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I'm Still Standing: From Captive U.S. Soldier to Free Citizen--My Journey Home
In March of 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom was only days old when world headlines were rocked by the attack on a U.S. army convoy in Iraq. On March 23rd, during the early march to Baghdad, Shoshana Johnson was wounded in an ambush of her convoy in the city of an-Nasiriyah and taken as a prisoner of war. Several soldiers were killed and five others were taken prisoner. While Jessica Lynch became the face associated with the capture, Shoshana was held for several more weeks. After the headline-making ambush, capture, and rescue, Shoshana returned to the U.S., receiving numerous awards for her valor, including the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, and Prisoner of War Medal. In I’m Still Standing Shoshana writes for the first time about her experience as a prisoner of war, revealing emotions and frustrations that are personal as well as political..
As a speaker, Shoshana’s warmth and poise have earned her admirers all over the world. I’m Still Standing reveals the true source of courage behind the story, the full story she couldn’t share when she last appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live ..
As a speaker, Shoshana’s warmth and poise have earned her admirers all over the world. I’m Still Standing reveals the true source of courage behind the story, the full story she couldn’t share when she last appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live ..
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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452 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
January 28, 2010
I was working in my college dining hall when I first caught wind of Jessica Lynch’s capture back in 2003. As I scraped steam trays, I compared our situations. She is a brave soldier somewhere in the sands of Iraq. I am a pansy who spent her days in purgatorial peace in the tundra of upstate New York. I didn’t know—many people didn’t know—that five other soldiers, including Shoshana Johnson, the first African-American female prisoner of war, were also being held. I’m Still Standing, recounts the capture and twenty-two-day imprisonment of Johnson and four male co-prisoners at the dawn of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Johnson is many things: an army cook, a survivor, a mother, and a brave woman who endured great hardship for her nation. She is not a professional writer, though, and it shows. Writing this book has undoubtedly been therapeutic for her, and it gave her a platform to tell the world her story, but as a reader I found myself desiring deeper contemplations on her experience than what she provided. We get a play-by-play, and I wanted a reflection.
This book presents several potentially riveting subjects, such as how the military portrays itself for the media, the ethics of keeping prisoners, the perception of the Iraqi people, and the experience of a female soldier. Being an American female solider serving in the Middle East seems like a particular double-whammy, since women remain a minority in the military and many countries in the Middle East traditionally treat women in a way many Westerners find unacceptable.
Johnson had many experiences during her ordeal that are unique to a female solider. When her gender was discovered by her captors, they stopped beating her while the beating of male soldiers continued. Johnson was held in a different room separate from her male co-prisoners for several days, and she hints about feeling ignored by the men. Later, after telling her captors that she was not married, some began to say that she should marry an Iraqi man, a comment she feared was not a joke. At one point a cloth was tossed over her body to conceal her exposed skin and she was told, “This is Iraq.” After her rescue, she found that many people assumed she was raped in captivity.
Many scenes are ripe with poignancy, but I feel she ran over them in an attempt to remember everything, and gave herself no room to meditate on what it meant. It seems every time a chance to explore subjects in depth was presented, the author merely skims the surface and moves on. I recall a quote from writer Lucy Grealy, who was asked how she remembered the details of her childhood that resulted in her book Autobiography of a Face. She replied, “I didn’t remember it. I wrote it.” Indeed, nonfiction writing needs to have that organic quality to it.
After Johnson’s rescue and return, the book morphs into a defense against accusations she says were piled upon her by the Army and the media. Many lines are unveiled attempts to send personal messages to people in her life, such as an old lover. That can be done in a private, rather than in a national publication.
Despite the limitations of the book, this soldier endured hardships, and I thank her for having the courage to fight for the nation and to tell her story.
Review by Kelly Gallagher
Johnson is many things: an army cook, a survivor, a mother, and a brave woman who endured great hardship for her nation. She is not a professional writer, though, and it shows. Writing this book has undoubtedly been therapeutic for her, and it gave her a platform to tell the world her story, but as a reader I found myself desiring deeper contemplations on her experience than what she provided. We get a play-by-play, and I wanted a reflection.
This book presents several potentially riveting subjects, such as how the military portrays itself for the media, the ethics of keeping prisoners, the perception of the Iraqi people, and the experience of a female soldier. Being an American female solider serving in the Middle East seems like a particular double-whammy, since women remain a minority in the military and many countries in the Middle East traditionally treat women in a way many Westerners find unacceptable.
