AbbyNonFiction

AbbyKrucek Abagail Krucek Non-fiction Essay Laurencot In my book that I read, __From Baghdad, With Love__ by Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman and Melinda Roth, the main idea is that even in the time of war people including the marines can find something or someone to care about, love, or become close to. This book relates to society and history because in society now people all over the world have pets they love and care about or something they hold dear to themselves. In this book Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman and the Lava Dogs, a group of marines, are searching through abandon buildings in Fallujah, Iraq for terrorists, bombers, and snipers. As the Lava Dogs are searching a building they hear clicks and snuffles. The Lava Dogs should have prepped the room with a grenade first but instead they turned the corner and saw a dog starring up at them. In the book Lieutenant thinks in his head, “Prohibited activities for service members under General Order 1-A include adopting as pets or mascots, caring for or feeding any type of domestic or wild animals.” (pg. 17) After a while Kopelman became really close to Lava, the dog that was found, and he cared for him even though he knew the General Order 1-A. Some people have been told they can’t have a pet or can’t keep a stray animal but they still feed that animal because they have become close to eat. This is when someone knows the right thing to do because they like or care about the wrong thing. An example of this is when your parents tell you that you have to go to bed at eight but your favorite show is on at nine so you stay up and A Krucek/ Page 2 watch it or when a doctor tells you that you have to take a week off from soccer because you hurt your knee and you practice the next day anyway. This book has many things to offer and teach the reader. One thing the book teaches the reader is that even though some things or goals can be hard to get or reach you shouldn’t give up on them. Throughout the book Kopelman tries so many different things to get Lava out of Iraq. A dog can’t be taken on one of the plans without proof that it isn’t carry any diseases and has all his vaccinations. Kopelman tried getting Lava to Jordan to get on a plane. It took him months to get someone to give Lava vaccinations. Kopelman had even called over to the U.S. to see if anyone could or would help him. The Helen Woodward Animal Center told Lieutenant Kopelman that they would help in any way they can to get Lava back to the U.S. and a dog food service said they would help to. A plane was coming in to Jordan and they said that they would take Lava back home but he couldn’t get through the gates protecting the city. Eventually Lava made it to the U.S. after several failed attempts. Kopelman never gave up and neither should any human being if they really want something. Another thing this book teaches is how the war can affect peoples’ lives and how people come together to help each other out. In __From Baghdad With Love__ so many people came together to help Kopelman. He had the Lava Dogs, Helen Woodward Animal Center, a taxi driver, Anne who was a reporter who stayed with the Lava Dogs, and many other people.