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War Is...: Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War
In a provocative anthology, two editors with opposing viewpoints present an unflinching collection of works reflecting on the nature of war.
Marc Aronson thinks war is inevitable. Patty Campbell thinks war is cruel, deceptive, and wrong. But both agree on one that teens need to hear the truthful voices of those who have experienced war firsthand. The result is this dynamic selection of essays, memoirs, letters, and fiction from nearly than twenty contributors, both contemporary and historical — ranging from Christian Bauman's wrenching "Letter to a Young Enlistee" to Chris Hedges's unfl inching look at combat to Fumiko Miura's Nagasaki memoir, "A Survivor's Tale." Whether the speaker is Mark Twain, World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle, or a soldier writing a miliblog, these divergent pieces look war straight in the face — and provide an invaluable resource for teenagers today.
Marc Aronson thinks war is inevitable. Patty Campbell thinks war is cruel, deceptive, and wrong. But both agree on one that teens need to hear the truthful voices of those who have experienced war firsthand. The result is this dynamic selection of essays, memoirs, letters, and fiction from nearly than twenty contributors, both contemporary and historical — ranging from Christian Bauman's wrenching "Letter to a Young Enlistee" to Chris Hedges's unfl inching look at combat to Fumiko Miura's Nagasaki memoir, "A Survivor's Tale." Whether the speaker is Mark Twain, World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle, or a soldier writing a miliblog, these divergent pieces look war straight in the face — and provide an invaluable resource for teenagers today.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 9, 2008
17 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Marc Aronson
53 books83 followersAronson has won many awards for his books for young readers and has a doctorate in American history. His lectures cover educational topics such as mysteries and controversies in American history, teenagers and their reading, the literary passions of boys, and always leave audiences asking for more.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marcar...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/marcar...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
December 14, 2010
War is... is a wonderful compendium of people of all different experiences
It is laid out with a new section heading at each new story, all with different storytellers
They brought in many different people with different views and different standpoints, and interviewed them on going to war and the benefits and losses of being in the military.
The formatting of the book is laid out makes it easier for readers that are newer to this style of reading to adapt, the writing is normal paragraph format, except for a few where it goes back and forth between the interviewer and the interviewed, both authors have different views on war, which could be debated as bias, but they do seem like they know a great deal about war and have lots of questions to pose to the storytellers, and I think that they both did a great job on collecting their stories
I enjoyed every one of these stories, but one stood out the most was an interview with army chaplain Lyn Brown. Patty Campbell asked chaplain Brown what the religious standpoint on war and killing was.
Chaplain Brown talked about the commandment of "Thou shalt not kill" and talked about why people joined the military even though they knew that the commandment told them not to kill, and its relation to her job. She said that people in the military are concerned about their own mortality, mainly soldiers in Iraq who never know when a bomb or missile is incoming. They come to her because they want to know whether it is a sin or not to kill an be killed, and if the military is a good idea. Chaplain Brown stated that like Jesus and the centurion who asked him if he belonged in the military, she would never say "Stop being a soldier" because that was a choice that only the person can make, and not even Jesus can make that choice for you. The other reason why people come for counseling is because they are worried about their families. They don't know what will happen to their loved ones if they die in combat, and Chaplain Brown gives the same answer.
She also talked about young soldiers. She said that they come in feeling like they are invincible, because most learn about the military from video games where you re-spawn after you die. She talked about a twenty year old on the front lines and he lost his best friend within twenty minutes of the start of the battle. He came for counseling and asked about why did his friend die so soon. Chaplain Brown explained that the real thing is nowhere near similar to the video game. People die all the time in the military and that it might not be a good idea to stay if he can't bear to see people die.
I think that people who have insights on war or want to learn about how people generally feel about it will have a great time reading this book. People will learn all about what different people make of the idea of going to war and wether or not it is a good idea, and people will have a good understanding of several different standpoints.
It is laid out with a new section heading at each new story, all with different storytellers
They brought in many different people with different views and different standpoints, and interviewed them on going to war and the benefits and losses of being in the military.
The formatting of the book is laid out makes it easier for readers that are newer to this style of reading to adapt, the writing is normal paragraph format, except for a few where it goes back and forth between the interviewer and the interviewed, both authors have different views on war, which could be debated as bias, but they do seem like they know a great deal about war and have lots of questions to pose to the storytellers, and I think that they both did a great job on collecting their stories
I enjoyed every one of these stories, but one stood out the most was an interview with army chaplain Lyn Brown. Patty Campbell asked chaplain Brown what the religious standpoint on war and killing was.
Chaplain Brown talked about the commandment of "Thou shalt not kill" and talked about why people joined the military even though they knew that the commandment told them not to kill, and its relation to her job. She said that people in the military are concerned about their own mortality, mainly soldiers in Iraq who never know when a bomb or missile is incoming. They come to her because they want to know whether it is a sin or not to kill an be killed, and if the military is a good idea. Chaplain Brown stated that like Jesus and the centurion who asked him if he belonged in the military, she would never say "Stop being a soldier" because that was a choice that only the person can make, and not even Jesus can make that choice for you. The other reason why people come for counseling is because they are worried about their families. They don't know what will happen to their loved ones if they die in combat, and Chaplain Brown gives the same answer.
She also talked about young soldiers. She said that they come in feeling like they are invincible, because most learn about the military from video games where you re-spawn after you die. She talked about a twenty year old on the front lines and he lost his best friend within twenty minutes of the start of the battle. He came for counseling and asked about why did his friend die so soon. Chaplain Brown explained that the real thing is nowhere near similar to the video game. People die all the time in the military and that it might not be a good idea to stay if he can't bear to see people die.
I think that people who have insights on war or want to learn about how people generally feel about it will have a great time reading this book. People will learn all about what different people make of the idea of going to war and wether or not it is a good idea, and people will have a good understanding of several different standpoints.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2008
This is a new anthology coming out in September, I believe. I have an essay in here ("Letter to a Young Enlistee"), and two friends are also contributors (Hedges and Turnipseed), so this is a totally biased review. But what a great collection. You never know, when you get asked to contribute to these things, what the outcome will be. Always a pleasure when the final product is something you would love and buy if you weren't in there.
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June 4, 2013This book is not a common novel about war. It does not really one single story, but it has perspectives about war from many different authors. This book is composed of journals and letters from different people who have been affected by war. One of the stories talk about how the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima directly affected her life. How even after the war she still had to deal with a lot of the long term affects of radiation exposure. Another author writes a short fiction story about a man who walks up to a podium after a prayer for the American soldiers and tells them the horrifying meaning of their prayers.
This book is hard to focus on just one story or letter just because it has a lot of good content in all of the stories and letters, but it is interesting to still read. I like how they editors of this book try not to write a book that pertains to just one perspective of war. instead, they give examples about many people who like and dislike the war. However, both of them agree that war is not something to be taken lightly. It has large consequences to many people. I really liked Mark Twain's short story about the man who tells a congregation how their prayers would actually sound like if they were not trying to glorify their soldiers and war.
This book is hard to focus on just one story or letter just because it has a lot of good content in all of the stories and letters, but it is interesting to still read. I like how they editors of this book try not to write a book that pertains to just one perspective of war. instead, they give examples about many people who like and dislike the war. However, both of them agree that war is not something to be taken lightly. It has large consequences to many people. I really liked Mark Twain's short story about the man who tells a congregation how their prayers would actually sound like if they were not trying to glorify their soldiers and war.
June 13, 2012
This book is a series of stories by both members of our armed forces (recruiters, Marines, Soldiers, etc) and civilians (reporters, family members, etc). It accounts what people have seen and experienced in times of war and explores armed forces member's reasons for joining, whether for financial reasons, patriotic duty, or other reason. There are a few pieces of fiction thrown in that "capture" the essence of war and I guess help people, especially young adults understand the "truth" behind such acts.
Being in the Army, I actually despise this book. I hate it when members of our military say "I didn't sign up for this" or "my recruiter lied to me." Sure, your recruiter may have just wanted to meet his "quota" and I understand that happens. But this is an extremely one sided approach to the bigger issue of war and being in the military. I don't want to read about whiners and complainers because they have a job they don't want to do. Get out of the Armed Forces and give that uniform to someone who is willing to put his or her life on the line for you! Don't sit there and tell people your "truth" when you are only telling one side of it.
Being in the Army, I actually despise this book. I hate it when members of our military say "I didn't sign up for this" or "my recruiter lied to me." Sure, your recruiter may have just wanted to meet his "quota" and I understand that happens. But this is an extremely one sided approach to the bigger issue of war and being in the military. I don't want to read about whiners and complainers because they have a job they don't want to do. Get out of the Armed Forces and give that uniform to someone who is willing to put his or her life on the line for you! Don't sit there and tell people your "truth" when you are only telling one side of it.
January 17, 2011
I'm not quite sure how to digest this anthology-- a collection of short stories, letters, one play by Rita Williams Garcia, and others written about war. As Aronson and Campbell state about what they believe about war, the collection is really the "truth" about war to encourage our youth as well as adults about the costs of war mentally, physically, emotionally, sexually (for women of war) and the hell people go through, not just currently in Iraq and Afghanistan but in wars past.
It's a motley mix of perspectives, many anti-war and those discussing being upfront and on the front lines about the realism, shock, and madness of fighting and killing. It goes with a lot of documentaries discussing war as well and whether we've glamourized it or gotten used to it, but it does leave room for a guttural and visceral reation and probably can spark some great conversations. Definitely worth recommending, and great for students to learn about debating and learning to listen to the other side, especially if it's not what you believe in.
It's a motley mix of perspectives, many anti-war and those discussing being upfront and on the front lines about the realism, shock, and madness of fighting and killing. It goes with a lot of documentaries discussing war as well and whether we've glamourized it or gotten used to it, but it does leave room for a guttural and visceral reation and probably can spark some great conversations. Definitely worth recommending, and great for students to learn about debating and learning to listen to the other side, especially if it's not what you believe in.
January 31, 2020
The book “ War is..” is not a book I would recommend. The book is made out to be a selection of true accounts of war, to be an unbiased telling of war. However, the book is just a collection of works of other people consisting of legal documents, poetry, interviews, news articles, and more. The book has two editors to try and balance their conflicting ideas may have been a good idea initially, but in the end the book came out as a strong piece of anti war propaganda.
I found the book in my school library for a book project I was doing in my Language Arts class. As I did research on the book, I easily found each piece they put in it. All I had to do was type into Google the name of the person who wrote it and the peace would pop up! As I went on I realized there was very little effort put into the book.
All in all, I found the book to be boring, aggravating, and deceitful. I wasted my time reading this book when all i could have done was do ten minutes of research online. I would only recommend this book to loosy goosy, dumb headed, time wasting smurfs if I was feeling mean.
I found the book in my school library for a book project I was doing in my Language Arts class. As I did research on the book, I easily found each piece they put in it. All I had to do was type into Google the name of the person who wrote it and the peace would pop up! As I went on I realized there was very little effort put into the book.
All in all, I found the book to be boring, aggravating, and deceitful. I wasted my time reading this book when all i could have done was do ten minutes of research online. I would only recommend this book to loosy goosy, dumb headed, time wasting smurfs if I was feeling mean.
June 12, 2021
This book contains a collection of memoirs, letters, and more texts that discuss or show the realities of war. Most of these stories are told from the hearts of those who've actually experienced it. Other stories are told from the family members of those who went to war. In all accounts of this book, the realities of war are exposed for everyone to see, including the positive and the negative aspects of war.
I really liked this book! I had some pretty strong opinions about war and the military before I read this book, so I was curious if it was going to change my perspective at all. This book definitely changed my view on it all. I've developed a deep sense of respect for those who've gone to war and I feel anger towards those who control war.
This book contains some language and violence.
I really liked this book! I had some pretty strong opinions about war and the military before I read this book, so I was curious if it was going to change my perspective at all. This book definitely changed my view on it all. I've developed a deep sense of respect for those who've gone to war and I feel anger towards those who control war.
This book contains some language and violence.
March 17, 2018
I must re-read before I review.
Read
May 22, 2024was okay. mostly things i knew already, there were a few parts i liked.
August 28, 2024
if i'm being honest i read this because it has a Bob Dylan song in it
November 4, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
I realized that I actually read this book on Peace Day. It left me anything but peaceful. I'm angry about a number of things shared in the stories included in this book.
First of all, I'll mention the introductions written by the book's editors, Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell. They are worth reading even if you don't read the rest of the book. Their ideas about war differ, but those ideas led both to create this collection of war stories - and a powerful collection it is.
The book includes accounts from soldiers, reporters, and civilian survivors. There are stories from past wars and current wars, and all the horrific wars in between. Some stories tell gruesome tales; others find some shred of hope. Whatever the storyteller chooses to share, it reveals the truth and will touch the emotions of all who read it.
My anger flared most when I read of the current war, and how we don't seem to have learned anything from the past. As an educator, I was shocked to learn that the military and the signing of young volunteers is actually a part of the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) Bill. The law states that the military must have the same access to secondary students as post-secondary educational institutions or prospective employers. "The law also requires high schools to provide the military access to students' names, addresses, and telephone numbers -- unless a parent or student contacts the school to deny permission to release this information."
Included in this article is the suggestion that all high school seniors should be given access and help in reading the military recruitment contract. Basically, the military makes hollow, meaningless promises within that contract. Our young people sign up thinking they are agreeing to 4-to-8 years of service with a variety of monetary benefits, and the whole thing has been proven to be completely meaningless.
Other things that raised my hackles were the accounts of how unappreciated our veterans feel, the harassment suffered by women in the military, and the horrific expectations we place on innocent young people only just out of high school. The emotional and physical scars are something no human should have to endure.
Aronson and Campbell have compiled this collection to speak to a YA audience, but this is a book everyone should read. It needs to be in every public library, high school library, college library, and perhaps in every waiting room and lobby around the country. Just picking up this book and randomly choosing and reading a selection will have an impact on any American.
I realized that I actually read this book on Peace Day. It left me anything but peaceful. I'm angry about a number of things shared in the stories included in this book.
First of all, I'll mention the introductions written by the book's editors, Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell. They are worth reading even if you don't read the rest of the book. Their ideas about war differ, but those ideas led both to create this collection of war stories - and a powerful collection it is.
The book includes accounts from soldiers, reporters, and civilian survivors. There are stories from past wars and current wars, and all the horrific wars in between. Some stories tell gruesome tales; others find some shred of hope. Whatever the storyteller chooses to share, it reveals the truth and will touch the emotions of all who read it.
My anger flared most when I read of the current war, and how we don't seem to have learned anything from the past. As an educator, I was shocked to learn that the military and the signing of young volunteers is actually a part of the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) Bill. The law states that the military must have the same access to secondary students as post-secondary educational institutions or prospective employers. "The law also requires high schools to provide the military access to students' names, addresses, and telephone numbers -- unless a parent or student contacts the school to deny permission to release this information."
Included in this article is the suggestion that all high school seniors should be given access and help in reading the military recruitment contract. Basically, the military makes hollow, meaningless promises within that contract. Our young people sign up thinking they are agreeing to 4-to-8 years of service with a variety of monetary benefits, and the whole thing has been proven to be completely meaningless.
Other things that raised my hackles were the accounts of how unappreciated our veterans feel, the harassment suffered by women in the military, and the horrific expectations we place on innocent young people only just out of high school. The emotional and physical scars are something no human should have to endure.
Aronson and Campbell have compiled this collection to speak to a YA audience, but this is a book everyone should read. It needs to be in every public library, high school library, college library, and perhaps in every waiting room and lobby around the country. Just picking up this book and randomly choosing and reading a selection will have an impact on any American.
May 8, 2013
I have read many books on war, both fiction and nonfiction. I picked up this book thinking I would come away with it having learned more and gained...something. But I didn't. It was just okay. It wasn't great. Some parts were interesting, but for the most part I was just bored. This book took me longer than it should have to finish because it bored me to tears. It was like the majority of it I was bored and then for just one or two entries per section I was interested. I feel like some fiction books that I have read on war better exemplifies what war is than this one. I just came into the book with higher expectations and they weren't satisfied at all. I would say maybe it's just because I have different interests, but the thing is I really don't. Normally this type of book would be right up my alley; I am a history minor with an interest in world military affairs and I have personal experience with the army, both from family members and just being surrounded by military growing up. Normally when I read books like this I get really emotionally involved as well as mentally involved. But it honestly felt like I was reading a somewhat interesting textbook.
I would recommend this book to people who are either considering joining the military, have family in the military, or already are soldiers. Some of the points this book makes are very important and interesting. It's a good perspective to think about if you're seriously thinking about joining the army, but I also think you should do more research after reading this book.
Drugs; Brief mentions
Sex; It talks about sexual assault and sexual harassment briefly. Nothing in detail.
Rock and Roll; Brief mentions of it.
Language; OH yes. But this is the army, remember? It wouldn't be very accurate if there wasn't language.
I would recommend this book to people who are either considering joining the military, have family in the military, or already are soldiers. Some of the points this book makes are very important and interesting. It's a good perspective to think about if you're seriously thinking about joining the army, but I also think you should do more research after reading this book.
Drugs; Brief mentions
Sex; It talks about sexual assault and sexual harassment briefly. Nothing in detail.
Rock and Roll; Brief mentions of it.
Language; OH yes. But this is the army, remember? It wouldn't be very accurate if there wasn't language.
March 19, 2016
War is…, is a collaboration of stories, personal experiences, letters, interviews, and even plays on war and what it is. Many different view points, opinions, and beliefs are collaborated into one book about what war means to certain individuals. Controversial topics discussed explore questions of enlistment officers lying to get high school seniors to join the army, post traumatic stress, what it feels like to kill someone, how female soldiers are treated, and what it’s like to come home or hear what citizens feel about their efforts. This book does not choose sides; rather explores the questions everyone wants to know about war and answers them as truthfully as possible.
I think this is a great book to teach as an alternative to more graphic books that are similar in concept, but more biased in political outlook. I think this book was unbiased enough to have good class discussions on, and could help young adults explore those ideas without being told it’s wrong or right. I think this book allows a person to make up their own mind about the subject. I liked all the questions about what it’s like to be in a war, and all the questions and answers during an interview of what you will most likely experience during your first battle on the field. I think more young men and women should know these things and get their answers from fellow soldiers who’ve experienced them, so that they can get their questions answered and be better educated in the decision of joining the army. Overall I think this would be a good book to teach in class whether it be in English, History, or Psychology. This book could be used in many different classes as an alternative to other textbooks and create better discussion material.
I think this is a great book to teach as an alternative to more graphic books that are similar in concept, but more biased in political outlook. I think this book was unbiased enough to have good class discussions on, and could help young adults explore those ideas without being told it’s wrong or right. I think this book allows a person to make up their own mind about the subject. I liked all the questions about what it’s like to be in a war, and all the questions and answers during an interview of what you will most likely experience during your first battle on the field. I think more young men and women should know these things and get their answers from fellow soldiers who’ve experienced them, so that they can get their questions answered and be better educated in the decision of joining the army. Overall I think this would be a good book to teach in class whether it be in English, History, or Psychology. This book could be used in many different classes as an alternative to other textbooks and create better discussion material.
Read
December 1, 2011Summary: This is an anthology of personal accounts of soldiers during various wars ranging from Vietnam to the Iraq War. It is separated by sections like "the act of war" and "deciding to fight." These accounts detail the tragedies of war. Many are written in letter format to their families back at home. The common theme in their writing was that they never knew how horrible war was until they entered it. There are people in the book who warned people who wanted to fight in a war. They asked if these people knew why they wanted to fight. They admit that they didn't know why but that they just did it anyways. Once again they didn't realize until they had entered exactly how bad it is. There was a significant section that talked about the women in the army. They did not have the respect of their fellow soldiers because they didn't look like one. They were also sexually harassed by these soldiers. They did not have the support of their comrades which made their service harder than others because they didn't have that comfort. These notes from people in war are a warning to all who take war lightly.
Insights: I didn't like this book that much. The accounts were not all interesting. In fact some seemed insignificant and boring. It also seemed biased. They only used accounts that were negative. They wanted the reader to believe that war was bad. They knew that the accounts of people who served would have an impact. But they never used positive ones that show soldiers cared about what they fought for and knew that many times it was necessary. I could have done without the bias.
Insights: I didn't like this book that much. The accounts were not all interesting. In fact some seemed insignificant and boring. It also seemed biased. They only used accounts that were negative. They wanted the reader to believe that war was bad. They knew that the accounts of people who served would have an impact. But they never used positive ones that show soldiers cared about what they fought for and knew that many times it was necessary. I could have done without the bias.
July 17, 2013
If you’re judging the book by its title, and upon reading it you decide that this is a book discussing what war is, then you’re absolutely right. However, the way the book is crafted is fantastic. The two editors, Campbell and Aronson, compiled a book full of war stories that show readers another side of war. What I found to be extremely interesting about these two editors, is that they share different opinions and views on war, and I think that’s what makes this a brilliant book – you get war from different angles, and it allows you to form or maybe even affirm an opinion on war. I personally didn’t have too much of an opinion on war – it’s such a hot topic, yet I hardly knew anything about it. I knew the basics, I had a general idea about what war is, but this book really helped me to form a solid opinion on war.
I actually handed this book to my roommate who was writing a paper about war, and I told her to just flip through the book a bit and maybe get some ideas for her paper. I’m going to recommend this to my mom and maybe another one of my roommates. I would not recommend this book to my friend who comes from a strong military family. I just don’t think that would end well. However, I think this would be an interesting book for people with a military background to read.
Drugs: A little bit of drugs and some drinking.
Sex: Mentions sexual assault and harassment, but never goes into any details.
Violence: A book about war, so duh.
Language: See answer directly above.
I actually handed this book to my roommate who was writing a paper about war, and I told her to just flip through the book a bit and maybe get some ideas for her paper. I’m going to recommend this to my mom and maybe another one of my roommates. I would not recommend this book to my friend who comes from a strong military family. I just don’t think that would end well. However, I think this would be an interesting book for people with a military background to read.
Drugs: A little bit of drugs and some drinking.
Sex: Mentions sexual assault and harassment, but never goes into any details.
Violence: A book about war, so duh.
Language: See answer directly above.
November 30, 2016
The books War is is written by Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell. It is war stories from a few wars. The soldiers describe what had happened there and it is descriptive and you can picture the stories. In the beginning it talks about a small town marine who is now history for going overseas and fighting. He was in his second tour and his transport got hit with an IED (improvised explosive device). The people are like you and I, but they made sacrifices that most wouldn’t imagine.
The soldiers in this book have been through hell and back but some didn’t live to tell the tale. This book explains some of the problems they encountered in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam and what had happened. The author/editor made each chapter a different war story to make sure you didn’t get scrambled. This author basically took what the people explained to him and put it on paper he didn’t leave much out. This book is better for people who crave non-fiction war stories related to emotions and facts.
Many of these people talk in great detail about what they have seen or the beginning stages of the military. This book talks about much stuff we haven’t heard about relating to the current war. We don’t hear much on the news about what is going on, but we could all assume it’s bad. In all honesty I loved this book I liked all the facts it provides. I like all the stories that talk about our current fight. I would recommend this book to many people who like factual war books like me.
The soldiers in this book have been through hell and back but some didn’t live to tell the tale. This book explains some of the problems they encountered in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam and what had happened. The author/editor made each chapter a different war story to make sure you didn’t get scrambled. This author basically took what the people explained to him and put it on paper he didn’t leave much out. This book is better for people who crave non-fiction war stories related to emotions and facts.
Many of these people talk in great detail about what they have seen or the beginning stages of the military. This book talks about much stuff we haven’t heard about relating to the current war. We don’t hear much on the news about what is going on, but we could all assume it’s bad. In all honesty I loved this book I liked all the facts it provides. I like all the stories that talk about our current fight. I would recommend this book to many people who like factual war books like me.
February 21, 2010
The two editors have differing opinions: Marc Aronson thinks war is inevitable while Patty Campbell thinks war is cruel, deceptive, and wrong. Either way you look at it they believe young people need the truth by reading from those who have experienced war firsthand. This anthology is broken into three sections: “Deciding About War,” “Experiencing War,” and “The Aftermath of War” and covers a thorough selection of essays, memoirs, letters, song lyrics, and fiction. It is clear that the editors are antiwar, but they have made an effort to convey a variety of experiences. Might have been better for them to avoid bias. Contrary to society, this powerful collection shows war’s inglorious, perhaps more realistic side. Appropriate for teen readers who either question the purpose of war or are contemplating military service. For 9th grade and up.
Key Issues: answering what exactly war is—crazy, history, deception, unbearable, delusion, male, linked with religion, worse for civilians, and impossible to win
Attention-getting Quotation(s):
“Even in conventional warfare, the first thing that must happen before a nation can be led to war is to demonize the enemy, to portray those others as less than human. Stories begin to be shared about their dreadful deeds, and derogatory terms replace their true names. Soldiers cannot be allowed to remember that the people they will be sent to kill feel pain and fear and love their spouses and children, just as they do.”
Key Issues: answering what exactly war is—crazy, history, deception, unbearable, delusion, male, linked with religion, worse for civilians, and impossible to win
Attention-getting Quotation(s):
“Even in conventional warfare, the first thing that must happen before a nation can be led to war is to demonize the enemy, to portray those others as less than human. Stories begin to be shared about their dreadful deeds, and derogatory terms replace their true names. Soldiers cannot be allowed to remember that the people they will be sent to kill feel pain and fear and love their spouses and children, just as they do.”
July 16, 2010
"War Is..." is an anthology of war related literature aimed at creating awareness in young adults. It has a wide range of content from actual war experiences, to women in war, to obscure dystopic short stories about war. Both Aronson and Campbell (the editors) have unique perceptions on war that guided the content of this book, but there definitely seems to be a dominant theme of young people in war and the reality of war from several perspectives.
I didn't like some of the selections because I felt like the real-life war stories were boring. As young adults, we've seen movies and documentaries about similar situations that have made reading about war less than illuminating. However, the personal experiences in war as far as social connections and psychological/emotional effects were wonderful. I especially liked hearing from the perspective of real soldiers and their individual reasons for joining the armed forces.
My favorite part of the book (why I gave it three stars and not two) were the literary creations about war. In particular, I enjoyed an excerpt from a play written by a woman who grew up around the military. She didn't have to serve to depict what I felt was an original and engaging take on the ramifications of war.
I think that people should read excerpts from this book depending on their personal curiosity, but I found the work as a whole a bit difficult and laborious to get through.
I didn't like some of the selections because I felt like the real-life war stories were boring. As young adults, we've seen movies and documentaries about similar situations that have made reading about war less than illuminating. However, the personal experiences in war as far as social connections and psychological/emotional effects were wonderful. I especially liked hearing from the perspective of real soldiers and their individual reasons for joining the armed forces.
My favorite part of the book (why I gave it three stars and not two) were the literary creations about war. In particular, I enjoyed an excerpt from a play written by a woman who grew up around the military. She didn't have to serve to depict what I felt was an original and engaging take on the ramifications of war.
I think that people should read excerpts from this book depending on their personal curiosity, but I found the work as a whole a bit difficult and laborious to get through.
July 17, 2013
I originally picked this book up because it was required for my Young Adult literature. I don't think I would have picked it up otherwise, just because I'm not a fan of such serious non-fiction literature.
I believe this book is important. It is one of the most diverse talks about War that I've ever seen. Some voices in this book spoke for war and some against, but all the voices felt honest. One of the things I learned in this book is about recruiters and how they are sometimes not the most honest bunch when it comes to telling young adults about war and how it will be serving the government in this capacity. One of the most tragic stories is that of Emiliano Santiago who after serving his eight years in the National Guard was dismissed only to receive news later that his termination date was to be extended to 2031 (already after he had been terminated). He tried to fight it in court, but lost and was forced back into the National Guard. It was chilling to think that with one signature the government can own your life like that. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about joining the military. It is informative and talks about everything from what it is like to kill a man to what it is like to receive letters. Even if your not interested in the army I would recommend this book for it's honest light on what war is.
Language: tons of it.
Sex: None.
Drugs: None.
I believe this book is important. It is one of the most diverse talks about War that I've ever seen. Some voices in this book spoke for war and some against, but all the voices felt honest. One of the things I learned in this book is about recruiters and how they are sometimes not the most honest bunch when it comes to telling young adults about war and how it will be serving the government in this capacity. One of the most tragic stories is that of Emiliano Santiago who after serving his eight years in the National Guard was dismissed only to receive news later that his termination date was to be extended to 2031 (already after he had been terminated). He tried to fight it in court, but lost and was forced back into the National Guard. It was chilling to think that with one signature the government can own your life like that. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about joining the military. It is informative and talks about everything from what it is like to kill a man to what it is like to receive letters. Even if your not interested in the army I would recommend this book for it's honest light on what war is.
Language: tons of it.
Sex: None.
Drugs: None.
Read
December 7, 2014In Marc Aronson’s “War Is” there are many opinions and facts on why people should and should not join the military. The book answers all the questions that a reader has on war. Themes in this book would be: drama, and action. Although it was dramatic and opinion based on most of the subjects still had a vigorous message.
This novel introduced the fact that everything the military tells you is a lie. The book states that everything that the recruiters say are all lies (pg. 26). As well as the documents that you sign are all lies, for instance, it says that when you are in the military you can quit any time you want, not true. Also the book introduced the idea of Post-Traumatic Stress disorder which is a disorder some soldiers acquire after battle. The disorder is a type of anxiety in which it is acquired after someone has gone through an extreme life or death situation and after are left with horrible images and nightmares (pg. 105). The novel answers questions the reader might have, for example: two of the question are “Will I fire a weapon?”, or “What is it like to kill someone?” which then both of these questions are answered in full detail by the author (pg. 39).
The book showed opinions and facts on how the military works and the pros and cons of war. It also showed the hardship and punishment of war. In conclusion this was a good book that I would recommend to a reader who has many questions and would like to learn what war is really about.
This novel introduced the fact that everything the military tells you is a lie. The book states that everything that the recruiters say are all lies (pg. 26). As well as the documents that you sign are all lies, for instance, it says that when you are in the military you can quit any time you want, not true. Also the book introduced the idea of Post-Traumatic Stress disorder which is a disorder some soldiers acquire after battle. The disorder is a type of anxiety in which it is acquired after someone has gone through an extreme life or death situation and after are left with horrible images and nightmares (pg. 105). The novel answers questions the reader might have, for example: two of the question are “Will I fire a weapon?”, or “What is it like to kill someone?” which then both of these questions are answered in full detail by the author (pg. 39).
The book showed opinions and facts on how the military works and the pros and cons of war. It also showed the hardship and punishment of war. In conclusion this was a good book that I would recommend to a reader who has many questions and would like to learn what war is really about.
June 22, 2010
I have mixed feelings about this book and I still keep going back and forth on what I want to say about it or which side I want to represent. The thing that draws me to this book is that the talk of war is done not from the politicians, world leaders, or those "fighting" war behind their desk holding all of the power, it is told from those that where there and witnessed it first hand. It is told by men and women who are familiar to me: a neighbor, father, friend, grandparent, etc. to where I felt the stories where not just from my country but from my heritage! I liked how the book was organized to where it had different stories and perspectives from soldiers and survivors so you didn't feel that the book was just one sided and bias. I hated and loved how real this book was and how it showed the different aspects of war and how "the most traumatic reactions come from attacking someone you can clearly identify as a human being" (35).
I don't think I can remember reading a book so far (or at least in the last 10 years) that has drawn out so many different emotions from me: anger, sympathy, hatred, understanding, fear, sadness, etc. Although I can't decide what I feel about this book and my ideas about war, I like the fact that it has made me more aware and has made me think about it!
I don't think I can remember reading a book so far (or at least in the last 10 years) that has drawn out so many different emotions from me: anger, sympathy, hatred, understanding, fear, sadness, etc. Although I can't decide what I feel about this book and my ideas about war, I like the fact that it has made me more aware and has made me think about it!
May 29, 2010
This book is a collection of poems, short stories, interviews, and first hand accounts of war. It is comprised of four sections: what I believe about war, deciding about war, experiencing war, and the aftermath of war. Basically every entry looks at war from a different angle or tells a different aspect of it. My two favorite entries were the article on the truth of recruiting and Mark Twain's satire piece on a group of people praying for God to support them in their war (and an angel comes to talk to them.) Just a very fascinating collection.
I would personally want anyone who is thinking about joining the army to read this book first. It is not all pro or anti war and I feel that the overall picture is a balanced one. It tells about the reality of war and what a teen should be thinking about before enlisting. There is language (obviously, as there is in all war books and in war.) There are disturbing images and situations (again just as there will be in life.) If a student that wants to join the army is not comfortable reading that, then they don't belong in the army. I would especially want people to read the article on recruiting. This book is not an all purpose read, but for what it is written to do it is a 5 star book.
I would personally want anyone who is thinking about joining the army to read this book first. It is not all pro or anti war and I feel that the overall picture is a balanced one. It tells about the reality of war and what a teen should be thinking about before enlisting. There is language (obviously, as there is in all war books and in war.) There are disturbing images and situations (again just as there will be in life.) If a student that wants to join the army is not comfortable reading that, then they don't belong in the army. I would especially want people to read the article on recruiting. This book is not an all purpose read, but for what it is written to do it is a 5 star book.
June 22, 2010
Young men and women are actively recruited to participate in wars they did not start and do not understand. They join the military for a variety of reasons including financial benefits, patriotism, peer pressure, family pressure, and/or no goals. For most young people, war is a rude awakening to the dark side of themselves and humanity. Aronson and Campbell share stories, experiences, and narratives to show what war is and to assist young people to make an educated decision about their participation. The stories are gut wrenching, sobering, and eye opening as we see young men going into tunnels ahead of their group to discover possible booby traps, young men holding hand grenades and living through it, and wounded survivors writing letters home to their families.
This book tries to show the reality of enlistment, boot camp, the front lines, and the aftermath of military service. They show that young people cannot assume we will not be in a war as there were a number who joined before 9/11 and were sucked into service in Iraq. I felt they had a good mix of realism and patriotism and I felt a desire to show my appreciation to a soldier.
This book tries to show the reality of enlistment, boot camp, the front lines, and the aftermath of military service. They show that young people cannot assume we will not be in a war as there were a number who joined before 9/11 and were sucked into service in Iraq. I felt they had a good mix of realism and patriotism and I felt a desire to show my appreciation to a soldier.
December 14, 2011
This book is crazy....crazy true and crazy horrifying. It took me a while to really get into the stories and the retellings, but as I did I really liked hearing about what soldiers had to go through in World War II, the Vietnam War, and in the war we are fighting today. Some of their experiences are gruesome while others seemed unbelievable.
I have never really taken an interest in hearing those stories. I am not sure why because my dad was in the Army, but he never really talked about what happen much. Then again, he got out in the early nineties and from what I have been told her never really went through experiences like some guys in this book. But I have lived in military communities and I have felt the grief, the loneliness, and the pain some families go through. I don't really know the soldier's point of view, but I do know their families. So it was really interested in learning about their experiences.
Great book that young adults and adults should read. I think it is really important for all of us to have some kind of knowledge of what our soldiers are doing over there.
Violence: 5
Language: 4
Sex: (mentions sexual harassment)
Drugs: 0
*on scale: 0 to 5*
I have never really taken an interest in hearing those stories. I am not sure why because my dad was in the Army, but he never really talked about what happen much. Then again, he got out in the early nineties and from what I have been told her never really went through experiences like some guys in this book. But I have lived in military communities and I have felt the grief, the loneliness, and the pain some families go through. I don't really know the soldier's point of view, but I do know their families. So it was really interested in learning about their experiences.
Great book that young adults and adults should read. I think it is really important for all of us to have some kind of knowledge of what our soldiers are doing over there.
Violence: 5
Language: 4
Sex: (mentions sexual harassment)
Drugs: 0
*on scale: 0 to 5*
June 25, 2013
For a book about war it was pretty good. I felt like it was very anti-war, although I think the author was trying to play both sides. So in that case I don't think he did a very good job. It was interesting for me to read this though because I am the daughter of an officer in the military, and I saw a different side of things then what was expressed in the book, but as I read it and pondered on the things I learned, and talked with my mother, that's exactly how it was, I just didn't realize it because I was so young.
I think this is a great book for young adults to read because I have a lot of friends who have already joined the military or are still considering joining, and honestly I don't know how many of them would have still joined if they knew all the things in this book. I particularly liked the part from a recruitment officer where he told the reader that they had already made their decision and that nothing he said was going to change that, it really surprised me on how true that really is.
Drugs: None
Alcohol: None
Sex: No sex, but talk of sexual harassment
Violence: ...it's war, duh.
Language: ...it's war, duh.
I think this is a great book for young adults to read because I have a lot of friends who have already joined the military or are still considering joining, and honestly I don't know how many of them would have still joined if they knew all the things in this book. I particularly liked the part from a recruitment officer where he told the reader that they had already made their decision and that nothing he said was going to change that, it really surprised me on how true that really is.
Drugs: None
Alcohol: None
Sex: No sex, but talk of sexual harassment
Violence: ...it's war, duh.
Language: ...it's war, duh.
April 27, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, all the different perspectives it brought to the subject of war and what it's like. I appreciated how it was a combination of first-hand experiences and fictional representations, from the standpoint of both men and women serving in the military or affected by war in a wide range of time. I believe the editors did a great job of portraying war in a way that's doesn't condemn those that support or fight war, without glorifying it, either.
This book definitely clarified or brought home certain aspects of war and the affects thereof. Though I've never been interested in joining the military, I have several friends currently serving in different branches of the military (some of which have been deployed and involved in combat), and I want to share this book with them and see what they think about it.
Language: It's a book about war and the military, there's definitely some language, but not overly excessive.
Drugs: No drugs that I can recall...alcohol and tobacco mentioned.
Sex: No graphic instances of sex, however, references to rape and other unhappiness suggested.
Violence: This book is about war. Violence is a key component of that.
This book definitely clarified or brought home certain aspects of war and the affects thereof. Though I've never been interested in joining the military, I have several friends currently serving in different branches of the military (some of which have been deployed and involved in combat), and I want to share this book with them and see what they think about it.
Language: It's a book about war and the military, there's definitely some language, but not overly excessive.
Drugs: No drugs that I can recall...alcohol and tobacco mentioned.
Sex: No graphic instances of sex, however, references to rape and other unhappiness suggested.
Violence: This book is about war. Violence is a key component of that.
July 3, 2013
I didn't love love love this book, but I did find it very informative. I have never been to war, so I don't know what it is like to be out there, fighting on the front lines. However, this book does a pretty good job at getting down to the nitty-gritty of war and what it really does to people. I thought that it was fascinating some of the things the military will do just to recruit people, and how sometimes it can be a bit deceptive. I realize that war must happen because we don't live in a perfect world. But, I think that everyone should read this book to appreciate more those who do go to war, and I think it is a good idea for the young who want to sign up with the military to read this book to understand what they are getting themselves into.
I would recommend this book for an older audience, for sure. I would say anywhere between ages 16-18. The stories and testimonies are real, and they are not for a younger audience.
Warnings:
-Language: TONS. Potty mouths. It's the military. No regard for "big" and "little" words. They are one in the same in this book. This is real life.
-Violence: It's a war book. Of course.
I would recommend this book for an older audience, for sure. I would say anywhere between ages 16-18. The stories and testimonies are real, and they are not for a younger audience.
Warnings:
-Language: TONS. Potty mouths. It's the military. No regard for "big" and "little" words. They are one in the same in this book. This is real life.
-Violence: It's a war book. Of course.
May 3, 2016
I was recommended this book by one of my English teachers, what intrigued me was the idea that the book would entail stories of people that have been to war. I would recommend this book to anyone that was serious considering going into any kind of military service. While I thought the book only focused on stories of war, it also had sections that shared peoples experiences that were meant to help the reader if the were deciding to go into the military, or trying to understand what war really is. For this reason I would recommend this book to anyone that was seeking out the military.
This book would be extremely useful in middle school or high school. It would be more beneficial to high school students because it entails stores of people that were pressured by recruiters, and multiple branches of the army generally try to recruit people while they are in high school. This would also help middle school and high school students know that in the future when they come to a bind and might need some money, they need to know exactly what they are getting into before glancing over a contract and signing it.
Warnings out of 10:
Drugs : 4
Sex: 2
Violence: 7
Language: 7
Rock n Roll: 3
This book would be extremely useful in middle school or high school. It would be more beneficial to high school students because it entails stores of people that were pressured by recruiters, and multiple branches of the army generally try to recruit people while they are in high school. This would also help middle school and high school students know that in the future when they come to a bind and might need some money, they need to know exactly what they are getting into before glancing over a contract and signing it.
Warnings out of 10:
Drugs : 4
Sex: 2
Violence: 7
Language: 7
Rock n Roll: 3
October 1, 2009
A collection of essays, stories, and articles written about war, the book is divided into four sections: What I Believe about War, Deciding about War, Experiencing War, and the Aftermath of War, as well as a list of further resources and copyright acknowledgments. The authors make their biases known in the first few pages that they view war as destructive and misguided, but they also make it clear that this is not an anti-war book insomuch as it is a book about the multi-faceted aspects of war—the good, the bad, and the ugly. This book is not for the light-hearted and does not try to sugarcoat war—images of disturbing violence is portrayed as much as incidents of heroic courage. But the book is worth picking up, for its ability to convey war from all different angles and get teens thinking about an issue that is often more taboo to talk about than sex. The list of resources, articles, and citations in the back are an excellent way for students to learn more about specific areas of war they might be interested in.
December 2, 2011
I really enjoyed this book, though it is far from fun to read. It just contains so much powerful information. I think the editors did a good job of balancing the differing views of what war actually is. I wouldn't give this to any teenager, especially not the younger ones, but I would definitely give it to a teen who is considering joining the military. I wouldn't want to use it to persuade them to a certain decision, just as a tool to help them understand what they are getting themselves into. I have no intention of joining the military, but I am still grateful for my opportunity to read this book. It helped me better appreciate those who have served and are currently serving our country. I don't know what they are experiencing, but I do know that they deserve my respect.
Warnings: This is a war book. As such, it contains every warning I could give you- language, violence, sex (or at least sexual harassment), death, psychological issues. You name it, it's probably there to some degree or another, but to understand war, you have to know that these are all part of it.
Warnings: This is a war book. As such, it contains every warning I could give you- language, violence, sex (or at least sexual harassment), death, psychological issues. You name it, it's probably there to some degree or another, but to understand war, you have to know that these are all part of it.
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