On my trip to Baltimore today, I took advantage of this and read some good stuff.
One article I read in The Atlantic was pretty darn powerful, at least to me. "The Last Patrol" by Brian Mockenhaupt recounts the final patrol of Charlie Company, which was a combined mission with a new artillery unit. The author, Brian Mockenhaupt, is described as "a former infantryman," who "is a writer in Detroit." And the story he tells is one hell of a piece of nonfiction, and I want to read more of his stuff. Click HERE if you're interested in reading his work in the November issue.
The article made me think about many things. But one point that rattled in my brain later is the paucity of strong non-fiction or literature that has been written about either of our excursions into Iraq of Afghanistan. I've read Here, Bullet by Brian Turner, which is a collection of poems based on Turner's experiences in Iraq, and that book has its moments. Other than that though, I don't know of a lot of non-fiction or fiction that is delving into the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. Maybe it's too early for that. I don't know.
I just find it odd that there hasn't been a lot of strong writing about these wars besides maybe the screenplays to the Generation Kill HBO miniseries, which is based on the experiences the First Recon Battalion of the Marines.
3 comments:
Check out Michael Yon. He is an independent reporter who has written some amazing stuff about "over there".
He has also been alternately loved and hated by the brass, so he's probably doing an accurate job. 8)
I've also heard good things about "Horse Soldiers" by Doug Stanton about the Special Forces guys that went into Afghanistan right after 9/11.
I haven't read it yet, but its one of those books that is on "the list". Who knows when I'll get to them all.
Thanks for the recommendations, Travolta. I'll put these on my own long list.
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