War Is: Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
War Is: Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War

Author:
Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell, editors

Illustrator:
None

ISBN:
978-0-7636-3625-8

Publisher:
Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press

Copyright:
2008

Length:
194 pages

Plot Summary:
This is a well-crafted anthology containing first person narratives of war experiences, thoughtful writings, and two works of fiction: a one-act play and a short story. Each editor writes an introduction explaining their stance on the act of war. Patty Campbell’s stance is clearly against war and thinks that wars should not be fought, but she says that wars are inevitable. Marc Aronson’s stance is also anti-war. He feels that people enjoy war, even as much as they enjoy sex. His belief is that society can best honor those who have served as soldiers by listening respectfully to their stories. The book is divided into four sections containing short narratives, each written by soldiers that served in World War I, World War II, Iraq, or Viet Nam. Both men and women tell of their experiences. Women tell of being harassed by fellow soldiers as well as the enemy. An especially interesting entry is by Bill Bigelow, explaining the recruitment of high school students into the armed forces. No matter what the reader’s stance on war, these narratives and stories offer much to consider.

Critical Evaluation:
All the chapters with the exception of the last one are works of nonfiction, either personal accounts or writings on the topic of war. The last chapter, “Aftermath of War”, includes a one-act play and short story. The reader has been so immersed in nonfiction that it is difficult to switch gears and keep in mind that one is reading a play and a story. This creates some minor dissonance and slightly distracts from the power of the nonfiction accounts. The strength of the book shines when soldiers tell their own stories. The book could also have included stories by civilians from war-torn countries. Withstanding that criticism it is an excellent book that expresses the emotions of soldiers and often shows their change from eager soldier to shell-shocked vet. The one-act play is an especially wrenching portrayal of a young female soldier who has returned from her tour of duty and cannot find the strength to return to civilian life. The authors have included further readings and copyright acknowledgments.

Reader’s Annotation:
If the Bible says, “Thou shalt not kill”, how can a chaplain best serve soldiers?
Women in the army are called bitches, hos, or dykes – and that’s by their fellow soldiers…why?

Author Information:
Marc Aronson: Award winning author, married – two sons, PhD in American history from NYU, never served in the armed forces
Patty Campbell: Critic, author, teacher, librarian, working in the field of young adult literature for more than 30 years, active in American Library Association (ALA), active in the National Council of Teachers of English, lives in San Diego, California, writes the column “The Sand in the Oyster” for Horn Book magazine

Genre:
Alternative format – an anthology of nonfiction and fiction based on one topic

Curriculum Ties:
American history class
Philosophy class
Discussions about war

Booktalking Ideas:
The stories are immediate and engaging with one soldier describing battle as the worst experience in life; even so he is unhesitatingly reenlisting.

By focusing on the personal narrative of soldiers, the editors make their dramatic, soul-searching revelations jump off the page.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
High school

Additional Books by Author:
Marc Aronson: Race: A History Beyond Black and White, Unsettled: The Problem of Loving Israel, For Boys Only: The Biggest, Baddest Book Ever (co-written with H.P. Newquist)

Patty Campbell: Robert Cormier: Daring to Disturb the Universe, Campbell’s Scoop: Reflections on Young Adult Literature

Challenge Issues:
Anti-war philosophical leaning
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
This book received a starred review in Booklist. It offers a distinct philosophy of war that leads to discussion. I looked for books other than novels while researching for this database. I happened upon this book in the library, saw that it had a favorable review and, after reading it, thought it could be used in conjunction with Walter Dean Myers' titles Sunrise Over Fallujah and Fallen Angels. The book receives five peaches for being a unique, honest, and compelling book about war.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/War-Soldiers-Survivors-Storytellers/dp/0763636258/ref=sr_1_1_oe_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271373862&sr=1-1

References:
(2010). “Marc Aronson: Biography”. Simon & Schuster. Retrieved April 1, 2010, from http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Marc-Aronson/16878954

(2010). “Patty Campbell: Author spotlight”. Random House, Inc. Retrieved April 1, 2010, from http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=76407