A war memoir that will capture the hearts of its readers, just as one scruffy puppy sneaked his way into the hearts of hardened Marines just when they needed it most.

Amazon.com Review
In From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava, Jay Kopelman tells a story that is both tender and thought-provoking--candidly portraying the ugly conditions in wartime Iraq, while also describing his (and his fellow Marines') growing attachment to a scruffy stray puppy.

Here Jay Kopelman answers a few questions about his aspirations as a writer, and the effect his book has had on readers.

Questions for Jay Kopelman

Amazon.com: Before you met Lava and had this experience smuggling him out of Iraq, did you ever have ambitions to write a book?

Jay Kopelman: Yes, I'd considered writing a book previously and have started--but not finished--a novel. Not surprisingly, it's a military murder mystery. And I'm still hoping to get it published. I've also been offered a deal by my publisher to write another book. So I guess I'm now officially an author.

Amazon.com: How has the military responded to it given that you broke a number of rules during your adventure with Lava?

Jay Kopelman: I've actually not had any real feedback from the military establishment. In fact, mostly I only get the good-natured ribbing from my contemporaries about how much money I'll make or about who will play me in the movie. When the story first broke a year and a half ago, one of the generals jokingly asked me for an autograph, and I've given the previous commanding general for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force a signed galley. So, thus far, there’s been nothing "official" to which I've had to respond. We'll see what happens now that the book is released and there's going to be a media blitz surrounding the book. What you have to remember, though, is that I really didn't use military assets to get Lava home. Nor did I ever endanger anyone in the military while doing so.

Amazon.com: In the book, you say that you would like it if it can bring hope to people who've lost loved ones in Iraq by showing them how something positive can come out of a brutal situation. Have you heard from people that your book has made them feel better?

Jay Kopelman: I've not yet heard from anyone who’s lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan, but I have heard from a counselor who works with the returning Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, who said she finds the story so very positive and helpful. She's planning to come to the book signing there. I also got an e-mail from a Marine who said that while her unit was in Iraq, they adopted a puppy and tried to bring it home, but he was ultimately put down. She says that the Marines "remember how Charlie the dog helped us. Charlie will always be loved. During a time when we were far from home that dog made us smile." So, I suppose Lava's story does help people remember and gives them hope. I’ve also heard from people who appreciate my candor describing the conditions in Iraq.

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CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 121 reviews)

This well told tale of Marine and puppy is well worth a read

One silent November evening during the first week of battle in Fallujah, Iraq, in the year of our war 2004, Lt. Col. Kopelman, battalion commander, led his troops through a seemingly empty street sided by seemingly empty houses when one of his men heard click, click, shuffle sound. Sticking his rifle into the doorway he found a yipping, tail-wagging, and nail-clicking fur bundle of puppy.

This discovery began a five month odyssey of puppy rescue. "Lava," the puppy, made it to the United States, in spite of rules forbidding the transfer of animals.

It took a band of conspirators to get the puppy out of Iraq by air to Chicago's O'Hare Airfield, then on to California in April 2005, where "Lava" lived happily ever after.

"From Baghdad, With Love" is one of the better stories to come out of Iraq. With a lot of heart, a few tears and a lot of system spoofing, this well told tale of Marine and puppy is well worth a read.

Richard N. Larsen
Reviewer

November 18, 2008

heartwarming

Several times throughout this book I cried. I love that this Marine cried too. A tough guy with a BIG heart for a puppy. Definitely the kind of person I like. I had a hard time with reading about what happens to animals at war time. Honestly, I never thought about it much. Now I know. I'm a veg, 20 years, since I see what happens to animals. I find I always connect with people who go above and beyond for animals, so I knew this would be a good read. I highly recommend it. Now on to book two.
October 25, 2008

Dog Lover's Treat

In other reviews, some people said they "didn't like the language" or "the way the book was written". I am not sure what they were expecting! I have been a lang. arts teacher for over 30 years, and I thought this was a great story, and it was written the way I would expect a "war story" to be told. It definitely showed me a different side of the war, as well as giving some facts I didn't know at all. I actually read parts of it aloud to my 7th graders. Anyone who has a heart for taking care of all the canines in the world would love this story too.
October 06, 2008

Heartwarming, uplifting, tensions high, emotions soaring!!!

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this wonderful book? Not much to tell you the truth. It is a great book, very hard to put down. You learn so much about Lava and Jay, as well as what is really going on in Iraq. It took me a long time to bring myself to buy this book.
One reason was I was afraid to read the reality of what is going on in Iraq. Because I knew that there was no way someone could write about a dog he is trying to save, without telling us what is really happening over there. The other is I knew that the military doesn't allow any contact with stray animals. So in my head I thought it was going to be a sad ending.
So I avoided the book, that is until the seeing the second book that came out. I saw that he arrived home safely. Now, I am kicking myself for not getting this book earlier. I laughed, cried, almost hurled (from some of the things that he described), cried, and laughed again.
I hope that this really opens the militarys eyes and sees that our troops really do need the comfort of animals. They just seem to make everything feel better. Just a few minutes of being with your furry pal, puts you in a wonderful zone.
Thanks Jay for saving Lava, and opening the door for the possiblity of more rescues.
Good bless our Troops!!!

September 15, 2008

I'm a sucker for dog stories...... this was the best

I just want to encourage everyone who loves dogs....... and who wonders about the war in Iraq, to read this book. A lot of people came together to save one little dog, and that's really what it's all about. VERY good.
September 13, 2008

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