Long Way Home: Love, life, death, and everything in between

by Dan Jarvis

Before becoming an MP, Dan Jarvis was a soldier for fifteen years, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan among other places. Every time he left the family home for a conflict zone Dan knew he was risking his many of his contemporaries were badly injured or killed. But he never imagined that the one to die would be his wife Caroline, who he lost to cancer at a tragically young age, leaving him to bring up their two small children.

In Long Way Home the two stories run in parallel, Dan's service in the Parachute Regiment, for which he was subsequently awarded the MBE, becoming increasingly untenable as Caroline's health declined. It's a soldier's story and a father's an extraordinary tale of fortitude, love and doing the best you can in horribly difficult circumstances. It is also be a fascinating insight into the day-to-day reality of military life.

For the first time, Dan tells us about his time in the Parachute Regiment, his attempts to join the SAS (thwarted by a hair-raising and truly unique series of events) and missions in Afghanistan. He shares what he's learned about endurance, about the power of the human spirit, about fortitude, resilience and survival. About never giving up, and about finding ways to cope with the pressure. But also about taking nothing for granted and remembering to value those around you, all while trying to keep a smile on your face.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Published March 10, 2020

Reviews

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
Memoir Long Way Home by Dan Jarvis, MP and a Metro Mayor, serving time in the Army, is a page turner. A lot of this true story had me in tears. Dan’s own story takes us through arriving in early September 1996 at the Royal Military Academy Sandyhurst. Dan was instructed to run head first into a brick wall. Some would describe this as banter , others would say it was bullying. ( I am one of those who would describe this as bullying. )

I remember this being in the news. Seven miles down the road from Sandyhurst is now the infamous Army barracks called Deepcut. Between 1995 and 2002 there were four deaths at Deepcut of trainee soliders undertaking recruit training. All four were found dead with gunshot wounds. The verdict by the Coroner and Surry Police and Royal Military Police is that they committed suicide. While the families of the decreased that the deaths were a result of bullying and intimidation by Army Instructors.

Dan Jarvis explains far more of his time during the Army training.

The saddest part in Dan Jarvis life and one the saddest part to read was when his wife Caroline died of cancer, that Dan takes readers through.

Another sad account is when Dan Jarvis takes us through the devastating death of Jo Cox Mp and PC Keith Palmer who was stabbed to death.

You don’t have to be a lover Army training to love this gripping page turner book. Just as Alan Johnson described Dan Jarvis’s story is a belter.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I forget now why I particularly wanted to read this and having read it I am not much the wiser. It is a very straightforward autobiographical account of a particular period in Dan Jarvis' life - from entering Sandhurst as a graduate to becoming the MP for Barnsley Central. During that time he married, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, had children... and his wife died of cancer aged 43.

I read the book in two sittings and it would have been one had the timing been sensible. It's not the kind of literary memoir I've been reading a lot, yet clearly it was a compelling read (and not solely because it was a perspective-giving diversion on a bad news day) What I most enjoyed was the account of his army career: the life, the service jargon and the minutiae of daily existence... both on terrifying and physically uncomfortable desert deployments and desk jobs where your boss makes a point of shooing you home to your family on time. Sadly and disappointingly, and perhaps because it was too difficult to do as a thankfully remarried man, I never felt a strong sense of who Caroline, his first wife, was, other than that they both shared a similar approach to her illness (one which I think would not be my own but which he clearly feels was right for them).

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and easy read that deals with some very heavy subjects, including cancer and war, that Jarvis and his family had to deal with during his time in the military. He starts by running through his training years and what it taught him both on and off the battlefield before moving into his service years, marrying and raising kids. Sadly these years were marked by war in the Middle East and war at home as his wife battled cancer and the torment this brought to them all. Jarvis feels as though he is open and honest throughout including the debate about his last tour of duty and the difficulty of losing his wife and becoming a single father. I enjoyed reading this even though biographies aren't normally my thing as he comes across as a normal down to earth guy and he doesn't seem to try and make himself better than he was, a lesson learnt well through his military years I suspect.

[KD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this fantastic auto-biographical book by Dan Jarvis. You can tell that writing it was a labour of love, which is probably why it took him five years to complete. He does a great job of conveying the joys and challenges of life in the British Army and makes you feel as if you are there with him and his troops as they go about their mission at home and in Afghanistan. The book also describes his experiences with his young family as well as the incredible heartache of unexpectedly losing his beloved wife to cancer. The "Long Way Home" title refers to his journey to cope with all of life's challenges and come out reasonably sane and whole, capable of moving forward despite the pain of loss. He takes the reader up to the time of his decision to enter politics and how he became the rather unlikely PPC and then MP for Barnsley Central. It's an inspiring tale and you can't help feeling that the citizens of his constituency are lucky to be represented by him.

[Keith Cowans · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent biography of Dan's time in army service, alongside his relationship and marriage. As the tagline suggests, a story of love and life, challenges and death in both areas of live with the tragic loss of his first wife. Well written, clear and straight-forward in it's manner which makes the book and it's themes accessible and understandable even in the toughest times. This does not flinch from describing life as it is, and sections particularly around his bereavement are honest and open.

This is not political, other than the occasional observation on military strategy and the real politik that influences and impacts on this. A book about grief and loss, showing a way forward in life.

Highly recommended.

[Jeffrey Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Box of Stories acquisition. An auto biography that is not really detailed but concentrates on three aspects of the subjects life.

After covering his early life, Jarvis details his military career from training to his service in Afghanistan. It is interspersed with the story of his family life and the effects on that (and him) that his increasingly successful career has. He then tells the rollercoaster story of his wife's illness. This is very moving. He ends with the story of how he ended up in politics.

A good read. Heavy going at times but worth a look.

[Karen Keane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent autobiography by Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley. He tells us of his life in the army, as an officer and eventually becoming a Major, the death of his wife Caroline, leaving him single parent with 2 young children and his subsequent move into politics. The only reason that I didn’t give it 5* is that I found some of the bits about his time in the army a bit boring and tended to skip them.

[SJS Edmonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read, literally unputdownable. It covers his life prior to politics, a life of service, against the odds at times and a story of love and loss. What I really liked was Dan's style of writing, he has a simplicity of prose that is seldom seen and very welcome. Really enjoyable and highly recommended.

[Mike Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all really

Fascinating story of a life lived to the full .through all the ups and downs .Dans sence of duty and fair play is an example to us all the army's loss is definitely politics gain we need more Dans in this world that's for sure

[Joseph McHale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read and easy to follow. Written well and full of information, it’s a straightforward autobiography that takes you on a journey through Dan’s life.

[Euan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book and confounds all logic that one person has been through so much and has come out of under other side so well. Grit!