Publisher's Synopsis
Follow the journey of a Marine squad leader as he leads thirteen men through intense, confusing, and deadly battles in and around Fallujah during a time when local tribes first began to turn against the Al Qaeda-backed insurgency. After surviving the war abroad, he returns home, assuming the fight is over, only to realize that the battle for his heart and soul is only just beginning. Both harrowing and heart-warming (and at times even hilarious), An Otherwise Healthy Person gives a first-person account of the reality of war, the cost of love, and hope for what can happen through true surrender.
"A deeply personal, powerfully vulnerable memoir of a Marine squad leader's experiences in Fallujah, Iraq and the aftermath." - Starred Review - Independent Book Review "...an admirably sober reflection, one brimming with candor and thoughtfulness, especially regarding Jansen's "forever war," the endless one that rages within one's soul. An impressively forthright discussion of war and its aftermath." - Kirkus Reviews "Ron Jansen's story is emotionally gripping, witty, and inspiring. His journey is unreservedly candid and heartfelt and will draw readers in from the first page to the last. Jansen offers readers in-depth insights into the harrowing experiences of a soldier on the battlefield and the effects of those emotional and psychological scars on the personal lives of surviving soldiers." - Reader's Favorite - 5 Star Review "In An Otherwise Healthy Person, Ron Jansen delivers a hard-hitting, page-turning knockout of a tale. Packed with visceral, gritty, and heartfelt writing, Jansen shares a story of love, camaraderie, trauma, and loss. An Otherwise Healthy Person reveals Jansen's struggle and discovery to find a path through the trials and tribulations of life during and after war, and he provides a deep wisdom and path forward for all of us to follow in our own battles, whether they be on foreign shores, at home, or within our own hearts and minds. By far this is the most inspiring book I've read this year. -Don Rearden, Author of The Washington Post Notable Novel, The Raven's Gift, and coauthor of the hit memoirs Never Quit and Warrior's Creed RON JANSEN is a West Michigan native who grew up playing war in the fields and woods near his hometown of Dorr. He spent a few years playing football in community college before joining the Marine Reserves after the attacks of September 11. He was deployed to Djibouti after completing training and spent seven months in the extreme heat protecting a US base from the local camels and goats. Three years later he was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, and led an infantry squad in counter-insurgency operations. Today he is a proud husband to Anne, and father of four awesome children. He currently resides in Byron Center, Michigan, just a few miles from the battlefields of his youth.
