In Rookie on the Battlefield, Paulette Rubick Johnson explores life and its many ironies, from parenthood and the perils of dating to the grief of losing loved ones before their time. Through a series of short essays, she walks us through more than two decades of everyday experiences-our experiences-with wry humor, unflinching honesty, and spot-on commentary. It is a story about donning the armor and facing life head-on, even when you are unsure or afraid, not because you want to, but because that is what life demands. Different paths, different struggles, but all of us amateurs, doing the best we can.