Based on former marine anthony swoffords bestselling 2003 book about his predesert storm experiences in saudi arabia and about his experiences fighting in kuwait. Jarhead the selfimposed moniker of the marines follows swoff, a thirdgeneration enlistee, from a sobering stint in boot camp to active duty, sporting a snipers rifle and a hundredpound ruck on his back through middle east deserts with no cover from intolerable heat or from iraqi soldiers, always potentially just over the next horizon. Swofford even portrays the random and often perpetual boredom that is part of normal life on a marine base. The book goes back and forth haphazardly, teen to adult writer, and my own conclusion is that this is where swofford is, psychologically, with the material. The lettuce came from jordanian fields where they use human feces as fertilizer. Anthony swofford follows his international bestseller jarhead with an unforgettable first novel a powerful story about a youth spent on a u. May 07, 2014 author anthony swofford discusses jarhead, the film adaptation of his book, working with the screenwriter william broyles jr, combining characters, and whether hed let hollywood adapt another. And afterwards he comes home, and he sees that whatever. Throughout jarhead, swofford is a tormented consciousness, yet the tone of the memoir shows that his brief, searing war experience has provoked a yearning for reconciliation and the first hope for a new, inner peace. Jarhead book by anthony swofford official publisher page. A psychological study of operations desert shield and desert storm during the gulf war. A marines chronicle of the gulf war and other battles swofford, anthony on. Jarhead recounts swofford s enlistment and service in the united states marine corps during the persian gulf war, in which he served as a scout sniper trainee with the. Mar 10, 2003 anthony swofford s jarhead is one of those books.
The killing machine who never actually killed biography books. Anthony swofford s jarhead is the first gulf war memoir by a frontline infantry marine, and it is a searing, unforgettable narrative. Jarhead by anthony swofford is bound to make some people angry. The film follows swofford, played by jake gyllenhaal, as he sets out on a coming of age odyssey that takes him from boot camp, to the fleet marine force, or the suck, and finally to iraq. After leaving military service, the author went on to college and earned. A marines chronicle of the gulf war and other battles.
That was the tagline of anthony swoffords bestselling gulf war memoir, jarhead, but it also neatly summed up my opinion of the book. Exit a book by anthony swofford official publisher page. A marines chronicle of the gulf war and other battles by. If you like the trilling adventure of young military lives then this is the book for you. Anthony swoffords timely gulf war memoir, jarhead, vividly illustrates. A marines chronicle of the gulf war and other battles by anthony swofford and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Jarhead book by anthony swofford official publisher. When the marines or jarheads, as they call themselves were sent in 1990 to saudi arabia to fight the iraqis, swofford was there, with a hundredpound pack on his shoulders and a snipers rifle in his hands. After going over all that you need to know before reading jarhead, i will leave you with this. After reading more about anthony swofford and hearing his take on the movie, the war itself, and his book ive come to the realization that the movie was mostly hollywoods way of telling the story, and the book will surely shed more light on swoffords own personal experiences there.
Swofford was a member of the surveillance and target acquisition sta platoon in the gulf war, a platoon largely made up of snipers that generally contained some of the better marines in the battalion. Apr 06, 2016 the film follows swofford, played by jake gyllenhaal, as he sets out on a coming of age odyssey that takes him from boot camp, to the fleet marine force, or the suck, and finally to iraq. Marine, best known for his 2003 book jarhead, based heavily on his accounts of various situations encountered in the persian gulf war. I just got this swoffkrd jarhead by anthony swofford. In his new york times bestselling chronicle of military life, anthony swofford weaves his experiences in war with vivid accounts of boot camp, reflections on the mythos of the marines, and remembrances of battles with lovers and family. Anthony swofford was born on august 12, in fairfield, california, usa. Jarhead is a 2003 gulf war memoir by author and former u. After leaving military service, the author went on to college and earned a double masters degree in fine arts at the university of iowa. Jarhead by anthony swofford in his new york times bestselling chronicle of military life, anthony swofford weaves his experiences in war with vivid accounts. His depiction of what it was like to be an american marine during the first gulf war was an immense critical. In this episode, and much of the remainder of the book, it feels like swofford is playing the part of the soldier, at one remove from his emotions. Marine corps during the first gulf war, in which he served as a scout sniper with the sta surveillance and target acquisition platoon of 2nd battalion 7th marines. One of a growing number of gulf war memoirs, anthony swoffords jarhead earned considerable critical attention when it was first published. In the hope of finding something more constructive to say, i decided to read swoffords first book.
