The After

“Powerfully written, unflinching accounts of life on active duty—essential reading for anyone who cares about our veterans.”—Kirkus Reviews (STARRED review)

“A vivid portrait of what it means to be a civilian, warrior, friend, father, husband and professor.”—Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies

“The After is one of the most gripping and necessary veteran-written nonfiction works to be published in a very long time. Ramos’ unique writing style firmly—and in the best ways— sets The After apart from so many works of literature—and specifically military-focused literature—today. More significantly, it is a book of complete and utter transformation, of immense vulnerability, and of an intense search for self and meaning in a society where expectations frequently do not meet reality.”—Heavy Feather Review

“If you are a veteran, brace yourself. He hits you hard. If you’re a civilian who has family members who are veterans, this is the finest look into veteran relationships that I have ever read. Mr. Ramos brings it home in a way that is devastatingly clever and well done.”—Lethal Minds Journal

“The gap between civilians and military personnel persists in uncomfortable and alienating ways, many that serve to prolong the homecoming odyssey. The After emerges in this gap, not as a balm or panacea but a bridge—if civilians are willing to cross it.”—North Carolina Literary Review

“The After is one of the most gripping and necessary veteran-written nonfiction works to be published in a very long time. . . . [A] book of complete and utter transformation, of immense vulnerability, and of an intense search for self and meaning in a society where expectations frequently do not meet reality.”—Heavy Feather Review

“An intricate narrative of service, its meaning, and the life that comes after. Deeply felt. Beautifully written.”—Elliot Ackerman, author of Places and Names: On War, Revolution, and Returning

“Michael Ramos’s raw, honest experiences chip away at the tired narrative of the broken veteran. His voice speaks for many and offers an opportunity for those removed from the toll of war to understand its impacts.”—Heather Kelly, coauthor of The Knock at the Door: Three Gold Star Families Bonded by Grief and Purpose

“Ramos’s restlessly circling, lyric voice makes coming home not a singular event but a cycle of returns. This is more than a military memoir: it’s remarkable witness for anyone struggling to define their sense of self.” —Graham Barnhart, author of The War Makes Everyone Lonely

“The After feels like a desert mirage, a masterful, dreamlike collection that allows both veteran and civilian to experience the heat, stench, and after of that desert war that no one ever really comes home from.”—Kacy Tellessen, Eugene Sledge Award–winning author of Freaks of a Feather: A Marine Grunt’s Memoir