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Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet
“A compelling and unflinchingly personal story about his winding road toward wholeness and healing.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This blend of deep self-investigation and vivid boots-on-the-ground scenecraft sets Downriver apart.” —BookLife Reviews (⚡️Editor’s Pick)
“A valuable addition to the corpus of veterans’ voices in the world reshaped by 9/11.” — IndieReader (IR Approved)
A leader forged in combat. A soul tested by loss. A journey back to what matters most.
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet follows Ryan McDermott from the front lines of the 2003 Iraq invasion-where he led an armored platoon into Baghdad under fire-to the heart of the 2008 financial crisis on Wall Street. In gripping, fast-paced scenes, McDermott reveals the intensity of modern warfare, the weight of leadership, and the hidden battles that follow soldiers home.
But this isn't just a war story.
It's about what happens after the mission-when the uniforms are packed away, the adrenaline fades, and a man is left to face the fractures within. As McDermott confronts the collapse of his marriage, the burden of trauma, and the search for meaning beyond achievement, he shares a deeply personal story of rebuilding, resilience, and redemption.
Interwoven with battlefield-born poetry and raw reflection, Downriver is a memoir for anyone who has fought for their identity-on the battlefield or in their own life. It speaks to veterans, families, and readers who understand that the hardest part of war is often coming home.
“This blend of deep self-investigation and vivid boots-on-the-ground scenecraft sets Downriver apart.” —BookLife Reviews (⚡️Editor’s Pick)
“A valuable addition to the corpus of veterans’ voices in the world reshaped by 9/11.” — IndieReader (IR Approved)
A leader forged in combat. A soul tested by loss. A journey back to what matters most.
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet follows Ryan McDermott from the front lines of the 2003 Iraq invasion-where he led an armored platoon into Baghdad under fire-to the heart of the 2008 financial crisis on Wall Street. In gripping, fast-paced scenes, McDermott reveals the intensity of modern warfare, the weight of leadership, and the hidden battles that follow soldiers home.
But this isn't just a war story.
It's about what happens after the mission-when the uniforms are packed away, the adrenaline fades, and a man is left to face the fractures within. As McDermott confronts the collapse of his marriage, the burden of trauma, and the search for meaning beyond achievement, he shares a deeply personal story of rebuilding, resilience, and redemption.
Interwoven with battlefield-born poetry and raw reflection, Downriver is a memoir for anyone who has fought for their identity-on the battlefield or in their own life. It speaks to veterans, families, and readers who understand that the hardest part of war is often coming home.
294 pages, Hardcover
Published May 20, 2025
6 people are currently reading
2635 people want to read
About the author
Ryan McDermott
1 book20 followersRyan P. McDermott is an executive in the aerospace and defense industry and a former senior Pentagon official, specializing in national security policy, finance, and government relations. A US Army veteran, he served from 2000 to 2006, leading a platoon into combat with the 3rd Infantry Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and earned the Ranger tab and Combat Infantryman Badge. Following military service, McDermott transitioned to Wall Street and Lehman Brothers before its 2008 collapse.A West Point graduate, McDermott holds an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia and an MA in security studies from Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 19, 2025
This is not just a memoir; it is also poetry, it is also the voice of someone who has persevered and followed his dreams, and has overcome difficulties that many would have succumbed to.
The author shares his tough upbringing in a dysfunctional family, filled with alcoholism and mental health struggles, and growing up fatherless, it is admirable that he managed to not fall victim to the same fate as many children/teenagers in this situation would have gone to drugs or simply gone down the wrong path. It just shows how having a support system and strong will can turn your life around if only those kids had someone to believe in them and give them a helping hand. In his case, the author was lucky to have had his friend and his family that have taken care of him as if he were their own son when his mother was admitted to a mental hospital against her will and he was left pretty much on his own and on the streets as they were also evicted.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
We follow the journey as Ryan goes to Ranger school, and we see how this was something he had always wanted to do, and how he consequently joined the army, and later on goes to business school. How he falls in love with Lucy, his former wife, and soon after he becomes a father, he is being deployed for an undisclosed amount of time. Then his own family falls apart, and he has to deal with the consequences that life throws at him. With three children, managing finances, a family life, whilst studying and fighting demons of your own is never an easy thing to do, and quite honestly, a recipe for disaster..
