The Accidental Soldier

'Deeply funny' RICHARD CURTIS

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The Accidental Soldier

By: Owain Mulligan

Narrated by: Owain Mulligan

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About this listen

The Times / Sunday Times Audiobooks of the Year

'This mordantly funny everyman military memoir should appeal to fans of Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt. The author, the brother of the actress Carey Mulligan, is donating royalties to the charity War Child.'

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'An instant classic' - RICHARD CURTIS
'A non-fiction Catch-22' - MATT HAIG
'Made me laugh more than any book in so many years' - MARINA HYDE

Readers are LOVING The Accidental Soldier:

'One of the funniest books you will ever read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I absolutely loved it - it's so very funny but also very poignant in parts. I can't recommend it enough' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Very funny, thought-provoking and a fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed it' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I've spent 15 years waiting for a book which entertainingly brings to life the humour, mundanity & absurdity of serving in Iraq . . . Thankfully this is that book and it is excellent' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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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...

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'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

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100% of the author's royalty earnings (expected to be at least £20,000) from sales of the book in the UK & Commonwealth will be given to War Child (a registered charity, charity number 1071659) and its wholly owned subsidiary War Child Trading Limited (a registered company, company number 05100189).©2025 Owain Mulligan

Afghan & Iraq Wars

Military

Military & War

Middle East

Funny

Witty

War

Solider

Critic Reviews

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 realised it was brilliant within three or four pages. I am crazy about it as you can see!

I loved it . . . relentlessly funny and really well written

Authentic and compulsive

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.

An instant classic - a deeply funny and mordant book about war.

In a time of global conflict, The Accidental Soldier catapults you into the heart of active duty. Terrifying, exhilarating, life-shattering and profoundly sobering, Mulligan takes you through the clumsy brutality and "raging bin-fire" of war, witnessing the quiet heroism of its foot soldiers. This book is a fitting and vital memorial to all those lost. I could not put it down. (Abi Morgan)

Most relevant

A great story of one man’s journey into war. A personal as it happen story told with humour and wit