Worth Fighting for: An Army Ranger's Journey Out of the Military and Across America - Paperback

by Rory Fanning (Author)

"Fanning combines memoir, travelogue, political tract, and history lesson in this engaging account of his 3,000-mile solo walk from Virginia to California" (Publishers Weekly).

Just days after the US military covered up the death by friendly fire of Pat Tillman, Rory Fanning--who served in the same unit as Tillman--left the Army Rangers as a conscientious objector. Disquieted by his tours in Afghanistan, Fanning sets out to honor Tillman's legacy by crossing the United States on foot. The generous, colorful people he meets and the history he discovers help him learn to live again.
"Fanning's descriptions of the hardships and highlights of the trip comprise the bulk of the book, and he infuses his left-wing politics into a narrative peppered with historical tidbits, most of which describe less-than-honorable moments in American history, such as the terrorist actions of the Ku Klux Klan and the nation's Indian removal policies. What stands out most, though, is the selflessness and generosity―which come in the form of stories, hospitality, and donations for the foundation―of the people Fanning encountered during his journey." ―Publishers Weekly

"Rory Fanning's odyssey is more than a walk across America. It is a gripping story of one young man's intellectual journey from eager soldier to skeptical radical, a look at not only the physical immenseness of the country, its small towns, and highways, but into the enormity of its past, the hidden sins and unredeemed failings of the United States. The reader is there along with Rory, walking every step, as challenging and rewarding experience for us as it was for him." --Chicago Sun-Times

Author Biography

Rory Fanning walked across the United States for the Pat Tillman Foundation in 2008-2009; following two deployments to Afghanistan with the 2nd Army Ranger Battalion. He is a war resister, military counter recruiter, and writer living in Chicago, Illinois. He is also the co-author with NBA legend Craig Hodges of Long Shot: The Triumphs and Struggles of an NBA Freedom Fighter. His writing apprears in The Guardian, The Nation, In These Times and Truthout. He speaks at high schools and universities about his walk across the US and his experience in the military.