Enduring Freedom

by Trent Reedy, Jawad Arash

On September 11, 2001, the lives of two boys on opposite sides of the world are changed in an instant.

Baheer, a studious Afghan teen, sees his family’s life turned upside down when they lose their livelihood as war rocks the country.

A world away, Joe, a young American army private, has to put aside his dreams of becoming a journalist when he’s shipped out to Afghanistan.

When Joe’s unit arrives in Baheer’s town, Baheer is wary of the Americans, but sees an opportunity: Not only can he practice his English with the soldiers, his family can make money delivering their supplies. At first, Joe doesn’t trust Baheer, or any of the locals, but Baheer keeps showing up. As Joe and Baheer get to know each other, to see each other as individuals, they realize they have a lot more in common than they ever could have realized. But can they get past the deep differences in their lives and beliefs to become true friends and allies?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, War, Fiction, Family, Book Club

368 pages, Hardcover

First published May 18, 2021

Reviews

[BooksNCrannies · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This is my last day on Earth. We don't have enough men to defend this position if the Taliban come in force....
I'm gonna die today. We'll fight hard, but it won't be enough....
I'll have to kill human beings. Remember what the Army taught me. Put the front sight-post center of his body, breath control — in, out, in — easy trigger squeeze. Drop them, Don't think, shoot.... A chaplain will knock on the door. Mom will see him and cry knowing her son is dead. She'll have to tell Krista. And Dad. They'll be so sad....
These savages want to kill me because we want school for their kids, want to make this country a little less like garbage?...
They want a fight? I'll give them one! I'll kill 'em all! Come on! Let's do this!"

✏️ Review ✏️

Enduring Freedom furnishes a compelling story about the American occupation of Afghanistan after the 9/11 attack. Told from the perspectives of a young American soldier and an Afghan teen, this story accurately represents the cultures, thoughts, and feelings of both groups — Americans and Afghans — involved in Operation Enduring Freedom.

This novel fills in the gap on an important time in history that is often overlooked or misunderstood. Jawad Arash and Trent Reedy wrote this book from personal experience, both having witnessed this time in Afghanistan: one as an Afghan teen, the other as a young US soldier. The story they wrote and the thoughts, feelings, and opinions portrayed aren't a product of mere conjecture; but rather, these elements are founded in real-life experience and direct involvement in this war. Because of this truthful presentation, the story gains more meaning and depth.

The characters portray both cultures effectively and realistically. Joe and Baheer, the main characters, do development dynamically as the story progresses. While I would have liked to have seen deeper development, the characters do development enough for the purpose of this book.

Enduring Freedom is a realistic and thoughtful depiction of the war in Afghanistan. Clearly portraying the importance of this mission; giving voice to both sides involved in this war; and accurately displaying the dilemmas, emotions, thoughts, and prejudices caused by conflict, Enduring Freedom delivers a moving story — a story that defines this war for what it really was: a "struggle for freedom of thought and expression against those forces that would seek to limit and control people."

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📊 A Quick Overview 📊

👍🏼 What I Liked:
•The fact that this story is based on personal experiences. The story is given more depth because of this.
•The blending of both the Americans' and Afghans' perspectives written by an American soldier and an Afghan native involved in this war. This author duo allows for invaluable insight into both sides involved in this operation.

👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
•Um, can't really think of anything other than I would have liked to have seen more character development. But that really didn't affect the overall story, so....

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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 4/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3.5/5
— 📝 Writing: 3.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 3/5

~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)

— 🤬 Language: 1/5

•Some uses of cr*p.

•A few uses of the f-word in a mispronounced form — instead of it starting with an f, it starts with a d. It is spelled this way on purpose because this is how it sounds to the Afghan main character; there is an explanation later in the book that it actually "starts with an F" and that it is "one of our [the Americans'] meanest curse words." It is never used in its original form in the book.

— ⚔️ Violence: 2/5

•A few scenes of war violence, including some mild gore.

— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5

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📣 Random Comments 📣

•I would recommend this book to anyone (age appropriate, of course) who wants to get a truthful portrayal of Operation Enduring Freedom. This book offers invaluable insight of both sides involved.

