Robert D. Kaplan, veteran correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly and author of Balkan Ghosts, was given unprecedented access to journey and live with marines and army special forces--America’s imperial grunts on the ground. Kaplan presents an unforgettable insider’s account not only of our country’s current involvement in world affairs, but also of where we are headed.

From the humid jungles of the Philippines to the dust bowls of Mongolia, from the caves of Afghanistan to the first strike on Fallujah, Kaplan depicts America’s elite military forces negotiating with tribal factions, training foreign soldiers, rebuilding schools, saving the lives of disease victims, and storming terrorist strongholds. Imperial Grunts, the first of two volumes, combines first-rate reporting with the sensitivity and insights of an acclaimed writer steeped in history, literature, and philosophy, to deliver a masterly account of America’s global role in the twenty-first century.

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