Craig & Fred audiobook

"Even simply looking at Fred was comforting." Yes! This was everything I hoped for when I saw the cover. A man and dog found comfort in each other during the war in Afghanistan. Through the great effort and big hearts of many this story had a happy ending. The personal losses of war endured were not glossed over but this is an uplifting story of two friends who made it together. It’s the best kind of memorial to all the soldiers, and dogs, that did not make it out.*********My love of reading comes from my parents. For my mothers birthday I got her a subscription to a large print book of the month club. They pick out the books, just for her, based on a questionnaire. She has loved every one. Occasionally, we have very different taste, there’s even one we can share.Thank you Brilliant Books!

Starting 2018 out strong with my fav dog book of the year, Craig & Fred!So I first saw a video posted on The Dodo Facebook page of a marine who snuck a dog out of Afghanistan while on deployment.Obviously, I knew I had to get this book. But here's a little back story first:My husband and I currently live in South Korea because that's where the Army put us.I'm not going to even pretend this is in any way similar to Afghanistan, but there are stray dogs EVERYWHERE like Craig describes in his book, hence how he got Fred (well kind of).So Craig worked in corrections in the Marine Corps for 4 years but just wasn't loving it. After his contract was up, he reenlisted for 4 more years, this time doing something else, intel.That's when he got the orders he was waiting for: Afghanistan.While there fighting the Taliban, he and the other Marines noticed a dog was just hanging out at shots rang out, completely unphased by the terror around him or even the people. That's when Craig decided to give him a piece of jerky, the rest was history.Looks like Craig has a 'Fred!'Soon after the initial meeting, they tried picking all of the bugs out of Fred's fur, and he let them! In fact, he loved all the attention he was getting. It didn't take long to realize the troop had a mascot. Fred even got to go on missions with them!Basically, he was learning how to be a marine.Which is when the guys knew... Fred was going home.It took a crazy amount of people to smuggle a dog out of a war zone, into a helicopter, hide him in the barracks, and get him home to the states.But it happened, IN JUST A FEW WEEKS.Now Craig has a lifelong friend who went through the same events as himself.They had the same experiences and now they're getting to make their own memories. Craig & Fred is such a heartfelt read, but with the rawness that only a Marine could tell.Told through alternating chapters, we learn how Craig and Fred rescued each other and the tale of their adventures after the war. Highly recommending Craig & Fred to be your #1 read in 2018! This review and more dog book reviews can be found on A Reader's Diary!

This book does an excellent job describing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The difficulty adjusting back into civilian life after combat is far more widespread than people know.

This book hit all my like buttons. It's military, animal rescue, educational without being preachy and has a dog as the co-star. Fred is rescued by Craig Grossi and his fellow marines in Afghanistan. With some luck and help by his fellow soldiers, Craig is able to ship Fred back to the states for his Dad to keep safe. With duel timelines in alternating chapters we travel with Fred and his buddies across the US before settling down to finish his education and find his life's mission and the harrowing missions in Afghanistan's war against the Taliban. Touches on PTSD and veterans returning from combat to civilian life.

A grace greater than we knowI truly enjoyed this account of how the relationship between a man and his dog sustained both during their experience of war. I found myself moved to laughter, tears and amazement over their trials in Afghanistan. This book is further proof of the truth that the love between humans and dogs can heal some of the deepest wounds that shape us during life.

I loved this book. It was nice reading about all the people who helped with Fred. The marine's view on Afghanistan instead of the news. I like Fred so much I found him on YouTube. I didn't like the book at first because I thought it was going to be all about the war. This is a well written book.

Such a touching story!

