Book reviews written by Mark J

“THE FOREVER WAR by Dexter Filkins is creative non-fiction at its finest. Filkins is a foreign war correspondent for the NY Times. He was embedded with the US Marine force that was engaged in the Battle of Fallujah in 2004. He was also free to roam wherever he chose across Iraq from 2002 – 2006. He traveled with a photographer and an Iraqi interpreter. The segments (chapters) in the book are sourced from his notes. This book is most like a blog, except it has been edited, i.e. Filkins chose what to put in and what to leave out. It is an up-close look at war written with grit and is not for the squeamish. It recounts war in all its brutality, ruthlessness, horror, and terror. Maybe, the story would have been better told as a novel. It reminds me of Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. But Filkins left out what must be a big part of war—love and sex, except for the last line where he says the war cost him what he cared for most—a woman. I am guessing the woman is Ana Menendez, who was his wife. Menendez did write a novel about the same war (The Last War) and included some of the missing love and sex.

THE FOREVER WAR must be considered as anti-war, unless one thinks the complete destruction of towns, cities, families, and infrastructure, the carnage and killing is a necessary rite-of-passage for boys to become men. The locals, the people we are told we are fighting for, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, play both sides, and agree with whoever has a gun in their face at any particular time, and eventually—who pays the most, their loyalties literally turning on a dime. Did you know the head of a suicide bomber often remains intact? The blast force goes out, not up, obliterates the body, and blows the head off and up to land somewhere atop a rubble pile. Filkins recalls one head with the face showing surprise—eyes wide, eyebrows raised, and mouth open in an O. (Where is that picture?) Did you know the Sunni warrior prefers to behead his victim, whereas the Shia leaves the head on, but likes to drill holes in it?

In another chapter, maybe a segment that best represents what war and men are about, Filkins tells the story: After “winning” ground in Fallujah, his photographer wanted to get a snapshot of a dead insurgent. Apparently, the Jihadis never leave any bodies behind, just like American soldiers, and such a shot would be a real “get,” prized by those who pay his salary. The marine sergeant gives permission, so off they go, escorted by a couple marine volunteers, toward a minaret where they remember a body. As they go up a narrow stairwell, the marines leading, gunfire erupts. The first Marine is shot dead. Filkins’ description is graphic. Subsequently, air support is called in, the shrine is bombed, and the insurgent bodies atomized. The photographer never got his get.

The two journalists were upset—felt responsible for the death of the marine. The Sergeant shrugs, “It’s a war. That’s what happens in war.” (pg.211) In Craig Mullaney’s fine account of the same “War on Terror” (The Unforgiving Moment); when he loses one of his men in an ambush on patrol in Afghanistan, Lieutenant Mullaney is devastated. It affects him profoundly and sets him on a downward spiral. In Jon Krakauer book (Where Men Meet Glory) he tells the story of Army Ranger Pat Tillman, killed by friendly fire, also in Afghanistan, and the subsequent lies and cover-ups by those in the highest levels of the military and administration.

War is either/and: Men behaving badly, or where men meet glory. I guess it depends on how you frame it. The question is: Will it ever stop, or is war forever? The answer might well be in Chris Hedges’ book: “War is Force that gives of meaning.” I highly recommend this book—five stars.

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Mark J wrote this review Saturday, January 2, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

The Last War: A Novel

by Ana Mene?ndez

Rated 5 stars

“THE LAST WAR is my favorite type of novel--it is like a dream, a painting, a photograph--provoking thought, beauty, and doubt. The prose is beautiful, impelling the mind to see and the heart to feel. The dialogue is such that it could be our own--if it were we in the place of the characters, if we had their wishes and fears. There is much more here than words on a page. There is a backstory intertwined with the creator. This type of novel is an author's attempt to make sense out of life, or at least explain it. Sometimes, as in a dream, a novel reveals the world as we wished it were, or had been.

