Brian and I just received this letter from a Marine stationed in the desert.  Perhaps not as unpleasant a place as fictional Arrakis, but still a tough place to do pleasure reading:

“Hi, I am a U.S. Marine over in Afghanistan right now and since I joined the Marines I haven’t read a book in three years. Since I have been out here for my second deployment I found your book “The Winds of Dune”. Because of your book it has got me back into reading again, every chance I get to read I take it. So I just wanted to say thanks for getting me reading again.”

Gerald
2nd BN
3rd Marines
Echo “Outlaws” Company