Powerful and approachable…Effortlessly straddling the genres of memoir and military history, Always Faithful is a standout among the literature emanating from America’s two-decade conflict in Afghanistan…. It is a must-read for those hoping to come to terms with our Afghanistan endeavors.” — Washington Examiner
“This tense and riveting true-life thriller will leave readers with an enduring respect for both men as Schueman and Zaki bring to life America's legacy in Afghanistan and the debt owed to our allies there who risked their lives to support our mission in the hope of a brighter future for their long-beleaguered country.” — Booklist (starred review)
“An affecting memoir that weaves its way through bullets, explosives, and red tape.” — Kirkus Reviews
“[I]t would be wise for us to remember the lessons contained in Always Faithful…Like all the most prolific war stories from probably the Iliad onward, the book is at its heart the story of warriors, a retelling of the hero’s journey through modern combat’s unique complexities, and a vignette of “our war” that will speak to many.” — Small Wars Journals
“A moving narrative about the power of belief and what it truly means to adhere to a principle….Always Faithful is the story America desperately needs right now.” — Task and Purpose
In plain old good writing, this book tells how two individuals fought the forces of the Taliban, Afghan corruption, and U.S. government bureaucracy to bring one interpreter’s family to safety and freedom. It is a gripping and poignant story of quiet heroism, with a hair-raising ending. You will finish this book feeling triumphant for the few that got out, and angry and sad for the many we shamefully left behind. — Karl Marlantes, author of Matterhorn, What It Is Like to Go to War, and Deep River
Schueman and Zaki offer a haunting account of the courage and sacrifices of U.S. troops alongside their Afghan partners over the past two decades. Amid the backdrop of America’s longest war in history and hopes out of reach, their stories are a testament to the enduring human spirit. — U.S. Senator Dick Durbin
A tremendous look inside the relationships forged in combat and the dedication and sacrifice of the Afghans and Marines who served side by side to gain a better future for Afghanistan. This book is honest, compelling, and full of suspense. This book is Honor, Courage, and Commitment at its finest. — Lieutenant General Lori Reynolds, United States Marine Corps (retired), former Deputy Commandant for Information
A classic, heartwarming story of two hardened warriors, one Afghan and the other American, who keep faith with each other and emerge triumphant from impending death. This incredible rescue shows what determined Americans can accomplish, despite government incompetence. A fitting metaphor for America’s longest and most bungled war. — Bing West, bestselling author of The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War
Wars are full of fascinating stories. As part literary memoir and part thriller, Always Faithful certainly is one of those. It’s a book that demands attention. By telling the story from both an American and an Afghan perspective, Always Faithful offers a unique view within the literature of America’s post-9/11 wars, which often lacks the voices of the people most affected. As we contemplate the meaning and value of twenty years of war, Tom Schueman and Zainullah Zaki offer us a path to understand the human cost of service in Afghanistan and the inherent bonds of our shared humanity. — Steven Pressfield, bestselling author of Gates of Fire and A Man at Arms
2022-07-13
A Marine officer moves heaven and earth to bring his interpreter to the U.S. from Afghanistan.
Schueman’s memoir, jointly written with in-country interpreter Zaki, opens with a death threat, as a Taliban militiaman threatens Zaki: “We are coming for you, infidel.” He had good reason to take the threat seriously, for, as Schueman notes, the statistics are grim. “Advocates for Afghan interpreters,” he writes, “put the number assassinated by the Taliban over the course of the war somewhere between 300 and 1,000.” For all his faithful service, which saved the lives of many Americans in the field, Zaki faced formidable bureaucratic hurdles. For one thing, his term as what is called “mission essential personnel” was supposed to last for a year, but he fell short by a couple of months even though he worked as an interpreter for three years. The recommendation for a visa also had to come from a general officer, though Schueman, working every angle, found a workaround. Still, it took some potentially career-ending skulduggery, recruiting high-powered allies and building a strong network among the brass, to move Zaki ahead in line. The Taliban threat continued to the very end as he and his family tried to get inside the gates of the Kabul airport. Schueman makes a strong case in support of the argument that finally won Zaki his deliverance. “Zak was another attachment with a capability I needed, like a machine gunner or a sniper,” he writes in the utilitarian way of a war fighter. For his part, Zaki wanted to go to the U.S. less to save his own life than to be able to make a living. “In Afghan culture,” he writes, “a man’s value is tied to how he provides for his family. If I could not do that in Afghanistan, I would have to try to do it somewhere else.”
An affecting memoir that weaves its way through bullets, explosives, and red tape.
