While They're At War: The True Story of American Families on the Homefront

By Kristin Henderson

Many Americans will never experience the gut-wrenching act of sending a loved one off to war, or the joy and stress of welcoming him or her home. Still less known to most of us are the anxiety-ridden moments between these two scenes, the day-to-day reality of life in a military family when a loved one is deployed in a combat zone. While They're at War takes us inside hearts and homes to illuminate the unseen aspects of this critical American story.

We meet two very different women, Marissa Bootes and Beth Pratt, both newlyweds experiencing life alone at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, while their husbands are fighting in Iraq. Through the extraordinary stories of these and other military spouses, Kristin Henderson reveals the overwhelming effects of separation -- from fears of death to worries about financial stability and marital fidelity. She also explores the official and unofficial support systems that strain to help homefront families endure some of their greatest challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 3, 2006
• ISBN: 9780547347639

Reviews for While They're At War

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the most touching and heart wrenching books I've read. From one military wife to another, thank you for telling our story.

[kaulsu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A book that makes me cry "shame" to the United States for so many reasons. We don't pay these men and woment sufficiently. We don't care about their emotional stress when they return. We don't care adequately for their families while they are deployed. Henderson has written a book that makes me pay attention. Much, much better than her first book: this one is alive. Thanks go to her and to all the women [and male spouses, too] for allowing their stories to be heard.

[allysther · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book started out as a series of articles. I can see where the content in article form would have been even more powerful than it is as a book. As a book, however, it does a very good job of explaining the emotional and intellectual aspects of the lives of families with people in a war zone. It has been over a year since my husband's return, but this book was still able to reach me and help explain some of what we went through as a family. I will be reccomending this book to others in our situation.