White Rose Adventures

Reviews, Comments & Guestbook

Due to an overwhelming amount of spam that is targeting this page, I am removing the ability to leave comments here for a while. If you have a review of the book or a comment, please email it to cindy.morgan@cindyiniraq.com and I will get it posted.

February 3, 2007 CJ from ‘A Soldier’s Perspective’

We all know Cindy as White Rose, the elderly lady who decided to join the Army as part of a midlife crisis (I’m gonna get it, I just know it), but if you haven’t read her book, Cindy In Iraq: A Civilian’s Year In The War Zone, you don’t really know her. That was a joke by the way.

Cindy takes us through the rough life that brought her to where she is now in her quest to join the Army. Through her deployment with KBR in Iraq, Cindy introduces us to the many people that came and went from her life. You will fall in love with her Iraqi friend, Adgnon. Adgnon was a young Iraqi boy whom she met many times on the side of the road that reminded her of her own son. He was a constant fixture during her many hauls up and down the main supply routes in Iraq. One day he wasn’t there and she hasn’t seen him since.

Cindy In Iraq isn’t a book you read to fall asleep. She’s is very informal in her writing and most of the book will either leave you beaming with joy or clenching your fist in anger. It’ll also leave you wondering whatever happened to the dirtbag that almost ruined her life (you’ll have to read the book to find out). You won’t be able to put the book down, but if you don’t, you won’t get any sleep either.

By Alexa Hinton, ahinton@nashvillecitypaper.com

July 11, 2006

“Morgan’s candid e-mails home along with her Internet postings to the families of American contractors in Iraq (“I post answers to questions husbands are afraid to answer,” Morgan said.”) and anecdotes filled in after-the-fact have become the content of the recently published Cindy in Iraq, a firsthand account of her life as a Halliburton female civilian contractor in Iraq.”

“Just as Morgan’s family knows the intimate details of her life and experiences hauling ice and refrigerated goods across the Middle East, readers are given the same insight in Cindy in Iraq — no matter how personal or taboo.”

To read the full article go to The Nashvile City Paper

July 17 on Publishers Weekly

Morgan, a civilian who drove refrigerated trucks throughout Iraq delivering ice to U.S. troops, narrates a chatty, companionable book that offers an unusual look at life in Iraq. She goes to Iraq in part to empower herself after three failed marriages (her third husband tried to strangle her) and in part because of a deeply felt and frequently expressed patriotism; the book successfully blends these two aspects, and the Cindy that returns from Iraq is a stronger person than the battered woman who arrived in September 2003. The writing is strongest when Morgan relates the details of trucking in a war zone (her account of an ambush is particularly gripping) and life on an army base (one episode involves a bomb-disarming robot chasing her). Unfortunately, Morgan often slips into vague ruminations on patriotism, and the story turns dull despite the drama inherent in Morgan’s job. Her voice is honest, and the story can be both gripping and horrible (as when she was raped while in Kuwait), but the book, which depends heavily on e-mail correspondence and a blog Morgan maintained while in Iraq, lacks tightness of vision.

Copyright © 1997-2005 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

August 10, 2006 The Arkansas Times

Surely the grittiest book yet to come out of the Iraq War is “Cindy in Iraq: A Civilian’s Year in the War Zone,” by Cynthia I. Morgan, which is from the Free Press, a $25 hardcover. Cindy Morgan didtwo tours of duty as a civilian truck driver in Iraq, working for a Halliburton subsidiary delivering supplies to American soldiers along some of the most dangerous routes that a delivery truck ever negotiated. She is one tough cookie, and her harrowing experiences are related herein a raw, compelling prose style. Her take on the war is much more persuasive than that of the politicians because it is totally naive, artless and honest. Either one of the political parties would be well advised to sign her up.

Cindy spent much of her early married life in Arkansas, and she had an unbelievably tough time of it. She worked as a chicken plucker, among other miserable jobs, and saw her three children taken away because she couldn’t keep them fed. In and out of abusive relationships, she finally doggedly made a 13-year career for herself as a long-haul trucker.

Her book isn’t literature, and it won’t affect the war dialog. But it’s a winner. And finally she is too.