This book was given to me as a gift from one of my husband’s grandmothers. She and I always seem to end up talking about books, and Craig and Fred was one she had mentioned. It was super sweet that she purchased this one, and I dove right in! I am always appreciative and have such a high level of respect for those who serve their country, especially someone so young. I know I couldn’t do it, so it’s inspiring to read about those who have. Now, throw a cute and loyal dog into the mix, then you have a great combination in a book that will make you feel varying complicated emotions while reading.Craig’s voice was a pleasure to read. It was calm, collective, and reflective. His love for Fred was clear through these pages. While describing certain aspects of his time in Afghanistan and even afterwards, there were moments of vulnerability and openness. The author briefly shares some traumatic experiences during his time in Afghanistan, but not too graphically. It was the perfect balance for me because I was able to be reflective and sad, but not too disturbed that I wouldn’t be able to continue.One of my favorite of the book was, of course, reading about Fred. Right from the beginning of their friendship, Craig and Fred definitely had a connection. I loved reading how loyal Fred was and what a good pal he was. He reminded me of my own dog, at times, but he does hold one of the best qualities that all dogs have – true love.The only disappointing part of this book was not being able to see how Fred rescued Craig. With the difficult act of bringing young Fred to the United States, we can see how Craig was able to rescue this lovable dog. Then, yes, there were the trips that Craig and Fred took and how having a dog made it easier on Craig to open discussion about the time he spent in Afghanistan. However, I wanted more of their relationship right after Craig returned home and a bit more on the post-traumatic stress aspect with Fred by his side. Perhaps this aspect of Craig’s life was too traumatic to speak about or felt it wasn’t necessary since the two have a clear connection.Overall, I really enjoyed reading Craig and Fred so much, and I’m so happy that I got this one as gift! Thank you, Kathy!! I recommend this read to those who would like an insight into a young veteran’s mind as he describes his time in service and develops a sweet friendship with a lovable dog.

** spoiler alert ** First and foremost, I must say there are not enough stars to ever match the respect and gratitude I have for Sergeant Craig Grossi for his service and his courage to share his story. (Sorry, no judgements on literary technicalities here.) This is such an incredible story, so heartbreaking, yet so heartwarming. As an avid dog lover (ok, so basically an obsessive dog lover), I’ve always believed that dogs are angels sent from above to enrich our lives with the purest form of unconditional love. Reading about how this scrappy, little stray dog in Afghanistan, named Fred, ‘rescued’ Sergeant Grossi and his fellow marines (as well as other veterans later on) only solidifies this belief. And who better to receive such an angel than a group of marines serving in the most unimaginable places: the middle of a combat zone?Sergeant Grossi has a natural storytelling voice. While he uses a simple, straightforward prose to tell his story, the poignancy is surely felt. He alternates chapters from the past (when he was fighting in Afghanistan) to the present (post active duty when he is on a cross country road trip with Fred and a fellow veteran). The only thing to help soothe the heartache and tears that come with reading about his experiences in Afghanistan are the stories of Fred. It is clear the impact Fred makes on not only Sergeant Grossi, but his fellow marines as well. Although they are surrounded by death and destruction, you can see the comfort and joy (yes, even joy) that Fred gives them. Even later, when Grossi returns home, you can see how Fred continues to heal by becoming the bridge for Craig to transition back into civilian life and to talk about his painful, traumatic experiences. Can I just say that matching two of the most loyal, faithful and selfless beings on earth (marines and dogs) helps restore my faith in the universe.I highly recommend this book! Everyone can learn from the lessons on resilience and healing. I was so happy to hear that this story has also been adapted for a young adult audience!! If you are not a dog lover, you will gain an appreciation of the special powers dogs have to comfort and heal. If you are a dog lover, you’ll probably find yourself showering your own dog with an abundance of hugs and kisses, just because!!!❤️Either way, you will definitely be touched by the bravery and courage of Sergeant Grossi and his fellow marines. Semper Fi -Sergeant Grossi Gunnery Sergeant Justin Schmalsteig (🙏🏼RIP🙏🏼) Corporal Sean Osterman (🙏🏼RIP🙏🏼) Josh All other service men and womenAnd.... Sergeant Fred🐾🐾❤️ Thank you ALL for your service and sacrifice! You are my heroes!

An easy, feel-good story that I genuinely enjoyed and read in a day. If you love dogs, want to learn more about a veteran’s experience in Afghanistan, or are simply looking for an enjoyable read - highly recommend!

