Ben Fountain's acclaimed novel captures a single day in the life of Billy Lynn, a 19-year-old soldier thrust into the limelight after a harrowing Iraq battlefield incident goes viral. On a Thanksgiving Day filled with pomp and patriotism at a Dallas football game's halftime show, Billy grapples with the disconnect between the war's harsh realities and America's perception of heroism. As the day unfolds, Billy's encounters with civilians, teammates, and his own memories lead him to a poignant reckoning with courage, sacrifice, and the human toll of conflict.