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💬 Favorite Quotes 💬

•"I admired how writing the unbiased truth..., the truth as best as your sources could tell it, was important to you. America needs those kinds of writers, Joe. Not these cable news people spouting propaganda for one party or another, but real journalists who work to tell the truth." (p. 88)

•To hold a book in his hands again, to feel the smooth pages at his fingertips, to smell the paper — that scent of hope and endless possibility — to drift into the blessedly faraway world of the story, leaving everything else behind, was, in that lonely place, like a first precious grasp of air after finally surfacing from a deep, dark lake. It felt like he was coming alive again. (p. 179)

•He thought about how the Taliban had tortured and oppressed... so many at school back in Kabul. Baheer knew it wasn't about Islam. It wasn't about school or education being bad. It was about control. School, education, and new ideas — people who had free thought were harder to control. (p. 332; emphasis mine)

•War isn't about religion or resources. It's about control. And the real battle for control is in the schools and libraries. Throughout history it has always been the same mission. Whether we're fighting Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, or the Taliban, or some other terrible group, first they come for the books. They seek to control who can speak, who can express their ideas in art. (p. 348; emphasis mine)

•Wars are won by teachers, librarians, and artists — the real peacemakers. Peace is more than just blowing up the bad guys. Real peace comes from building something worth living for. (p. 348)

[☆Amanda Cresse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Enduring Freedom fills a gap in my Historical Fiction. Being alive during the event and being a wife to a veteran who served overseas during Operation Enduring Freedom, this book hits different with me. It is important that our students know about this more recent part of our American history. There are many books on my shelves about WWI and WWII and this wartime title is much needed.
My favorite aspect of the book is that the characters are inspired by the authors and their real meeting during the actual war. Their perspectives and background knowledge provide the substance to Enduring Freedom. When I introduce this book to my students, I am going to start with the authors' bios because knowing this novel is based on actual events and real people who met through the war makes reading it even more special.
Highly recommended purchase for middle school and high school libraries.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the notes by each author at the end of this book, I had to agree that they accomplished what they set out to do, namely jointly write a book that not only had the power to pull readers in, but help them to understand just what both governments hoped to accomplish. While the end result of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan hasn't been what most might have hoped for, the story in this book does give readers a very personal and up close look at some of the successes. More than that, it humanizes people most readers would never meet and does so in a way that eases them into the lives of Baheer, Joe and the other major characters. You come to visualize the fear, hope, despair and occasional triumph as the story moves along. This will be a great addition to any library that cares about expanding the world view of teen readers.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

I remember exactly where I was when the planes hit the twin towers on September 11, 2001, maybe some of you do too. I watched in horror as the second plane flew into the south tower on live TV.

Almost 3,000 lives lost that day and our country plunged into an ongoing war against terrorism. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨?

𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 is the story of two teens that come together in war as enemies but find common ground and develop an enduring friendship.

Invaders have ravaged Baheer’s home of Afghanistan for many, many years, and he is tired of the Taliban’s cruel ways. When he and his family hear news of an attack on the United States, they know this will only mean war will be brought to their front door.

Private Joe Killian is with the Iowa National Guard and his unit is deployed to Afghanistan. In his heart, Joe would trade his rifle for a pen, as he aspires to be a journalist. He wants to use this as an opportunity to record the history he just stepped into.

Baheer sees the American soldiers as an opportunity to learn proper English and even earn some money. When he meets a soldier named PFC Killian, who at first is standoffish and rude, a connection is made.

𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 brings us up close to the human element of war. Not afraid of expressing their dislike for elements in each other’s cultures, Baheer and Joe show us that ignorance and prejudice can be an ugly enemy. This is a great resource to understand and respect cultural differences and help educate as Baheer and Joe strived to do.

Thank you to @algonquinyr and @trentreedy for an invitation to this tour.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Enduring Freedom

Author: Trent Reedy and Jawad Arash

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Publication Date: May 18, 2021

Genre: YA War/Political Novel

Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Pages: 352

Synopsis: On September 11, 2001, the lives of two boys on opposite sides of the world are changed in an instant.

Baheer, a studious Afghan teen, sees his family’s life turned upside down when they lose their livelihood as war rocks the country.

A world away, Joe, a young American army private, has to put aside his dreams of becoming a journalist when he’s shipped out to Afghanistan.

When Joe’s unit arrives in Baheer’s town, Baheer is wary of the Americans, but sees an opportunity: Not only can he practice his English with the soldiers, his family can make money delivering their supplies. At first, Joe doesn’t trust Baheer, or any of the locals, but Baheer keeps showing up. As Joe and Baheer get to know each other, to see each other as individuals, they realize they have a lot more in common than they ever could have realized. But can they get past the deep differences in their lives and beliefs to become true friends and allies?

