Made a Difference for That One: A Surgeon's Letters Home from Iraq (Paperback)

~ Meredith Coppola (Author)
Key Phrases: trow numbers, The Swamp, Air Force, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Made a Difference for That One is a perspective of the war in Iraq that has not emerged in the newspapers or on television. When Air Force pediatric surgeon Christopher Coppola was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he did not know what he would find in the war zone.

His letters to family and friends document his experiences over four months service at a military support hospital as well as his journey home. Each new day brought challenges to the skill of the dedicated surgical team saving the lives of our brave troops on the battlefield. This gritty, ground-level account of both the suffering and heroism in the faces of the injured soldiers and civilians is a testament to the heart of our shared humanity.

A portion of the cost of this book is donated to the Fisher House^TM Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that helps veterans and their families by providing a home away from home, allowing family members to be close to military members when they are hospitalized for treatment.

About the Author

Meredith Leigh Coppola is a full-time mother and part-time writer with a degree in American Civilization from Brown University. She lives in Texas and is very busy taking care of her three wild boys and her military doctor husband.

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (August 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595366244
• ISBN-13: 978-0595366248
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #713,171 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The lost art of letter writing, September 1, 2005

By	speeder - See all my reviews

In the age of email and instant messaging, it is rare to find a lengthy, well-constructed letter. This book is a collection of such letters in which the reader can see the author's thoughts and emotional responses to the events of the Iraq war he is experiencing. He takes on the grim scenes of the war wounded seriously, but takes every chance to inject a sense of humor into the absurdities of military life. It is a quick little read, but a pure stream of honesty from one man coping with the unexpected in war. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compassionate Surgeon's Experiences in Iraq, March 8, 2007

By	C. Dahlgren - See all my reviews

Seems a little too well-written for emails, but a very personnel account of a surgeon in a field hospital in Iraq. Depictions of life on the base and compassionate account of his cases. Would have liked a little more in depth account of his relatiionships with others he encountered there.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving Account of Life in Iraq, March 19, 2006

By	Lorna Collins "Author, Speaker, Technical Writer" (Dana Point, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's no wonder this book won the 2006 EPPIE for best nonfiction e-book of the year! Chris wrote informative and touching accounts of his time in Iraq and his wife, Meredith, has compiled them into a cohesive and compelling book. Although his specialty is pediatric surgery, Chris was called upon to perform all kinds of medical procedures during his time in the war. However the most moving stories in the book are those about using his special skills to help the children of Iraq. Getting to know this remarkable man is a worthwhile and inspiring experience. Thanks to both of them for sharing it with the rest of us.