All the Ruined Men, Bill Glose
All the Ruined Men, Bill Glose
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All the Ruined Men
Stories

Author: Bill Glose

Narrator: Shawn Compton

Unabridged: 8 hr 47 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/02/2022


Synopsis

For fans of Phil Klay, Kevin Powers, and Tim O'Brien: Dramatic, powerful, authentic short stories of soldiers fighting a "forever war," in combat and back home.

Combat takes a different toll on each soldier; so does coming home. All the Ruined Men by Bill Glose comprises linked stories that show veterans struggling for normalcy as they grapple with flashbacks, injuries (both physical and psychological), damaged relationships, loss of faith, and loss of memory. Beginning in 2003, All the Ruined Men spans ten years, from the confident beginning of America’s “forever war” to the confusion and disillusionment that followed.

As a former paratrooper and Gulf War veteran, author Bill Glose is closely bound to these stories. Drawing from his own experiences and military knowledge, Glose presents a cast of complex and sympathetic characters: young men who embraced what seemed like a war of just cause, who trained and fought and lived and died together, and who have returned to families, wives, children, civilian life, and an America that has lost its way.

Unforgettable, moving, filled with moments of anguish, doubt, love, hope, and other emotions, All the Ruined Men is a singular debut collection.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

About Bill Glose

Bill Glose is a combat veteran and former paratrooper. He is the author of several books of poetry, including Postscript to War and Virginia Walkabout. His magazine articles, stories, poems, and essays have appeared in numerous publications, including The Missouri Review, The Sun, Narrative Magazine, and The Writer. Glose received the F. Scott Fitzgerald Short Story Award, the Robert Bausch Fiction Award, and the Dateline Award for Excellence in Journalism. Glose was named the Daily Press Poet Laureate in 2011 and featured by NPR on The Writer’s Almanac in 2017.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Donna on April 02, 2022

In a few short stories get a harsh look at a few soldiers war experiences which give a better understanding of the crazy thoughts exploding in their heads.#ALLTHERUINEDMEN......more

Goodreads review by Terry on May 13, 2022

What an amazing, intriguing book. I normally do not read this genre, but I am so glad that I did. The way that the stories are woven together yet can be read on their own is just one of its strong points. Glose uses enough detail that you know he was there, in Iraq, but does not use so much gore tha......more

Goodreads review by Stacy on July 06, 2022

This book was surprisingly well-written. Yes, it is about soldiers, but it is also eloquent while seemingly realistic. It may trigger those who have had traumatic experiences, but it was an interesting read.......more

Goodreads review by Nick on June 17, 2023

"So little to kill a man. Just a pause between breaths. And five pounds of pressure." Bill Glose is a poet. Seriously. He's published multiple books of poems. All the Ruined Men is his first collection of short stories, and I hope it's not his last. Like poetry, his stories cut to the bone. They're d......more

Goodreads review by Derek on September 22, 2022

I'm a fan of short story collections that double as novels. Every piece has to work independently, yet the separate parts must also interlock to tell a larger, cumulative story. This is a wonderful example of the genre: Glose, a sharp observer and a superb writer, pulls off the trick beautifully. Wh......more


Quotes

“Through these heartfelt stories Bill Glose shatters the myth of the tight-lipped, stoic veteran.” —Will Mackin, author of Bring Out the Dog

"Brutally honest.... An important book all Americans should read to understand the fallout from twenty years of continuous war." —Brian Castner, author of The Long Walk

"Searing, evocative, masterfully told." —Mark Treanor, author of A Quiet Cadence

"This accomplished book is more than a collection of war tales. It's a reckoning." —Matt Gallagher, author of Empire City and Youngblood

"Glose rivets the reader’s attention with gritty, convincing detail...A tribute to those whose lives were wrecked by fighting in America’s longest war, All the Ruined Men is one of the most moving collections I’ve ever read." —David Poyer, author of Violent Peace and Heroes of Annapolis