: The title refers to the unwritten code of the contractors—"Big Boy Rules"—where accountability is non-existent and the lines between legal protection and mercenary violence are blurred.
: Fainaru examines the diverse reasons men join this "other" army, ranging from pure financial desperation and greed to a genuine craving for adrenaline or patriotism. Critical Reception
: The book is centered on the harrowing true story of five contractors from the Crescent Security Group who were kidnapped in 2006. Fainaru spent time with these men just days before their disappearance, adding a haunting, personal layer to the investigative reporting.
Steve Fainaru's is a gritty, Pulitzer Prize-winning exploration of the "parallel war" fought by private security contractors. Fainaru, a veteran Washington Post correspondent, dives into a world where tens of thousands of hired guns operate with near impunity, performing high-risk duties the overstretched U.S. military cannot handle. Core Themes and Narrative
Big Boy Rules: America's Mercenaries Fighting in Iraq - Amazon.com
