Review of My Pound of Flesh [Philosophy Book of the Month, February 2026]
4 posts
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "My Pound of Flesh" by William Thielman.]
My Pound of Flesh by William Thielman is a gripping memoir that offers a raw look into the life of the author and their experiences as both a Marine Embassy Guard and a police officer. William doesn’t shy away from dishing out the sordid details of what happens in service and the price some people have to pay for not willing to “kiss the higher ups’ rings” (his words, not mine, lol).
In the beginning of his memoir, William takes us through life in Flint, Michigan, where he grew up with his family, and how poor they were (though he didn’t know that information then). William’s father instilled in him a lesson that he needed to work hard to get things, and that clung to him throughout his years of service. We learn of his family dynamics, the trauma he and his sisters experienced, as well as loss, and what eventually led him to enlist to become a Marine Embassy Guard. As a Marine, William witnesses a lot of horrific events, which he vividly details in his memoir. After he gets discharged from the Marines, he feels strongly about being of service and therefore recruits to become a police officer. It is at this point in his career that he faced the most horrible atrocities one can imagine, but also had moments of joy in service. Ready to find out about the things William faced in service? Grab a copy to find out!
Whew! I think it’s appropriate to point out that this memoir needs a trigger warning, as there are a lot of triggers involving violence and sexual content. So, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I appreciated how detailed the author was when describing Marine and law enforcement terminology, and I enjoyed learning some historical moments through the author’s lens. The author is also a master at providing vivid descriptions of the environment and what he’s talking about, so much so that you get the feel of the scene, as though you’re part of it right then and there.
I really didn’t come across anything I personally disliked about this novel, and I appreciated the raw honesty behind the author’s words. I rate this novel a solid 5 out of 5 stars for the reasons I mentioned above, and because there’s nothing worth criticism. I recommend this memoir to mostly people who have served, as I believe they’ll feel a sense of kinship reading about some of the author’s experiences, as they too might have possibly gone through the same. I recommend this to strictly mature audiences as there is a lot of profanity and sexual content that might be triggering.
******
My Pound of Flesh
View: on Bookshelves |
My Pound of Flesh by William Thielman is a gripping memoir that offers a raw look into the life of the author and their experiences as both a Marine Embassy Guard and a police officer. William doesn’t shy away from dishing out the sordid details of what happens in service and the price some people have to pay for not willing to “kiss the higher ups’ rings” (his words, not mine, lol).
In the beginning of his memoir, William takes us through life in Flint, Michigan, where he grew up with his family, and how poor they were (though he didn’t know that information then). William’s father instilled in him a lesson that he needed to work hard to get things, and that clung to him throughout his years of service. We learn of his family dynamics, the trauma he and his sisters experienced, as well as loss, and what eventually led him to enlist to become a Marine Embassy Guard. As a Marine, William witnesses a lot of horrific events, which he vividly details in his memoir. After he gets discharged from the Marines, he feels strongly about being of service and therefore recruits to become a police officer. It is at this point in his career that he faced the most horrible atrocities one can imagine, but also had moments of joy in service. Ready to find out about the things William faced in service? Grab a copy to find out!
Whew! I think it’s appropriate to point out that this memoir needs a trigger warning, as there are a lot of triggers involving violence and sexual content. So, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I appreciated how detailed the author was when describing Marine and law enforcement terminology, and I enjoyed learning some historical moments through the author’s lens. The author is also a master at providing vivid descriptions of the environment and what he’s talking about, so much so that you get the feel of the scene, as though you’re part of it right then and there.
I really didn’t come across anything I personally disliked about this novel, and I appreciated the raw honesty behind the author’s words. I rate this novel a solid 5 out of 5 stars for the reasons I mentioned above, and because there’s nothing worth criticism. I recommend this memoir to mostly people who have served, as I believe they’ll feel a sense of kinship reading about some of the author’s experiences, as they too might have possibly gone through the same. I recommend this to strictly mature audiences as there is a lot of profanity and sexual content that might be triggering.
******
My Pound of Flesh
View: on Bookshelves |
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