The Sandbox project began in October 2006 as a U.S. military blog (aka “milblog”), sponsored by Doonesbury creator Gary Trudeau and the online magazine Slate. Editor David Stanford compiled the stories and essays into a book, THE SANDBOX: Dispatches from Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he describes as “…the unclassified details of deployment -- the everyday, the extraordinary, the wonderful, the messed-up, the absurd…” The result is a day-to-day chronicle of war, minus the policy wonks and political spin.

Is this book suited to the Young Adult audience? The answer’s as complex as this collection of essays.

THE SANDBOX will appeal to all readers who want to know what it really means to lay your life on the line, to support the troops and be supported by them. 
A good number of today’s young adult readers may someday enlist or, God forbid, get drafted. For that reason alone, THE SANDBOX may well be one of the most important books of our time. It’s a boot camp experience for the uninitiated, arming readers with foxhole-level knowledge about the realities and consequences of war. To be sure, it touches on some adult content, and the language isn’t muted. But war is hell, uncensored, and this book isn’t any different.

In raw detail, these essays describe what it’s like to lose your personal independence, to become a rank-and-file entity in a foreign land, fighting battles much larger than yourself. It’s for those who’d rather hear the authentic voices of “boots-on-the-ground” than the rhetoric of those who would manipulate the facts to their own advantage. And it's also for those who believe (or may come to know) that supporting the troops means listening to them, that supporting the war and supporting the troops can mean far different things.

THE SANDBOX offers a mosaic of differing perspectives, written with varying levels of intensity by people from many walks of life. Although each individual essay is compelling, the real power and meaning is written into the collective body of work. I chose not to excerpt my favorite passages for that very reason. 

“I think the wars are just too remote for people’s minds,” Trudeau said. “They see two, three minutes on the evening news, maybe, if they don’t look away.” Written into these unflinching essays is an unprecedented opportunity for discovery and introspection, for young adult and mature readers whose hearts and minds are truly open. 

A contest! THE SANDBOX is a fundraiser for Fisher House, which hosts families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. I plan to donate a copy to my local library. I’d also like to offer you an opportunity to earn a copy for yourself (or a recipient of your choosing). 

To enter this contest, just post a comment to this blog by Saturday evening, December 15 (8 p.m. PST, 11 p.m. EST). I’ll enter your name twice if you mention the book on your own blog and link back to this review. (Be sure to leave a link in the comments, to let me know you’ve done so.) This offer’s open to those who follow the rules and live in Canada or the U.S. My blog screens anonymous entries, so please be patient if your comment doesn't show up right away. If you're not a member of Live Journal, please leave an email address where you can be reached if you win.