I read this book thinking, "I am not sure if I can relate to this". War stories are not my reading genre of choice. But, I had met Kim over the phone one day and so received an e-mail from her letting me and all her address book addressees that her book had been published. So, I ordered one from Amazon not quite knowing what to expect. This book is so NOT a war story. It is the courageous story of a woman with a goal who achieved that goal, a goal which led her into combat where a life-changing event changed her life forever, as well as so many other lives. I was drawn in the moment I started reading. Kim's writing is clear, concise, factual, with just the right amount of emotion and personality. She lets people in to her very personal yet very public experience without a hint of self pity or any reference to a "poor me" attitude. The book is an inspiring one about a woman of intelligence, bravery, dedication, and love who dared to follow her dream, went through a nightmare, and is today a source of strength to people chasing a dream or living with their own struggle.

Remarkably unflinching - Kimberly Dozier's narrative voice in "Breathing the Fire" describes her road to recovery after being seriously injured on Memorial Day 2006 by a horrific car bombing in Iraq which killed four others, including the CBS cameraman and soundman she worked alongside. In meticulous detail, Dozier dissects the details of the bombing and day-to-day decisions around her medical care and rehabilitation, and punctuates them with her observations and feelings, allowing a rare peek into the mind of someone who has survived an extremely traumatic experience. Even after she learns how to walk again and returns to the newsroom - the author learns that there is no textbook for adjusting to a "new normal" and how to respond to people as they react to seeing a walking miracle. The book sheds light on the experiences of many struggling to recover from the wounds of war. You also learn what drew her to journalism and led her to be a foreign correspondent in a war zone. Readers are introduced to a wealth of supportive people who played pivotal roles in her recovery - from Iowa National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Jeremy Coke who tied the tourniquet on her leg after the bombing that saved her life, to her friends at CBS, innumberable medical and rehab personnel, her parents, and her boyfriend, Pete. Destined to become one of the critical memoirs chronicling the Iraq War.

I started reading this book and could not put it down. It is an inspiring work. Ms. Dozier has given the reader an honest appraisal of her experience to heal herself and heal the many others broken by the ravages of this war. Her story is told in a bipartisan manner, not at all political and should be read by all soldiers and all who care about our soldiers.

We all know war is not pretty and people get injured and killed. This book really brings home the reality of how those catastrophic injuries affect the lives of the injured. It also shows the incredible courage of Kimberly and her family as she recovers from her injuries and made me think we are not doing enough for our injured vets.

I would not have read this book had my husband not seen an interview on TV and bought it for me. What a loss that would have been. Kimberly puts you in Iraq, in the hospitals and therapy plus shares exactly what it was like for her both mentally and emotionally. I am definitely passing this book along to friends.

I could not put this book down. Anyone who wants to understand what it means when they hear or read about bombs going off killing or wounding civilians or soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan should read this book. Even weeks after reading this book, I am not able to get it out of my mind.

Also. the reader gains insight into what reporting from a war zone really means.

The average American is too far removed from the reality of what the true cost of this war has been in human terms. I am a recently-retired Department of the Army civilian, and when my friends ask me what I think about the war, I tell them about my recent visits to various Army posts (e.g., Fort Hood & Fort Lewis). I describe the newly-added rows and rows of handicapped parking spaces to accommodate returning troops, as well as seeing too many young soldiers waiting in line at the Burger King with missing limbs, horribly scarred faces, etc.

I also tell them about this book. It is of critical importance in raising awareness about what thousands of military and civilian personnel have had to endure because of the war -- a war that most Americans find too abstract to maintain any real interest or involvement. I know for a fact the book has already served as a catalyst for young soldiers who struggle with the decision to open up and talk about their own traumatic experiences.

Early on she describes the scene on a Baghdad street as she lay bloodied and mutilated from a horrific bomb blast that killed three others and nearly killed her. You feel as if you are an actual bystander as she describes everything from that point on in such detail that the phrase "sugar-coated" would never spring to mind. She describes her victories, her setbacks, her fears, the mixture of helpful and not-so-helpful advice she received, and much more. She paints a picture most everyone of us can identify with, were we to ever be in her situation.

I winced more than once while reading about what she had to endure on the road to recovery. I occasionally began to tear up, but there is humor and inspiration contained in her account as well. Again, her level of detail is amazing.

After you read it you cheer for her ultimate success in beating the odds and recovering, but you are also reminded of the staggering numbers of other Americans who have suffered similar trauma. How many? The New York Times recently stated that approximately 30,000 U.S. military personnel have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in the book Kimberly points out that 82% of them are believed to have suffered extremity wounds -- that's over 24,000 men and women, all with their own stories that we will never know.

If you read "Breathing the Fire," you will have a very good idea of what those stories might be like, and you can then ponder the question: "What has happened to them?"

I found this book to be an excellent read. It was encouraging to know the type of wonderful caring treatment and concern of dedicated healers to men and women of America who are working in these kinds of conditions. It's a factual, sensitive, gripping story of the wounding and recovery of one of our beloved journalists covering the war in Iraq.
God bless them and God bless America.

