Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

All Books are second hand
Ben Fountain
9780857864529

Ben Fountain’s literary debut follows the homecoming of US soldier Billy Lynn and his squad from Iraqi. Following just a few hours of the soldiers’ Victory Tour in Texas, it offers a slice of American life and the country’s relationship to war.

A satire in the Catch-22 mould, it still manages to paint a portrait of a hero in a realistic and uplifting way. The American culture of power and high rollers is pulled part. The stark contrast between what a soldier on duty experiences and what the public is shown is sharply drawn. But the patriotism isn’t destroyed.