A fearless and uncompromising look at the burden borne by soldiers in our modern age, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the ways that human beings respond to extreme circumstances. Dec 10, 2019 the book is part memoir, part travelogue of a unique trip he took with a fellow iraq war veteran and part inspirational text. Days and nights he and his team, his brothers, would venture forth in heavily armed convoys from their forward operating base. The long walk, by brian castner the new york times. For memorial day why not turn to a biting, thoughtful, and absolutely spoton new novel, billy lynns long halftime walk, about american iraq war. The long walk, is a new opera by composer jeremy howard beck and librettist stephanie fleischmann, based on brian castners critically acclaimed book of the same name, which describes a soldiers return fro iraq where he served as an officer in an explosive ordnance disposal unit and his battle with post traumatic stress. Brian castner served three tours of duty in the middle east, two of them in iraq as the head of an explosive. A story of war and the life that follows by brian castner. Iraq veteran brian castners memoir the long walk is a powerful account of war and homecoming. From the penhemingway awardwinning author of the critically acclaimed short story collection, brief encounters with che guevara, comes billy lynns long halftime walk the catch22 of the iraq war karl marlantes.
He won the national book critics circle award for fiction, and billy lynns long halftime walk was a finalist for the national book award. This lethal game of cat and mouse was, and continues to be, the real war within americas wars in iraq and afghanistan. A former air force officer, castner commanded an explosive ordnance disposal e. If you have come back from iraq or afghanistan, or know someone who has, you need to read the long walk. Brian castner, the leader of a military bomb disposal team, recounts his deployment to iraq with unflinching candor, and in the process exposes crucial truths not only about this particular conflict, but also about war throughout history. The long walk premiered 2015 great operas dont just happen. Castners book maps out this new and sorrowful territory with the skill and. Billy lynns long halftime walk is a razorsharp satire set in texas during americas war in iraq. Jun 22, 2017 the long road home, which is wrapping up three months of production on the outskirts of texas fort hood army base, relives a heroic fight for survival during the iraq war when the 1st cavalry. Formerly an active member of the air force, castner was sent to fight in the iraq war on two separate assignments in 2005 and 2006.
Billy lynns long halftime walk is a satirical war novel written by ben fountain, which was published in early may 2012 by ecco press, a publishing imprint of harpercollins. Tom voss found healing from the iraq war through yoga and. Winner of the national book critics circle award for fiction and a finalist for the national book award. Do you want to know a little something about our war in iraq. A razorsharp satire set in texas during americas war in iraq, it explo. In the tradition of michael herrs dispatches and works by such masters of the memoir as mary karr and tobias wolff, a powerful account of war and homecoming. The long walk a story of war and the life that follows book. The long walk is a raw, wrenching, bloodsoaked chronicle of the human cost of war. The long walk, brian castners remarkable chronicle of his war three tours in iraq and. In billy lynns long halftime walk, a young army specialist and other surviving members of a firefight in iraq participate in a thanksgiving halftime show. This work is a powerful account of war and homecoming. Castners honesty is refreshing and the book is written with such candor and openness that one cant help but root for him. The book is part memoir, part travelogue of a unique trip he took with a fellow iraq war veteran and part inspirational text. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
Brian castner this work is a powerful account of war and homecoming. Iraq war 20032011 war widows warpsychological aspects marines. The author served three tours of duty in the middle east, two of them as the commander of an explosive ordnance disposal unit in iraq. Billy lynns long halftime walk features no more than a few. Like powers, fountain is an american writer depicting the iraq war. Fiction football and war texas united states veterans iraq war. Jul 08, 2012 in his memoir, the long walk, castner chronicles his three tours in iraq and the life that followed when he returned home as a different man, unable to forget what he saw or experienced in iraq. For the film adaptation, see billy lynns long halftime walk film billy lynns long halftime walk is a satirical war novel written by ben fountain, which was published in early may 2012 by ecco press, a publishing imprint of harpercollins.
Begin with the long walk, brian castners elegant, superbly written story about the bomb disposal guys. Ferdynand antoni ossendowski, an author of an account of escape from siberia during the russian civil war in the 1920s. It takes as much courage for castner to confront that memory as it does to face an active fuse. The long walk the long walk is a powerful, intimate, disturbing look at the ways that war can infect the life of a soldier.
Now, with fountain well into his 50s, his fulllength debut has finally emerged a fierce, exhilarating novel about the iraq war. Anthony swofford, author of jarhead do you want to know a little something about our war in iraq. Nov 11, 2016 in billy lynns long halftime walk, a young army specialist and other surviving members of a firefight in iraq participate in a thanksgiving halftime show. The novel chronicles the experience of a group of iraq war veterans who are hailed as heroes and sent on a victory tour following their engagement in an. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Brian castners new memoir, the long walk, shatters stereotypes about the private wars that veterans fight once they return home. You may purchase the long walk at your favorite local bookstore, or these retailers. The long walk premiered 2015 great operas dont just. A story of war and the life that follows is a memoir by u. Sep 20, 2012 the long walk the long walk is a powerful, intimate, disturbing look at the ways that war can infect the life of a soldier.
