American Soldier
By Tommy R. Franks
Read by Tommy R. Franks

      In American Soldier, Retired General Tommy Franks shares the highlights of his childhood, his college days, his enlistment, his marriage and his war days. Franks credits his father for leading him in the right direction and teaching his the meaning of integrity. His family started in Oklahoma and eventually moved to Texas. His service brought him to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he met his future bride.

      Franks takes us though his Army days, sharing the horrors of Vietnam, the backlash of the anti-war movement and how it affected morale. He goes into the Desert Storm war, the attack on Afghanistan, and the invasion of Iraq.

     The General writes extensively about Iraq. He shares how the operation went and how the cable news media, with their side-line generals, reported their second-guessed opinions instead of waiting for the facts. He talks about his Commander-in-Chief, Rice, Powell, Rumsfeld, and others. He is frank in his opinion of team players and self-seekers.

     Franks’ life as a career solider has some fascinating highlights. The most outstanding sections are those on Iraq. If you want to know the truth about the first two years of the invasion, read this book.

      The General reads the audio book version. It’s almost like a briefing, and there is plenty of military slang. The reading starts out slow, but picks up speed fairly quickly. Without a doubt, this is a fascinating listen.