Amazon.com: Customer reviews: A Bridge in Babylon: Stories of a Military Chaplain in Iraq

Top positive review

An enlightening account of the sacrifices soldiers make in service of their country

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021

Owen Chandler's story of his journey from church pastor and Army reservist chaplain, through deployment to Iraq, and then transitioning back to civilian life with his family is amazing. His stories evoke many different emotions. The full time Army treatment of reservists was an issue I had never considered. Deployment impact on spousal relationships, children, jobs, and mental state were all covered from different perspectives, including very sensitive issues. He didn't avoid the hard stuff. Many very personal situations were discussed in detail. Once I started reading, I hated to put the book down.

2 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Ricky Collins

Do not buy this book.

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2022

Was a bad read, and couldn’t help but spread a false narrative of an “armed insurrection”. What a joke from a military individual and not even true.

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Randy B

An enlightening account of the sacrifices soldiers make in service of their country

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021

Verified Purchase

2 people found this helpful

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Leandra

Amazing!

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2021

Verified Purchase

From the moment I started this book, I was enthralled! I have no military connection, but that didn’t matter. This book is filled with stories of love and emotion, of heartache and struggle. You can feel the sense of danger as suicide bombers are attacking a few miles away. Your heart will break with theirs as his sweet family struggles with goodbyes and not being together on special occasions such as Christmas. It is a book that I feel anyone who likes to read will enjoy!

One person found this helpful

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Sunny H

Great insight!

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Pastor of my church, who resigned to join the military. After reading this book, and understanding why he chose this path, not the easiest one for sure, I am at peace and saying prayers for him daily.

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Ryan P. Estes

Insightful and meaningful

Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2021

Verified Purchase

Excellent book. Gives a great peak into the life of what sacrifices those we know who serve. Not just while away but when they return. Opens people’s eyes to the battles our military members face even from the country they serve.

One person found this helpful

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Ricky Collins

Do not buy this book.

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2022

Verified Purchase

Was a bad read, and couldn’t help but spread a false narrative of an “armed insurrection”. What a joke from a military individual and not even true.

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This book is a Must Read

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021

A Bridge in Babylon is a beautifully written and intimate memoir that alternately made us laugh, tugged at our hearts, brought tears to our eyes and made us think. As members of Owen's congregation in Tucson, Arizona, we can say the book is written in much the same conversational, storytelling style as his weekly messages were delivered. His insight, compassion, faith, humility and humor are reflected throughout every chapter as he tells story after story of his deployment experience in Iraq as an Army reserve chaplain who left his wife and young children to travel a world away for one year and the lasting emotional impact this had on his life. He word-paints stories of behind the scenes preparations, the tedium and isolation of deployment, the unexpected disparity of respect felt by reservists in their interactions with their active Army peers, the dangers outside the walls, and the paradox of a Starbucks cafe in such a place. He does not shy away from sharing his fears, his mistakes and accomplishments, his honest emotions and the self-knowledge he gained from this experience. We'll never forget our experience of reading this very personal and affecting account. This is a book that deserves reading again.

Carl & Peggy

4 people found this helpful

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CROCKS

A MUST READ for Civilians as well as those who serve

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021

For those of us who have never experienced military life, or deployment and haven't known the questions to ask our returning military - THANK YOU! This book builds bridges between those who have served, and those of us who haven't; between Active Duty and Reservists; troops who are Stateside and troops deployed; between the many faiths and backgrounds we bring to any human situation. In reading this book, we're given the opportunity to grow in awareness for what it would be like to walk in another's shoes.

Chaplain Chandlers gift as a Master Storyteller, laced with humor, compassion, empathy, faith, doubt, honesty and more had me laughing, crying and more importantly, learning about a world I'll never know firsthand. I have a new appreciation for the toll it takes to be deployed, and the price our troops pay in doing so.

I appreciate and respect Chandler’s sensitivity and ability to tell stories while maintaining the privacy and details countless troops confided in him during their deployment - a rare gift indeed in the intimate role as their trusted "Padre".

Told through the eyes of a Chaplain, I was honored to glimpse what life is like for someone in that sensitive and important role - away from his family, church, friends - a stranger in a strange land - being called to minister to others amid his own loneliness, fear and struggles. I am grateful he kept journals and is willing to share his experience with others. What a gift he gives with his candid honesty of that journey as he gently shares his humanity with the reader.

I have the utmost respect for this author, for his story, and highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever been directly or indirectly touched by war...which I believe is ALL of us!!

I pray the best for Chaplain Chandler in his upcoming deployment. And from the bottom of my heart, I say to him, “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!”

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Michael Wagner

An Honest Story of Being a Chaplain During America's Longest War

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021

Rev. Chandler has written a book that is the real deal. A young chaplain Army reservist gets the call to Iraq. He is a senior minister at a thriving church in Arizona and is married with three young children. I raced through this book. My heart pounded. I chuckled and laughed and teared up many times. I resisted his challenge to jump ahead to Chapter 9, the sex chapter, and took each story in one by one. Being trapped in a porta-potty during an ISIS bombardment, ping pong matches, cigars and poker games, chapel services, lots of change and even more waiting and gut wrenching counseling sessions with his soldiers. And then the anguishing thoughts about leaving Iraq and going home. I almost couldn't get through the thoughts and conversations with his wife and children. Owen has given us a real account of what it's like to be a chaplain during America's longest and never-ending war. What it's like to be a soldier with no weapon. What it's like to be the counselor and then flipping the script and seeking out counseling himself. This is a very good read. Thank you, Rev. Chandler.

2 people found this helpful

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Gregory P. Austin

Gut wrenchingly honest and intimate .

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021

This author did not hold back. His deep personal self reflection is openly dramatically on full display. This earnestness and truth telling holds the reader enthralled. The bridge theme applies throughout each story and experience described. It is between “Irony and grace ;” hope born of tragedy” and faith out of doubt. Yes, the author
Is the story teller of truth and the “profanity of war”. Yet he offers hope and survival even as one is forever changed. This book is an ode to all those who have served and sacrificed in War and their families. And there is a guide here for how to listen and care for people. (Donna Austin)

3 people found this helpful

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Desert Rat

A new perspective on war

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2021

The cover photo grabbed my attention and the book dedication brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't put the book down.
Chaplain Chandler writes about his experience being deployed to Iraq and then putting his family and professional life back together on his return. He's funny, frank and caring. His soldiers clearly have an excellent chaplain looking after them.
After finishing the book, I have to ask why we keep being at war and inflicting these hardships on soldiers and their families.
You won't regret reading this.

One person found this helpful

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