I really liked that the author included actual photos of some of the key moments for him, so we could experience the book on another, more personal and intimate level.
Going to war is difficult; it leaves you scars that one never thought would ever get to receive, and one would think that those scars heal and would be forgotten about soon enough. These are scars that cut deep into your soul, mind and heart, and no matter how much medicine and how many bandages one puts on them, they will never heal. They will reopen and start bleeding again as soon as you think they're healed... This is what the author presents to us: the battlefield scars and the PTSD that so, if not all, then at least 99% of the soldiers will eventually get to have, but he also shows us how he navigated that river with its rapids and ups and downs and turns.
Overall, this book was a solid 4-star read for me. It was a journey of one person who fought for his country, but was left fighting a battle of his own afterwards, of someone who pushes through and is a warrior with wounds, but does not give up. About a father, a man, a husband, a friend... I don't live in America, and I am no American, but I surely appreciate how tough being in the army actually is and what it entails. To all of you who have served: Thank you! To all of you who are going to: Godspeed and may you return safely to your loved ones!
The author shares his tough upbringing in a dysfunctional family, filled with alcoholism and mental health struggles, and growing up fatherless, it is admirable that he managed to not fall victim to the same fate as many children/teenagers in this situation would have gone to drugs or simply gone down the wrong path. It just shows how having a support system and strong will can turn your life around if only those kids had someone to believe in them and give them a helping hand. In his case, the author was lucky to have had his friend and his family that have taken care of him as if he were their own son when his mother was admitted to a mental hospital against her will and he was left pretty much on his own and on the streets as they were also evicted.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
We follow the journey as Ryan goes to Ranger school, and we see how this was something he had always wanted to do, and how he consequently joined the army, and later on goes to business school. How he falls in love with Lucy, his former wife, and soon after he becomes a father, he is being deployed for an undisclosed amount of time. Then his own family falls apart, and he has to deal with the consequences that life throws at him. With three children, managing finances, a family life, whilst studying and fighting demons of your own is never an easy thing to do, and quite honestly, a recipe for disaster..
I really liked that the author included actual photos of some of the key moments for him, so we could experience the book on another, more personal and intimate level.
Going to war is difficult; it leaves you scars that one never thought would ever get to receive, and one would think that those scars heal and would be forgotten about soon enough. These are scars that cut deep into your soul, mind and heart, and no matter how much medicine and how many bandages one puts on them, they will never heal. They will reopen and start bleeding again as soon as you think they're healed... This is what the author presents to us: the battlefield scars and the PTSD that so, if not all, then at least 99% of the soldiers will eventually get to have, but he also shows us how he navigated that river with its rapids and ups and downs and turns.
Overall, this book was a solid 4-star read for me. It was a journey of one person who fought for his country, but was left fighting a battle of his own afterwards, of someone who pushes through and is a warrior with wounds, but does not give up. About a father, a man, a husband, a friend... I don't live in America, and I am no American, but I surely appreciate how tough being in the army actually is and what it entails. To all of you who have served: Thank you! To all of you who are going to: Godspeed and may you return safely to your loved ones!
April 27, 2025
Author Ryan McDermott wrote a fantastic book!! Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Pote is outstanding!!
April 23, 2025
In Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet, Ryan McDermott recounts his life and quest for purpose and an elusive feeling of belonging prior to, during, and following war. It also depicts his aching need for love, a family, and redemption from his traumatic background.
Following a teacher-recommended IQ test, Ryan was deemed intelligent and placed in the gifted program at a young age. He was raised by a single mother who did her best to compensate for the absence of his biological father, which left a gap in his life that he would struggle with for years. In his junior year, he acquired a strong desire to enroll in the US Military Academy. He went on to receive a nomination to train as a cadet at West Point, which he considered as a much-needed diversion from his past. It also provided a quiet setting for him to examine his identity, spirituality, and aspirations of the love he desired, as well as to make sense of the internal and external struggles he was going through.
