Audiobook Review – The Dead Drink First by Dale Maharidge (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoirs
Length: 3 hours and 31 minutes
Publisher: Audible Studios
Release Date: June 6th 2019
ASIN: B07RHW7Z6Q
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 4/5 stars
“Like many veterans of his era, Sgt. Steve Maharidge never talked about “the good war.” On the surface, the Maharidges were a normal working-class family in the suburbs of Cleveland. But behind closed doors, even the most mundane moments could trigger Steve’s violent, traumatic episodes, which left his son Dale searching for clues to his past. And yet, there was only one: a black-and-white photograph of Steve with another soldier that hung permanently on the wall in the basement.
In The Dead Drink First, Dale Maharidge, now a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist, recounts his 18-year quest to learn everything he could about the man in the photo with the hopes of discovering a side of his late father he never knew. The result was something Dale never expected: Not only would he learn the man’s name – Herman Walter Mulligan – but he would help locate his remains and ultimately bring him home 74 years after he was killed in action.
In this deeply personal audio documentary, Dale retraces his journey through never-before-heard conversations with WWII veterans, their children, and the team of strangers that assembled to find Mulligan and bury him on American soil. In an epic search for a lost Marine, Dale finds forgiveness, lifelong friendships, and uncovers the rich, uniquely American truth about how and why we repatriate our fallen soldiers.”
This audiobook was a well done collection of history and sound clips from interviews with WWII veterans. The author is a journalist trying to unravel the mystery of a man in a picture that his father brought back from WWII. He is not only trying to solve this mystery but put to rest some of his own personal ghosts from his childhood.
The lasting impact of war on the human psyche and events from WWII are discussed in a very personal way in this unique memoire. This is one of those books that I will think about often, it had a big impact on me. It was generally well done but did occasionally wander some.
Overall I really enjoyed this look at WWII, it brought up some issues I hadn’t thought about before. I would recommend to those interested in WWII or on the effects war has on the people who are forced to, or choose to, participate in it.