Review: Had to DNF this book at 113 pages in. The book is good, but it’s not for me and it wasn’t really striking anything in me to keep reading.

Verdict: It sounds good, but it wasn’t for me.

[Nathan Thornberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enduring Freedom by Trent Reedy and Jawad Arash is a realistic fiction about the war on terror which follows two characters, Baheer and Joe. Baheer is a kid in Afghanistan who manages to help his family, and the United States army at the same time. He is a bright kid who always sees good in everyone. Joe is a private in the army national guard and lives in Riverside, Ohio. He is enlisted while still being a senior in high school.

At the beginning of the book, Baheer and his family had just heard of the attacks on the twin towers. They are horrified and worried for what the United States will do to Afghanistan. Joe is in high school in the United States and has just learned that one of the twin towers has collapsed following an attack. After the attack, Joe’s unit is mobilized to Afghanistan. When they arrive, Joe meets Baheer. They at first don’t really talk to each other, but that changes. Baheer befriends Joe, but Joe didn’t trust him. Later, Baheer helps the unit, and trust builds between them.

I liked how the two authors came together to draft this story. They both lived quite different lives, just like Baheer and Joe. I also liked how it showed two sides of the war, and not just one. The book was fast paced, and I could not put the book down. I disliked the fact that it isn’t a series, but other than that there wasn’t anything else that I disliked.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes historical fiction, realistic fiction, or any books about war. If you have read any of Trent Reedy’s books, this is the book for you. At the end of the book, both the authors have a story of how they got to where they are and the struggles they faced during the war.

[Jon Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the book jacket:
On the night of September 11th, 2001, Baheer sees his family’s life instantly turned upside down when they lose their livelihood as war rocks the country. In Iowa, college freshman Joe is shipped off to Afghanistan with preconceived notions of the people he is tasked to help. When Joe and his fellow soldiers end up living next to Baheer’s family, the two are immediately wary of each other, but over time, the young men start to see one another as individuals and realize they have a lot more in common than they ever could have imagined. Will they be able to get past the deep differences in their experiences and beliefs to become true friends and allies?

I have generally stayed away from war books after my own combat experiences in what became known as Operation Iraqi Freedom (an offshoot of the larger, longer “Operation Enduring Freedom” described in this book), as they tend either to be too triggering of my negative experiences, or too oversimplified to truly capture the nuance and complexities of war, especially the “global war on terror." However, when this book came across my desk, the two-pronged story struck me with its potential to “tell the truth” in ways so many other books can’t. It absolutely lived up to that. The authors themselves discuss this goal in a postscript, and I appreciated the book’s themes and its parallel views of a war that has lasted longer than the lifespan of most of the book’s target audience.

Certainly I was drawn in initially by the extremely true-to-life experiences of PFC Joe Killian, as his thoughts on 9/11 and his subsequent life changes being thrown from college life into combat almost exactly matched my own. But even without that, having Baheer’s story told alongside Joe’s gives this book a gravitas and a maturity that both adds to Joe’s own experiences but also challenges our many preconceived notions of the war, the US’s mission, the horrors of the Taliban, and the multiple perspectives of the local Afghans. The war itself has almost entirely vanished from our news cycle, and it was important to recognize – for all the questions of whether we truly accomplished our missions – that the Taliban was absolutely horrific. Baheer’s side of things truly humanizes the rest of the Afghans while shedding not a single tear for the talibs. And while we no longer wring our hands over fighting in Afghanistan, the Afghans' work continues in building their country anew.

The authors deftly develop the main protagonists, though the book jacket may be a little misleading that the main tension is about building a friendship – they are friends for most of the book, and despite a pivotal disagreement, the antagonism they face is not each other but their differing hopes, dreams, risks, and lessons. In this, they both face a coming of age that forms each one into a man who can lead his generation in ways their predecessors did not.

The development of side characters is also incredibly well done in parts, especially with the local Afghans, Baheer’s family being the majority of these. From the bravery of Baheer’s sister, to the skepticism of his brother, to the challenging decisions his grandfather must make, we get far more of a picture of how Afghans must face these decisions much more than Americans – and how the way forward is in education and determination.

