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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Stories they need to tell, and that we need to hear |
| 2004-04-26 |
| EFL We know, from reading the blogs of our "sandbox warriors," there is the talent out there, to tell their stories. The stories the media doesn’t know how to tell. We will come to know the stories of the battles of Iraq through the eyes of soldiers, with a gift of putting thoughts to words. "I was talking to my old friend, (poet) Marilyn Nelson," Dana Gioia said. "She had just taught at West Point and my own sister had been called to active duty, in the Navy reserve. We were talking about how separate the worlds of literature and the enlisted man and woman were." Gioia has decided to change that. The NEA this week is unveiling "Operation Homecoming," in which troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will attend workshops run by such writers as Tom Clancy, Tobias Wolff and James McBride. The best submissions will be published in an anthology, scheduled to come out at the end of 2005. snip "We are proud of the fact we have free speech in this country, and if soldiers tell the stories of combat, their stories can’t be all pleasant and joyful. These are stories they need to tell, and that we need to hear," Nelson said. snip Gioia doesn’t know the impact of the draft’s end, but he agrees war literature has declined since Vietnam. Seen any "new" war movies these past years? We are still watching the "old" favorites. "We have the best educated and best trained military in American history. I can’t believe that there isn’t considerable artistic talent among this huge number of people," Gioia said. |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #3 1#...both good movies,just saw"Band of Brothers"it was great. |
| Posted by: raptor 2004-04-26 11:26:05 AM |
| #2 This is a great idea. The movie industry is committing slow suicide - and not by overusing slow motion. They are as out of touch as if they were Monks, controlling the publishing industry and refusing to let anything be published but sermons. They are already in an advanced state of rigor mortis. This is cool. I can't wait to read. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-26 7:27:22 AM |
| #1 "Save private Ryan". "We were soldiers". This is one is incredibly moving when after the end you hear "Mansions of Lord" playing. |
| Posted by: JFM 2004-04-26 2:19:07 AM |