The difficulties he faced on his way to become an officer would put his willpower to the test and profoundly alter his character. He completed the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course before returning to the regular Army, where he was assigned to head a platoon. During this time, he fell in love, prompting a fast proposal in the hopes that the love would provide stability and fill the gaps left by the past.
Later events depict him serving in Iraq, where he experienced severe despair due to separation from his family. His nights were plagued by nightmares in the most terrible way possible as the volatility of the war increased. His motivation nevertheless remained heavily centered on serving diligently and safely bringing his soldiers home. He had no idea, however, how hard this would be, how complex it would be to return to civilian life, or how his choices in the future would fundamentally change his understanding of the American dream.
This tale emerges as more than a single man's ordeal; rather, it is a truthful ode to the tenacity and will of troops as well as the unspoken consequences of war. It depicts the author's entanglement in its jaws, the trauma's progression into a cycle, and the impact this had on him. The narrative skillfully demonstrates how he viewed the military as a means of achieving his goal of becoming successful, how the occupation affected his fragility, and how, as a mama's boy, it impacted his masculinity. It is noteworthy for its deep themes of pain relief by engaging in worthy exercises which not only helped him survive but also shaped a completely new him.
The metaphor "Downriver" has been used consistently in this narrative to convey a profound meaning to everyday life. It emphasizes a critical principle that is sure to assist any reader caught up in dismal circumstances. It also serves as a mirror through which one may look at their own challenges in a new light, with searing honesty through which the seemingly impossible will become possible.
Quill says: What sets Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet apart is McDermott's use of poetry and creative writing as a fantastic healing tool. He has made remarkable use of the art to accurately but simply convey his poignant experiences, both by himself and with other soldiers who share his bravery. He has also expertly presented his experiences in an eloquent and reflective manner, using analogies to enhance them all while demonstrating his ingenuity. This is not a book to pass up; rather, it is a tool for re-channeling one's pain and grief for a greater benefit.
Following a teacher-recommended IQ test, Ryan was deemed intelligent and placed in the gifted program at a young age. He was raised by a single mother who did her best to compensate for the absence of his biological father, which left a gap in his life that he would struggle with for years. In his junior year, he acquired a strong desire to enroll in the US Military Academy. He went on to receive a nomination to train as a cadet at West Point, which he considered as a much-needed diversion from his past. It also provided a quiet setting for him to examine his identity, spirituality, and aspirations of the love he desired, as well as to make sense of the internal and external struggles he was going through.
The difficulties he faced on his way to become an officer would put his willpower to the test and profoundly alter his character. He completed the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course before returning to the regular Army, where he was assigned to head a platoon. During this time, he fell in love, prompting a fast proposal in the hopes that the love would provide stability and fill the gaps left by the past.
Later events depict him serving in Iraq, where he experienced severe despair due to separation from his family. His nights were plagued by nightmares in the most terrible way possible as the volatility of the war increased. His motivation nevertheless remained heavily centered on serving diligently and safely bringing his soldiers home. He had no idea, however, how hard this would be, how complex it would be to return to civilian life, or how his choices in the future would fundamentally change his understanding of the American dream.
This tale emerges as more than a single man's ordeal; rather, it is a truthful ode to the tenacity and will of troops as well as the unspoken consequences of war. It depicts the author's entanglement in its jaws, the trauma's progression into a cycle, and the impact this had on him. The narrative skillfully demonstrates how he viewed the military as a means of achieving his goal of becoming successful, how the occupation affected his fragility, and how, as a mama's boy, it impacted his masculinity. It is noteworthy for its deep themes of pain relief by engaging in worthy exercises which not only helped him survive but also shaped a completely new him.
