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Former Marine Capt. Phil Klay received a National Book Award for his fictional war book, "Redeployment," on Nov. 19.

The piece, which is a collection of short essays, shows the life of a soldier from a number of points of view. While it is fictional, it was inspired by Klay's 13-month tour in Iraq and his subsequent adjustment to life after service. The Associated Press reported that Klay, at age 31, is one of the youngest winners in the prestigious award's history. It is the first win for an Iraq veteran and the first time a book of essays has received the honor in almost 20 years. 

The author and soldier, who finished his service in 2009, has degrees from Dartmouth College and Hunter College. This is his first piece of literature, and it already earned him a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Award. 

According to Military Times, Klay hopes his stories will help civilians better understand military life. The book is also for soldiers struggling to cope with the difficulties of combat and transition, to let them know they are not alone in what they are experiencing. 

"What do you do when you're struggling to find the words to explain to the father of a fallen Marine exactly what that Marine meant to you? What do you do when one of your best Marines calls you to tell you that he's been drinking too much, that he feels isolated at college, surrounded by 18-year-olds he can't make sense of and who can't make sense of him? I don't actually have the answers to those questions, but the book was the only way I knew how to start really thinking them through," he stated in his National Book Award acceptance speech.