If the book has weaknesses, it may come in the forms of a few contrived threads that wrap up a little too neatly; the book is so real, that happy endings or dramatic moments that could be fictional feel almost too fictional. Still, this is hardly anything to worry about when considering the many areas this book knocks it out of the park. And as a trigger warning, I will say that any combat veterans of Afghanistan or Iraq should be prepared for a handful of truly intense combat moments, and parents should consider whether these scenes will be too intense for younger readers (e.g. exploding bodies, civilian and child casualties, etc.). My heart raced enough to keep me up late reading more until I could get to sleep, but that also led to my finishing the book much faster.

Indeed, in what amounts to a novelized joint memoir, Reedy and Arash not only create a unique and valuable look at this war, as fraught with politicization, tactical quagmires, and decades of coverage as it has been, but also point us to the importance of not limiting ourselves to a “single story,” recognizing that telling the truth can never be fully true unless it is as complete as possible. With the audacious title “Enduring Freedom,” co-opting the US operation’s name, this story demonstrates that it’s always been books and boldness, not bombs and bullets, which ultimately help freedom endure.

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Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review was conducted on behalf of YAdudebooks.ca and is published there as well as here on Goodreads.

[Julie Scalzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for my Adolescent Lit class. I liked that it was a different view of the war in Afghanistan. It’s told two perspectives: Baheer, an Afghan teen whose family moves to Farah, Afghanistan to try and stay safe from the Taliban and the war, and Joe, an American soldier from Iowa whose unit is assigned to Farah. Joe and Baheer form an unlikely friendship as they both deal with hardships and try to stay alive and well while the Taliban reigns now terror.

I think this gives a unique, necessary view of the United States’ “War on Terror.” It shows the humanity that was involved and the very real people in Afghanistan who were affected. It’s a YA book, so while there is violence, it is written in an easily digestible fashion. I have it three stars because I did find it to be slow plot wise until the end, and it didn’t always hold my attention. I also didn’t emotionally connect to it.

[Favour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real rating: 4.5 stars

I had an odd, almost creepy, sense of deja vu reading this book. I picked it up because its topics are extremely relevant at this period in time, as the U.S. pulls out of Afghanistan. It takes place post 9/11 but what happened in the book mirrored real life events so much.

First, this was a joy to read. Even when they were going through the mundane parts of their lives, I was never bored. Sure, I wasn't enthused reading through Joseph's military talk because I had no idea what was going on, but it didn't feel throwaway.

Baheer and Joseph felt very realistic, for good reason. They're both flawed idealists. Everything was going a little too well to the point I was nervous for the entire last fourth of the book because something bad had to happen, right? Guess I got my question answered.

The romance, much to my eventual detriment, was adorable and I was cheering for them. Gosh, I wish I didn't. Tore me apart; my cheeks still have dried tears on them.

I checked the author's twitter about a third through the book, because I wanted to see how he was taking the news about the U.S. pulling out. Not surprised by his stance, given how close he was to the situation. I hope he knows the book did its job in helping me understand what's going on in Afghanistan, even if there's nothing I can personally do to affect it. I hope his co author is safe now.

Circling back to deja vu, around the time the book talked about a bombing hurting foreigners, the exact same thing happened in real life. I told my brother and he told me I should stop reading in case the book was some sort of harbinger. I didn't but it's just something I found...a bit disturbing.

Anyway, this was a great read. Might I say, a Goodread. Very timely, very relevant, highly recommend.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it! It was interesting to see it from both sides!!

[Leonardo Fuller]

In the story of “ Enduring Freedom” some Russians were killed and the Americans hate the Russian and they killed Russians that they thought they were Muslim and they were soon killed and parents and kids had to hide because they don’t want to be killed and they were sad to see so many people dead by the American army.

[Halli Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enduring Freedom is a young adult novel written in dual points of view by Jawad Arash and Trent Reedy. This novel releases at a perfect time as our military prepares to leave Afghanistan and the twentieth anniversary of 9/11 comes later this year.

I was fortunate to receive an advanced reader copy and I am happy to be able to share my thoughts with you. This is a must-read novel for teens and adults, and I would add mature middle schoolers. The scenes involving fighting and casualties can be quite graphic, although necessary in my opinion. This book tackles many important subjects, such as terrorism, prejudice, and hatred, on a global and society scale as well as on an individual level. But the true power of this book is the exploration of friendship, trust, and understanding.

The novel focuses on two different boys from two different countries thrown together by an act of terrorism. With the two points of view, the reader is given insight into each character’s thoughts and impressions of the other’s society and country. I love books that help me understand a different point of view and take me to a location I’ve never been. As an American, I was given a personal insight into the geography of Afghanistan as well as the societal norms and customs. It was a view most people do not get to see.