The metaphor "Downriver" has been used consistently in this narrative to convey a profound meaning to everyday life. It emphasizes a critical principle that is sure to assist any reader caught up in dismal circumstances. It also serves as a mirror through which one may look at their own challenges in a new light, with searing honesty through which the seemingly impossible will become possible.
Quill says: What sets Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet apart is McDermott's use of poetry and creative writing as a fantastic healing tool. He has made remarkable use of the art to accurately but simply convey his poignant experiences, both by himself and with other soldiers who share his bravery. He has also expertly presented his experiences in an eloquent and reflective manner, using analogies to enhance them all while demonstrating his ingenuity. This is not a book to pass up; rather, it is a tool for re-channeling one's pain and grief for a greater benefit.
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June 29, 2025MWSA Review
Ryan McDermott pulls no punches in detailing his struggles, failures, and the need for love that shaped him as a son, cadet, soldier, husband, and father. When he escapes his dysfunctional family to attend West Point, everything seems right—he graduates, marries, and becomes a father. Then he deploys with the Third Infantry Division to spearhead the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Through a series of counseling sessions and soul searching, McDermott exposes and examines the traumas that limited his ability to be a caring and present husband and father. His use of poetry, written over the years to express emotion and longing, sets McDermott’s heartfelt Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet apart as a true work of art.
Review by Brad Huestis (June 2025)
Ryan McDermott pulls no punches in detailing his struggles, failures, and the need for love that shaped him as a son, cadet, soldier, husband, and father. When he escapes his dysfunctional family to attend West Point, everything seems right—he graduates, marries, and becomes a father. Then he deploys with the Third Infantry Division to spearhead the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Through a series of counseling sessions and soul searching, McDermott exposes and examines the traumas that limited his ability to be a caring and present husband and father. His use of poetry, written over the years to express emotion and longing, sets McDermott’s heartfelt Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet apart as a true work of art.
Review by Brad Huestis (June 2025)
June 14, 2025
A great look at life, love, and loss through the eyes of a warrior poet who candidly shares his thoughts, feelings, and life-long treasure trove of therapeutic poetry.
July 4, 2025
This book is like 3 stories in one, growing up, military service, and the aftermath. Luckily, my husband was in the military himself and could decipher some of the military jargon in the chapters describing the deployment for this civilian.. he actually got excited to remember his own mechanized infantry days/deployments with some of the entries I read him. This is a great book for anyone who wants to understand more about sacrifices made, lessons learned, and just life in general.
September 5, 2025
** I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway! **
BOOK COVER: When I received this book, I noticed immediately that it was a nice paperback printed on thicker pages - a book that will easily hold up to multiple reads. The artwork on the cover is lovely, and the book itself had been packaged very carefully in the shipping envelope; it had been hand-signed and even contained a personalized hand-written note from the author, Ryan McDermott. This was a beautiful touch and created an immediate human connection with the author.
CONTENT: This book was written from the heart and reads very smoothly. The author shares his story of early life, acceptance and graduation into/from U.S. Military Academy at West Point, officer commissioning and tours in the U.S. Army, as well as the trials of military life and the trauma it can create in the lives of those associated with it. As a military veteran/retiree myself, this memoir stirred up memories (good, bad, and indifferent). I appreciate the author sharing his vulnerable, human experience through the means of his poetry, periodic journal entries, and letters-to-home. Poetry in any form is often underappreciated and illuminates strong feelings; most people would be hesitant to share those feelings with others. Through poetry, we can see a different - sometimes extremely contrasting - side of the strong, fearless soldier.
PHOTOS: The author shares personal photos throughout the book to offer yet another inside look and form of connection.
BOOK COVER: When I received this book, I noticed immediately that it was a nice paperback printed on thicker pages - a book that will easily hold up to multiple reads. The artwork on the cover is lovely, and the book itself had been packaged very carefully in the shipping envelope; it had been hand-signed and even contained a personalized hand-written note from the author, Ryan McDermott. This was a beautiful touch and created an immediate human connection with the author.
