29th June, 7.30pm - Owain Mulligan, The Accidental Soldier

Backstory, 71 Balham High Rd, SW12 9AP

The Accidental Soldier was one of Tom's 2025 top reads, 'Who knew that a diary of a soldier in Iraq could be so funny? Really compelling, too; I learned far more about what really went on than from the telly at the time.' 

Needless to say Tom is delighted that he now has the chance to talk to Owain Mulligan in person about the book and his experiences in Iraq.

About the book:

Owain Mulligan was never what you'd call a career soldier. Nor even a particularly good one. At weekends he trained with the Territorial Army and dreamt of swapping the mayhem of teaching in a tough school for the adventure of service in Iraq.

At least they'd let him wear a helmet in Iraq. But when the job in headquarters he's been expecting doesn't materialise, he finds himself on the streets of Basra during one of the most violent periods of the conflict. Between homicidal militias, a chain of command who seem determined to get him killed, and equipment which might well do it for them, he and his men have their work cut out.

It certainly puts double geography with 9E into perspective. The Accidental Soldier is a searingly honest and darkly funny account of what it was really like being in the British Army in Iraq (including all the bits they probably hoped you'd never find out). We share all the hardships, fears, and occasional lunacy of military life as Owain and his men try to navigate a war gone badly wrong.

One thing's for sure; you'll never look at the phrase 'military precision' in quite the same way again.

'This book is absolutely incredible. It made me laugh more than any book in so many years.
I found the writing just so unbelievably brilliant and hilarious and affecting . . .
I am crazy about it!' - Marina Hyde. 'I loved it . . .relentlessly funny and really well written' - John Oliver' Authentic and compulsive' - Richard E. Grant' A fascinating insight into the often farcical chaos and catastrophe of war. Reads like a non-fiction Catch-22.  Compelling, enlightening and bleakly funny. A jaw-dropping read.' - Matt Haig 'An instant classic - a deeply funny and mordant book about war.' - Richard Curtis 

Tickets Available:

Ticket only - £15 (This ticket does not include a copy of the book. You can decide to buy a copy on the night, but this will be charged in addition, at the full price of the book.)

Ticket & book  (RRP £10.99) - £22 (To collect on the night.)