I recently went on a business trip to Vancouver, Canada with my good friend Xandria. As we were waiting for our plane to take off, naturally, I was rummaging around in her carry on bag looking for something to entertain myself. In there I found a book called Going Overboard: The Misadventures of a Military Wife by Sarah Smiley. It didn't take me long to confiscate the book and devour it.
I don't know if I have ever read a book that hit so close to home with me. Her description of the turmoil that occurs within yourself as you watch your husband prepare to deploy was dead on. I could have been writing this book! Except I am just not that eloquent.
It is a witty and funny novel that will keep military wives as well as civilian giggling through each page.
The second half of the book, I was less in tune with. I don't want to spoil it for you, but if you read it, you'll know what I mean. The only other critique was during the part of the book where the troops are deploying it depicts the wives as completely losing control. They scream and shout things like "Don't leave, I can do this without you! Don't go!" I don't know ANY military spouses that behave like that. Your job is to be there and support your husband and be strong. I don't subscribe to the theory that you can't be sad and shed your tears. I've heard that through the years that it is wrong to let your husband see you cry as he leaves. My husband would be tossed into a panic if he left for 6 months and I just stood there smiling and waving like an idiot.
All in all though, it was a fantastic book. If you have someone close to you who is a military spouse, I highly recommend giving it a read. You just might get a glimpse into the their life that you have never seen before.
6 comments:
It sounds like a good read.
Looking forward to this one. I love books like that. Military wives are such an elite club. Nobody understands unless you were or are one!
I am both... or rather was.. we are now both just vets! LOL Anyways, I wanted to say I have seen PLEANTY of wives act this way. There is nothing more rampant then basehousing during a deployment. I have found they come in two forms, those who are "this is the man I married" (Hoorah them) and those who are having melt downs galore. I worked in the wellness center and we HATED deployments, not for the obvious reasons but because our phones would ring off the hook for "help"... mostly just whining about how this isn't "fair" and he won't return their calls and can we DO something. I have seen women pretend to have illnesses, deaths whatever in the hopes it will bring him home. I had a coworkers wife would call daily and DEMAND we patch her through she HAD to talk to him. It was pathetic. They are not a large group but there is many of them out there who are like this. They annoy me beyond belief, you married a miltary man be the woman he deserves!
Sorry, I feel kind of strong on this.. can you tell!?!
Like your blog btw... T.. the girl who just comes and pukes all over for no reason!L
I don't doubt that some women go crazy. Of course, you see what happens outside the home. We all know there's a whole lot else that happens behind closed doors. I just think you must alternate between being strong and being emotional about it.
"smiling and waving like an idiot" Damn, that made me laugh!
I have not heard of the book. But I think it is something I should read. I have yet to go thru any type of deployment yet ( I have been spoiled for these 7 years) but my turn is coming. And my neighbors hubby is half way thru his year in Afghanistan. She will want to read it I am sure. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like a good read for more than military wives. The rest of us should be aware of the costs of a military system.
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