Synopses & Reviews
Here is what you will not find in the news- the personal cost of war written as clear and beautiful as literature worthy of the name is. These stories are the real thing, passionate, imaginative, searing.
- Richard Bausch, author of Wives & Lovers
The first book of its kind, Operation Homecoming is the result of a major initiative launched by the National Endowment for the Arts to bring distinguished writers to military bases and inspire U.S. Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen and their families to record their wartime experiences. Encouraged by such authors as Tom Clancy, Mark Bowden, Bobbie Ann Mason, Tobias Wolff, Jeff Shaara, and Marilyn Nelson, American military personnel and their loved ones wrote candidly about what they saw, heard, and felt while in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as on the home front. Taken together, these almost one hundred never-before-published eyewitness accounts, private journals, short stories, letters, and other personal writings become a dramatic narrative that shows the human side of warfare.
- the fear and exhilaration of heading into battle;
- the interactions between U.S. forces and Afghans and Iraqis, both as enemies and friends;
- the boredom, gripes, and humorous incidents of day-to-day life on the front lines;
- the anxiety and heartache of worried spouses, parents, and other loved ones on the home front;
- the sheer brutality of warfare and the physical and emotional toll it takes on those who fight;
- the tearful homecomings for those who returned to the States alive- and the somber ceremonies for those who made the ultimate sacrificefor their nation.
From riveting combat accounts to profound reflections on warfare and the pride these troops feel for one another, Operation Homecoming offers an unflinching and intensely revealing look into the lives of extraordinary men and women. What they have written is without question some of the greatest wartime literature ever published.
Andrew Carroll has given America a priceless treasure.
- Tom Brokaw, on War Letters
Proceeds from this book will be used to provide arts and cultural programming to U.S. military communities. For more information, please go to www.OperationHomecoming.gov.
Review
and#8220;[These writings] help us gain a fuller appreciation of those fighting, and dying, in a war so far away and requiring so little sacrifice at home.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;This anthology is the honest voice of war. . . . In the end, they are all one voice, a voice we must hear, and must not forget.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;These voices are stirring, chilling, and unforgettable.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;[Captures] what journalists cannot, no matter how close they getand#8212;firsthand accounts from the warriors and the families they leave behind.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;One of the chanted mantras of our time is, and#8216;But I support the troops.and#8217; Terrific. Now read
Operation Homecoming to find out who they are, what they think, feel, want, have learned, won and lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;The goal of the project, beyond providing an emotional and expressive outlet for military personnel and their families, and getting the basic eyewitness facts of history down on paper, is to add to a long tradition of war literature. . . . The collection rings with truth, the sort of truth mere obervers of war find hard to capture.and#8221;
Review
“[Captures] what journalists cannot, no matter how close they get—firsthand accounts from the warriors and the families they leave behind.”
Bobbie Ann Mason
Synopsis
Operation Homecoming is the result of a major initiative launched by the National Endowment for the Arts to bring distinguished writers to military bases to inspire U.S. soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and their families to record their wartime experiences. Encouraged by such authors as Tom Clancy, Tobias Wolff, and Marilyn Nelson, American military personnel and their loved ones wrote candidly about what they saw, heard, and felt while in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as on the home front. These unflinching eyewitness accounts, private journals, short stories, and letters offer an intensely revealing look into extraordinary lives and are an unforgettable contribution to wartime literature.
and#160;
and#8220;One of the chanted mantras of our time is, and#8216;But I support the troops.and#8217; Terrific. Now read Operation Homecoming to find out who they are, what they think, feel, want, have learned, won and lost in Iraq and Afghanistan.and#8221;and#8212;Daniel Henninger, Wall Street Journal
and#160;
and#8220;This anthology is the honest voice of war. . . . In the end, they are all one voice, a voice we must hear, and must not forget.and#8221;and#8212;Jeff Shaara
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and#8220;These voices are stirring, chilling, and unforgettable.and#8221;and#8212;Bobbie Ann Mason
and#160;
and#8220;[Captures] what journalists cannot, no matter how close they getand#8212;firsthand accounts from the warriors and the families they leave behind.and#8221;and#8212;Chicago Tribuneand#160;and#160;
About the Author
Andrew Carroll is the editor of several
New York Times bestselling books, including
Letters of a Nation,
Behind the Lines, and
War Letters, which was also a PBS documentary. He is the founder of the Legacy Project, a national all-volunteer effort to honor veterans and active-duty troops by seeking out and preserving their letters and e-mails. He edited this book on a pro bono basis.
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Table of Contents
Preface by Dana Gioiaand#160;
Introduction by Andrew Carrolland#160;
1. And Now it Begins
Heading into Combat
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2. Hearts and Minds
Interactions with Afghans and Iraqis
and#160;
3. Stuck in This Sandbox
Gripes, Humor, Boredom, and the Daily Grind
and#160;
4. Worlds Apart
Life on the Home Front
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5. This is Not a Game
The Physical and Emotional Toll of War
and#160;
6. Home
Returning to the United States
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Acknowldegments
Glossaryand#160;
Credits and Permissionsand#160;
Index of Contributorsand#160;
Index of Titles