One Weekend a Month [Paperback]

Craig Trebilcock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2006

An eight man Army Reserve team struggles to find meaning in the Iraq War, as their attempts to save a critically ill Iraqi boy are hampered by careerist superiors, enemy insurgents, and the unyielding Arab culture. Written by an Iraq War veteran.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Booklocker.com, Inc. (February 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591138922
• ISBN-13: 978-1591138921
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,193,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Iraq War Novel Trashes Poor Leadership for Iraq Quagmire, March 4, 2006

By 

Niles Flint (Norristown, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Weekend a Month (Paperback)

One Weekend A Month is an extremely well written indictment of the US occupation of Iraq. The author strips the conflict of its righteous veneer and shows through the eyes of Army Reservists how the reconstruction effort in Iraq has been bungled due to incompetence and poor leadership. Craig Trebilcock, a former Army officer who was involved in restoring the Iraqi legal system, uses a scathing wit and satire to show how clueless US policy makers are in trying to graft democracy onto a culture that does not value the idea.

The story tells of a Civil Affairs reserve unit from Baltimore, MD that is mobilized for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. An eight man team called "Team Jaguar" is tasked with restoring the Iraqi courts. As their leader, Major Trevanathan, quickly learns that there is no plan or resources to accomplish the mission he becomes disillusioned with an effort that seems to be floundering in quicksand. Trevanathan redirects his energies to attempting to obtain medical care for a critically ill war orphan. As his efforts to accomplish this one single act of kindness amidst the chaos of war are repeatedly frustrated, the increasingly cynical officer learns that in war the enemy is not only the opposing military force; sometimes it is your own self-absorbed superiors and the indifference of the society you are trying to help.

Humorous, compelling, and controversial, this book shows a side of the Iraq conflict that the politicians and Press don't talk about. A must-have for anyone who wants to peek behind the curtain on the "War on Terrorism."

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Catch 22 in the Desert, March 10, 2006

By 

Gregg Lewis "Gregg" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Weekend a Month (Paperback)

This provocative account of the Iraq war calls into question the assumptions about the conflict that we hear every day from Washington - that democracy "is on the march"; that the Iraqis are really interested in reform; that we are doing more good than harm by staying in Iraq. It was a shocker from the very first page and I got so wrapped up in the story and its characters that I finished the entire book in two days. The author, who was a vet in the war, shows how the Iraqis and US soldiers really interact on a daily basis, with all the mistakes, misunderstandings, and humor that occurs when two such completely different cultures run into each other. The central story of how an army officer finds meaning in a no-win assignment by trying to help a sick Iraqi boy is compassionate and well presented. The last chapter choked me up. This book really opened my eyes and I highly recommend it to anyone who wonders "what the heck is really going on over there..."

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first antiwar novel of the Iraq War - an amazing tale, March 10, 2006

By 

Elizabeth Vanderhaven "Beth" (Grand Rapids, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Weekend a Month (Paperback)

You HAVE to read this book if you have interest in what our soldiers are experiencing in Iraq or what life is like for civilian Iraqis caught up in the war. The story follows the efforts of an eight man National Guard team trying to bring democracy to a bunch of Iraqi officials who aren't buying. It is funny, angry, and sad all at the same time. The author was apparently in Iraq and his knowledge of that culture and the frustrations of army life shine through. Should be required reading at the Pentagon!