War is something that has the ability to tear people apart. It changes your life and the lives of those you touch, especially if you are forced to be a party to the destruction that is caused. However, more often then not if you are not a party to the war it has little affect on you, other than the price you pay at the pump.

Blood Brothers -Among the Soldiers of Ward 57 is not a book that details the horrors of war. It is however, a book about loss, self-destruction, pain, and eventually healing. It shows what effects war can have on a person and why we should not take the little things for granted. It is powerful, shocking, and hopeful all at the same time.

The heart of the book deals with Michael Weisskopf and the fateful day in Iraq when he picked up a strange object that landed in his Humvee. Next thing he knew, he was waking up without his hand. He had picked up a grenade and it blew off his hand.

From here we take a trip to Ward 57 in Washington’s Walter Reed Hospital. Like many other men, many detailed in Blood Brothers, Weisskopf was moved to the amputee wing.

Amputees make up 3% of wounded soldiers in the Iraq War. This is double the amount that has occurred in other wars. Blood Brothers lets each reader in to see the true desperation and shock that occurs for these brave men and women on their path to healing.

As you move through this perfectly crafted account by Weisskopf, you learn about the struggles that come with being forced to re-learn to use your muscles, the aggravation that comes with being a prisoner in an unorganized hospital, and the stress of the entire situation from being in the war and learning to live in an entirely different way.

We go through the events, as much as we can, as Weisskopf asks why he picked up the grenade and why it had to happen to him. We also see the pain involved in the struggles of the other men that are there with him, every step of the way. Every man goes through a different struggle, which is much like life.

Some of them are used and abused. Some of them are allowed to heal. Some are simply forgotten. However, all of them have their stories told in some capacity in Blood Brothers.

As good as Blood Brothers was to me, and as sad as I often found it, I feel it is a harsh reality that is not suited for all people. It is devastatingly gripping and will be a hard pill for some to swallow. Although, it is definitely worth reading, not everyone will want to pick this book up. However, if you get the chance to read this, you should because people need to see what war does to those who leave it before their duty or time is up.

Bottom Line: Blood Brothers is a book that needs to be read by people that are concerned about what the war does to people. It is a frightening look into the reality of post-traumatic stress, war, and amputees. If you want to see the true cost of war, consider reading Blood Brothers, the message is unforgettable.

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