In The Pink Marine, Greg Cope White’s sharp, funny, and unexpectedly moving memoir, he recounts how an insecure New Orleans weakling transforms into a Devil Dog Marine. A coming-of-age story set in the most unlikely place: boot camp.

When Greg’s straight best friend Dale tells him he’s spending the summer at Marine Corps boot camp on Parris Island, all Greg hears is “summer” and “camp.” So, he signs up too. Never mind that he’s underweight, out of shape—and gay, which is illegal in the U.S. military at the time.

Yes, it’s insanely dangerous for both of them. But as fate would have it, the Few and the Proud turn out to be a bunch of oddballs and eccentrics—and a brotherhood is born. In a world where the landmines are both literal and metaphorical, this book takes a hard—and hilarious—look at masculinity and what it really means to belong.

Greg’s chaotic childhood hasn’t prepared him for military life. He packs five suitcases for thirteen weeks of training. The U.S. Marines strip him of all of it, shave his head, and put a rifle in his hands. At first, he struggles to keep up—afraid that his secret will be discovered. But as the weeks go by, the desire to survive and earn the title of Marine triumphs over fear.

He learns that everyone enters the Corps feeling different—judged for the color of their skin, their weight, or their past. Some even choose boot camp over jail. This will push every man past his limit and strip away who he thinks he is. What breaks them also binds them. Nobody comes out the same. Something shifts for Greg. For everyone.

Told with disarming honesty and biting wit, The Pink Marine follows Greg and his new brothers as they navigate the brutal system of recruit training. Greg must prove he belongs—and figure out who he really is.

How was it?

I was hooked me from the very first page. I picked it up not expecting a snarky, lighthearted memoir about a gay man accidentally enlisting in the Marines, because, honestly, who signs up for boot camp thinking it’s summer camp? But I also didn’t expect how deeply moving, and relatable it turned out to be.

White’s storytelling is disarmingly funny. His dry wit makes even the most brutal moments of Marine training feel weirdly entertaining. I loved the step-by-step observation of his first day as a recruit, equal parts horrifying and hilarious. The chaos of getting everything stripped away (his luggage, his hair, his privacy) feels vividly real. You can practically smell the barracks and feel the panic of realizing there are no doors on the toilets.

And yet, underneath the humor, there’s real vulnerability. Greg’s fear of being outed in an environment where it’s not just frowned upon but literally illegal gives the book a quiet tension that runs beneath every drill and shouted command. When he finds that one blessed private toilet stall at the dentist office, I actually felt his relief. It’s such a small detail, but it says everything about how exposed he feels.

What I really appreciated was how balanced the portrayal of military life is. Greg doesn’t glamorize it, but he doesn’t vilify it either. He hates the endless repetition, the yelling, the perfectionism of making a bed so tight you could bounce a coin off it. But he also slowly starts to understand it, the discipline, the unity, the weird way hardship becomes a bond (which could also be called trauma bonding LOL). You feel him growing stronger and more self-assured, without losing his humor or sense of self.

And honestly, I couldn’t put it down. The pacing is so tight and the writing so funny that I tore through it faster than I expected. White’s snark and dry humor make the heavier moments hit harder because they sneak up on you. One minute you’re laughing at his cluelessness; the next, you’re quietly cheering for him as he earns the respect of his platoon.

By the end, The Pink Marine feels less like a “military memoir” and more like a coming-of-age story about belonging, about how the things that make us different can also make us stronger.

It’s funny, fearless, and full of heart.

For its humor, honesty, and heart:

Have you read The Pink Marine? What did you think of Greg’s story, did it surprise you as much as it did me? Let’s talk in the comments 😄

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