Johnson had many experiences during her ordeal that are unique to a female solider. When her gender was discovered by her captors, they stopped beating her while the beating of male soldiers continued. Johnson was held in a different room separate from her male co-prisoners for several days, and she hints about feeling ignored by the men. Later, after telling her captors that she was not married, some began to say that she should marry an Iraqi man, a comment she feared was not a joke. At one point a cloth was tossed over her body to conceal her exposed skin and she was told, “This is Iraq.” After her rescue, she found that many people assumed she was raped in captivity.
Many scenes are ripe with poignancy, but I feel she ran over them in an attempt to remember everything, and gave herself no room to meditate on what it meant. It seems every time a chance to explore subjects in depth was presented, the author merely skims the surface and moves on. I recall a quote from writer Lucy Grealy, who was asked how she remembered the details of her childhood that resulted in her book Autobiography of a Face. She replied, “I didn’t remember it. I wrote it.” Indeed, nonfiction writing needs to have that organic quality to it.
After Johnson’s rescue and return, the book morphs into a defense against accusations she says were piled upon her by the Army and the media. Many lines are unveiled attempts to send personal messages to people in her life, such as an old lover. That can be done in a private, rather than in a national publication.
Despite the limitations of the book, this soldier endured hardships, and I thank her for having the courage to fight for the nation and to tell her story.
Review by Kelly Gallagher
January 20, 2010
Shoshana Johnson is the first black Latin American woman to be taken P.O.W and this is her story of her twenty two days of captivity in Iraq.
Shoshana joined the army to earn money for culinary school. When the war broke out in 2003, she was sent along with her unit to Iraq where they proceed to drive a convoy across the desert. The convoy was ill planned from the start. Tape jammed their rifle magazines. The group was ill trained and ill prepared. To sum it up, some higher ups weren't doing their jobs and this becomes obvious when the last 14 or so trucks in the convoy gets lost. One wrong turn leads to a very bad situation. Shoshana and a few others are captured. She is shot in both ankles. What can she do?
This is her thoughts, fears, hopes, and ordeals during her twenty two days. It tops off with her rescue, the press houndings, and where she is today. Did she ever make it to culinary school?
Four stars despite it being a well told story. Why? Throughout the telling, Shoshana keeps repeating three words and one recurring theme. "I'm a cook. Why did they send me?" Coming from a very military family myself, this began to irritate me because when you sign up for the American military, your primary and number one job is defense of your country. The fact that you are a cook, sheet metal mechanic, truck driver, or whatever else they have spent the money training you to do, is your secondary job. After free medical care, free training, and constant support of your military family, can you really question them when they ask for you assistance in homeland defense?
Despite that irritation, I enjoyed her story and I recommend it.
Shoshana joined the army to earn money for culinary school. When the war broke out in 2003, she was sent along with her unit to Iraq where they proceed to drive a convoy across the desert. The convoy was ill planned from the start. Tape jammed their rifle magazines. The group was ill trained and ill prepared. To sum it up, some higher ups weren't doing their jobs and this becomes obvious when the last 14 or so trucks in the convoy gets lost. One wrong turn leads to a very bad situation. Shoshana and a few others are captured. She is shot in both ankles. What can she do?
This is her thoughts, fears, hopes, and ordeals during her twenty two days. It tops off with her rescue, the press houndings, and where she is today. Did she ever make it to culinary school?
Four stars despite it being a well told story. Why? Throughout the telling, Shoshana keeps repeating three words and one recurring theme. "I'm a cook. Why did they send me?" Coming from a very military family myself, this began to irritate me because when you sign up for the American military, your primary and number one job is defense of your country. The fact that you are a cook, sheet metal mechanic, truck driver, or whatever else they have spent the money training you to do, is your secondary job. After free medical care, free training, and constant support of your military family, can you really question them when they ask for you assistance in homeland defense?
Despite that irritation, I enjoyed her story and I recommend it.
April 18, 2010
Thank you for the book, Tara!
This memoir is written by the first black American (actually, Panamanian-American) female soldier to be held as a prisoner of war in Iraq. After the initial description of the attack, her lost convoy ambushed, some soldiers killed and some taken prisoner, the story alternates between describing her life leading up to the attack and her life as a POW and later. She was captured on March 23, 2003, and rescued on April 13, 2003.