Zack in California said: January 20, 2007

Cindy, I just finished reading your book and i wanted to write and tell you how incredibly moved i was by your story. I am a writer and co-executive producer of the show ‘Prison Break’ that airs on the Fox Network – so i spend my days trying to create good drama and compelling characters; trying to find ways to reach the audience and affect them in any way we can. And I just wanted to tell you how engaged, moved and inspired I was by your life. Thank you for what you did…and what you are doing. Sincerely, Zack Estrin

David in Iraq said: October 14, 2006

Hey Cindy, How are you doing. I am doing very well. I have read your book and believe it or not I am still having trouble coming up with words to write for what you went through, and you know what I mean. I know that you will never want to talk about it so I will leave it at that. If you want to pass on to your Bloggers, tell them from me that if they haven’t gotten your book to read yet, THEN GET IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and find out what is really going on over here especially the stuff that DOESN”T get reported on back in the comforts of their homes that is provided by yours truly, The Department of Defense. There I think I have put it as bluntly as I can. My time here is finally coming to an end. I have almost three months left here and can not wait to get home. First off to be reunited with my wife and daughter and our minagerie, but to also start getting myself ready to retire. I hope that we will still be able to communicate because I don’t like to lose good friends. Looking forward to hearing from you again. Take care, David, the United States Marines

Julie&Tony,Lexington,NC said: Tue, 10 Oct 2006

Cindy the book was great. It gave us a better understanding of the reality in Iraq. There were parts we cried with you and for you. We appreciate the troops for putting their lives on the line fighting for freedom and the civilians who put their lives on the line to help. We loved the book and had the pleasure to meet ya at GATS. From your fellow drivers.

Jeremy New York NY said:

I bought your book last week wednesday and for the firts time in a while you made me come late at all my deliveries thereafter, I just could not put your book down. It is written so well that when i got to the part where you where describing how you where sitting at night in the dark with all the grids going down, it was as if i was there, I was sitting on the edge of my seat. I wish you all the best and thank you so much for sharing your story in the book, it made me look at what is going on Iraq from a total different perspective.

Sean from Arizona said: Sept 9, 2006

I just finished the book. I was a really strange feeling to read your account of your time in It was as if you were reading it aloud to me. I was reading, but I could hear the words in your voice. I guess that is to be expected. I have never read a story that I was so closely involved in. It brought back many memories, both happy, and sad. You did a great job. I may not be the most objective observer, as I was so close to many of the events, but I fount it to be a real page turner, I finished it in 6 hours. So when do we make the movie? Thanks for the mention in the acknowledgements, I am glad to have been a player in your adventure as you certainly were in mine. I still miss our poker games. It is funny the time we spent together was short, but the impact of those times are quite profound.

Mel in DC said: Sept 1, 2006

I’ve read this book cover-to-cover in no time. Amazing account of happenings in Iraq with a slightly different perspective – one of a woman in a male-dominated industry, a mother of a soldier, and of a contracted driver. While I consider myself to be informed of world events, I definitely learned details that I otherwised missed – specifically, political relationships. Also this was written in a journal-type form, so while this was mostly about patriotism and accounts of events, it was also very personal – really giving a humanistic value to not only those serving for our nation, but those serving in assistance to those brave soldiers. This is a story of one woman’s courage, patriotism, passion, survival, and realization of the innate power to be a hero. I fully recomend this book to all Americans, regardless of political persuassion – it is enlightening.

Timothy from Georgia said: August 30, 2006

I am happy to say I read your book today in about 4 hours. You are a brave lady and one tough cookie. I respect so much what you did for our guys and gals over there. Wanna say thanks and job well done.

Judy in Virginia said: August 2, 2006

I loved reading Cindy’s first hand account of being a female driver in a male dominated field. Hard to put the book down, loved the stories about the soldiers and please keep us updated on if you are going back. Thanks for a great read.

Patrick in Kuwait said: July 23, 2006

I have read it and most of it I read twice… I love the book and parts of it made me cry and parts made me mad…. but it was all you and I felt like I was listening to your voice the whole time….

Erick in Texas said: July 22, 2006

Cindy Great job on the book. I started and couldnt put in down. I was almost late with my load. I lost all track of time. Ever thought about putting it onto audio book so we can listen to it and not lose sleep. Cindy thanks for all that you have done on behalf of owr service men and women and owr drivers that are taking care of them. Erick Perkins Groendyke Transport

Roy in Iraq said: July 21, 2006

I got the book,an guest what? I loved it! OUTSTANDING!!!! I enjoyed it. Some things I heard about, and you confirmed it, things I didn’t know. Cindy you are a wonderful person, and I praise God that our paths have crossed. Cindy, I hope your book does real good, because it also tells a story about all of us, your thoughts are some of my thoughts, and I know other drivers to. Cindy it is also a good inspiration for life, YOU CAN DO IT!! YOU GO GIRL! Outstanding Thank You Roy

Tina in Texas said: July 1, 2006

This books grabs your attention and holds on until the end. A must read for everyone. You will have a better understanding of what our Civilian Contractors are all about, and it isn’t just the money. They are there to help. Thank you Cindy for your story.

From Brent in Kuwiat: said: 30 June, 2006

Just got done with the book. Great Job! You really touched on several points I’ve tried explaining to people, the biased news reports, the kids, the normal Iraqi’s just trying to make a life, etc. About time some truth comes out that we are not all money hungry mercs. Some of us do it for God and Counrty, and self pride. Let people talk shit, but you and I and many others have seen the apprecation of the soldiers in Iraq. I’m pround to have you as a friend.