Overview
The hardest conflict to face is the one within. MyLinh Shattan is no stranger to conflict, from evacuating during the fall of Saigon to reporting to West Point shortly after it accepts women. But when her daughter, Cara, becomes a West Point cadet, she confronts memories she would rather leave behind and new fears as a military mom. For thirty years, MyLinh evaded questions about serving in the US Army. Now, watching her daughter follow in her footsteps, she finds herself searching for answers. Why does anyone join the military? What's changed for women in the past three decades? What hasn't? Raising Athena is a passionate, nuanced, often philosophical testament to the dedication and courage of those who protect our country. This memoir explores in intimate detail the stories we tell ourselves--about war, the disconnect between myth and reality, and what it means to serve.
Full Product Details
Author: Mylinh Brewster Shattan
Publisher: Houndstooth Press
Imprint: Houndstooth Press
Dimensions:
Width: 14.00cm
, Height: 2.40cm
, Length: 21.60cm
Weight: 0.544kg
ISBN: 9781544551180
ISBN 10: 1544551185
Pages: 356
Publication Date: 21 April 2026
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
""A fascinating memoir. Benefiting from lucid prose and thoughtful, experience-driven analysis, Mylinh Brewster Shattan's RAISING ATHENA: A Mother and Daughter Attend West Point Thirty Years Apart is an eye-opening examination of the process by which female Army officers were--and are--trained."" --4.7 Star IndieReader Review. ""MyLinh's book is a beautiful testament to the power of raising a daughter to stand tall in her own strength. Her words remind us that confidence isn't inherited -- it's nurtured with intention, love, and courage."" --Erin Appleman, Head Volleyball Coach, Yale University, 13 Time Ivy League Champion, 10 NCAA Tournament Appearances. ""MyLinh's chapter ""Learning to Run"" was recognized in Writer's Digest's 90th Annual Writing Competition in the category of Inspirational or Spiritual. One of the oldest and most popular contests in the nation, it has been running for nearly a century."" --2021 Writer's Digest Award and winner seal.
Author Information
MyLinh Brewster Shattan was born in Washington, DC, then lived in Saigon until evacuated with her family in 1975. She reported to West Point in 1987, where she was a cadet captain and captain of the women's track team. Upon graduation, she served as an army officer in a newly reunified Germany. She holds master's degrees from Queens University and Florida Southern College. As creator and editor of the TreeHouseLetter and podcast, she writes about the best ideas and writing out there. MyLinh's husband is her West Point classmate. Their three children also graduated from West Point and serve in the US Army.
