“Hollywood never knew there was a Vietnam War until they made the movie.” (Jerry Stiller) The same could be said today for many Americans
When a young man, Joe Talbot, is required in a college course to write a biography of an older person, he meets Carl Iverson and his journey begins. …and so the book
tells the tale of these two men thrown together in a random happening.

Joe Talbot is a struggling student. He has an autistic brother and a mother who is a absentee parent running off with any current boyfriend and leaving her son behind. Joe escapes the tragedy at home, rents a room, and starts to attend college. One of his assignments is to write a biography of an elderly person and through chance Joe meets Carl Iverson. Carl is dying and at the start, Joe thinks this is ever so fitting. For, you see, Carl had been convicted of murdering a young girl and served time in prison. He was let out to die and it is in the nursing home where Joe lays dying, that Joe and Carl’s paths cross. As time goes on, Joe becomes fascinated with Carl for Carl holds a secret, one that the tragedies of what he did and saw in Vietnam entraps him in a world of guilt and sorrow. Joe digs deeper and is astounded by what he learns and what he finds. Is Carl the brutal murderer he was thought to be or is there more to this tragedy, more to Carl, and more to the events that conspired to bring these two men together?
Mr Eskens presents us with some wonderful characters, and a story line that was fascinating, sad, and sombre. He shows us the ravages the Vietnam War left upon the young men who returned to an ungrateful nation. In Joe,he has given us a young man who is admirable, who is dedicated to learning the truth and willing to take upon himself not only the care for Carl but that for his brother as well. In Carl, we witness the tragedy of war and how many of these young boys were never able to lead the lives they were destined to lead. The author’s compassion for these two characters adds weight to this story and made it one that I highly recommend. Thankfully, Mr Eskens has written s sequel, soon to be published, with Joe as his protagonist. I am so very anxious to read this book and hold out great hope for it to be as outstanding as The Life We Bury was.

Allen lives with his wife, Joely, in greater Minnesota and is represented by Amy Cloughley of Kimberley Cameron and Associates, and is published by both Seventh Street Books and Mulholland/Little Brown. To learn more about Allen, go to www.alleneskens.com.
Outstanding review, Marialyce! It appears to be an amazing story.
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Thanks Jonetta! it was quite a well done book.
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I’m adding this to my TBR thanks to your glowing review! Placing a hold at my library this afternoon!
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Sure hope you like it as much as I did, Kyra. Thanks you!
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I loved this one, too, Marialyce, and I cannot wait for the sequel! Lovely review! ♥️
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You and me both, Jennifer!
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So glad to see you enjoyed this one!! I will be adding the second to the sister group in the next couple weeks. I can’t wait to rad and discuss it!!
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You and me both!
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