The Last War appears to me to be Ana Menendez's dream. Her ex-husband is Dexter Filkins and his latest work, non-fiction, is THE FOREVER WAR, about the war in Iraq where he was an embedded reporter for the NY Times, with the Marines in the battle of Fallujah. In The LAST WAR, the narrator is the wife of "Wonderboy," a war correspondent in Iraq. "Flash," the narrator and a photojournalist, lives in Istanbul and becomes bitter and resentful of her husband after receiving an anonymous letter that he had been unfaithful. (The part about the letter happened in the real world.) There is a third character, a writer and a beauty, a "friend" of Flash, who acts as her inner voice, confidante, and rival. What ensues is the deterioration of the marriage, due largely to the failure of the couple to communicate honestly and well; the "help" of the friend; and the competition between the couple for gratification and appreciation. The author, Menendez, covers all the bases, and that could be nothing other than a reflection of the way things were. In one conversation, Wonderboy calls Flash in a hysterical state, having just escaped death while on patrol. Flash, consumed with his alleged infidelity, can’t listen or support him, and they talk over and scream at one another, without compassion or understanding, each accusing the other of being “delirious.” (pg. 157)

In the real lives of the two authors, I wonder: What was that conversation like? Filkins did escape death when a US Marine stepped in front of him, took a bullet, and died. Is the fiction the way it went down? Is it Menendez’s version? Recollection, rationalization, or dream? For the sake of art, it doesn’t matter. It works. Filkins, it has been reported, armed himself, effectively becoming a fighter, a soldier, a warrior. A repeated “theme” in THE LAST WAR is: “The warrior always triumphs over the poet.” In Menendez’s “dream” - a roadside bomb kills Wonderboy, and Flash goes on towards a successful career. (Take that! Dexter. “Revenge is for Life.” That comes from the Koran and is used in both books, recounting the same event—an execution in Afghanistan in 1998 that the couple witnessed together.) However, in the real world, Filkins is by far the more successful and acclaimed writer. It is worth noting that Menendez writes fiction because she felt two journalists in a marriage would not work. (She began her career as a war correspondent, also.) So much for deference to bolster love and marriage.

This is tragic story, both of them, all of them. Yet, war is still glorified. There is all this pain lying beneath the surface, covered up by bravado, hubris, competition, and striving for recognition, achievement. War shouts “Be somebody!” Christopher Hedges’ fine book, WAR IS A FORCE THAT GIVES US MEANING is apropos.

I watched an interview with Filkins (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4540601298955634860#) and he says pointblank that war is thrilling and fun. His joy in being able to participate is unmistakable. He says in Forever War: “I told him [another American reporter] I couldn’t have a conversation with anyone who hadn’t been there about anything at all.” (pg. 341) That comes through in the above mentioned dialogue in Menendez’s novel. There is resentment visible in Menendez, in her writing and an interview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNe95ABrL-Q) of men getting all the fun and glory, and her sacrifices for that end. She looks at this in the novel – through conversations between the two girlfriends.

This is a remarkable, layered work. I sense it is about the other kind of wars—the wars within and between the sexes. Maybe that is what all war is ultimately about—sex. The last words written by Filkins in THE FOREVER WAR: “I lost the person I cared for most. The war didn’t get her, it got me.” (pg.346) Truth or fiction? I don’t know … but I can still see him smiling in the interview. I can still see Menendez, too, smiling.

”

Mark J wrote this review Monday, December 28, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

The Local News: A Novel

by Miriam Gershow

Rated 2 stars

“WRITING Gone WRONG

Lydia Pasternak is in therapy. She’s fifteen and her football hero, popular, older brother has gone missing. He just suddenly, mysteriously vanished. Lydia has twenty-eight therapy sessions and nothing happens. Nothing! Twenty-eight sessions. Why did the author, Miriah Gershow, bother to include “therapy” in her novel, “The Local News” (2009) at all? Because Gershow thought a 15 year old girl would probably need therapy after such an event? Something must have happened, for better or worse in twenty-eight sessions. At least some insight into why nothing happened, yes?

Lydia’s parents both go missing, too—psychologically and emotionally. Lydia is left to fend for herself (Except she is in therapy.) And nothing happens. She does not become violet. She does not become sexually promiscuous. She does not abuse drugs or alcohol, drop out of school or become suicidal. She does become infatuated with the private detective hired to find her brother … and nothing happens. She does develop an eye infection … and nothing happens. She does, at one point, attach herself to the foreign-exchange student … and nothing happens. That is pretty much the whole of the story—nothing happens. We, as reader learn nothing. Oh, we do learn what happened to the brother … but not really.

There is never any “why” here. Not even a clue as to why the author put events into the story. A whim? Filler? Why tell the story at all? You can, however, open the book to any page, read it, and think—good writing. Gershow can put words on paper that paint a good picture, mainly of a nerdy teen-age girl. But there is no story here. No character development, no issue explored, no question asked and answered.

Seeking answers, I googled Miriam Gershow. It so happens she is a creative writing professor at the University of Oregon, and this is her first novel. Her picture suggests she was a nerdy high schooler; but this is not auto-biographical, she discloses in an interview. She made the story up. (Aside to the professor: Write what you know, or at least do some research.) Again, Gershow does do good work when it comes showing what it is like to be an intellectual, nerdy teen-aged girl. But that’s it. And she is teaching creative writing at a major university! Not English composition, creative writing!

