Before there was the television show, there was the book…
Army Wives: The Unwritten Code of Military Marriage by Tanya Biank
Recently I read the book Army Wives so I could review it for our Wives of Faith readers. It is a powerful book.
The original title for Army Wives is Under the Saber and it’s a very interesting nonfiction book about the lives of four different Army wives. The author, Tanya Biank, does a wonderful job of spotlighting four very different women whose husbands serve in the Army. She was able to talk quite frankly about these women’s struggles.
Pattie’s Review:
I have only watched a couple of episodes of the Lifetime series “Army Wives,” and they were early episodes. I was never hooked on the show, I guess, because my husband was deployed at the time, and his military career was nothing like the ones depicted on TV, and I just didn’t know much about the military. Of course, now the show is in its fourth season and is a runaway hit with women everywhere. (Perhaps I’ll catch it on DVD!)
That said, when I had the chance to order a copy of Tanya Biank’s book of the same title from Military One Source.com (I offer a link to this program at the end of this post), I was excited to read it.
While I enjoyed the book, I feel I must offer a disclaimer right away: this is a serious book. It’s not lighthearted or fluffy, and it’s not what might be considered a “fun” read. Tanya Biank is a serious journalist, and this book is an extension of many stories she covered as a reporter in Fayetteville, North Carolina in the early 2000s. She is an excellent writer, and while this is nonfiction in content, it is most certainly not scholarly or stodgy in tone. I read it fairly quickly as this nonfiction narrative flowed smoothly.
In this book, Tanya Biank examines Fort Bragg and the people who serve there. She chose four wives from different walks of life, whose husbands had different ranks and jobs, and different temperaments. She talks about their lives, their husbands’ jobs and service, how they lived, and in some cases, how they died.
I found Army Wives to be a fascinating look at military spouses on either side of 9/11/01. Because the stories begin before that fateful day, and continue through that uncertain time, and end after the war is in full swing.
I’d love to see Tanya Biank do a follow-up to Army Wives now. Not necessarily with the same women she profiles, but with other military women in different situations and facing different challenges. I think it’d be fascinating.
I am always fascinated by people’s stories—it’s why I’m a reader of books and a watcher of people when I’m out, why I love being a part of Wives of Faith, and why I’m a listener of stories in my real life. I think it’s also why I really enjoyed this book so much.
To learn more about the book and the author, visit Tanya Biank’s site here.
WIN THIS BOOK!!!
And now for the giveaway. While I enjoyed this book very much, I also want to share my only-read-once copy of the book with another Wives of Faith reader. (For any other bibliophiles out there, you’ll know what I mean when I tell you that my husband loves me, but not all my books—and with another move in a year after just having moved last month, you can see my predicament!)
No purchase necessary! Just leave a comment telling me one great thing about being a military wife. That’s all! One great thing. You’ll then be eligible for the drawing to receive my once-read, still-in-great-shape copy of this book. I’ll mail it as soon as the winner sends me her address.
Also, please be sure to include your email address in your comment. It won’t be public info for the public site, but it will give me a way to contact you in the event that you’re the winner.
So be sure to leave a comment starting now until Friday, July 9th at noon Central time. That’s when I’ll choose the winner!
Special thanks to Military One Source for the free copy of the book. It was sent to me for free
as a military spouse, not for review. To learn more about this program, click here.
You will need to join Military One Source to participate in this program, but membership is free.
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