The ABC of Xyz - 9781742230351

As a captain in the Army National Guard, Benjamin Tupper spent a year in Afghanistan battling Taliban insurgents. Separated from most of his unit, Ben, along with his partner, Corporal Radoslaw "Ski" Polanski, served in an Embedded Training Team, teaching, training, and leading into combat the green troops of the Afghan National Army. But what they would experience went well beyond the assigned mission.

Close calls with IEDs; an Army base with a Burger King and salsa dance classes; Afghan soldiers wearing flip-flops in freezing temperatures; bloody ambushes and murdered civilians---the war proved to be a mix of drudgery, absurdity, and ever-present dangers. Writing and recording from a remote outpost, Tupper began to share his stories with Americans back home. His boots-on-the-ground dispatches were broadcast on NPR's Morning Edition and published on Slate.com's military blog, the Sandbox.

In Greetings from Afghanistan, Send More Ammo, Benjamin Tupper's chronicling of life under fire pulls the reader into the realities of war with poignancy, humor, and vivid reality, offering a unique and compelling firsthand view of the Afghan people, their culture, and a battle for survival that began long before the Americans arrived.

From the heart-pounding adrenaline rush of battle to serene, euphoric moments of catharsis and understanding, Tupper's extraordinary memoir illuminates the challenges of the war in Afghanistan and the struggle of those who still fight there, while seeking a future beyond the battlefield for a country on the edge of chaos.

Based on more than a decade of research, The ABC of XYZ is designed for educators, business managers and parents who want a short and lively introduction to Australia's living generations. The book explores what a generation is, how its definition has changed over the years, and the trends that are emerging for the future. It examines generational conflicts in the school, home and workplace, and the ways in which they can be understood and resolved. Interspersed with useful tables and figures, the book also offers insight into how our generations compare with their counterparts in Japan, the USA and even Finland, and what might lie beyond Z.

Written by one of Australia's foremost social researchers, The ABC of XYZ reveals the truth behind the labels and will be essential reading for anyone interested in how our current generations live, learn and work.

`A rollicking journey across time, generations and values...forensically dissected by one of the best social analysts in Australia.' Bernard Salt, demographer and columnist; Partner, KPMG

`When it comes to generational change, there are few who have the depth of research and breadth of understanding that Mark McCrindle does. His observations are accurate, his insights are profoun and his predictions are compelling.' Michael McQueen, author of The `New' Rules of Engagement