The Girl in the Gun Club - by Tracy Salzgeber

Book Synopsis

"We're looking for a few good men . . ."

She should've known something was up when the USMC recruiting office was open on Christmas Day.

This is the secret story of an odd young woman who chose to enlist in the Marine Corps to escape her hometown in Florida. Now she's figuring out her way around one of the most testosterone-engorged branches of the US military.

Tracy's adventures will take her around the world to foreign brothels, bars, and war zones. Through blood, sweat, tears, and lots of needless confusion, she gives us a glimpse into the life of the extremely rare female Marine. Told from the perspective of a low-ranking enlisted Marine, The Girl in the Gun Club is a story about striving to fit in while hopelessly sticking out.

Review Quotes

"What kind of marks do fourteen years in the United States Marine Corps leave on a young woman? The short answer: a lot more and a lot deeper than fourteen years anywhere else. Tracy Salzgeber serves up a super-concentrated juicy slice of the diverse humanity who choose to become Marines. And she delivers it in tales cut with the precision of a diamond-bladed microtome. Dark, dry, wry, absurd, and ineluctably weird, this is the work of a natural storyteller produced under what any Marine will tell you are highly unnatural circumstances. Check your preconceptions at the door. This is a military memoir unlike any you have ever encountered." -Alan Axelrod, author of Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps

"A solid page-turner. Tracy has moral fortitude to tackle some of the most difficult subjects in military life. The Girl in the Gun Club is a stunning tapestry of military life."-Galen D. Peterson, author of Strike Hard and Expect No Mercy

"A rare glimpse inside the Marines. Tracy Salzgeber gives as good as she gets in this rollicking account of her years as a female Marine. Thick skinned, tough talking, and determined, she earns her wasta."-Rona Simmons, author of A Gathering of Men

"Eye-opening, visceral view of the Marines from a unique perspective that is truly addictive. There were many moments where I thought, WOW, every leader should set down their latest fad leadership handbook and read this! This book drives home so many great points and in truly tangible and useable ways. Excellent! I want more!" -Keith Weinzerl, director at Seattle-based tech firm

"A honest, hysterical, and gripping look at what it is to be a female Marine. Salzgeber does a great job making you feel like you are in her boots." -James E., Desert Storm veteran, US Army

"The Girl in the Gun Club: My Time as One of the Few Good Men is a must-read for young women who are questioning whether or not they should enlist as one of the nation's fighting men and women. Follow the author as she gives us insight into becoming a Marine; living, breathing, embracing, and oozing the culture, and ultimately the stark reality of leaving that lifestyle for the unknown. You will experience her triumphs, frustrations, fears, and patriotism in this first-hand account of being a female in the US armed services." -Nathan Gould, author of Service to Civilian: A Journey Through PTSD, Mr. Mom's 1st Day of School and A Mole Named Cole Dug a Hole