As an American, I was given a peek into the thoughts and actions of a soldier at a time most crucial to my country. Even though this is a work of fiction, the author Trent Reedy was in the National Guard and did spend time in Afghanistan. The knowledge he put into the novel was enlightening.

As I mentioned earlier, this novel is one about friendship, trust, and understanding. It comes at a time when the world needs that most.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I was drawn into the story with its beautiful opening sentence - “Nothing in the world was so comforting or wonderful as the Afghan family.”

I know the book is classified as a Young Adult book, but I think it has an adult appeal also. As I peeled back the layers of the story, I found three elements to explore.

The first element is the story itself. The story is engaging, riveting, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. Based upon the two authors’ true-life experiences, this is the story of an unlikely friendship between a young American soldier from Iowa and a teen Afghan boy. Baheer has studied English and initiates a conversation with Joe.

Told in alternating perspectives between PFC Joe Killian and Baheer, we see the war from both sides and are exposed to opinions Joe and Baheer have of each other. Joe is disappointed that, as an infantryman, he is not “in the field” fighting the enemy but is instead assigned to peacekeeping and reconstruction. From Baheer’s perspective, we get an understanding of life under the Taliban and the war’s devastating impact upon the local people. Basic freedoms are now cherished, and they fight to keep the Taliban from again controlling them. There are a few instances of Baheer explaining why the Taliban are not Muslims. At one point, Baba Jan, Baheer’s grandfather, says “…a good Muslim leader should be lenient, kind-hearted, and forgiving. Not like these monsters.” The descriptions by the authors made me feel as though I was right there with them suffering the unbearable heat and terrified by the Taliban attack upon the soldiers.

The second element is the message of the story, and it is so much more than just a war story. In my opinion, the primary message is that educated people are a threat to totalitarian regimes. In a letter from Joe to Baheer, he writes “War isn’t about religion or resources. It’s about control. And the real battle for control is in the schools and libraries.” And in Jawad’s note at the end of the book, he writes “Throughout history, the Taliban, Nazis, Soviets, and other evil forces have always targeted education because uneducated people are easier to rule.” Because of Baheer’s education, he was able to form the friendship with Joe which resulted in both their lives being changed. I think Joe learned that he had a positive impact on the Afghan people as part of the reconstruction team by learning to understand them, creating trust with the local people, assisting them in stamping out ignorance and furthering education. After becoming friends with the “other”, it becomes impossible to then see them all in the same light. The Afghan people are now differentiated from the Taliban. Joe came to realize just how courageous the Afghan people are, fighting the Taliban day after day in their own way. The initial opinions Joe and Baheer had changed, and the war became their war, Americans and Afghans fighting side by side. Fighting for the freedom of the people and their desire for education.

And the third element is the collaboration of the authors. They not only had the geographic distance between them (Trent in the US and Jawad in Afghanistan), but Jawad had to write in a second language. That is not an easy accomplishment. When I read the notes by each author at the end of this book, I had to agree that they accomplished what they set out to do, namely jointly write a book that not only had the power to pull readers in, but honestly revealed how their lives were changed and enriched by the alliance that was built between the two nations.

As this book releases, we hear in the news of military pulling out of Afghanistan. This is the perfect time to remind people that there were successes during our time there. The Afghan people have hope and will continue to rebuild their country even after we are gone. And after reading this book, we should never again take our education for granted.

[Deanna Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. Unfortunately, this was a DNF book for me.

War stories are low on my genre list. I read them, but not often. I really hoped this was going to be a good one for me. I made it a little under halfway through the book and decided not to continue.

It's written, in my opinion, to cater to a young side of the YA spectrum, maybe like an upper MG book. The only interesting aspects for me was Baheer's point of view. Joe got on my last nerve and his point of view's made no sense, especially leading up to his and Baheer's meeting. I enjoyed the small mentions of the Islamic faith and the way Baheer's story went.

My main problem was really not connecting with Joe. But his writing seemed to go in several different directions at times. When he ships out, he thinks about wanting to be a journalist and telling the unbiased truth, but a few pages later he starts thinking he'll tell everyone about the atrocities that are the Muslims in Afghanistan. So not very unbiased there, Joe. But what really grated my nerves was when he met Baheer. His internal monologue has this entire chapter where they run drills over how to interact with an IED, and made several mentions of how it could be anything, like a soda can. And when Baheer first approaches the American compound, what does he give Joe?

