Pot Lid Head: A Gulf War Chronicle of an American Sniper

Author: Anthony Swofford (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: With a dream of serving the country and a high sense of purpose, Anthony Swofford joined the United States Marine Corps. During basic training, he faced brutal and harsh instructors and endured great humiliation. Later, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Expeditionary Force, where he met a diverse group of "jarheads." He was deployed to various parts of Asia for combat missions, experiencing a deeply moving love affair. He followed his unit to the desert and participated in what was then called the Second Gulf War. There, he endured long periods of waiting, faced the brink of death, experienced brotherly love among comrades, and realized that he was actually fighting for oil and for the interests of American tycoons. As a sniper, he never truly completed a single sniper mission throughout his service. In the desert for just over six months, Anthony Swofford experienced all the joys and sorrows of life—excitement, joy, loneliness, boredom, anger, and despair. He grew rapidly from a young boy into a man. Upon returning home, as the sacred mantle of a hero gradually faded, he was constantly plagued by feelings of loneliness. Thus, he wrote this memoir. The book uses a non-linear narrative with flashbacks, employing vivid and humorous language to record the true mental world of American soldiers during the Second Gulf War, recreating a unforgettable history and telling a poignant story.