I just loved this book. I have two dogs and I am such a dog lover so I knew I would enjoy it. This is about a Marine serving in Afghanistan who finds this lovable dog who immediately grows attached to him. I just loved reading about how the dog is a perfect segue for him to open up and talk to people about his experience in Afghanistan which ultimately helps him deal with his PTSD. Dogs bring out the best in us and they are truly wonderful companions. This story is uplifting and provides important first person account of what soldiers face in combat.

A wonderful book written by a man with true feeling. This was given to me because I had a similar situation of rescuing a dog who turned out to rescue me.Craig takes us into the deepest feelings of being a marine working in Afghanistan. I don’t think he pulls any punches although I’m sure he has some things he has not shared with anybody.A strong Recommendation to read this book. Give it to someone who loves a dog.Read it

If I could award this book 10 stars, I would. Amazing!

“A loving, adventurous, and rewarding life is possible when we are STUBBORNLY POSITIVE.” - Fred the Afghan This was the book of my summer, the book of my year, & the story of a lifetime. In fairness, it did combine two of the elements closest to my heart & easiest to ignite my internal water-works system - dogs & the U.S. military. Sooo it did have that going for it right off the bat from the title & cover picture. But as my Aunt said when we finished reading it - (which yes, it was so amazing that I read the physical book, myself, annnnd then promptly made my family download the audiobook, which I then excitedly listened to the whole thing again with them on our summer road trip a few days after I started / finished the physical book, myself. THAT’s how good it was. I could listen to / read it often, like a music album or watching a tv show or movie.) As my Aunt said when we finished the audiobook with tears in all our eyes, this book appeals to so many people at so many ages and levels in life. Fortunately, there’s even an adaptation of it that’s been released for younger readers. I just, I don’t even know where to begin in raving about this book. Craig comes off as a classy, humble, honorable hero, especially when it’s so evident in his tone, (BONUS - He, himself, actually narrates the audiobook, ya’ll!) throughout that he’s trying to deflect the praise, honor, and credit to so many others. The book is about people (and dogs) loving people (and dogs). At its most basic level, it truly is. Human kindness, grit, integrity, selflessness, and true heroism to absolute strangers at its most fundamental level, and sometimes in the most difficult, stressful, and tragic situations. And all for the love of one extremely special dog uniting people of all different countries, cultures, backgrounds, belief systems, creeds, and ethnicities. As it should be. It will make you laugh out loud. Cry a river of sad, heartbreaking tears. Cry a river of happy, joyous celebration tears. And re-think your entire outlook on life - especially if it’s not a typically optimistic outlook. I honestly can’t think of what I would’ve really changed about this book. I’ve read people complain about its format - which my family & myself actually really loved a lot. The story bounces back and forth between basically three timelines. A present day road trip with Craig, Fred and their amputee Army buddy, (who I adore, by the way!), Josh. The next timeline is Afghanistan during Craig’s deployment and all of the origins and backstory of how he met “Sgt.” Fred. The last timeline is kind of a ‘fill in the blank’ of other various info and stories throughout Craig’s (and Fred’s, of course!) life - lessons, struggles, love, duty, friendships, growing up, etc. Another complaint I actually read more than once in reviews is people complaining about Craig’s foul language-use throughout the book. I’m sorry, but that’s just laughable. Literally - are you f-ing kidding me?! Sorry, but ... not sorry. HE’S A MARINE! He barely cussed throughout the book except for when describing high-tense situations in which the vast majority of us would most definitely be swearing, OR when he’s describing situations where he’s like, sitting around a bar with his military friends swapping stories. How would ANYONE believe the validity of military conversations where they’re saying stuff like, “oh, golly, gee whiz, darn those silly IEDs that blew up my buddy!” What? If you couldn’t get past the minimal use of foul language used throughout this book for the FAR greater message of heroism, patriotism, family, friends, dogs, love, life, fun, life’s meaning, etc., then I am sorry, but you are living a sad little life in your book choices because you are missing the far bigger picture of a truly incredible real life story of man and his best friend. He was a little repetitive a few times, but other than that, I honestly can’t think