A soda can. And Joe accepts it readily.

The whole situation made no sense. First Joe is defensive about a Muslim kid coming up to the wall, which would be the appropriate military response. But then Baheer said two words and Joe's training goes out the window? "Sure kid I'll take a soda thanks. Could kill me but it doesn't matter." It was insanely annoying to see so many borderline racist thoughts in Joe's head, and all of a sudden with one drink--mind you, there was absolutely NO THOUGHTS from Joe about how maybe this kid is safe or his people aren't all terrorists, like Joe originally thought--everything changed.

I'm sure there's a cutesy story about how Joe grows up in Afghanistan and realizes the few don't speak for the many, and he and Baheer have a great friendship, but I couldn't finish this book. Joe was way too cringey and not likable at all.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

On September 11, 2001, the lives of two boys on opposite sides of the world are changed forever. Baheer, a studious Afghan teen, wonders what will happen to his family as war with the Americans begins. A world away, Joe, a young American army private, sets aside his dreams of becoming a journalist when he’s shipped out to Afghanistan. The two young men meet when Baheer decides to practice English with the young soldier who's stationed next door. As Joe and Baheer become friends, they realize their similarities and get to know each other as individuals rather than enemies.
I appreciated the insight into life in Afghanistan. I learned many things about the culture and family life that I didn't know before, and this book gave me greater compassion for Afghans.
The authors remind readers in several places that war is about control. When people can be controlled, they can be ruled and the rulers win. Often, this control starts by banning books and education.
While this novel was published in 2020, I wonder what the authors would include in the book now that the war is "over."
One of my favorite quotes from the book talks about the value of building a new thing in Afghanistan. "Peace is more than just blowing up bad guys. Real peace comes from building something worth living for." That's what Baheer and his family try to do throughout this book.
The contributor, Jawad Arash, should get more credit and be included in the authorship of this book as he plays a major role in the story. I want to give the book two stars because he's not included more prominently, but the content is worth four stars.

[Mrs. Kenyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

September 11, 2001 changed the lives of many people. Enduring Freedom is the story of two teens from different parts of the world and how these events affected them. Baheer is an Afghan teen whose family had to change everything after the war caused them to lose their business. Joe is a private in the Army National Guard who wants to become a journalist. Joe’s schooling is put on hold when his unit is activated to go to Afghanistan. Baheer uses the little English he knows to help his family by providing services to the Americans. Joe doesn’t trust any of the locals, but as Baheer keeps coming by; Joe starts to see him as a person instead of a nation. What will these teens learn about each other as their paths continue to cross? Will this relationship stay professional or will they ever become friends?

Enduring Freedom is a historical fiction story that tugged on my heartstrings. I was in the Army National Guard during Desert Storm and remember the thought of activation always on my mind. As a young teacher when 9-11 happened, I saw these same feelings flowing around the seniors in the school. Today’s teens were not alive when this happened, but that does not mean they can’t understand what was going on. Reedy took some really hard topics and made them relatable to today’s readers and hopefully this book will make everyone who picks it up re-think about what they thought they knew about this time period. Enduring Freedom is not a long book and I recommend it to everyone, even if war or history is not your go-to genre.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enduring Freedom is a fictional YA book based on the horrific events that took place on 9/11/2001. I remember where I was when the planes hit. I was in global history class in High School. I saw the smoke from the the first tower from the window. It was such a life changing moment for everyone around the world. It was a time of uncertainty, and reflecting; the course of history would change forever. Right after those tragic events, troops were immediately dispatched to Afghanistan to fight in the war.

