Standing By - by Alison Buckholtz (Paperback)

About the Book

"Includes new afterword and resources section"--P. [4] of cover.

Book Synopsis

More than two million U.S. service members have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in the last decade. More and more of these veterans are writing about their wartime experience, but few military spouses have shared the truth about what it's like when a loved one leaves for battle. Standing By is Alison Buckholtz's candid account of her family's struggles during her husband's eight-month deployment on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom and a subsequent year-long deployment to Iraq. With insight and humor she describes trying to keep life as normal as possible for the couple's two young children while transitioning into the unfamiliar - and at times unwelcome -role of military wife. Throughout both deployments, a remarkable and surprising series of events challenges her long-held assumptions about the military, motherhood, and even the nature of American citizenship.

A rare and intimate portrait of a family that represents America's fast-growing population of service members and veterans, Standing By is a window into what matters for families everywhere.

Review Quotes

"Standing By is a hysterically funny, deeply moving, and ultimately breathtaking book. Any husband or wife will draw inspiration and wisdom from this extraordinary story."
--Andrew Carroll, New York Times-bestselling author of War Letters and Behind the Lines

"A universal story of friendship, family, and endurance in the post-9/11 world. Standing By is sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but always a beautiful, honest book about the toil and triumph of modern military life."
--Siobhan Fallon, author of You Know When the Men Are Gone
"Alison Buckholtz has penned the reality of military marriage.... Buckholtz also provides us with historical depth and insight into Navy traditions and practices, making the book educational for even the most seasoned military spouse. Standing By is both honest and compelling reading. With her civilian roots and candidly naive perspective of military life, Buckholtz evolves into an admittedly proud Navy wife on its pages. Her book will make veteran military spouses nod their heads in agreement and will mesmerize many civilian readers who want to learn more about the sacrifices, upheavals, and surprising pleasures in the daily life of the naval aviator's spouse."
--Proceedings Magazine, U.S. Naval Institute

"This memoir by a Washingtonian about adjusting to life as a military wife is a touching account of giving up preconceptions and reaching out to others."
--Washingtonian Magazine

About the Author

Alison Buckholtz wrote Slate.com's "Deployment Diary" column, and her essays have been published in the New York Times, Real Simple, and many other publications. She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, an active-duty Naval officer, and two children.