Ryan Leigh Dostie

I just finished reading this book and the rawness of it is still simmering. It's about one young army woman who was raped by a fellow soldier. Then she was disbelieved and shamed by a command which utterly failed her, and then shipped her out to the Iraq War. I am still so devastated and feel so bad about what happened to Ryan Leigh Dostie and the years of subsequent trauma she suffered. I don't know what to write about this memoir, FORMATION. So here's an email I sent her just a little while ago. It will serve as my "review."

Dear Ryan,

Just wanted to tell you I just finished reading your book. I want to just say it blew me away, but somehow that seems inappropriate, and not enough. Your writing is beautiful, authentic and absolutely perfect for the story you are telling. And your story nearly broke my heart. FORMATION reads like a novel, and a great one at that. I had to keep reminding myself that it was real, that it was not fiction. And each time I did that, it broke my heart all over again.

I am a veteran, but, fortunately, I never saw combat - or experienced the kind of trauma and emotional abuse you did. I can't even begin to tell you how much I admire you for coming through it all, and then having the courage - and the talent - to get it all down in this beautiful, truth-telling memoir. Your story is a gut-wrenching reminder that PTSD is not just about combat, and that military sexual trauma (MST) is a continuing and ubiquitous problem in today's all-volunteer military.

FORMATION is an absolutely riveting read, and I've got a feeling it will be around for a very long time. Ryan, you are a WRITER! Your book gets my very highest recommendation.

Wishing you health, happiness, and continued success,

Tim Bazzett, author of the Cold War memoir, SOLDIER BOY: AT PLAY IN THE ASA… (más)