First, let me get my negative thoughts out of the way. I found it disturbing that Shoshana seemed to choose a military career as the path of least resistance. She dropped out of college because she didn't really know what she wanted to do, and was working dead-end jobs when she decided that a “safe” job in the Army didn't sound so bad despite her other options. After her daughter was born while Shana was in the Army, Shana, now a single parent, chose to sign up for another three-year stint, never expecting to go to Iraq. I think it is unfair for a single parent to expect his or her family to raise the child while the parent is gone, and I don't think it is fair to the child to have no parent for an extended period of time and to possibly lose her only parent in war. Just my opinion, and I know many disagree with me. Also I'm not Shoshana and I don't know what I would have decided had I been in her shoes.
Shana repeatedly questioned why she was in the convoy in Iraq when she was just a cook, when she should have been somewhere safer. I don't think any soldier is ever guaranteed safety in war, and the “why me? I didn't sign up for this” attitude got old.
Now for the positive. Shana's story was, for the most part, well written and engaging. Although I have some criticism of her decisions, I don't think for a minute that she was anything less than honorable when she was a prisoner, and I admire her resolve to get through the situation the best she could, despite severe wounds that were poorly treated and horribly painful. I admire that she very much appreciated the actions and sacrifices of her fellow soldiers, most of whom behaved as admirably as she did but got little recognition for it. The POWs were often moved, never in one place long, never knowing what was going to happen next, and as the lone woman in her group, she was isolated much more than the men. I admire that she did not paint all Iraqis with the same broad brush, that she was able to see that some were kinder than others and some crueler, even though they were holding her prisoner. As horrible as her experience was, I am glad that it was relatively short (although it must have seemed a thousand years to the POWs) and that her group was rescued. I am so glad she and her fellow POWS survived. I wish we could say the same for all the soldiers.
The book even had a little humor. There are disposable devices that allow women to pee standing up, but she had to pay out of her own pocket for them and had to practice. And then there is the red underwear, and the care that “black hair” takes.
Shana questioned some of the Army decisions, not only the one that allowed the ambush to take place but also what happened after she returned home. And it sounds like many mistakes were made. It's pretty easy to make the right decisions with the advantage of hindsight.
As a nit, there were quite a few grammatical and typo mistakes in the ARC copy I read, which is pretty common, and I hope and expect that they were corrected in the published edition. In the end, I think this is a very good read for anyone interested in the life of a soldier.
This memoir is written by the first black American (actually, Panamanian-American) female soldier to be held as a prisoner of war in Iraq. After the initial description of the attack, her lost convoy ambushed, some soldiers killed and some taken prisoner, the story alternates between describing her life leading up to the attack and her life as a POW and later. She was captured on March 23, 2003, and rescued on April 13, 2003.
First, let me get my negative thoughts out of the way. I found it disturbing that Shoshana seemed to choose a military career as the path of least resistance. She dropped out of college because she didn't really know what she wanted to do, and was working dead-end jobs when she decided that a “safe” job in the Army didn't sound so bad despite her other options. After her daughter was born while Shana was in the Army, Shana, now a single parent, chose to sign up for another three-year stint, never expecting to go to Iraq. I think it is unfair for a single parent to expect his or her family to raise the child while the parent is gone, and I don't think it is fair to the child to have no parent for an extended period of time and to possibly lose her only parent in war. Just my opinion, and I know many disagree with me. Also I'm not Shoshana and I don't know what I would have decided had I been in her shoes.
Shana repeatedly questioned why she was in the convoy in Iraq when she was just a cook, when she should have been somewhere safer. I don't think any soldier is ever guaranteed safety in war, and the “why me? I didn't sign up for this” attitude got old.
Now for the positive. Shana's story was, for the most part, well written and engaging. Although I have some criticism of her decisions, I don't think for a minute that she was anything less than honorable when she was a prisoner, and I admire her resolve to get through the situation the best she could, despite severe wounds that were poorly treated and horribly painful. I admire that she very much appreciated the actions and sacrifices of her fellow soldiers, most of whom behaved as admirably as she did but got little recognition for it. The POWs were often moved, never in one place long, never knowing what was going to happen next, and as the lone woman in her group, she was isolated much more than the men. I admire that she did not paint all Iraqis with the same broad brush, that she was able to see that some were kinder than others and some crueler, even though they were holding her prisoner. As horrible as her experience was, I am glad that it was relatively short (although it must have seemed a thousand years to the POWs) and that her group was rescued. I am so glad she and her fellow POWS survived. I wish we could say the same for all the soldiers.
