From the Publisher
An unforgettable story of female soldiers breaking the brass ceiling. The women who answered America’s call to serve show that our military is stronger when it engages both halves of the population. This book will inspire you and remind you of the power that comes with defying limits.” — Sheryl Sandberg, author of Lean In
“Fascinating and often moving, Ashley’s War follows one of the early groups of women who volunteered to serve alongside special operations soldiers, vividly portraying their training, their early missions as they learn their jobs, their bonds of friendship, and their reckoning with the toll of war. Remarkable.” — Phil Klay, author of Redeployment
“Gayle Tzemach Lemmon expertly gives readers an inside look at what it takes to work alongside America’s elite forces. The book is a gripping, moving, and well-told war story, but more importantly it offers the first glimpse into a historic program.” — Kevin Maurer, author of Gentlemen Bastards
“Lemmon has done her homework. . . . She is a strong and capable guide. . . . With a fine eye for detail, she shows us what set this program apart.” — Foreign Policy
“A tremendous story. . . . Very moving.” — The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
“Ashley’s War shares the remarkable stories of one of the first teams of women serving in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. This team forged the path for American women who serve in harm’s way all over the world and continue to make the ultimate sacrifice.” — Senator John McCain
“Ashley’s War quietly grips the reader with the untold story of a small group of women selected to serve in combat alongside the US’s best soldiers. . . . Rich storytelling. . . . Compelling. . . . In battle as in life, these women refuse to quit.” — Christian Science Monitor
“Remarkable.” — New Yorker
“[A] transporting, enlightening book. . . The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is a fascinating window on Afghan life under the Taliban and a celebration of women the world over who support their loved ones with tenacity, inventiveness and sheer guts.” — People
Sheryl Sandberg
An unforgettable story of female soldiers breaking the brass ceiling. The women who answered America’s call to serve show that our military is stronger when it engages both halves of the population. This book will inspire you and remind you of the power that comes with defying limits.
New Yorker
Remarkable.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
A tremendous story. . . . Very moving.
Foreign Policy
Lemmon has done her homework. . . . She is a strong and capable guide. . . . With a fine eye for detail, she shows us what set this program apart.
People
[A] transporting, enlightening book. . . The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is a fascinating window on Afghan life under the Taliban and a celebration of women the world over who support their loved ones with tenacity, inventiveness and sheer guts.
Senator John McCain
Ashley’s War shares the remarkable stories of one of the first teams of women serving in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. This team forged the path for American women who serve in harm’s way all over the world and continue to make the ultimate sacrifice.
Kevin Maurer
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon expertly gives readers an inside look at what it takes to work alongside America’s elite forces. The book is a gripping, moving, and well-told war story, but more importantly it offers the first glimpse into a historic program.
Phil Klay
Fascinating and often moving, Ashley’s War follows one of the early groups of women who volunteered to serve alongside special operations soldiers, vividly portraying their training, their early missions as they learn their jobs, their bonds of friendship, and their reckoning with the toll of war. Remarkable.
Christian Science Monitor
Ashley’s War quietly grips the reader with the untold story of a small group of women selected to serve in combat alongside the US’s best soldiers. . . . Rich storytelling. . . . Compelling. . . . In battle as in life, these women refuse to quit.
Christian Science Monitor
Ashley’s War quietly grips the reader with the untold story of a small group of women selected to serve in combat alongside the US’s best soldiers. . . . Rich storytelling. . . . Compelling. . . . In battle as in life, these women refuse to quit.
Foreign Policy
Lemmon has done her homework. . . . She is a strong and capable guide. . . . With a fine eye for detail, she shows us what set this program apart.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
A tremendous story. . . . Very moving.
Library Journal
07/01/2015
Journalist Lemmon (The Dressmaker of Khair Khana) delivers an inspiring account of the women chosen by the U.S. Army to serve as combat agents during the conflict in Afghanistan. By 2010, the army recognized that it could no longer ignore the need for female operatives to help gather intelligence in this war zone. (Cultural differences virtually forbid male personnel from approaching Afghan women.) As a result, a program for female soldiers to work alongside army rangers and other special operation units as cultural support teams (CST) was developed. Though women were officially banned from ground combat, the CST program allowed for these highly trained females to assist in treacherous battlefield Intel missions. At the center of this story is First Lt. Ashley White, an unassuming young American whose dedication, strength, and courage forged a path for her peers who also desired the recognition and respect that military service can bring. The increasing scope of the work of women in the armed forces has been explored by such insightful works as Helen Thorpe's Soldier Girls. VERDICT This compassionate and intimate exposé addressing the female battlefield experience will resonate with readers interested in the woman warriors of today's military.—Mary Jennings, Camano Island Lib., WA
