The Odyssey of Sergeant Jack Brennan

Using the classic tale of Odysseus's journey home from the Trojan War as a metaphor, Sgt. Jack Brennan mandates storytelling for the last night of his Marines' deployment in Afghanistan. Each of Odysseus's adventures is paired with a modern struggle faced by returning soldiers. For example, after Brennan tells the story of Odysseus's men being trapped by the Lotus Eaters, one of his soldiers relates how his recovery from shrapnel led to Oxycontin abuse, a DUI, and stripped rank. The theme of soldiers helping one another through post-traumatic stress disorder runs through the work, which was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Five different artists illustrated the book, and their sections are scattered, which makes for minor character inconsistencies. Containing no graphic language or sex, this title can be easily paired with Homer's The Odyssey in a classroom setting.