The book even had a little humor. There are disposable devices that allow women to pee standing up, but she had to pay out of her own pocket for them and had to practice. And then there is the red underwear, and the care that “black hair” takes.
Shana questioned some of the Army decisions, not only the one that allowed the ambush to take place but also what happened after she returned home. And it sounds like many mistakes were made. It's pretty easy to make the right decisions with the advantage of hindsight.
As a nit, there were quite a few grammatical and typo mistakes in the ARC copy I read, which is pretty common, and I hope and expect that they were corrected in the published edition. In the end, I think this is a very good read for anyone interested in the life of a soldier.
January 8, 2011
This is the true-life tale of POW Shoshana Johnson. Johnson was taken captive during a convoy in Iraq. At the time, she had actually just entered the war. The book begins right in the heart of the battle where she was injured and taken captive. From there, it goes backward, telling of her decision to join the army, her training, and family stories. The story however, is not quite chronological, as each chapter bounces between her time before Iraq, and during her captivity period. Johnson's experiences also closely examine where the Army may have been at fault for her capture, and are critical of a number of Army policies. It is interesting to hear her side of the story, unedited and uncensored.
Johnson is brutally honest, sharing in graphic detail every bit she remembers. However, I did not find it a painful read. It is written in basic language with relatively large font & few words on the page, making it a page-turner and a quick read. She had, what surprised me, as a relatively tame stay as prisoner of war. She was beaten and battered for the first few days, but in the remaining days (of 22), it seems she was fed and treated with a modicum of respect. I'm in no way saying it wasn't horrific, I just didn't know about the Geneva Convention (protecting the rights of POWs) or the Red Crescent (people & doctors who aide POWs) and that people actually adhered to the guidelines of care. From the media, I always assumed that POWs are consistently brutally beaten, which I'm sure is true of many stories, but apparently not all.
The story is tremendous, but her writing style is basic and limited. It reads like a story written by a layperson, not a professional, which it is. There are a number of pieces of the story that are repeated on multiple occasions, that I think a good editor could (should?) have cut out. Overall, absolutely worth the read. It's always incredible to read a story of a strong woman. Definitely a good look at Army policy from an inside standpoint, even though she certainly still seems to be an Army proponent. Also, it is a wonderful honor to a woman who worked hard to serve her country and today suffers the ill effects of having done so.
Johnson is brutally honest, sharing in graphic detail every bit she remembers. However, I did not find it a painful read. It is written in basic language with relatively large font & few words on the page, making it a page-turner and a quick read. She had, what surprised me, as a relatively tame stay as prisoner of war. She was beaten and battered for the first few days, but in the remaining days (of 22), it seems she was fed and treated with a modicum of respect. I'm in no way saying it wasn't horrific, I just didn't know about the Geneva Convention (protecting the rights of POWs) or the Red Crescent (people & doctors who aide POWs) and that people actually adhered to the guidelines of care. From the media, I always assumed that POWs are consistently brutally beaten, which I'm sure is true of many stories, but apparently not all.
The story is tremendous, but her writing style is basic and limited. It reads like a story written by a layperson, not a professional, which it is. There are a number of pieces of the story that are repeated on multiple occasions, that I think a good editor could (should?) have cut out. Overall, absolutely worth the read. It's always incredible to read a story of a strong woman. Definitely a good look at Army policy from an inside standpoint, even though she certainly still seems to be an Army proponent. Also, it is a wonderful honor to a woman who worked hard to serve her country and today suffers the ill effects of having done so.
September 9, 2010
A true account of the events leading up to the capture of the first female POWs of the Iraqi conflict. She's not bitter, but I felt hope at the end of the book and highly recommend it to anyone curious about the incident, whose most famous face was Jessica Lynch.
March 14, 2010
An important story told not very well, sorry to say. The plight and heroism of Shoshana Johnson and her colleagues deserves a far better telling than this.
November 20, 2018
Shoshana has a great story to tell as she is the first African American woman to be under capture. she has a great way of capturing the reader into her story as it leaves you wondering what's going to happen next at the end of every chapter. but the one thing that's almost annoying is that every other chapter is her back story. which is great to show what she has come from and what her family is like, but to wonder what is going to happen next with her capture as it cuts to her backstory.
