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Battle Fatigue
Growing up in the years following World War II, Joel Bloom and his friends dreamed of either fighting in the military or leading the Dodgers to the World Series. But when Joel turns eighteen, the Vietnam War is in full swing, and the sides of war he learned about as a child are not nearly as clear. Old enough to be drafted, Joel loves his country but knows he cannot fight...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
October 25th 2011
by Walker Childrens
(first published July 1st 2011)
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I thoroughly enjoyed Battle Fatigue. The historical time period is one I can relate to, and the book reads quickly and held my interest.
Joel and his friends are growing up in the years after WWII. Nearly every "Dad" in town is a war veteran. However, they have little on which to base their pretend war play, since most of these vets aren't talking. Joel says his dad has malaria from the war. But the reader knows those sweats and nightmares aren't caused by any mosquito.
As Joel enters his teen yea...more
Joel and his friends are growing up in the years after WWII. Nearly every "Dad" in town is a war veteran. However, they have little on which to base their pretend war play, since most of these vets aren't talking. Joel says his dad has malaria from the war. But the reader knows those sweats and nightmares aren't caused by any mosquito.
As Joel enters his teen yea...more
This is a book I must own. The main character, Joel, and his friends were my age and Viet Nam was our generation's war. I have friends wiht names on the Vietnam Wall in DC, friends who fought and returned in varying conditions and have made varying levels of peace with their experience, friends who did not have to choose because of medical deferments or good lottery numbers. I also have friends who went to Canada. I know noone who did that lightly "draft dodgers" always made me squirm. We are a...more
Guest Review by Shelly
“I know that because I am a boy I will go to war. I don’t know who I will fight. It will come probably when I turn 18. It’s just what happens.”
This is the story of Joel Bloom’s life and everything that leads up to the Vietnam War, his War as he calls it. Joel has always grown up with war in the background as his Dad fought in World War 2 although he never talks about it and his Uncle is clearly traumatised by what he saw. Joel and his friends “play” war all the time with t...more
“I know that because I am a boy I will go to war. I don’t know who I will fight. It will come probably when I turn 18. It’s just what happens.”
This is the story of Joel Bloom’s life and everything that leads up to the Vietnam War, his War as he calls it. Joel has always grown up with war in the background as his Dad fought in World War 2 although he never talks about it and his Uncle is clearly traumatised by what he saw. Joel and his friends “play” war all the time with t...more
I've never read a fiction work by Kurlansky before, and since this one is a young adult (or even middle-grade?) novel, it was much different than Salt: A World History, for instance.
The overall story of a boy growing up as a baby boomer, faced with the aftermath of WWII in his parents' generation and with the Vietnam War in his own, is absolutely a story worth telling. The themes of pacifism are completely unsurprising, but equally important. I just didn't find it to be that compelling, and the...more
The overall story of a boy growing up as a baby boomer, faced with the aftermath of WWII in his parents' generation and with the Vietnam War in his own, is absolutely a story worth telling. The themes of pacifism are completely unsurprising, but equally important. I just didn't find it to be that compelling, and the...more
Joel Bloom is living in a small Massachusetts community in the wake of World War II. The fathers of all of his friends fought in the war; his father was an officer, and it is Joel's expectation throughout his childhood that he will one day grow up and fight for his country. He and his friends play "war" using German and Japan relicts that their fathers brought back. As they get older, Joel and his friends turn more to baseball, and are caught up in current events. One friend's father dies in Kor...more
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I love the idea of this book. It is an effort to help young adults think about what it would mean to join the military and to let them know that there are other choices they can make. It suggests that war might not be such a good thing.
The book is written in the first person and follows the life of Joel Bloom from the age of seven through his decision to move to Canada rather than killing Vietnamese. Mark Kurlansky has written many nonfiction books. This is his first YA book. It portrays some o...more
The book is written in the first person and follows the life of Joel Bloom from the age of seven through his decision to move to Canada rather than killing Vietnamese. Mark Kurlansky has written many nonfiction books. This is his first YA book. It portrays some o...more
This book is set during the Vietnam War. A kid named Joel Bloom and his group of friends have always dreamed of either serving in the military or leading the Dodgers to the World Series. Now the Vietnam War is in full swing, and Joel and his friends are at the age where they can be enrolled in the military. But Joel knows that if he joins, it could really impact his family and friends. So at this time, Joel decides to move to Canada to stay away from the chaotic war going on.
This was an interesting perspective on draft dodging. It gave me an insight into events that happened before I was born. I especially liked how the narration changed as the narrator aged over the course of the book. That can't be easy to do -- to start out writing in an 8-year-old voice and finish up in an adult voice. Mixed in with some sad events in the book were some parts that were pretty funny.
This story is not what I expected it to be but I was not at all disappointed. Through his protagonist, Kurlansky offers readers an insightful and provocative look at the difficult choices young people had to make during the Vietnam-war area. What do you do when you love your country but your conscience cannot allow you to fight in an unjust war?
A quick read about the tough choices facing many guys who turned 18 years old during the Vietnam War. I thank my lucky stars that my draft number was a high one.
Historical fiction--war books. delves into the complexities of the rights/wrongs of war (vietnam/WWII)
Great voice. Great memoir. I liked how the book was set and how it dealt with the inner voice.
I read this about the same time I read Everybody Sees the Ants and forgot to add it. It didn't stick with me very well so I obviously didn't have strong feelings about it. I did like that the story followed Joel and his friends from a very young age to maturity, including the consequences/results of his decisions.
didnt finish had to return but ist was good
Jun 10, 2013
Heather
marked it as to-read
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Mark Kurlansky (born 7 December 1948 in Hartford, Connecticut) is a highly-acclaimed American journalist and writer of general interest non-fiction. He is especially known for titles on eclectic topics, such as cod or salt.
Kurlansky attended Butler University, where he harbored an early interest in theatre and earned a BA in 1970. However, his interest faded and he began to work as a journalist in...more
More about Mark Kurlansky...
Kurlansky attended Butler University, where he harbored an early interest in theatre and earned a BA in 1970. However, his interest faded and he began to work as a journalist in...more
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