Cartography
Navigating a Year in Iraq
by Katherine Schifani
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Pub Date Jun 01 2022 | Archive Date May 31 2022
University of Nebraska Press | Potomac Books
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Description
At the heart of Cartography is Schifani’s quest to understand the Iraqi landscape and the Special Forces culture of American men she worked alongside as a gay woman and a member of the air force. Her memoir examines both the perils of being undertrained and underequipped to perform the job assigned to her in her role as an advisor and some of the unique situations—good and bad—her gender created in such an irregular combat environment. Schifani’s deployment was an exercise in exploration, observation, and navigating a wholly foreign land.
Advance Praise
“Cartography is, in a word, brilliant. Every war, I suspect, creates its own forms of lunacy, and Katherine Schifani’s searing, surreal, and at times hilarious memoir is the definitive guide to the multivalent insanities of the American war in Iraq. If you want to know what happens when countries lose their minds, read this superb book.”—Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
“Schifani’s powerful, evocative prose captures the violence, danger, and absurdity of military service and the mountains women must climb to ensure their safety and equality while they make the greatest sacrifice. . . . It’s a must-read for anyone trying to figure out the meaning of America’s forever wars.”—Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead: A Marine’s Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781640124509 |
| PRICE | $19.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 192 |
Featured Reviews
Phoebe M, Reviewer
I found Cartography to be an honest and detailed description of life behind war. Katherine Schifani paints a stark Iraqi life and that is the truth of it. I found the story to be compelling in its openness. Sometimes there is excitement, but most of the time military life is humdrum and just day to day getting the job done. I often thought MacGyver would excel in the military because you have to have a secondary MOS in MacGyverism (chuckle).
The book doesn’t focus on Schifani’s sexuality. It focuses on the difficulty of operating overseas in a hostile environment while having to maintain civility. It’s a political game and a very dangerous one at that.
Cartography wasn’t a quick read for me. I read it in chapters. Military life can be slow at times and mundane. It doesn’t mean that each step isn’t important.
I am a veteran and maybe this is why I enjoyed Schifani’s book so much. As a female, I understood what working with a patriarchal mindset is like and found myself commiserating with the soldier many times.
I thank Schifani and her team members for their service. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