November 20, 2018
The book was exciting in the beginning and the end but it was really dry and uneventful in the middle of the story.
May 18, 2010
We are living in a time where the cost of everything is rising and too many people are living in poverty. As a result, many young men and women attempt to do the only thing that seems sensible, join the military. What better way to gain hands-on experience, bring in a steady and for-sure income while earning money for college? Yea, that's the same thing that Shoshana Johnson figured when she decided to follow in the foot steps of her father and her sister and join the military.
In her debut memoir, Johnson recalls the day, as written by M. L. Doyle, she was taken as a P.O.W. after being left behind by her superiors in the middle of nowhere en route to Baghdad with very vivid details of incidents leading up to her capture.
"My life has forever changed because of what happened in An Nasiriyah on March 23, 2003. One day, maybe I'll be able to get through a day when I don't think about it, when I don't wonder what I could have done to change things."
Johnson, now free from a gag order imposed by the military, is very honest and open about what happened in Iraq. Johnson also dispels many myths and untruths that imply it was the fault of the officers that led to the ambush and capture. According to Johnson, it was after being separated from the convey and wondering into a town that they were attacked by the residents of the city.
"My head whipped around as I looked to see where all this fire was coming from. I saw a man coming at us from between two buildings. He was about three hundred meters away when I first saw him, a young guy wearing a white shirt and dark pants, his tennis-shoed feet kicking up wisps of sand as he ran toward us. He was carrying a pistol and I knew he would use it."
I know many of you will ask how did they end up behind everyone. According to Johnson, her company, the 507th Maintenance Company, consisted of "mechanics, truck drivers, technicians, and supply specialists were the heart of the 507th. Three others and me were attached to the unit as cooks."
I guess it's okay to say the 507th was the clean-up crew. That meant that anytime a vehicle stopped due to maintenance and technical issues they had to stop and get the vehicles back on the road. No man left behind would be a great slogan but unfortunately they were left behind. To add insult to injury, many would blame the 507th for the incident, including the press.
"But the press didn't say anything about our orders to use that damn tape. They didn't say anything about our attempts to repair radios that didn't work and they didn't say anything about how TCP had abandoned us in the middle of the desert and, evidently forgotten that we were out there."
In this page-turning painfully true story, Johnson tells it like it is. It is horrifying that our soldiers would be exposed to war without working equipment and then be blamed for being attacked, wounded and captured. After reading many reviews about this book, I was not sure what to expect but it was worth my time to read it and I'm so proud of Shoshana for telling HERstory and we wont have to rely on HIStory!
"The decision to write this book was a difficult one to reach. I finally agreed to do it after several people convinced me that it was important to tell my side of the story. So much has been said about me and my experience in the press and little of it has been very accurate. I always wonder who it is they are talking and writing about. It just couldn't be me."
Johnson is now credited as being the first African-American (actually Panamanian-American) female P.O.W. and has received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals for her commitment, dedication and valor. She was held captive for 22 days and thanks the Marines that saved her life.
If you haven't read this book you should and it is a must have for your library. Let's make sure that even if history books decide not to cover Shoshana Johnson we do our part to make sure we know who she is and pass the knowledge to others, especially our children.
After reading this novel, I had many mixed emotions. I LOVE the United State of America and as of today there is no other place I'd rather be. But, it greatly saddens me when I hear stories of our soldiers not having proper equipment and support or getting adequate health care. These soldiers lay down their lives to defend our country and as citizens it's time to let our politrikans know that we will not tolerate the mistreatment of our soldiers. I was pissed that Shoshana had to call in help to fight for the benefits she deserved. America we have to do better, we just have to!
God Bless Our Troops and Veterans
In her debut memoir, Johnson recalls the day, as written by M. L. Doyle, she was taken as a P.O.W. after being left behind by her superiors in the middle of nowhere en route to Baghdad with very vivid details of incidents leading up to her capture.
"My life has forever changed because of what happened in An Nasiriyah on March 23, 2003. One day, maybe I'll be able to get through a day when I don't think about it, when I don't wonder what I could have done to change things."
Johnson, now free from a gag order imposed by the military, is very honest and open about what happened in Iraq. Johnson also dispels many myths and untruths that imply it was the fault of the officers that led to the ambush and capture. According to Johnson, it was after being separated from the convey and wondering into a town that they were attacked by the residents of the city.
