Recipient of the American Library Association's Sophie Brody Award for The Aleppo Codex, Jerusalem-based reporter Friedman here turns his attention to war in this memoir documenting his time with an Israeli platoon in Lebanon in the 1990s. Most of the action takes place in battles atop a highly contested hill nicknamed Pumpkin, with flowers referring to a military term for casualties. Friedman's history of the conflict provides insight into a soldier's life in that region, the cultures of the area, and the politics and repercussions of war. The constant threat of roadside bombs adds a sense that death hovers over the fighters, all amid a political climate that makes it difficult to determine heroes from villains, or if there are such things at all. Short chapters make this account fast and engaging, as if Friedman were clicking through a slideshow, describing each scene with great heart and detail. VERDICT A compelling war memoir containing elements of terror, observation, boredom, and grim (at times absurd) humor. This is an excellent read for anyone interested in military memoirs or biographies, war reporting, and the modern Middle East.—Benjamin Brudner, Curry Coll. Lib., Milton, MA