CONTENT: This book was written from the heart and reads very smoothly. The author shares his story of early life, acceptance and graduation into/from U.S. Military Academy at West Point, officer commissioning and tours in the U.S. Army, as well as the trials of military life and the trauma it can create in the lives of those associated with it. As a military veteran/retiree myself, this memoir stirred up memories (good, bad, and indifferent). I appreciate the author sharing his vulnerable, human experience through the means of his poetry, periodic journal entries, and letters-to-home. Poetry in any form is often underappreciated and illuminates strong feelings; most people would be hesitant to share those feelings with others. Through poetry, we can see a different - sometimes extremely contrasting - side of the strong, fearless soldier.
PHOTOS: The author shares personal photos throughout the book to offer yet another inside look and form of connection.
October 27, 2025
A very inspiring book about the authors life, through life's joys, ups, downs, and ups again. Also some very wonderful poetry interspersed.
April 8, 2025
Ryan McDermott’s Downriver is a gripping, soul-baring journey through war, love, loss, and redemption. Told with brutal honesty and poetic depth, the memoir follows McDermott from his childhood in Florida through the invasion of Iraq, the collapse of his marriage, and the aftermath of a Wall Street crash—all woven together with heartfelt prose and stirring poetry. What sets Downriver apart is how it tackles both battlefield chaos and the quiet devastation of postwar life, showing that the real war often begins once the uniform comes off.
Right away, I was pulled in by how personal this book feels. McDermott doesn’t hold back. He opens with a harrowing moment—bruised and bloodied after a home invasion, alone in a city apartment, stripped of everything but memory. That raw vulnerability never lets up. He takes us through childhood in a fractured home, trying to make sense of who he is without a father. Chapters like “Foreclosing of a Dream” hit hard; the foreclosure wasn’t just on a house, but on his sense of stability and identity. It’s not often you read a military memoir that starts this far upstream, and I appreciated that McDermott let us walk with him through every bend of the river.
The writing, at times, just knocked the wind out of me. His use of poetry throughout—like the haunting “Remains of the Night”—adds emotional punch in all the right places. When he writes about leaving for war in “Saying Goodbye,” or about the surreal emptiness of returning home in “Coming Home,” I didn’t feel like a reader. I felt like I was there, sitting beside him, taking the same blows. His style is clean and unpretentious, yet layered with meaning. Even the way he describes seemingly mundane things—like living off canned tuna in a DC apartment—feels heavy with metaphor. This guy doesn’t just tell you what happened. He makes you feel why it mattered.
That said, it’s not all poetry and heartbreak. There’s grit here. There’s leadership, courage, and a whole lot of failure-turned-growth. I loved the chapters about his early military training, particularly “Becoming a Leader.” The scenes of combat are vivid but not glorified, and what stuck with me wasn’t the action but the moral gray zones, the toll on the soul. I saw echoes of The Things They Carried and even a bit of Catcher in the Rye, but with more sand, steel, and stock market crashes. When he pivots into his postwar life—working at Lehman Brothers during the 2008 collapse, then spiraling—it’s not a smooth arc. It’s jagged, messy, human. Just like real life.
In the end, this book left me with a deep respect for what veterans face—not just in uniform, but in the years that follow. Downriver isn’t just about surviving war. It’s about surviving everything after. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the emotional aftermath of war, or who’s ever felt lost and tried to find meaning through pain. It’s a must-read for fans of memoirs, veterans, poets, and anyone wondering what resilience really looks like when the river turns dark.
Right away, I was pulled in by how personal this book feels. McDermott doesn’t hold back. He opens with a harrowing moment—bruised and bloodied after a home invasion, alone in a city apartment, stripped of everything but memory. That raw vulnerability never lets up. He takes us through childhood in a fractured home, trying to make sense of who he is without a father. Chapters like “Foreclosing of a Dream” hit hard; the foreclosure wasn’t just on a house, but on his sense of stability and identity. It’s not often you read a military memoir that starts this far upstream, and I appreciated that McDermott let us walk with him through every bend of the river.