"My head whipped around as I looked to see where all this fire was coming from. I saw a man coming at us from between two buildings. He was about three hundred meters away when I first saw him, a young guy wearing a white shirt and dark pants, his tennis-shoed feet kicking up wisps of sand as he ran toward us. He was carrying a pistol and I knew he would use it."
I know many of you will ask how did they end up behind everyone. According to Johnson, her company, the 507th Maintenance Company, consisted of "mechanics, truck drivers, technicians, and supply specialists were the heart of the 507th. Three others and me were attached to the unit as cooks."
I guess it's okay to say the 507th was the clean-up crew. That meant that anytime a vehicle stopped due to maintenance and technical issues they had to stop and get the vehicles back on the road. No man left behind would be a great slogan but unfortunately they were left behind. To add insult to injury, many would blame the 507th for the incident, including the press.
"But the press didn't say anything about our orders to use that damn tape. They didn't say anything about our attempts to repair radios that didn't work and they didn't say anything about how TCP had abandoned us in the middle of the desert and, evidently forgotten that we were out there."
In this page-turning painfully true story, Johnson tells it like it is. It is horrifying that our soldiers would be exposed to war without working equipment and then be blamed for being attacked, wounded and captured. After reading many reviews about this book, I was not sure what to expect but it was worth my time to read it and I'm so proud of Shoshana for telling HERstory and we wont have to rely on HIStory!
"The decision to write this book was a difficult one to reach. I finally agreed to do it after several people convinced me that it was important to tell my side of the story. So much has been said about me and my experience in the press and little of it has been very accurate. I always wonder who it is they are talking and writing about. It just couldn't be me."
Johnson is now credited as being the first African-American (actually Panamanian-American) female P.O.W. and has received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals for her commitment, dedication and valor. She was held captive for 22 days and thanks the Marines that saved her life.
If you haven't read this book you should and it is a must have for your library. Let's make sure that even if history books decide not to cover Shoshana Johnson we do our part to make sure we know who she is and pass the knowledge to others, especially our children.
After reading this novel, I had many mixed emotions. I LOVE the United State of America and as of today there is no other place I'd rather be. But, it greatly saddens me when I hear stories of our soldiers not having proper equipment and support or getting adequate health care. These soldiers lay down their lives to defend our country and as citizens it's time to let our politrikans know that we will not tolerate the mistreatment of our soldiers. I was pissed that Shoshana had to call in help to fight for the benefits she deserved. America we have to do better, we just have to!
God Bless Our Troops and Veterans
January 7, 2020
this book was poopy. i unfortunately didn't enjoy this particular book. It was just not my type of literature like i like to read when i get a cup of joe in the early mornings. How this particular was written was not my style and how it kept bouncing around from different views of this character. farewell fellow book worms. just because this book wasn't for me doesn't mean you wont enjoy this startling book.
November 22, 2013
Im Still Standing by Shoshana Johnson
Im Still Standing by Shoshana Johnson is a powerful novel about a young woman and the gruesome events she went through while being a prisoner of war in Iraq and her journey home to be reunited with her daughter and rest of the family. This memoir shows the strength and determination of this US military soldier as she strives and struggles with many injuries throughout the month of her captivity. Shoshana Johnson is a single mom in the military, stationed at Fort Bliss in El paso, Texas, a very large military base. Shoshana is the chef at this base, shes never really gone out in fight, she was trained, but never had much intention in going out in the heart of a war zone. When she found out she was being deployed she couldn't truly believe it, for she didn't belong there. When her convoy took a wrong turn right into the heart of the problem, they were ambushed. Shoshana sees her friends die, and people fighting for their lives. Shoshana and the four other men that were captured traveled with their hands tied together and blindfolded being passed on from guard to guard. Many of them had been injured, the worst was Shoshana who had to endure the pain of walking on shattered ankles for a month. After twenty-two days her long captivity with no real care ended as the US Marines saved them all. Shoshana is portrayed as a wonderful mother, daughter, fighter, and a hero. Her and the other POW’s fought through the unthinkable.
Im Still Standing is very well written and an easy read. The author is very descriptive in describing exactly what she remembers from her captivity and life in the Us Army, both before and after her capture. The imagery created from her words is like you can almost be put into her shoes and see exactly what she saw. Through the happiness, struggles, failures, and triumphs, all is seen throughout the book in its entirety.