I pre-ordered this book because I have known Kim since college. I looked at the pictures but couldn't bring myself to read the book right away. I was afraid I couldn't handle the truth - another one of our college friends had visited Kim during her rehab in Baltimore and had told me how she was doing then, and I was scared of reading the whole story. So, I only picked up the book now, three months later. I figured it was finally time to find out the whole truth.

It was not an easy read. But, as they say, "war is hell." And Kim takes us on her all too real journey and out the other side. She not only shows us how she survived covering the war in Iraq, but also how she navigated a medical system in which some professionals don't always listen to their patients, but also shows us how the best ones do. She exposes a news business in which women journalists are sometimes judged not only by their skills but also on their looks. She reveals her truth, which while not always pretty, is ultimately beautiful. She also admits her fear of failure, something many women of our generation have had to conquer, although perhaps none of us quite so vividly and with the world watching.

Kim's book truly is a tribute to those who were lost that day, those who survived, and all those who help the survivors, including Kim. The truth of this war, indeed of any war, is an ugly one, but this book offers us a glimpse behind the curtain. It is vitally important that we look.

Biblioholism - The need to read, store and showoff books. This is me. But for Breathing the Fire I had to get past my addiction and pass this book on to others. As I read this book it felt as if I was having a conversation with Kimberly about her experiences and not reading a book. Kimberly's story is one of those that prove the human spirit is indomitable. Each chapter was written to be understood as you read it and did not require a medical degree to comprehend. From her stories of intrigue while in Egypt to the outpouring of support from both her immediate family and her CBS family was inspiring. Her feelings about what happened before, during and after this unfortunate event were honest and without malice. This book is definitely worth reading. Way to go Kimberly.

Kimberly has used her daunting experience, keen powers of observation and introspection, and writing talent to give voice to a professsional and medical journey that has been shared by many of our brave service men and women. She is incredibly dedicated to her profession and an amazing story teller. You need to read this book!

Award winning reporter, Kim Dozier has written about her remarkable journey and experience from a devastating IED in Baghdad. Reflecting her tenacity and candor, she writes about the impact of this one terrorist act, which helps to bring attention to the harsh reality of unconventional warfare. She shines a brilliant light not just on herself, but her CBS crew, supporting U.S Army units, military medical support (amazing & heroic), and the family and friends of those killed or injured. Her willingness to paint a vivid, focused picture of what occured, from the Karrada bomb site to her recovery efforts, provides readers with a story, one will not soon forget. I highly recommended purchasing this book from this outstanding correspondent and inspirational individual!

Kimberly Dozier's story is a true inspiration. Her will to survive is only equaled to her ability to share the way that she does.

Kimberly's story pays tribute to our troops in one of the most powerful ways I've come across. She presents the honor and dedication that they serve with in great detail and heart.

Everyone who reads Kimberly's book will wind up being a stronger and more caring person thanks to the way that she has shared her life.

As a psychotherapist who treats trauma, including veterans with PTSD, I want to thank Ms. Dozier for this courageous, enlightening, and much needed book. Many will cringe from the graphic honesty of Breathing the Fire, but it is so important that we, as a nation, override our understandable reflex to look away from the truth of, not only the war in Iraq, but of war, period. She makes clear that patriotism and honest assessment of the realities of war are not mutually exclusive.

As for the rapidly increasing numbers of veterans (and civilians) returning from the Middle East with PTSD, we must step up to the challenge of meeting them with the services that they need and deserve. As an American citizen, I am grateful to Kimberly Dozier for her sacrifice and her willingness to share so much of herself.

One more thing: as difficult as the subject matter of this book is, Ms. Dozier's masterful writing, and her indelible spirit, make it a genuinely inspirational read.
Embracing Fear: How to Turn What Scares Us into Our Greatest Gift

I highly recommend this book. Kimberly openly shares with us all aspects of her life as she dealt with her trauma. This book raises our level of consciousness and concern for others who experience such traumas.

This book was phenomenal, the details are so true to what patients go through when they sustain the injuries that Kimberly did. The way she talked about how you know some MDs truly care about you as a Patient and some don't just by their bedside manner made me laugh, you just know when you look into their eyes. I had the pleasure to have Kim as my patient while she was at on 5-East, so I got to see first hand what she had to overcome. Even with that said this book brought me to tears when she talked what she had to battle in her head, things your corpsman can't touch. She is an amazing women and I have gained an even high respect for her after reading this. I would recommend it for any military health care professional.

Kim Dozier is one tough woman. What is powerful about this book is Dozier's willingness to tell it all. I had the pleasure of being with Kim on May 15th 2008 when she received a major award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society--richly deserved.

This is a magnificent, uplifting story by a woman of indomitable courage. Pick up "Breathing the Fire," and you won't set it down until you've finished it.

I read Kimberly's book in two sittings - obviously it was hard to put down. Kimberly's story is one of strength, tenacity, and compassion. I recommended this book to my university journalism students and highly recommend it to anyone else interested in the very human side of this tragic war.

Kimberly Dozier has done an outstanding job of telling her story with a perspective that few other journalists could provide. Her tenacity and her will to survive and regain her health, along with her desire to honor her crew and the military men who did not make for an unforgettable read.