SKU: 19815865111

Soft Spots: A Marine's Memoir of Combat and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Sale price$15.29 Regular price$16.99
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $4.25 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Sep 22 - Sep 27

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

Soft Spots: A Marine's Memoir of Combat and Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderA powerful, haunting, provocative memoir of a Marine in Iraq and his struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a system trying to hide the damage done Marine Sergeant Clint Van Winkle flew to war on Valentine's Day 2003. His battalion was among the first wave of troops that crossed into Iraq, and his first combat experience was the battle of Nasiriyah, followed by patrols throughout the country, house to house searches, and operations in the

A powerful, haunting, provocative memoir of a Marine in Iraq--and his struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a system trying to hide the damage done

Marine Sergeant Clint Van Winkle flew to war on Valentine's Day 2003. His battalion was among the first wave of troops that crossed into Iraq, and his first combat experience was the battle of Nasiriyah, followed by patrols throughout the country, house to house searches, and operations in the dangerous Baghdad slums.

But after two tours of duty, certain images would not leave his memory--a fragmented mental movie of shooting a little girl; of scavenging parts from a destroyed, blood-spattered tank; of obliterating several Iraqi men hidden behind an ancient wall; and of mistakenly stepping on a soft spot, the remains of a Marine killed in combat. After his return home, Van Winkle sought help at a Veterans Administration facility, and so began a maddening journey through an indifferent system that promises to care for veterans, but in fact abandons many of them.

From riveting scenes of combat violence, to the gallows humor of soldiers fighting a war that seems to make no sense, to moments of tenderness in a civilian life ravaged by flashbacks, rage, and doubt, Soft Spots reveals the mind of a soldier like no other recent memoir of the war that has consumed America.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Published: 03/16/2010
ISBN: 9780312602963
Pages: 213
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 0.70d
Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 19815865111

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.0 ★★★★★
Based on 13 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
M
Verified Purchase
Maria L.
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect Sweater
Nice material and nice color. Fits perfectly.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2026
B
Verified Purchase
B.V.D.
Draper, US
★★★★★ 5
Comfy and stylish
Special Size: Wide Ribs, Size: Large, Color: White
This item is both soft and stylish, making it ideal for casual evening outings.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2026
T
Verified Purchase
tlgb
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
solid old style docs construction
i am a medium to wide-ish 7.5 in women's, that typically wears an 8 for room. these fit like a wider, roomy 8.5 women's. that is fine because i intend to wear them with thicker socks and for long walks.they are immediately comfortable, and do not feel like they will have the typical brutal break in period. very stable and fitted around the ankle, yet not impossible to pull on and off. they are so handsome, and meet my expectations.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2025
A
Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
Get it!!
Size: 6 Women/5 Men, Color: Black Blizzard Wp
This shoe has been a dream for me. I live in an area that gets snow so having the inner lining is great. My feet haven't been cold and I’ve not felt the need to multi-layer my socks, like with other shoes. Unlike most doc marts, I did nor have to break in this shoe, its been very comfy from the get. Material is really durable and has lasted me a long time. This is a great shoe, especially for how affordable it is.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2025
C
Verified Purchase
Cody
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Authentic Docs for great price!
The boots I purchased were Chelsea 2976 in Nappa leather (not the brown Crazy Horse, but the Black; such nice and soft leather!) and unisex size men's 7/women's 8/EU 39 (I'm normally a women's US 9/EU 40, but that's what fit best--see notes on sizing below). Considering the price, I was a little skeptical that these were genuinely Dr. Marten's, so I ended up bring them into a store to verify before wearing them--and multiple salespeople, who had worked for the company for 7+ years, said they looked like the real deal to them, which is amazing for the price (I got them when they were $99 online, but $160 in store; may have been a sale...?). Before ordering, I also visited the store to get the right sizing--Dr. Marten's doesn't sell my normal size in the US (EU 40), so I needed help figuring out what to buy. In the end that was either a women's EU 41 or a unisex 39. Dr. Marten's women's sizes are cut more narrow, so if purchasing women's, I needed a longer shoe to give my toes more space (EU 41, which they say is a women's US 9 but on many shoes EU 41 is a US 9.5 or even US 10). Unisex sizes are wider, so I was fine with a shorter length (EU 39). In the end, the only real difference between the women's sizing and men's sizing on the Chelsea boot was at the ankle; for some reason, the women's 41 had more of a gap at the ankle and I worried that might make it rub/blister more, so I went with unisex sizing. It might also depend on the boot, so I'd say go to the store for sizing before purchasing online. Once I got them & verified their authenticity, I got a but of things to help with weatherizing them and breaking them in (Dr. Marten's has a great kit! And, double thick socks). I did get a bad blister wearing them too long & uphill on the first day (and I had to get used to their weight; I don't have many heavier shoes). But, I used Compeed patches for the blister (should have put them on to prevent, but it was fine once they were on) and after a week of wearing them a little bit at a time, they are now super comfortable and I love them! Highly recommend!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2024

recommand products