The only thing that could shy a person away from this book is that it does seem to drag on at some points. Jumping back from before she was deployed to her current deployment issue in each chapter gets a little lengthy and at some points confusing. Although the book was very well written after she was released from her capture the author doesn't really talk about everything she went through besides the fact that she experienced some form of fame on many occasions.
Although this is so far on the other side of the spectrum then what I usually read, this memoir was wonderfully written and tells a marvelous story of the trials these men and women went through while fighting for our country! Id recommend the book to anyone.
Im Still Standing by Shoshana Johnson is a powerful novel about a young woman and the gruesome events she went through while being a prisoner of war in Iraq and her journey home to be reunited with her daughter and rest of the family. This memoir shows the strength and determination of this US military soldier as she strives and struggles with many injuries throughout the month of her captivity. Shoshana Johnson is a single mom in the military, stationed at Fort Bliss in El paso, Texas, a very large military base. Shoshana is the chef at this base, shes never really gone out in fight, she was trained, but never had much intention in going out in the heart of a war zone. When she found out she was being deployed she couldn't truly believe it, for she didn't belong there. When her convoy took a wrong turn right into the heart of the problem, they were ambushed. Shoshana sees her friends die, and people fighting for their lives. Shoshana and the four other men that were captured traveled with their hands tied together and blindfolded being passed on from guard to guard. Many of them had been injured, the worst was Shoshana who had to endure the pain of walking on shattered ankles for a month. After twenty-two days her long captivity with no real care ended as the US Marines saved them all. Shoshana is portrayed as a wonderful mother, daughter, fighter, and a hero. Her and the other POW’s fought through the unthinkable.
Im Still Standing is very well written and an easy read. The author is very descriptive in describing exactly what she remembers from her captivity and life in the Us Army, both before and after her capture. The imagery created from her words is like you can almost be put into her shoes and see exactly what she saw. Through the happiness, struggles, failures, and triumphs, all is seen throughout the book in its entirety.
The only thing that could shy a person away from this book is that it does seem to drag on at some points. Jumping back from before she was deployed to her current deployment issue in each chapter gets a little lengthy and at some points confusing. Although the book was very well written after she was released from her capture the author doesn't really talk about everything she went through besides the fact that she experienced some form of fame on many occasions.
Although this is so far on the other side of the spectrum then what I usually read, this memoir was wonderfully written and tells a marvelous story of the trials these men and women went through while fighting for our country! Id recommend the book to anyone.
June 28, 2020
3.5. There’s not a lot of analytical depth or broader meaning to this book of war; the story of our nation’s first black and female POW, a cook taken during a controversial conflict, is an opportunity for a barn-burner of broader import. Not that Johnson and her coauthor don’t think about ANYTHING; they just stick only to Johnson’s personal interpretation, which is stuck to her experiences. For instance, she considers herself friends with Jessica Lynch and feels no jealousy that Lynch got more attention for the same incident. While it is good that she is able to cheer on the positive outcome of her fellow soldier and friend, and makes Johnson a likable and admirable person, is no reason to dismiss the influence of racism in their treatment from the Army or the media. Indeed, this book is largely the straightforward telling of what happened to Johnson and how she feels about it. She largely spent her time in captivity afraid of the unknown and trying to be patient, while suffering great pain from her injuries. I most appreciated the time Johnson spends detailing the aftermath of her ordeal, and the experiences, good and bad, that came after her climactic rescue and the many months after. The story is relatable, because Johnson doesn’t try to ride off into the sunset, but continues to ground the story in reality.
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May 27, 2017It's a firsthand account of her 22-day imprisonment during her deployment to the Middle East in 2003 to support "Operation Iraqi Freedom." Shoshana is a single mom, and a cook in the Army, who is sent to the front lines. She becomes the first African-American female prisoner of war in United States history. She survives her imprisonment and ultimately becomes an American hero. What's interesting about this book is that Shoshana did not want to write it, but her mother encouraged her, saying people would want to hear her story. I am glad she listened to her mother because her story reads like a personal journal. As readers, we not only get a unique firsthand account into the harsh realities of war, we are also afforded an opportunity to intimately know the ordinary men and women of our country who serve in the military and make extraordinary sacrifices every day.
