"For many young men and women in rural America, the armed services have long represented a ticket to a wider world. The eleven stories in John A. Miller's extraordinary debut illuminate the irony that lurks behind that tradition: there is no escaping a soldier's life." "With a clear voice and stark power, Miller draws us into the unexplored lives of these soldiers - and their lovers, acquaintances, and kin - revealing the often unexpected consequences of military service. Richly evocative and quietly devastating, these stories chronicle a world both haunted by sadness, and sustained by hope."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved