In this inspired, timely follow-up to the New York Times bestseller From Baghdad, With Love—Jay Kopelman's moving story of adopting an abandoned puppy named Lava—the author credits his canine best friend with keeping him sane after he returned home from the war.

Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman won the hearts of readers with his moving story of adopting an abandoned puppy named Lava in a hellish corner of Iraq. For this Marine and his comrades, the puppy served as an important emotional touchstone in a grim and seemingly endless war.Kopelman now writes about what it's like to be home. He credits his canine best friend with finding his wife-in the park, Lava began playing with her dog and the two owners met-and for keeping him sane as he readjusted. With the same intelligence and insight he showed in From Baghdad, With Love, Kopelman sets forth more than a dozen lessons, including: Life can change in an instant, but you'll be able to handle it; passion for something can help you tap into your most powerful reserve of energy; have a standard operating procedure for everything; and never forget who you are or how you got here. Active and retired troops, soldiers' friends and families, and everyone who has ever loved a dog will embrace this book.

Jay Kopelman, a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel who served in combat in Iraq, is the author of the New York Times and international bestselling memoir From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava. Since retiring, Jay has become an advocate for veterans and their numerous causes. He currently serves as the executive director of the non-profit agency Freedom Is Not Free. He lives with his family in La Jolla, California.