Title: Chasing the Daylight: One Woman’s Journey to Becoming a U.S. Army Intelligence Officer
Author: Joanna Rakowski
Publisher: Xlibris US
ISBN: 1669869407
Pages: 410
Genre: Non-fiction / Memoir
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers

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One of the hardest things to learn in life is that more often than not, destiny can have more than one path for a person. What a person starts out loving and feeling passion for, even possibly excelling in, could take a drastic turn and force a person to pivot. Whether it is a question of fate or the power of the universe or just a mundane accident, life can take a person into a whole new avenue of employment or career, and in the end can be just as powerful and passionate as the original path they began on.

In author Joanna Rakowski’s Chasing the Daylight: One Woman’s Journey to Becoming a U.S. Army Intelligence Officer, is a memorable journey of one woman as she forgoes the preconceived idea of men going to war by showcasing a story of strength, courage, and determination. In this memoir, the author shares her path into the United States military, from her immigration to the U.S. years earlier from Poland to the painful rift which formed between her and her mentor to the grueling nature of life in the military and the hard-fought battle to make her way as a U.S. Intelligence Officer.

The author did a wonderful job of capturing the hard work and determination the path of those in the military must follow. The attention to detail the author gave to every step of the process, from the interviews and swearing of the oath to basic training and beyond, really drew me into her story and made for a relatable and memorable atmosphere for those who have served in the military themselves. The balance of personal storytelling on the author’s part with the information gives readers a better idea of what life in the military is really like making this such a compelling book. The thing which really stood out was the author’s writing style, which is so inviting and gives the readers a blend of first-person narratives with more intimate “conversations” in her letters to loved ones, and the almost cinematic delivery of the experiences she had during her career.

This is a must-read book for those who enjoy non-fiction reads, especially those who enjoy memoirs and biographies, and non-fiction books about the military and military life. The author’s experiences also touched upon two things that really resonate with so many people out there, and that was those who signed up post-9/11 (or were serving at the time of September 11th), and life in the military as a woman trying to gain the respect and distinction that her male counterparts received. The unique perspective she brought to this subject was not only informative, but highlighted the emotional and physical toll this line of work has on people overall, especially the unique perspective of an intelligence officer.

Informative, engaging, and insightful, author Joanna Rakowski’s Chasing the Daylight is a must-read non-fiction memoir on military life and pursuing a career as an intelligence officer. The honesty and detailed way the author approached her story and the enlightening nature of not only her life personally, but the experiences of so many within the United States military was eye opening and really kept me invested as her story progressed.