One of the hits on Google was a student evaluation questionnaire. A not uncommon comment was “Worst teacher ever,” or something similar. A common comment was that if you showed up for class and handed in assignments, you got a C grade. This at university, which is supposed to be where the unaverage come to learn. What the f__k is going on?

I looked at the first six pages of Google on Gershow, sixty sites, and most were book reviews … and the reviews were very favorable, flattering in fact. Rave reviews. Something is wrong here. This is not good writing—writing that goes nowhere. I cannot recommend this book, especially to those wanting to learn about writing, which is the least a good book should do.

”

Mark J wrote this review Tuesday, November 17, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

Consilience

by Edward O. Wilson

Rated 5 stars

“an amazing man with a very real and true perspective.”

Mark J wrote this review Sunday, June 14, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

Going Green

by Laura Pritchett

Rated 3 stars

“Going Green: True tales from Gleaners, Scavengers, and Dumpster Divers (2009) is an anthology, created and edited by a friend/author whose writing I like a lot. So this isn't easy. Some of the essays in this book brought water to my eyes and others, well ... reeked. My complaint is best summed up by quoting from one of the better essays: "... the simplicity of my life at home started to look like loneliness, and its independence snobbery." (pg. 200) So honest! A lot of that lonely, self-importance, and snobbery comes through in many of the essays; and frankly, gives credence to the voices on the other side of the environmental debate. In addition, much of the writing is overdone, and I got so tired of reading the word "gleaned" - I don't think I'll ever again be able to use it in a sentence, written or spoken. That being said - the good essays are well worth the price of the book, and I think it merits a place on all bookshelves.”

Mark J wrote this review Tuesday, June 9, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

Hawaii

by James A. Michener

Rated 3 stars

“I didn't finish it this time - I got tired of the "missionary" segment. Michener was one of the writers who got me hooked on story telling, reading, & writing. I read all of his early work, so I thought I'd revisit. Maybe it's the times we live in today, with just too many choices to slog through a 1000 page novel for a second time.”

Mark J wrote this review Monday, May 18, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

Dirty Girls on Top

by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

Rated 5 stars

“DIRTY GIRLS ON TOP (2008) by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez – is an amazing novel. Yes, it is chick-lit. Yes, it is full of stereotype confirming cliques. Yes, it follows a convenient mass-marketing format (i.e. all the main characters find resolution and/or redemption) … but it is also very insightful. Take for instance the statement by one of the “Dirty Girls’” manager (Btw- “Dirty Girls” refers to the color of their skin – they are brown, and not to their sexual habits. And, “On Top” refers to their successful careers and how they finish, not to their sexual habits): “Most people are followers. You can’t take anything the public does all that seriously. You can’t let the tastes and behaviors of a time influence how you see yourself, or how you create art, or what you do.” What is the author saying? Is the author a hypocrite, the very type of person the character, a famous Latina pop singer, rails against? I find this fascinating and intriguing. Another insight I like is this from Usnavys, a 260 lb, blogging, cheating, sex fiend: “I think the only reason most people be logging their sorry asses onto the Internet is sex, m;jia.” I have to agree with that. And this from the above mentioned Mexica superstar: “I do EVERYTHING better high. All the greats were like that. … It was drink, or drugs … That was the creative fuel.” IDK, perhaps not the fuel of the creative soul, but the juice that allows The Creative to endure his or her alienation from the followers and their leaders.

The novel is dedicated to women who have bulimia nervosa. Which happens to be one of the issues that are confronted by the six heroines. Other issues are: Infertility; Sexual obsession; Fame; Success; Homosexuality; Self-esteem; Neglect of children; Magical thinking; Alcoholism; Machismo; Friendship; Marriage; Infidelity; Dating; North American history; The killing of Innocents; and the Raising of Children. Wow, just the kind of human condition story that appeals to me (serious subjects, but couched in a mainstream genre).

The story is told via the first person narrative of the six female principals, and a brief chapter by one male. The voice sometimes blends into one, but different perspectives are shown. There are some underlying tones, such as; White people are stupid, shallow, narcissistic, bad lovers, and eventually going down, that I can relate to; and makes me wonder … is this the “Ghost Dance” of the First Americans all over again, but from a different “Tribe” and in a different format? (One determined by “ … the tastes and the behaviors of a time …”.) Is the author, Valdes-Rodriguez, laughing all the way to the bank? Quote: “She was named one of today’s twenty-five most influential Hispanics (a word she never uses in her novel) by Time Magazine.” Five stars.

