Skybird
01-15-06, 07:30 AM
Because of this German film review of "Jarhead"
"Nobody has the perfect shot": http://www.heise.de/bin/tp/issue/r4/dl-artikel2.cgi?artikelnr=21744&mode=print
I decided to read the book by Swofford, and another one on that matter by Steven Kuhn, also a fighting soldier in Gulf 91, whose small book is regarded as so uncomfortable that it never was published in English and went to print in Germany instead.
Swofford'S attempt is honest, but he is no skillful writer. By not wanting to hide that and instead using the often vulgar language he got used to, his effort wins in credibility. Ignoring the often "very frank" language I was allowed to witness what really went on in his mind, and more important: his soul. Seen that way, a precious work. Of course not welcomed by the official military business.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C25VL4/qid=1137332328/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-5180419-4824646?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743239199/qid=1137328494/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-1298211-1099813
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3596161827/qid=1137328536/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/302-4211997-2537643
steven kuhns also is no big artist in words, but his book is a bit less vulgar, but maybe ven more honest. Different to Swofford, he has seen a good load of heavy fighting in that war, and got decorated. nevertheless Americans do hate him today, so that he is living in Berlin now, still calling himself an American patriot, but also admitting that he was very naive, later having married a Muslim woman, andnow tries to compensate his war experiences by beeing engaged in aid projects for Iraq, besides his job.
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3861532999/qid=1137328563/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/302-4211997-2537643
The insight both writers allow I found stunning, and from a very different perspective as for example the report written by Gen. Fred Franks (some chapters in "Into the Storm").
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425163083/qid=1137328600/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-9396776-4787959?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
Both writers deserve respect for not trying to gloss over their own role in it all, what they felt, the empty void and the hate in civilian life afterwards that they found in themselves. They did not write in order to shine, but to testify, and maybe even as a kind of a self-therapy to get rid of their inner demons. I'm looking forward to see the movie, it is by the same director that also made the bitter-biting "American Beauty".
I would like to know what people think about these two books, if you happen to have red them. I have been given a comparbale insight into soldier's business by what my grandfather have told me, years ago (he fought in Russia). Dirt instead of glory, the deformation of a psyche it causes, the schizophrenic split of a person that wants to kill and still fears to kill, wants to go to battle and still feel horror because of it. Forget "JAG", and "Top Gun", books like these, I feel, are far closer to the truth. Impressive, touching, disgusting - recommended.
"Nobody has the perfect shot": http://www.heise.de/bin/tp/issue/r4/dl-artikel2.cgi?artikelnr=21744&mode=print
I decided to read the book by Swofford, and another one on that matter by Steven Kuhn, also a fighting soldier in Gulf 91, whose small book is regarded as so uncomfortable that it never was published in English and went to print in Germany instead.
Swofford'S attempt is honest, but he is no skillful writer. By not wanting to hide that and instead using the often vulgar language he got used to, his effort wins in credibility. Ignoring the often "very frank" language I was allowed to witness what really went on in his mind, and more important: his soul. Seen that way, a precious work. Of course not welcomed by the official military business.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C25VL4/qid=1137332328/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-5180419-4824646?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743239199/qid=1137328494/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-1298211-1099813
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3596161827/qid=1137328536/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/302-4211997-2537643
steven kuhns also is no big artist in words, but his book is a bit less vulgar, but maybe ven more honest. Different to Swofford, he has seen a good load of heavy fighting in that war, and got decorated. nevertheless Americans do hate him today, so that he is living in Berlin now, still calling himself an American patriot, but also admitting that he was very naive, later having married a Muslim woman, andnow tries to compensate his war experiences by beeing engaged in aid projects for Iraq, besides his job.
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3861532999/qid=1137328563/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/302-4211997-2537643
The insight both writers allow I found stunning, and from a very different perspective as for example the report written by Gen. Fred Franks (some chapters in "Into the Storm").
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425163083/qid=1137328600/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-9396776-4787959?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
Both writers deserve respect for not trying to gloss over their own role in it all, what they felt, the empty void and the hate in civilian life afterwards that they found in themselves. They did not write in order to shine, but to testify, and maybe even as a kind of a self-therapy to get rid of their inner demons. I'm looking forward to see the movie, it is by the same director that also made the bitter-biting "American Beauty".
I would like to know what people think about these two books, if you happen to have red them. I have been given a comparbale insight into soldier's business by what my grandfather have told me, years ago (he fought in Russia). Dirt instead of glory, the deformation of a psyche it causes, the schizophrenic split of a person that wants to kill and still fears to kill, wants to go to battle and still feel horror because of it. Forget "JAG", and "Top Gun", books like these, I feel, are far closer to the truth. Impressive, touching, disgusting - recommended.