Episode · The Book Review · 2024-07-18
Books mentioned on Inside The New York Times Book Review: Elliot Ackerman’s ‘Green on Blue’
Gilbert Cruz discussed Green on Blue by Elliot Ackerman and The Italians by John Hooper. Tom Bissell discussed Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes and American sniper by Chris Kyle. Pamela Paul discussed Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, and The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. Alexandra Alter discussed The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. John Hooper recommended The Italians by Luigi Barzini.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Green on Blue
Green on Blue by Elliot Ackerman is a powerful debut novel written by a decorated veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, offering an unflinching look at the complexities of modern asymmetric warfare through the eyes of an Afghan orphan turned soldier.
Discussed“Tom Bissell will tell us about green on Blue a novel by Elliot arriman which he reviews this week”
Where to get it
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The Italians
Discussed“we'll find out from John Hooper here to talk about his new book the Italians”
Where to get it
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Matterhorn
Discussed“even something like matter horn which came out a few years ago and which is a book that I absolutely love had that kind of Baseline catch22 absurdity”
Where to get it
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Slaughterhouse-Five
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is a classic anti-war novel that follows the life of Billy Pilgrim as he becomes unstuck in time and experiences the devastating Allied firebombing of Dresden during World War II.
Discussed“I want to go back to this idea of humor in war novels because when we think of slaughterhouse 5 and catch 22 these kind of two iconic uh World War II novels”
Where to get it
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Catch-22
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller is a landmark satirical novel set during World War II that explores bureaucratic absurdity and ironic paradoxes through the experiences of American bomber crews.
Discussed“I want to go back to this idea of humor in war novels because when we think of slaughterhouse 5 and catch 22 these kind of two iconic uh World War II novels”
Where to get it
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The Things They Carried
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien is a renowned collection of interrelated stories that explores the psychological burdens and realities of American soldiers during the Vietnam War.
Discussed“even like uh The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien which I don't think anyone would call that a funny book”
Where to get it
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American sniper
American Sniper is a memoir by Chris Kyle detailing his service as one of the deadliest snipers in United States military history.
Discussed“if you look at something like Chris Kyle's book uh the American Sniper book which you just read in an increasing State of Shock”
Where to get it
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The Buried Giant
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro is a fantastical novel set in a post-Arthurian British landscape where a mysterious fog causes the inhabitants to lose their memories.
Discussed“this was about 10 years ago that he showed her 50 pages of what became you know the buried giant the novel that's coming out next week”
Where to get it
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The Italians
The Italians by Luigi Barzini is a classic, insightful sociological exploration of Italian national character, culture, and regional complexities written during the 1960s.
Recommended“a book which bore the same title was born was back in the 1960s Luigi bini's the Italians an excellent book”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (8) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“we should mention that the author um Elliot aurman of green on Blue is also a war vet”
“this is not what you expect from the author of remains of the day”
“then at number seven Allison the daughter of the former New York Governor George has her second historical novel uh it's called The Accidental empress”
“people did try to do that with her first book which was called the traitor's wife uh and it went back to to Benedict Arnold”
“then finally on the hard cover list this week um new at number five Richard Price uh writing as Harry Brandt has uh his new crime novel The Whites”
“and then still at number one is the girl on the train”
“down at number 11 the combat photojournalist Lindsay adario who was recently a guest on The Daily Show has a memoir her book is called it's what I do”
“um Helen McDonald's Memoir of grief and falconry H is for Hawk is new on the list at number eight”