His other struggle comes from his profession. As a journalist, he is uncomfortable being part of the story rather than covering it. It leads him to believe that the practice of embedding reporters with military units is not worth the cost. He ultimately feels that the only thing that he learned from being embedded was "what it meant to be wounded in action." Yet, to Weisskopf, that also meant that "I crossed the line from observer to participant.
While it is understandable why a journalist would be uncomfortable crossing that line, there is a distinctive benefit in this case. Weisskopf's experience made him uniquely qualified to tell the story of Ward 57 and, more importantly, provide a glimpse into the lives of some of the soliders treated there.
When it comes to Blood Brothers, where you stand on the war is totally irrelevant. Those who oppose the war may see the book as a tale of what happens to men and women sent to fight an ill-advised war. Those who support the war may see the book as an indelible tale of sacrifice. Neither side can contest that this is a story of courage and determination, not only by the amputees but also their families and those who provide medical care to them.
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Thanks for a great review of a powerful book.
2 - SFC SKI
I was in Iraq when the TIme reporter was injured, I often wondered just what he had gone on to do. Thanks for the review, I look forward to reading this book.
3 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!