Born in a Bar: The Untold Stories of Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children by GySgt Jesse Esterly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I am a little late writing this review because I want to share this book with everyone.

I was brought back to my childhood when I laughed at totally inappropriate things and didn’t feel bad for it. This book became somewhat of storytime in our house as I sat down in my recliner, opened it up, cracked up, almost peeing myself, and my husband would look at me and ask, “what the hell is so funny.” I would commence telling him the story, and he would laugh and then commence telling me stories of his infantry days. I would then start telling him some stories of my times in the Air Force.

It took some time to read because we would go off on tangents and relive our youth. The stories in this book were delightfully hilarious, totally inappropriately comical, and something every person in the world needs to have in their house.

I think this book crosses every boundary in the human world and can bring us all together because we can laugh at everything. I find that comedy and laughter break down walls, and this book can do that.

Yes, there are some uncomfortable situations, but we tend to fail as a human race if we can’t learn to laugh at ourselves.

This book confronts the very issue of mental health comically because it allows you to blow off steam and find a way to ease the pain of what society tells you to be ashamed of, to hide in the dark behind and not talk about.

Bravo, Gunny, you are a total rock star. The marines you get to lead and be around are absolutely rock stars. No wonder we sent you guys in first, and I am honored to have this book signed in crayon by you!

I will cherish it all my days and continue to read stories out of it. I will share it with my children, their children if the little buggers ever have any, and neighborhood kids if they ever decide to cross my lawn.




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