Dark at the Crossing: Ackerman Elliot - Softcover

Welcome to a dark world illuminated by visions that the writer Elliot Ackerman has brought back from his wars, his journalistic investigations, and from his artist s imagination. We see a professional soldier s overused muscles, the smile of an Ivy League war-profiteer in his bathrobe, a Turkish woman s seductive glamour all with lifelike clarity. This novel makes us see and hear as if we are there, too close for comfort, as Ackerman s hero and heroine are drawn, against any self-preserving logic, back across the border into the maelstrom of Syria. Can anyone make this dark crossing and remain true? Ackerman s heroes try. Like Robert Stone s"A Flag for Sunrise," to which Ackerman s novel bears comparison, both for its sophisticated understanding of current affairs and its grim realism, "Dark at the Crossing"is a disturbing report on the ancient paradox of war in which life and death, good and evil are intimately intertwined. After the bodies fall, the green grass grows over them. We look at the graves and ask, What does it mean? In this stunning, grief-inspiring book, it seems to me that Ackerman confesses we do not know. I don t think anyone can ask more of a piece of literature than this delivers.
Atticus Lish, author of "Preparation for the Next Life""

Ackerman is a magnificent storyteller. "Dark at the Crossing" is a quietly but intensely profound novel. It captures this epic moment in Middle East history in human terms. It s a riveting read. I couldn t put it down.
Robin Wright, author of "Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World"
Welcome to a dark world illuminated by visions that the writer Elliot Ackerman has brought back from his wars, his journalistic investigations, and from his artist s imagination. We see a professional soldier s overused muscles, the smile of an Ivy League war-profiteer in his bathrobe, a Turkish woman s seductive glamour all with lifelike clarity. This novel makes us see and hear as if we are there, too close for comfort, as Ackerman s hero and heroine are drawn, against any self-preserving logic, back across the border into the maelstrom of Syria. Can anyone make this dark crossing and remain true? Ackerman s heroes try. Like Robert Stone s"A Flag for Sunrise," to which Ackerman s novel bears comparison, both for its sophisticated understanding of current affairs and its grim realism, "Dark at the Crossing"is a disturbing report on the ancient paradox of war in which life and death, good and evil are intimately intertwined. After the bodies fall, the green grass grows over them. We look at the graves and ask, What does it mean? In this stunning, grief-inspiring book, it seems to me that Ackerman confesses we do not know. I don t think anyone can ask more of a piece of literature than this delivers.
Atticus Lish, author of "Preparation for the Next Life""

"Dark at the Crossing"is every bit as taut and harrowing as the place it depicts, a region where fifteen years of relentless war play out in filthy refugee camps and upscale shopping malls. Elliot Ackerman has written a brilliant, admirably merciless novel of broken lives, broken places, and good intentions gone awry.
Ben Fountain, author of "Billy Lynn s Long Halftime Walk"
Once again, Elliot Ackerman dares to imagine his way into the minds, lives, and fates of peopletoomany American writerswould judgeas inaccessible perhapsevenforbidden. The result is a book whose emotional acuity is matched only by its literary artistry. They don t awardmedals of valor to novelists, but whilereading this book I often thought, Maybe they should.
Tom Bissell, author of "Apostle: Travels Among the Tombs of the Twelve"
Ackerman is a magnificent storyteller. "Dark at the Crossing" is a quietly but intensely profound novel. It captures this epic moment in Middle East history in human terms. It s a riveting read. I couldn t put it down.
Robin Wright, author of "Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World"
Welcome to a dark world illuminated by visions that the writer Elliot Ackerman has brought back from his wars, his journalistic investigations, and from his artist s imagination. We see a professional soldier s overused muscles, the smile of an Ivy League war-profiteer in his bathrobe, a Turkish woman s seductive glamour all with lifelike clarity. This novel makes us see and hear as if we are there, too close for comfort, as Ackerman s hero and heroine are drawn, against any self-preserving logic, back across the border into the maelstrom of Syria. Can anyone make this dark crossing and remain true? Ackerman s heroes try. Like Robert Stone s"A Flag for Sunrise," to which Ackerman s novel bears comparison, both for its sophisticated understanding of current affairs and its grim realism, "Dark at the Crossing"is a disturbing report on the ancient paradox of war in which life and death, good and evil are intimately intertwined. After the bodies fall, the green grass grows over them. We look at the graves and ask, What does it mean? In this stunning, grief-inspiring book, it seems to me that Ackerman confesses we do not know. I don t think anyone can ask more of a piece of literature than this delivers.
Atticus Lish, author of "Preparation for the Next Life""

