Episode 162: Boots on the Ground
This week, Dietrich and Josh are joined by Jacob Stiles for a discussion of how the military is portrayed in books, both fiction and nonfiction. Dietrich talks about his experience of reading books about the military as a veteran and an army brat. Josh looks at the era of Vietnam and why the shift in public perception shifted the role of many soldiers in the pages of the classic books from that era. Jacob looks at the difference between writing about the Cold War and writing about the current conflicts, and the separation between a veteran writing about the war, and a civilian doing the same. The three look at the books that have straddled the line between gung-ho uber patriots and baby-killing murder machines, and talk about the authors that have captured the humanity of our men and women in uniform. In addition, Dietrich tackles an epic novel and makes a horrible comparison, Jacob and Josh rave about a young adult series revolving around Greek mythology, and Josh revisits one of our favorite authors. Finally, Jacob dodges sharks, Dietrich praises Patton Oswalt's acting abilities (no, really), and Josh and Dietrich sing the praises of a spin-off to one of their favorite shows of all time. You can send questions and comments to us by utilizing our Contact Us form.
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What We've Been Reading
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Military in Fiction and Nonfiction
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Off The Bookshelves
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