The Warrior: A Mother's Story of a Son at War

by Frances Richey

A "heart-rending"(Anna Quindlen, Newsweek ) memoir-in-verse that speaks to a mother's love for her son

When Frances Richey's only child, Ben, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Green Beret, went on the first of his two deployments to Iraq, she began to write the twenty-eight unflinching poems that make up The Warrior . This urgent and intensely personal collection describes the world of those who wait while their loved ones are in combat or perilous situations; it is universal in its expression of the longing, anguish, love, and hope that constitute close relationships.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, History

96 pages, Hardcover

First published April 10, 2008

Reviews

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Warrior is an extraordinary testimonial of a mother grappling with the reality of her son going to war. Written in poetic verse, this intense and unforgettable memoir by Frances Richey is the type of book that grips you and insists that you finish it in a single sitting. Richey uses vivid images to explore her feelings of love, pain, and uncertainty for her son as he heads off to Iraq. Her raw emotion and honesty pierce deeply into your heart. The book forces you into a silence where you feel every nerve of compassion and empathy working in your bloodstream as you reflect upon the sacrifices that soldiers make.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching and vivid. Some of the images from this author's poetry will be with me for a while - this is part of what's behind all those blue stars in windows, the impact of war on the people back at home who love the warriors and fear for them. Enlightening for me; during my 20 years in the Marine Corps I rarely thought about this aspect of my service.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5 stars

So. I got this book from the dollar tree, and it sounded like it would be a good read and I usually love anything to do with the military. The problem was the words and the writing style were not my style, I hated it and had to push through. Yet there were a couple good passages that I enjoyed. Not enough to ever read again, but it was okay.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this is not a life experience to which I can relate, Richey's writing embodied her passion and emotions as she experienced the worry and pride she held for her son.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Touching and emotional.

Through the poems, we can feel her pride, her worry, and her fears over her son being at war. Beautiful and poignant. A quick read, but emotionally charged all the same.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

As one who has been an anti-war activist since the '60s, I've often wrestled with the conflict that has arisen over the fact that my uncles, brothers, and husband served in the military. In this book of poems, Frances Richey deals with that conflict when she, an anti-war activist, sees her son graduate from West Point and go off to Iraq. The materials of her poetry include the trappings of a modern-day warrior, body armor, weapons, and helmets, as well as the warrior attitude that no matter how dubious the cause, if one has made a commitment to the military one honors that commitment. Balancing those trappings is the universal longing of a mother still wanting to protect an adult child long after she is able to. In fact, none of us is able to protect a grown child from the "wars" of adulthood, even though every parent aches to do so.

Every time I thought Richey was going to fall in maudlin sentimentality, she pulls the reader back from that edge with a twist that works like a kick in the gut.

[AuthorsOnTourLive! · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Warrior: A Mother's Story of a Son at War, is Frances Richey's stunning, urgent, and heart-wrenching memoir, written in verse, about a mother who sees her son, a Green Beret and captain in the Army, go off for two tours of duty in Iraq. The Warrior centers around a mother's love for her son, a son from whom she feels distant both literally and metaphorically, for she is a liberal who is against the war, but who realizes that she needs to accept and support the choice her son has made, and to try to understand what has drawn him to the military life. The poems explore the agonizing process of a mother who is always saying goodbye to her son, missing her son, praying for her son, waiting for her son to come home.

We met Frances Richey when she visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. You can listen to her talk about The Warrior: A Mother's Story of a Son at War here: http://www.authorsontourlive.com/?p=135

[Abby Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book of poignant poems written by mother who's son has gone to war. I found this book to be very unique and heartfelt. While I'm not anti-war myself, and while my mother took a very God-centered approach to my brother joining the military, it was still touchingly beautiful to read of a mother's heartache. Isn't this the great beauty to books? Sharing in the experiences of others which are unlike our own?

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collection of poetry written by the mother of an Iraq soldier and how she copes in his absence. Examines the conflict between duty and sacrifice by one who is asked to make the ultimate sacrifice, her son. Brings to light interesting themes, though none of the poems are particularly memorable individually.

[Wes Bishop]

A satisfying little book, as well as a refreshing breath of new poetry, yet I feel like the author could have spent more time on the narrative of her son at war. The collection seemed somewaht random. But the line in the poem about the rock dust in the Garden of the Gods was perfect. "Is this all the Gods are made of..." Great stuff.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic poetry about a dear, dear friend of mine! A mother's love, a mother's fear....it is just beautiful cover to cover!

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching poems by a mother who had to send her son to fight in Iraq. I hope I never have to face the feelings she so beautifully expresses with her fears for her son.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half to four stars.

[skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poems by a mother whose son has gone to war. Some very powerful, some not as much. Worth reading for those who are not at war or don't have loved ones at war.