His most recent book is disappointment river, which was named a best book for 2018 by amazon. The long walk brings home in a visceral way the hidden, personal burden of war. Brian castner served three tours of duty in the middle east, two of them in iraq as the head of an explosive ordnance disposal unit. Billy lynns long halftime walk by ben fountain the. Smith 2010, book by linda willis, documenting her research into the story behind the long walk and her findings. Feb 28, 20 brian castners the long walk is an extraordinary memoir. At times, the long walk, brian castners memoir of his work disarming bombs in iraq and his turbulent reentry into civilian life, is almost unbearable to read. To those trained in explosive ordnance disposal, the lastresort tactic for defusing bombs is known as the long walk. I think my favorite book of the iraq war so far is the long walk, a memoir by a bombdisposal technician, brian castner. Yet even after 11 years of combat in afghanistan and iraq, the consequences of repeated deployment remain largely hidden from view. A story of war and the life that follows audiobook by brian castner. Brian castner, a bronze star recipient who completed two tours in iraq as a commander of an explosive ordnance disposal unit, talks about his book, the long walk. The long road home, which is wrapping up three months of production on the outskirts of texas fort hood army base, relives a heroic fight for survival during the. Days and nights he and his team, his brothers, would venture forth in heavily armed convoys from their forward operating.
The long walk is a scathingly honest portrayal of the stress of war, the depth of loss soldiers experience and the immense challenges many of our returning veterans face every day. A story of war and the life that follows and millions of other books are available for instant access. Brian castner served three tours of duty in the middle east, two of them in iraq. In his memoir, the long walk, castner chronicles his three tours in iraq and the life that followed when he returned home as a different man, unable to. But ben fountains inspired, blistering war novel billy lynns long halftime walk is about a group of special guests at the stadium. Music by jeremy howard beck libretto by stephanie fleischmann. A razorsharp satire set in texas during americas war in iraq, it. It is also an unflinching portrayal of the toll war exacts on the men and women who are fighting it. The long walk book pima county public library bibliocommons. Upon returning from the war, brian battles what he calls the crazy as he struggles to reintegrate into his family life. Throughout his raw and compelling narrative, castner meditates on whether soldiers. Though the book chronicles the brutalities of castners deployment, it focuses primarily on the jarring.
The long walk is both harrowing and poignantan intensely personal story of what it takes not just to survive war, but also to fully leave behind the nightmare of combat and readapt to ordinary life. This book examines my struggle to confront the new person who came home from iraq. Books about iraq war 2003 2011 what should i read next. Top 10 books about the iraq war books the guardian. Ben fountains remarkable debut novel follows the surviving members of the heroic bravo squad through one exhausting stop in their mediaintensive victory tour at texas stadium, football. The long walk brings home in a visceral way the hidden, personal burden of war that many veterans continue to carry. Brian castner served three tours of duty in the middle east, two of them as the commander of an explosive ordnance disposal unit in iraq. The long walk book king county library system bibliocommons.
Short stories and novels written about the wars in iraq and afghanistan and the return home from them. Whenever ieds were discovered, he and his men would lead the way in either disarming the deadly devices or searching through rubble and remains for clues to the bombmakers identities. Feb 22, 2016 like powers, fountain is an american writer depicting the iraq war. A memoir by a bombdisposal veteran of the iraq war traces his three tours of duty in the middle east and his teams. The long walk by brian castner penguin books australia.
Recent literature of the iraq war books tell you why, inc. Jul 10, 2012 this lethal game of cat and mouse was, and continues to be, the real war within americas wars in iraq and afghanistan. Books about iraq war 2003 2011 what should i read next register for free to build your own book lists. He describes the arduous training prior to going to kirkuk iraq and how competitive it is.
Billy lynns long halftime walk ben fountain hardcover. Brian castner is a nonfiction writer, former explosive ordnance disposal officer, and veteran of the iraq war. The long walk by brian castner knopf doubleday 240 pp. In his memoir, the long walk, castner chronicles his three tours in iraq and the life that followed when he returned home as a different man, unable to forget what he saw or experienced in iraq. No other book ive read takes us closer to the lives of the people there, breathing a muchneeded human dimension to understanding life in iraq. It should be required reading for anyone considering a military career, and is a mustread for those seeking to better understand the ultimate costs of war paid by. During a fivemonth trek from milwaukee to california featured in the. In a ghostwritten book called the long walk, he claimed that in 1941 he and six others had escaped from a siberian gulag camp and begun a long journey south on foot about 6,500 km or 4,000 mi. Brian castner, the leader of a military bomb disposal team, recounts his deployment to iraq with unflinching candor, and in the process exposes crucial truths not only about this particular conflict, but. The long walk is a deeply personal exploration of a soldiers return from iraq, where he served as an officer in an explosive ordnance disposal unit. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. It explores the gaping national disconnect between the war at home and the war abroad.
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