{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20260417T232332Z","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/1602397430?tag=bookfrontier-20","asin":"1602397430","authors":["Jay Kopelman"],"book_id":"9781602397439","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/from-baghdad-to-america-1602397430","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781602397439.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","description":"Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman won the hearts of readers everywhere with his moving story of adopting an abandoned puppy named Lava from a hellish corner of Iraq. He opened the door for other soldiers to bring dogs home, and in From Baghdad to America , Kopelman once again leads the pack with his observations on the emotional repercussions of war. Here, for the first time, Kopelman holds nothing back as he responds to the question, “Why did you save a dog instead of a person?” The answer reveals much about his inner demons—and about the bigger picture of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He talks about what it’s like to return to the States and examines the shocking statistics to come out of Iraq: Depression, suicide, alcohol abuse, and broken relationships are at record highs for the men and women who serve there. Kopelman credits Lava with helping him to endure combat and the pain of war, as well as helping him deal with the surprising difficulties of returning to everyday life. Civilians have a hard time understanding what being a Marine means, and the adjustment to living among them is hard for these soldiers. This book attempts to shed light on that for all readers.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9781602397439","publication_date":"20100216","publisher":"Skyhorse","slug":"from-baghdad-to-america","subtitle":"Life After War for a Marine and His Rescued Dog","title":"From Baghdad to America"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"HIS027120","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Veterans' Stories","score":0.7843,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"HIS027170","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Iraq War (2003-2011)","score":0.7717,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"HIS027190","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Afghan War (2001-)","score":0.7599,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"HIS027120","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Veterans' Stories","score":0.7843,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"HIS027170","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Iraq War (2003-2011)","score":0.7717,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"HIS027190","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Afghan War (2001-)","score":0.7599,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"BIO008000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Military Lives","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"HIS027120","confidence_band":"high","label":"Veterans' Stories","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"HIS027170","confidence_band":"high","label":"Iraq War (2003-2011)","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"PET004000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Dogs","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"PET010000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Pet Stories & Essays","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Veterans' Stories","score":0.7843,"slug":"veterans-stories"},{"label":"Iraq War (2003-2011)","score":0.7717,"slug":"iraq-war-2003-2011"},{"label":"Afghan War (2001-)","score":0.7599,"slug":"afghan-war-2001"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers who enjoy Veterans' Stories","Good for readers interested in women","Good for fans of Animals"],"related_lists":[{"intro":"","slug":"shelf-his027170-iraq-war-2003-2011","title":"Iraq War (2003 2011) Books","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/lists/shelf-his027170-iraq-war-2003-2011"}],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Pete Hegseth","Broadside Books"],"book_id":"9780063389427","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780063389427.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":17.1528,"title":"The War on Warriors","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780063389427"},{"authors":["Johnny Joey Jones"],"book_id":"9780063226081","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780063226081.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":16.953,"title":"Unbroken Bonds of Battle","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780063226081"},{"authors":["Jake Wood"],"book_id":"9780593189351","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780593189351.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":16.9499,"title":"Once a Warrior","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780593189351"},{"authors":["David Bellavia","Mariner"],"book_id":"9780063048669","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780063048669.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":14.8486,"title":"Remember the Ramrods","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780063048669"},{"authors":["Steve Eubanks"],"book_id":"9780062202833","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780062202833.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":14.8454,"title":"All American","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780062202833"},{"authors":["Nathaniel C. Fick","Nathaniel Fick"],"book_id":"9780618773435","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780618773435.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":14.8451,"title":"One Bullet Away","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780618773435"},{"authors":["George W. Bush","Laura Bush","General Peter Pace","& 0 more"],"book_id":"9780804189767","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780804189767.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":14.8174,"title":"Portraits of Courage","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780804189767"},{"authors":["Stuart Scheller"],"book_id":"9781637585443","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781637585443.jpg?v=20260417T232332Z%3A2026-04-17T23%3A23%3A32Z","score":14.7746,"title":"Crisis of Command","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781637585443"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:women returning"],"label":"Women","score":0.5667,"slug":"women"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:military rules"],"label":"Military","score":0.1382,"slug":"military"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:psychology degree"],"label":"Psychology","score":0.0909,"slug":"psychology"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:service people"],"label":"People","score":0.0467,"slug":"people"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Women, Military, Psychology.","Reading lane: Veterans' Stories and Iraq War (2003 2011).","Publisher: Skyhorse."]},"llm_signals":null,"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":false,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":21,"goodreads_ratings_count":619,"goodreads_reviews_count":72,"quality_score":0.9085}}