Baheer is a boy from Afghanistan. His life revolves around his educations. He's very studious and wants nothing but to educate himself and learn English. His brother on the other hand, only cared to work. Learning and having an education meant absolutely nothing to him. Baheer just sits and sees how his family lives in constant fear because of the wars and violence that plagues their country every single day. He wants better than that for them.
Joe is a young army private who lives on the other side of the world. He's studying to be a journalist, which is one of his biggest dreams. Joe just wishes that he could be a full time journalist and give up the rifle. When September 11th happens, Joe is immediately shipped to Afghanistan, flipping his life upside down. When Joe and his unit arrive to Afghanistan, he's on high alert. He doesn't't trust anyone. On the other hand, Baheer see's it as an opportunity to learn from the soldiers, especially English.
When Baheer and Joe meet, they're uncertain about each other, but as they get to know each other they start to see how much they have in common; their friendship blossoms. Of course, the friendship doesn't come without some rocky moments. Baheer and Joe's friendship is put to the test. Will they be able to ignore the differences and situations that surround them. Huge thanks to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ian J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine yourself during the events of 9/11 as a teenager who lives in the heart of Afghanistan. You witness the blunder of attacks outside your home on the streets that force you to move to a distant place when the Taliban falls and you meet an American Solider or imagine yourself as a young adult living in Iowa going to high school as a senior enlisted in the National Guard but when you have to set aside your goals because you've been shipped off to war and you meet a teenager who approaches you. This is precisely what happened to 16-year-old Baheer and his family, and high school senior Joe Killian. In this two-sided story, you will learn more about these boys as the war in Afghanistan continues to haunt them. I like this historical war fiction novel because it provides a two-sided story describing the points of view of a common enemy and how they overcome it but I don't like how it gets to a point where the book becomes confusing and straight to the point instead of a more smother way to transition to a new part of the book. But if you are interested in historical war fiction novels then I suggest this book to you.

[Alexian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors skilfully present multiple viewpoints of both the lives of the Americans and Afghans. For example, on page 126, the Afghans are described as being "barbarians" and it is also said that they lived in "primitive conditions", linking to them being " barbarians ". This really shows how the Americans perceived the Afghans as being very aggressive and very barbarian. However the reason they are perceived as being like that is due to the actions of only a small amount of Afghans that were part of a terrorist group. On the other hand the Afghans have a similar viewpoint of the Americans at the beginning due to the first encounter with them. The Americans are first seen with very big guns and one of the characters called Baheer is very afraid that if he showed any signs of fear they would shoot him ( page 138 ). This clearly shows how both Americans and Afghans are not sure how to act around the others. It also shows how a lot of stereotypes are used due to the uncertainty that both parties had about each other. This clearly gives an insight on how different cultures perceive things in a very similar fashion.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enduring freedom a Novel written by Trent reedy. This is a beautiful story of two teen boys who go through certain events that effect both of them in many ways but help each other see the other persons point of view of the this war. I chose this book due to the fact that I love the military and learning more about it. It was not recommended to me I just stumbled across it in the store and thought it would be a good fit for me, but I would recommend this book to anyone that likes the military or wants an engaging and moving story about the life of a soldier. I was expecting it to be a challenging book but for my love of this type of writing it did not feel like a challenge to complete. Some notable things I should add is that the author could improve with the pacing of the story but this has little to mo effect on the enjoyment of this book. This is definently a work of art and can change peoples perspective of how they view foreign countries around the word and see your side from a different point of view.

[Kristin- Kristin's Bookstack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baheer lives with his family in Farrah, Afghanistan. Private Joe Killian of the Iowa National Guard is deployed to Farrah to help protect the city from the Taliban. Baheer and Joe meet while Joe is on guard duty and they become friends.

I really enjoyed this book based on the true story of the authors @trentreedy and #jawadarash. The writing is wonderful! It was full of action, suspense, and overcoming preconceived stereotypes. I liked having the perspective from both sides of the story. It showed how people of different nations and religions can work together for the good of mankind and how lasting friendships are formed. It was very insightful about everyday life in Afghanistan, the Muslim faith, and how American soldiers helped improve the lives of the Afghani people.
It was a very inspiring read for me. This would be an excellent read for teens and adults alike!

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Amy Kneeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a recent high school graduate in 2001, this book resonated with me. The first two chapters that describe the attack on the World Trade Center were much more difficult for me than I imagined. I almost put the book down but I'm glad I didn't as I was quickly swept up in the two storylines. The American soldier, Joe, voiced much that I remember thinking and feeling myself. The Afghan student, Baheer, brings such an important voice to this history. In the states, we are guilty of erasing the experience of the Afghans who suffered through the occupation of both the Taliban and the US, and we have deeply underestimated the impact this war had on its people. Baheer's story is refreshing and heartbreaking, and blends well with Joe's experience of trying to center the Afghans in his (mis)understanding of his troop's mission there. The result leaves Joe with eyes open and hope for the Afghan reader that the authors clearly want to impart to the reader.

[Sarah Bowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fictionalized story from the true story of Trent Reedy and Jawad Arash.

This is a wonderful book about the friendship been an American soldier, Joe, and an Afghan boy, Baheer.