”

Mark J wrote this review Tuesday, April 7, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist's Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan

by Artem Borovik

Rated 5 stars

“The Hidden War: A Russian Journalist’s Account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan (1990). Artyom Borovik. Hahahah, hohohoh. This can’t be … can it? I turn on NPR this morning and hear that Barack Obama, America’s brand new, progressive, liberal, Generation Next, first ever bi-racial president—is sending more troops and more advisors into Afghanistan. The mission: to strengthen and tame that country, make it a safe place for freedom, democracy, and capitalism—i.e. a friend of America. I thought Obama was smarter than that—that he was well read. Well, he should read this book, and then see if he can explain how THIS TIME things will be different. Now, I understand that the US Military is … well, actually, men are men and soldiers are soldiers and commanders are commanders, and it matters little if you are from the USSR or the USA, or if it’s the 1980’s or the 2010’s. War is war and people are people, and unless you are prepared to station a platoon of soldiers on every hilltop with superior firepower to enforce your will, the will of Established Power will prevail. Can they all be killed? Probably not. Can they be bought? Probably so. Can they be changed? Probably not. Change happens through death, destruction, drugs, and/or domination (and sometimes, rarely, through psychotherapy.) I’m posting a reading from my novel: ATTACHMENT: a novel of war and peace. The episode is about soldiers and war —and the hidden desires of men. Borovik’s account is about what war does to men. Watch my reading at: www.youtube.com/user/mrkrhn. Read Borovik’s book. (Oh, he died at age forty— imagine that.) ”

Mark J wrote this review Thursday, April 2, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

The World is Curved

by David M. Smick

Rated 5 stars

“The World Is Curved is a self-aggrandizing story about the world of international finance and economic globalization, told in mostly the first person, by David Smick—one of that arenas major players and beneficiaries. It reflects what is the essential problem of the world economic situation but, not unsurprisingly, Smick fails to see that it is HIM and his kind—i.e. self-absorbed and unaware personalities globe trotting and using the latest technology, to pursue the accumulation of wealth for personal status—that has brought the world to the brink of serious depression, both economic and psychically. Oh, he does point the finger at “greedy” bankers and financial “wizards,” but doesn’t see his connection and complicity. He is a “consultant” and advises “some of the world’s most successful money managers.” I’ll be clear, the author depends on making his living and enjoying a royal jet-setting lifestyle on the super rich maintaining their status and well-being. He trots out the tired old line about the creative class needing the money of the super rich to do what they do; but admits that creative people aren’t motivated by money or wealth—just the doing of the thing. But, let me be real, the “investors” are merely interested in getting in on a potential money-maker. They buy low, create a buying frenzy via the oldest trick (thus the wizard label) of the confidence game—fear of losing out— then sell high and move on. He advises them. He says they must enjoy a high level of confidence (ebullience) that this “system” continues as is, to keep funding innovation. This, of course, creates the bubbles that have dominated the world economy for the last dozen years and created the problem—money out of thin air. I list here some of the bubbles: Dot Com; Telecommunications; Housing; the Stock Market itself. To be clear, again, many people have gotten very rich, but most have been fleeced and NOW … one of Smick’s remedies is to have the government (the people) tax themselves and then give themselves a “gift” upon birth to be invested in the markets. I can’t believe this! That money most likely will wind up in the pockets of the already rich and their wizards and bankers. AMAZING! (Does that declaration mean five stars?) What a crock, what a confidence game! One of the tricks these “wizards” use is specialized jargon. For instance, who knows what these words mean in the language of finance: Equity; Capital; Liquidity; Investment; Trust; Leverage; Human Capital; Inflation; Economy; Entrepreneurial; Securities; Sovereign Wealth Funds; Risk; Securitization; Free Trade; Bond Markets; Hedge Funds? Smick even admits the people in charge often don’t even know what they are talking about when they use the words!!!!

This book is a classic. It is about the liars and thieves who have fleeced the people of the world, albeit as Smick contends again and again, without knowledge or intention. So are they innocent? Just jerks doing what jerks do? I would like all these bankers and wizards and their beneficiaries, stripped of their wealth and given shovels to manage manure, dig ditches to move water, and build roads and foundations. Let them earn a living. That would boost my confidence. DON’T BUY THIS BOOK.

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Reviews

The Forever War

by Dexter Filkins