Richard has spoken to many community organizations to include the Military Officers Association, the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as the Florida Retired Chief Petty Officers Association, Marine Corps Association, Marine Corps League, Navy League, the Association of the US Army, the Military Officers Association, Rotary and Kiwanis. He has spoken on many different subjects relating to the current war in Iraq and Operation Desert Storm.

Richard has appeared on Book TV and Veterans Chronicles and is regularly featured on the Andrea Shea King internet radio program. He is a military contributor to WFLA news radio in Orlando and has appeared on many regional television and radio programs.

Richard is an award winning author. In 2006, Marines in the Garden of Eden won the Silver Medal for history and in 2010, New Dawn won the Gold Medal for history from the Military Writers Society of America. The Gulf War Chronicles also received recognition from MWSA in 2006 and has achieved Editor's Choice, Reader's Choice and STAR distinctions from iUniverse. In 2009, "Perfect Valor" received the best feature documentary award at the GI Film Festival.

Richard has established himself as an expert on the war in Afghanistan and Iraq with a substantial radio, television and internet following. He is a distinguished historian, captivating writer and engaging public speaker.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marine Corps Spirit, July 16, 2006

By 

William Schaefer "SSgt William Schaefer" (29 Palms, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marines in the Garden of Eden: The Battle for An Nasiriyah (Hardcover)

Richard, thank you for finally getting our story right. I know that it has taken you a few years now to research and write this book. There have been other authors who have tried to tell our story, but have fallen short. Thank you for taking your time and not trying to be the first to make a buck off of someone else's misery. This story that you have told shows the world what U.S. Marines are about and how we will always prevail no matter how bad the situation is and what the odds are. Every Marine from Private through General knows that the people of the United States depends on them to do their jobs no matter what the cost. These Marines will sacrifice their lives to make sure their brothers survive to complete the mission so the people of the United States are safe and that the American way of life is preserved. Again, thank you Mr. Lowry for telling our story and the story of the Marine Corps spirit. The spirit is alive and strong. Every Marine that gives his life for our country makes the spirit stronger. That spirit is in every Marine past and present and getting stronger every day. That is why we will never fail.

Always Faithful
SSgt William Schaefer
1/2 Cco

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another page..., June 20, 2006

By 

Kevin (Medford Lakes, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marines in the Garden of Eden: The Battle for An Nasiriyah (Hardcover)

Richard Lowry has penned another important page in the history of the Corps. As one of the many Marines that took part in the Battle of An Nasiriyah I have read every book to date about the battle. Marines in the Garden of Eden is without a doubt the most accurate account of those seven days. Many questions about the battle have been answered for me.
I couldn't put it down. I had to go out and buy my wife her own copy, working on reading it for the third time.

Richard,
Thank you for telling our story.

Semper Fidelis

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marines in the Garden of Eden gets it right!, June 21, 2006

By 

Joseph A. Muccia - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Marines in the Garden of Eden: The Battle for An Nasiriyah (Hardcover)

This is probably the best researched and most detailed account of the Battle of Nasiriyah I have read yet. It is well written and the text flows, never bogging down even when describing complex situations or military tactics and jargon.
I can attest to Richard's desire to present the most complete work as possible on this important battle as I was one of the many Marines interviewed.
Well done Richard. You have done our Marines, Sailors and Soldiers proud.
Semper Fidelis,
Joe