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Ryan Smithson

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

https://www.patreon.com/AuthorSmithson

Twitter

AuthorSmithson

Genre

Young Adult, Memoir, Fiction

Member Since

July 2016

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Ryan Smithson served with the Army Corps of Engineers from 2004–2005 in Iraq where he conducted road repair, base fortifications, and various earth-moving operations. When he came home, he went to college on the GI Bill and began writing about his war experiences. With the encouragement of a professor, he kept writing and eventually published his memoir, "Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI" (HarperCollins, 2009).

He has had several short stories and poems published in various journals and anthologies, and enjoys visiting schools to talk with young people about writing, war, and life. He wrote a play, "10 Klicks South of Whiskey" for his Master's thesis, and he was lucky enough to see it produced at Averill Park High School in ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

Would you still have joined the Army Reserves if 9\11 never happened?

Ryan Smithson It's impossible to know for sure, but probably not. I didn't come from one of those families where everyone serves. I didn't even own GI Joes as a kid…moreIt's impossible to know for sure, but probably not. I didn't come from one of those families where everyone serves. I didn't even own GI Joes as a kid. It was a pretty spontaneous decision that was largely influenced by my wanting to do something for the cause.(less)

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Hello Ryan I read your book Ghosts of War and i just wanted to say i really enjoyed it Thank you for your service. A question i have is what was your best part of being a war? and do you still keep in touch with anyone from the war. Your story was very inspiring to me

Ryan Smithson Hi Julie, thanks for reading! I’d say the best part of my deployment were the people I met and the bonds formed through encountering that experience t…moreHi Julie, thanks for reading! I’d say the best part of my deployment were the people I met and the bonds formed through encountering that experience together. I do keep in touch with people from the platoon. Time and life has a way of creating some distance, but social media helps me stay up on what everyone is doing. I also get the occasional opportunity to get together with some of the soldiers I served with, and it’s always like we just picked up where we left off and we haven’t been apart for 16 years!. (less)

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Ryan Smithson’s books

Average rating: 4.06 · 1,503 ratings · 395 reviews · 6 distinct works • Similar authors

	Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI 4.05 avg rating — 1,484 ratings — published 2009 — 21 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	10 Klicks South of Whiskey 4.55 avg rating — 11 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors by Susan Swartwout (Editor), Ryan Smithson (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.33 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors, Volume 2 (Partners in the Military-service Literature) by Susan Swartwout (Editor), Ryan Smithson (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Slate Run Annual by Edward K. Ryan (Goodreads Author), Ness Boers, Katie Burns 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Slate Run Annual - Volume 2 by Edward K Ryan, Daniel P Bear, Colleen Maloney 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Ryan Smithson (?)

“If I don't do something who will?”
― Ryan Smithson, Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI

10 likes

“The way our efforts are shunned, at first we don't care. In a way it makes us proud. It's humility. And selfless service is truly selfless if you're never recognized.”
― Ryan Smithson

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“For me, the future was a complete paradox. One one hand [..] teachers were pushing that 'know what you want to do for the rest of your life' attitude. Yet, on the other hand I wanted to stay a kid. Parents and teachers were so intimidating when they talked about the 'real world' and taxes and mortgages and bills and insurance. With freedom comes responsibility and I wasn't sure if I was ready for all that.”
― Ryan Smithson, Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI

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