Reading Between the Lines

American Writing on Modern War

A series of four conversations that explore the meaning and experience of modern war through historical fiction, memoir and journalism. Each session centers on a book selected by Ryan Swihart, a graduate student at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

	The first session focuses on Joseph Heller's classic, and often wildly funny, novel of the Second World War, Catch 22.
	This session is devoted to If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home, Tim O'Brien's intense memoir of the day-to-day horror and boredom faced by a grunt in Vietnam.
	A discussion of Jarhead, Anthony Swofford's account of his experiences as a highly-trained sniper during the Gulf War.
	The series concludes with a conversation about War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning by veteran "New York Times" war correspondent Chris Hedges.