Joe is sent to Afghanistan a little close to 2 years after 9/11. There he encounters a boy, Baheer and they strike up a friendship. Baheer loves getting to practice English and Joe grows out of his bias that "the few don't equal the many". The Afghan people had to endure years upon years with the Taliban and their terrible rule.

It's really sweet and you get to see the good side (sounds weird to say but I hope you know what I mean) of this war.. The Americans that went over there to help. The way they paved to allow girls to go to schools.

Make sure to read the authors notes and acknowledgements so you can get an even closer glimpse at these 2 men that wrote this book.

[Jennia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fictionalized account of the two authors’ own experiences and the genesis of their friendship, the alternating POVs give a balanced perspective of events. The two are equally courageous in different ways while both hoping for the same goal to eventually be reached. Many of their preconceived ideas and perceptions are reshaped as the friendship grows, and I appreciated their forthright acknowledgments of these previously held beliefs. While I don’t normally read the author’s letters in the back, it is a must for this one. Trent and Jawad share more of their personal experiences and how it influenced their accounts in this book, heightening what is already an emotional story. Keep your tissues nearby for this one, you’ll need them.
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for the complimentary copy. This did not affect my review.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enduring Freedom. I thought this was an amazing book. It shows a very personal and up-close experience in Afghanistan during the war, from a soldier's and a citizen's perspective. The plot of the book was very interesting as well. It starts from the normal lives of the main character to the during the war selves of the 2 main characters to the after the deployment of the soldier, perspectives. During this period 1 of the main character named Baheer was a young afghan boy, who wanted to learn but is forced into labor on the family farm because of the money issues in the family going on. The soldier's perspective is shown that he hates the conditions in this afghan country and the communities around him. In the end, I really enjoy this book because I personally am really into well-crafted books about real-life experiences about war and the fighting that they took place in.

[DJ Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m personally not the type to read anything historical if I can help it, just not my cup of tea. However this book save for some slower parts ergo the rating, was such an amazing read, the last four chapters had me completely enamored, and I enjoyed the representation I felt the book gave Afghans and Americans. It was also nice that while this was based on true events and such I got to read about it in more of a fictional storyline type of way. It really opened my eyes to the stuff that is occurring over in the Middle East and the places considered third world countries. I would recommend this book over and over again as a great read for anyone. It may not be my genre of choice, but it definitely makes me want to read more historical fiction books.

[Deborah Zeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. See different perspectives of the war in Afghanistan between an American soldier and an Afghanistan native. They each learned from each other and exchanged ideas. One of my favorite lines was some thing that Trent wrote “1st they come for the books“. It’s true throughout history books have been destroyed because of people who are against education. If it wasn’t for the education that Jawad was able to glean both from his relationship with Trent and going to school, he would not be a part of the movement to a create better Afghanistan. I am looking forward to interviewing these two authors for the Texas Library Association panel, The power of Friendship.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a YA fiction book based on 9/11. As an Army private and studying Journalism at school, Joe's life is drastically turned upside down by this event and he is deployed to Afghanistan. Baheer is a boy living in Afghanistan. He is studious, tries hard to learn English, and wants a better life with no fear or war. When these two paths cross they learn to trust each other and a friendship begins. They realize they have more in common than first thought. But as tension grows with the Taliban will their friendship stand the test of circumstances they face?
This was a timely read after remembering the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and with all the tension in Afghanistan today.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a long week and I only got 20 minutes of reading in each night before crashing. But today I sat down and finished the whole book and I’m so glad I did. Based on the authors’ real experiences in Afghanistan, as a soldier and a civilian, respectively. I really appreciated that Trent’s character Joe went through a transformation of attitude and assumptions about Afghan people after he and Jawad’s character became friendly. There are so many young people today who don’t know much about 9/11, and I’m going to make a special collection of these books because there’s a growing number of them. Highly recommended.

[Anah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was reading this it was kinda of hard to understand what they were talking about due to all the military talk. The would say things like PRT and I would be like ‘what the frick is a PRT’ but other than that it was a pretty good book. Ngl I thought it was gonna be a bl but it turned out to be a normal bro-mance book which I didn't hate, I actually liked it only because Joe and Baheer reminded me of Arthur and Merlin. It was pretty sad when the school got shot up but then I remembered Beheer yelling at Joe about the school shootings in America and was like ‘ha now you know what it feels like’ not in a laughing manor but in a karma kind of way. You know.