Fobbit

Fobbit \'fäauml;-bit\, noun. Definition: A U.S. soldier stationed at a Forward Operating Base who avoids combat by remaining at the base, esp. during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2011). Pejorative.

In the satirical tradition of Catch-22 and M*A*S*H, Fobbit takes us into the chaotic world of Baghdad's Forward Operating Base Triumph. The Forward Operating base, or FOB, is like the back-office of the battlefield - where people eat and sleep, and where a lot of soldiers have what looks suspiciously like a desk job. Male and female soldiers are trying to find an empty Porta Potty in which to get acquainted, grunts are playing Xbox and watching NASCAR between missions, and a lot of the senior staff are more concerned about getting to the chow hall in time for the Friday night all-you-can-eat seafood special than worrying about little things like military strategy.

Darkly humorous and based on the author's own experiences in Iraq, Fobbit is a fantastic debut that shows us a behind-the-scenes portrait of the real Iraq war.


Author: David Abrams
Publisher: Grove Press, Black Cat
Published: 09/04/2012
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.20w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780802120328
Award: L.A. Times Book Prize - Finalist
Award: Montana Book Award - Honor Book

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 07/01/2012 pg. 71
Publishers Weekly 07/02/2012 pg. 45
Booklist 07/01/2012 pg. 23
Men's Journal 09/01/2012 pg. 40
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2012
Shelf Awareness 09/07/2012
New York Times Book Review 09/30/2012 pg. 23
New York Times Book Review 10/07/2012 pg. 30
NY Times Notable Bks of Year 12/02/2012 pg. 25

About the Author
David Abrams served in the U.S. Army for twenty years, and was deployed to Iraq in 2005 as part of a public affairs team. He was named the Department of Defense's Military Journalist of the Year in 1994 and received several other military commendations. His stories have appeared in Esquire, Narrative, and other literary magazines. He lives in Butte, Montana.