The issue of
diversity in books and reading books about diversity is once again a hot topic.
I’m going to assume that anyone reading this article already understands and values
the importance of diversity within novels as well as the importance of seeking
out books that bridge social divides.
Most
conversations about books & diversity seem to focus on race and gender,
with some voices advocating for class, sexual orientation, cultural, and
religious diversity.
There’s another
divide that I’m concerned about that I think can begin to be bridged by reading
and that’s the military-civilian divide.
Most 'first
world' countries no longer have compulsory military service and now have a huge
percentage of civilians with no connection to the military. This translates
into voters, business leaders, and politicians who do not have a basic
understanding of or interest in the military. The military machines of these
countries are increasingly controlled by very small inner circles.
Some experts
believe that the increased military actions of the U.S. may be due to having an
all-volunteer force and a citizenry that has, to be blunt, no skin in the game.
About 0.5 % of Americans serve in the military, down from 12% during WWII when
it seemed like “everyone” was in the military or had a family member that
served.
Here’s a link to an article on the topic that also contains links
to some of the primary articles on the issue of the military-civilian divide.
On a personal
level, I’m a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who identifies as a lesbian. More
people have been shocked by my “coming out” as a veteran than as a lesbian,
which I think speaks volumes about people’s experience with and/or awareness of
these segments of society. I’ve recently had friends from two different
families with zero military experience who had their worlds rocked when their
teens announced they want to join the military.
Reading
about
the military can help people understand various aspects of the military
beyond the stereotypes,
headlines, and Hollywood glamorization. Granted, there are many books
that
glamorize the military or that are action-adventure tales bordering on
fantasy. These books may be entertaining, but they do little to help
bridge the military-civilian divide. In fact, some may even widen the
gap. But there are, however, some thoughtful novels and memoirs written
by veterans as
well as thought-provoking nonfiction works by civilians.
Two of my
recent favorites are Matternhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl
Marlantes and The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education by
Craig Mullaney.
Two highly
readable, nonfiction titles by civilians that I often recommend are
Soldier’s Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point
by Elizabeth D. Samet and Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power
by Rachel Maddow.
Two recent
titles by women veterans are Shade It Black: Death and After in Iraq by
Jessica Goodell and Hesitation Kills: A Female Marine Officer’s Combat
Experience in Iraq by Jane Blair.
Two online
resources for finding more military books:
Military Professional
Reading Lists: Reading lists from each branch of the military.
To
sum up: Why read about the military? I think the two primary reasons are:
1.
To understand the service and sacrifice of your fellow citizens.
2.
To understand what your government is doing or has done in the world or within its borders.
All
of my reading recommendations concern the U.S. because that's my area of
interest, but I’d love to hear recommendations from readers around the world. Thanks for reading!
Great article! I have only read a handful of books focusing on military, but would love to read more. My most recent military read was Unbroken. I really loved it. Have you read this one yet?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tif! No, I haven't read Unbroken, but I've given it as a gift and the recipients loved it. I've been thinking about reading it before seeing the movie. When the book first came out and was a huge hit I resisted reading it because of its popularity. Too cool for school and all that...even though I should know better by now. :)
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