Dark at the Crossingis every bit as taut and harrowing as the place it depicts, a region where fifteen years of relentless war play out in filthy refugee camps and upscale shopping malls. Elliot Ackerman has written a brilliant, admirably merciless novel of broken lives, broken places, and good intentions gone awry.
Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn s Long Halftime Walk
Infused with profound knowledge, empathy, and chutzpah, Ackerman s writing is hauntingly evocative and beautiful.It is a rare writer who is not afraid to deal with the toughest conflicts, ask the hardest questions, show the darkest side of even heroes, and still manage to renew our faith in humanity.
Elif Shafak, author of The Bastard of Istanbul
Here is a thriller, psychological fiction, political intrigue, and even a love story all wrapped into a stunningly realistic and sometimes horrifying package. Put Ackerman on the A-list.
Library Journal (starred)
Elliot Ackerman s quietly subversive sensibilities make him one of the most potent and original writers to emerge from that elite platoon of men and women who, since 9/11, have laid down their guns to pick up a pen. Once again, here in his second novel, Dark at the Crossing, Ackerman insists American readers immerse themselves in the humanity of their country s enemies and victims. His work is a unique and bittersweet blessing of raw grace and naked, bleeding empathy.
Bob Shacochis, author of The Woman Who Lost Her Soul
Once again, Elliot Ackerman dares to imagine his way into the minds, lives, and fates of peopletoomany American writerswould judgeas inaccessible perhapsevenforbidden. The result is a book whose emotional acuity is matched only by its literary artistry. They don t awardmedals of valor to novelists, but whilereading this book I often thought, Maybe they should.
Tom Bissell, author of Apostle: Travels Among the Tombs of the Twelve

Ackerman has done a masterful job of creating a novel of ideas that invites thoughtful consideration of the folly and futility of war and the failure of idealism . . . The text is beautifully written, and the rendering of the setting is superb. Dark at the Crossing makes a significant contribution to the literature of war.
Booklist (starred)

Ackerman is a magnificent storyteller. Dark at the Crossing is a quietly but intensely profound novel. It captures this epic moment in Middle East history in human terms. It s a riveting read. I couldn t put it down.
Robin Wright, author of Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World
Welcome to a dark world illuminated by visions that the writer Elliot Ackerman has brought back from his wars, his journalistic investigations, and from his artist s imagination. We see a professional soldier s overused muscles, the smile of an Ivy League war-profiteer in his bathrobe, a Turkish woman s seductive glamour all with lifelike clarity. This novel makes us see and hear as if we are there, too close for comfort, as Ackerman s hero and heroine are drawn, against any self-preserving logic, back across the border into the maelstrom of Syria. Can anyone make this dark crossing and remain true? Ackerman s heroes try. Like Robert Stone sA Flag for Sunrise, to which Ackerman s novel bears comparison, both for its sophisticated understanding of current affairs and its grim realism, Dark at the Crossingis a disturbing report on the ancient paradox of war in which life and death, good and evil are intimately intertwined. After the bodies fall, the green grass grows over them. We look at the graves and ask, What does it mean? In this stunning, grief-inspiring book, it seems to me that Ackerman confesses we do not know. I don t think anyone can ask more of a piece of literature than this delivers.
Atticus Lish, author of Preparation for the Next Life
A timely and unsettling novel . . . A stark and multifaceted portrait of the civil war in Syria.
Publishers Weekly

Elliot Ackerman s slow-build, atmospheric, and profoundly compassionate novel offers an unexpected and unique perspective on the most volatile conflict zone of the present day. Richly detailed and told with the force of first-hand experience, Dark at the Crossing is a courageous and vital work.
Greg Baxter, author of The Apartment
Timely . . . Former Marine and current Middle East scholar Ackerman explores territory familiar to him but uncharted to most of us. Ackerman humanizes a war fraught with tragedy and seemingly without resolution. Kirkus Reviews"

ELLIOT ACKERMAN, author of the critically acclaimed novel Green on Blue, is based out of Istanbul, where he has covered the Syrian Civil War since 2013. His writings have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New Republic, and The New York Times Magazine, among other publications, and his stories have been included in The Best American Short Stories. He is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart.