The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary American Soldier

The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary American Soldier by Joshua Key, as told to Lawrence Hill, is a powerful and controversial memoir about the Iraq War and one soldier’s decision to desert the U.S. Army after witnessing the realities of combat and civilian suffering in Iraq. Raised in poverty in Oklahoma, Joshua Key enlisted in the military hoping to support his family and build a better future. Sent to Iraq in 2003, he soon became disillusioned by the violence, military raids, and treatment of Iraqi civilians. After returning home on leave, Key refused to go back to war and fled with his family to Canada seeking asylum.