Book Review: The Sandbox

My husband is not a sharer.  He doesn't generally talk about his feelings and he rarely has chips to cash.  He doesn't have an ounce of blogger in him, no interest in all at writing for private or public.

So reading The Sandbox was a treat for me: it's a window into deployment and my husband's life.

The solemn and sobering stories are always important to read, but with my husband already deployed, what I really appreciated was the humor.  I loved Matt Smenos trying to explain "I Dream Of Jeannie" to his interpreter.  I loved the conversations Doug Traversa had with Hamid.  I chuckled hearing about Eric Coulson's roundabout ride to the airport, knowing my husband has done the same. 

And I really was tickled pink to learn about Jingle Trucks.

I enjoyed reading this book very much.  I caught glimpses of my husband in these stories and felt a little closer to what he must experience each time he deploys.  I think that every time I read another blog post about war, I get a little closer to understanding what our spouses go through while they're gone.

I definitely recommend the book and The Sandbox blog.

If you'd like to learn more about the book, you can listen to our archived SpouseBUZZ radio show interview with editor David Stanford.