The writing, at times, just knocked the wind out of me. His use of poetry throughout—like the haunting “Remains of the Night”—adds emotional punch in all the right places. When he writes about leaving for war in “Saying Goodbye,” or about the surreal emptiness of returning home in “Coming Home,” I didn’t feel like a reader. I felt like I was there, sitting beside him, taking the same blows. His style is clean and unpretentious, yet layered with meaning. Even the way he describes seemingly mundane things—like living off canned tuna in a DC apartment—feels heavy with metaphor. This guy doesn’t just tell you what happened. He makes you feel why it mattered.
That said, it’s not all poetry and heartbreak. There’s grit here. There’s leadership, courage, and a whole lot of failure-turned-growth. I loved the chapters about his early military training, particularly “Becoming a Leader.” The scenes of combat are vivid but not glorified, and what stuck with me wasn’t the action but the moral gray zones, the toll on the soul. I saw echoes of The Things They Carried and even a bit of Catcher in the Rye, but with more sand, steel, and stock market crashes. When he pivots into his postwar life—working at Lehman Brothers during the 2008 collapse, then spiraling—it’s not a smooth arc. It’s jagged, messy, human. Just like real life.
In the end, this book left me with a deep respect for what veterans face—not just in uniform, but in the years that follow. Downriver isn’t just about surviving war. It’s about surviving everything after. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the emotional aftermath of war, or who’s ever felt lost and tried to find meaning through pain. It’s a must-read for fans of memoirs, veterans, poets, and anyone wondering what resilience really looks like when the river turns dark.
December 17, 2025
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet is a rare achievement, both a frontline account of modern warfare and a deeply introspective meditation on what it means to survive it. With literary precision and emotional restraint, Ryan McDermott delivers a memoir that stands comfortably beside the finest works in the genre, while carving out a voice entirely his own.
As a platoon leader in the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, McDermott fought in some of the conflict’s most pivotal engagements, including the Battle for Objective Peach and the seizure of Saddam International Airport. These moments, now studied by military historians, are rendered here not as spectacle, but as lived experience: chaotic, intimate, and morally complex. McDermott’s prose is measured and exact, conveying the gravity of command and the irreversible weight of decisions made under fire.
Yet Downriver refuses to confine itself to the battlefield. Its true power lies in what follows. After returning home, McDermott transitions to Wall Street, only to find himself caught in the collapse of Lehman Brothers during the 2008 financial crisis. This second unraveling, civilian, psychological, and deeply personal, mirrors the disorientation of postwar reintegration and exposes the quiet persistence of trauma beneath outward success.
McDermott writes with the sensitivity of a poet and the discipline of a soldier. His reflections on leadership, guilt, love, and identity are unflinching but never indulgent. The memoir’s fusion of narrative and poetic sensibility gives it a rhythmic depth that elevates the emotional impact without sacrificing clarity.
What distinguishes Downriver is its refusal to offer easy resolutions. Healing is portrayed as nonlinear, fragile, and ongoing. The book speaks not only to veterans and military families, but to anyone who has faced the challenge of rebuilding meaning after profound upheaval.
This is not simply a war memoir, it is a reckoning. Thoughtful, courageous, and beautifully written, Downriver lingers long after the final page, reminding readers that some battles follow us home, and that confronting them may be the bravest act of all.
As a platoon leader in the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, McDermott fought in some of the conflict’s most pivotal engagements, including the Battle for Objective Peach and the seizure of Saddam International Airport. These moments, now studied by military historians, are rendered here not as spectacle, but as lived experience: chaotic, intimate, and morally complex. McDermott’s prose is measured and exact, conveying the gravity of command and the irreversible weight of decisions made under fire.
Yet Downriver refuses to confine itself to the battlefield. Its true power lies in what follows. After returning home, McDermott transitions to Wall Street, only to find himself caught in the collapse of Lehman Brothers during the 2008 financial crisis. This second unraveling, civilian, psychological, and deeply personal, mirrors the disorientation of postwar reintegration and exposes the quiet persistence of trauma beneath outward success.