April 18, 2012
I did not know before reading this biographical story of this soldier's hostage experience that she was the first African-american female soldier POW. It is an interesting read, not only for the POW experience, but also for her account of her life before and after, her decision to become a soldier, her experiences in boot camp, being shipped overseas, and dealing with the lingering affects of her combat injuries, both physical and mental. The story is well-written and captivating. Her experience is certainly relevant to the problems experienced overseas and at home by our troops who have fought more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.
June 17, 2014
O MY, MY, MY this book is terrific!!! Shoshana did not just focus on her ambush, capture, and rescue; she revealed her fears, disappointments, and the struggles of others in her unit. Organization is clear and flows so that you can almost feel as you're there. There's no mistake about the care each officer had for each other. The degrading/dangerous things that took place are things you wish were not, but necessary for our freedom. I salute and thank every military personnel for your brave selfless service. GOD bless you and your families.
March 13, 2012
Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down and read it in one evening. Although the book could have benefited from some editing, Shoshana's story is compelling and worth reading. Perhaps I'm a bit biased as a female vet, but most of what she wrote really rang true to me. I'm glad that after all of these years, she finally decided to tell her story as a POW, as well as her life after she returned.
November 13, 2016
I got this from The Veterans Day Reading List for 2016 at
https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/7...
Shoshana Johnson is the first black Latin American woman to be taken P.O.W and this is her story of her twenty two days of captivity in Iraq.
She joined the army to earn money for culinary school. When the war broke out in 2003, she was sent along with her unit to Iraq.
She survived and now back home in culinary school.
https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/7...
Shoshana Johnson is the first black Latin American woman to be taken P.O.W and this is her story of her twenty two days of captivity in Iraq.
She joined the army to earn money for culinary school. When the war broke out in 2003, she was sent along with her unit to Iraq.
She survived and now back home in culinary school.
June 19, 2018
Adult biography. A great retelling of a gripping and harrowing event in recent history. Alternating chapters between Johnson's personal life story and the details leading up, and including, her capture positively add to the pacing of the book. The uniqueness of a female POW, the description of being a woman in the Army, and her life after her rescue and return to the U.S. are of particular intrigue.
March 26, 2010
I got this book when I went to see the Wendy Williams show (How you doin'?)and Shoshana was the guest. Everyone in the audience got her book. I actually liked it. It was interesting to get a first person account of being a POW in Iraq and just about being in Iraq in general. It was real easy to read since it was in a conversational style. And I was surprised at what went on.
May 12, 2011
I jumped to read this book when it came out, remembering SJ's story and being absolutely fascinated by the strenght of this young woman who withstood so much. The book simply reminded me why I admire this young woman so much and what a strong human being she is even with everything she went through and continued to live with the memories of.
August 28, 2010
This is a very good first person account of what went on during the opening days of the war. The conversational style made it a fast read. It would have been better with a little less about wanting a man. That got a little boring. Told the story of what our military have to put up with to get the treatment and compensation.
January 5, 2011
I was very entralled to have read this book about my oldest and dearest friend. Although I wish she had never had to endure this event in her life, she protrayed her struggles brillantly and has come out an even stronger and independent woman. I loved it.
April 17, 2011
Very well written first person account of the first Black female to be captured in Iraq. Shoshana is a very courageous woman and I am thankful to her and all of our service personnel for their service. If you want to know the true story of what happened that day, read this book.
February 20, 2013
This book was amazing!! A definite must read for everyone, especially those that aren't familiar with the unfortunate situations a soldier could possibly find themselves in. You never think it would be you.
November 7, 2017
It was interesting to hear Shoshana's story and I loved her personality. It was fun comparing Shoshana's version to Jessica Lynch's, whose book I also read. Both women were in 504th Maintence Co. and knew each other.
December 5, 2017
Fantastic story by a strong woman with a clear sense of self and purpose. A meaningful read that I recommend to everyone. Left me with a bitter taste in my mouth regarding the American media, though...
March 14, 2010
An interesting story. Shana Johnson comes across as a very real person.
March 10, 2010
I can't imagine myself in her position. In my opionion, the book is not very well written. It is repetitive and slow.
April 1, 2010
Very interesting. Shoshana was a captured soldier in Iraq. Same incident as Jessica Lynch. Good read, but did get a little boring on the last chapter.
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June 24, 2011A very inspirational memoir. I would not trade places with Shoshana for anything.
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