Library News

Memorial Day reads by Veterans

If you’re still thinking about Memorial Day or want to continue connecting to the experience of soldiers, I have some books I think can help. The following three titles are novels written by veterans of their respective wars that explore the difficulties and struggles experienced by their fellow servicemen.

Iraq

The Yellow Birds is a fictional account of Private Bartle and Private Murphy by Iraq War veteran Kevin Powers. The Yellow Bird follows their stories as the characters suffer from the physical and, more importantly, the psychological effects of combat and constant danger.

World War II, The Pacific

From Here to Eternity is a fictional story about a Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt and First Sargent Milton Anthony Warden by James Jones. Drawing from his experience witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor during his service in particular, James Jones has produced a hard but rewarding read that communicates the feeling of the darker feeling of Jones’ experience of the war.

Iraq and Afghanistan

Redeployment, by former Marine and Public Affairs Officer Phil Klay, is a series of short stories that gives a portrayal of a range of experiences from soldiers, a chaplain, and a Foreign Service Officer. Klay opens a window on unglamorous but powerful personal dramas and experiences.