McDermott writes with the sensitivity of a poet and the discipline of a soldier. His reflections on leadership, guilt, love, and identity are unflinching but never indulgent. The memoir’s fusion of narrative and poetic sensibility gives it a rhythmic depth that elevates the emotional impact without sacrificing clarity.
What distinguishes Downriver is its refusal to offer easy resolutions. Healing is portrayed as nonlinear, fragile, and ongoing. The book speaks not only to veterans and military families, but to anyone who has faced the challenge of rebuilding meaning after profound upheaval.
This is not simply a war memoir, it is a reckoning. Thoughtful, courageous, and beautifully written, Downriver lingers long after the final page, reminding readers that some battles follow us home, and that confronting them may be the bravest act of all.
October 13, 2025
A soul stirring, brutally honest journey from battlefield to inner peace.
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet isn’t just another war memoir it’s an emotional excavation of what happens when the uniform comes off and the silence begins. Ryan McDermott writes with the precision of a soldier and the sensitivity of a poet, giving voice to the ghosts that too many veterans carry alone.
From the adrenaline charged streets of Baghdad to the sterile offices of Wall Street, McDermott’s story captures the collapse of ideals and the slow rebuilding of identity. His reflections on leadership, trauma, and fatherhood are raw yet beautifully written. Each page pulses with truth, grief, and, ultimately, grace.
What makes Downriver stand apart is its literary depth. McDermott doesn’t glorify war he dissects it. His prose is both poetic and piercing, the kind that stays with you long after you close the book.
If you’ve ever wondered what it means to come home from war, to wrestle with purpose, or to rebuild from brokenness, this memoir is essential reading. A profound, courageous, and unforgettable work.
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet isn’t just another war memoir it’s an emotional excavation of what happens when the uniform comes off and the silence begins. Ryan McDermott writes with the precision of a soldier and the sensitivity of a poet, giving voice to the ghosts that too many veterans carry alone.
From the adrenaline charged streets of Baghdad to the sterile offices of Wall Street, McDermott’s story captures the collapse of ideals and the slow rebuilding of identity. His reflections on leadership, trauma, and fatherhood are raw yet beautifully written. Each page pulses with truth, grief, and, ultimately, grace.
What makes Downriver stand apart is its literary depth. McDermott doesn’t glorify war he dissects it. His prose is both poetic and piercing, the kind that stays with you long after you close the book.
If you’ve ever wondered what it means to come home from war, to wrestle with purpose, or to rebuild from brokenness, this memoir is essential reading. A profound, courageous, and unforgettable work.
December 2, 2025
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet is a raw, disciplined, and deeply human account of what it means to lead in war, and survive the war that follows you home. Ryan McDermott’s journey from the front lines of Baghdad to the quiet devastation of personal loss after returning home is rendered with cinematic clarity and emotional precision. The transition from battlefield command to internal collapse is both haunting and painfully real.
What makes this memoir exceptional is the woven presence of poetry, language forged under pressure, carrying both violence and tenderness. Downriver is not only a veteran’s story; it is a story for anyone who has lost themselves in duty, ambition, or trauma and is searching for a way back to meaning. Powerful, vulnerable, and unforgettable.
What makes this memoir exceptional is the woven presence of poetry, language forged under pressure, carrying both violence and tenderness. Downriver is not only a veteran’s story; it is a story for anyone who has lost themselves in duty, ambition, or trauma and is searching for a way back to meaning. Powerful, vulnerable, and unforgettable.
June 25, 2025
As a fellow combat veteran still working to heal my own wounds, this book immediately hit home. Ryan does a brilliant job laying bare his truth as he confronts the war he brought back with him. So many of his experiences echo those of thousands of vets—I felt seen in these pages. The poetry woven throughout is raw, beautiful, and powerful. Ryan’s story isn’t just for veterans; it’s for anyone who’s ever carried trauma. His courage in processing and sharing his journey creates space for others to heal, too.
From one grunt to another: mission accomplished, sir!
From one grunt to another: mission accomplished, sir!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews