War Is... - by Marc Aronson & Patty Campbell (Hardcover)

About the Book

In a provocative anthology, two editors with opposing viewpoints present an unflinching collection of works reflecting on the nature of war. It includes essays, memoirs, letters, and fiction from such contributors as Mark Twain, Bob Dylan, Chris Hedges, and Ernie Pyle.

Book Synopsis

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 thing: 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.

Review Quotes

With this collection, Aronson and Campbell have provided an uncommonly valuable source of hard information and perceptive insight."
--Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Contributors: Christian Bauman, Bill Bigelow, Chris Hedges, Chaplain Lyn Brown, Mark Twain, Bob Dylan, Fred Duane Cowan, Ernie Pyle, C. W. Bowman, Jr., Mickey Andrews, Helen Benedict, Lee Kelley (now contributing to the NEW YORK TIMES "Home Fires" blog), David Bellavia, Joel Turnipseed, Fumiko Miura, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Margo Lanagan.