of anything negative I would say about this book at all. Seriously. I always try to find something to fairly judge, challenge, be critical on, or that I would change in any book I read, but I honestly just love Craig, Fred, and everyone that joined their cast of characters along the way. I also really loved how through highlighting the tragedies of war, the bearocracy of government, the patriotism and heroism of our military, etc, Craig also did two extraordinary things - at no point throughout this book was it ever at ALL politically tilted one way or another, and at the same time as explaining how horrifically evil the Taliban are, Craig also managed to highlight wonderfully beautiful stories of the villagers, farmers, teachers, and just basic, every day civilians over there who are hardworking, loving, family people with, (as I believe Craig, himself so eloquently put it), so little to give that they give so freely. I really did love how he was able to highlight some amazing stories of friendships, comraderies, trust building, sacrifice, and even just basic humanity in these remarkable people that we were actually supposed to be over there helping fight for a better, fairer life, which so often gets completely swept under the rug and misinterpreted, miscommunicated, and misunderstood. Another thing I loved about this book is a really interesting and weird one to try to explain. - I really respected that Craig clearly explained why he also understands and respects the strict military rules on why soldiers can’t have pets, such as rabies and distractions that can be caused by pets, which risks the success of a mission and the lives of the soldiers involved in it, etc. I absolutely see both sides of it too and while I feel this was a different, extremely unique case and situation, I also agree with the military rules and why they stand, (although I don’t fully agree with the immediate euthanization of caught dogs), and I just really loved that although he bended and broke rules, cut some corners, etc, he also tried not to lie, he was very clear about his understanding and respect for the military rules and why they exist, and he even felt such a guilty conscious for forging the veterinary signature on Fred’s travel forms, that he took the risk of going to a British vet on Leatherneck anyways.The in-memoriam part at the very end was also SUPER classy. And everyone should also read through the acknowledgments because both Craig AND Fred had “thank yous” to give out. Also, at the beginning of the audio book, Craig apologizes for any random nosies you hear during his reading because Fred was in-studio with him the entire time he recorded. MAJOR score! I was crying earlier into the audio book than I even was when I actually read the book - and that’s a feat! I am SO thankful for the angel to ‘his’ marines &, of course, Craig, that Fred has been, & I am SO thankful for Craig’s heart and soul and his and SO many others selfless, giving, loving, open hearts that have helped saved Fred / helped them along their journey through all of the miraculous fate pieces of this incredible story. Following ‘Fred the Afghan’s Facebook page for me now is such a joy - seeing what an amazing life he, Craig, and Nora are living together and all of the people they’re helping along they way, also never forgetting / leaving behind all of those who sacrificed so much to help them along their way too. I think that any & ALL dog lovers, American patriots, and ... oh yeah, ALL human beings in general should read, ponder, analyze, understand, and let this story really sink in. ... you’ll probably start living a more fulfilled life if you do.

Craig and Fred was a fantastic read. The book is billed as telling the story of finding a stray dog in Afghanistan and bringing him home. It is so much more than that. It tells the story of deployment and missions in Afghanistan and most importantly about soldiers attempting to resume a non-military conflict life. The book reminds me of Sebastian Junger’s Tribe. Grossi has a wonderful writing voice that is exceptionally positive. The story of getting Fred out of Afghanistan was especially poignant and brought a welcome watering of the eyes. I give this book 4.5 stars and have a bunch of people I will recommend it to including veterans, dog lovers and former marines.As an aside, I find book discoveries and choosing the next book to read as fascinating events and often serendipitous. I found this book on Book Bub with a sale for $1.99 and chose to read it more for the dog story and the fact I had a dog named Fred growing up. Fred followed me everywhere on my bike and then spent countless hours riding in tractors, pickups and grain trucks on our family farm. I miss Fred and he is one of many dogs that have touched my life and made it better. Reading dog related books reinforce the love of my 2 Great Danes. One is sleeping touching me now and the other is snoring four feet away.