Nov 11, 2005 anthony swofford s jarhead is the first gulf war memoir by a frontline infantry marine, and it is a searing, unforgettable narrative. His depiction of what it was like to be an american. Jun 01, 2018 jarhead is an allstar forgotten masterpiece, from 2005. Article on movie jarhead, directed by sam mendes and based on anthony swoffords memoir of the first gulf war. Anthony swofford was born on august 12, 1970 in fairfield, california, usa. Jan 03, 2006 jarhead by anthony swofford is bound to make some people angry. The book reveals that marines, in preparing for and engaging in close combat situations, are bombarded by a wide variety of emotions. This book recounts swofford s enlistment and service in the u. After leaving military service, the author went on to college and earned a double masters degree in fine arts at the university of iowa plot. If russell had catch22 as his guide, it is instructive that the book swofford is reading is the stranger by camus. The movie captures the tone of camus narrator, who knows what has. His book begins in almost conscious homage to the vietnam stories of. Anthony swofford born august 12, 1970 is an american writer and former u. Jan 14, 2007 a romantic first novel from anthony swofford, author of the gulf war memoir jarhead.
A marines chronicle of the gulf war and other battles by anthony swofford. Anthony swofford joined the marine corps in 1988, setting in motion a series of events that would put him on the front lines of the liberation of kuwait as part of operation desert storm, and. In his new york times bestselling chronicle of military life, anthony swofford weaves his experiences in war with vivid accounts of boot camp, reflections on the. Our author anthony swofford wrote this book as a memoir of himself. Jarhead is an allstar forgotten masterpiece, from 2005. Joel turnipseed, who served as truck driver with marine corps in 1991, says parts of. In these searing, courageous pages, swofford struggles to make sense of what his military service meant, and to decide after nearly ending it what his life can and should become. The problem with his first book, grabbed by one of those literary. Jarhead, based on the book jarhead by anthony swofford, is considered one of the most accurate war movies to date. The only compliments i can pay this book are twofold. Its not great writing, but it tells a story be it not the full story of swofford id hoped it would. Grunts really jargead expect most people to love us or understand us, but we hope there are some folks out there who might appreciate the fact that we are there. Marines, which itself is derived from the traditional. Reviews of the book have been generally positive, with.
This memoir was the basis of the 2005 film of the same name, directed by sam mendes. Anthony swofford s jarhead is the first gulf war memoir by a frontline infantry marine, and it is a searing, unforgettable narrative when the marines or jarheads, as they call themselves were sent in 1990 to saudi arabia to fight the iraqis, swofford was there, with a hundredpound pack on his shoulders and a snipers rifle in his hands. Mar 01, 2003 swofford, for instance, recounts a bout with one of those hazards, dysentery, earned by consuming a stolen vat of salad greens while awaiting orders to attack the opposing iraqi line along the saudi border. Jarhead by anthony swofford pittsburgh postgazette. Anthony swoffords jarhead is the first gulf war memoir by a frontline infantry.
As the author of the hugely successful memoir jarhead 2003, swofford was made by war. A marines chronicle of the gulf war by anthony swofford scribner. Jarhead was directed by sam mendes american beauty, and it is the other side of the coin of david o. Buy a cheap copy of jarhead book by anthony swofford. S marine sniper who struggles to cope with the possibility his girlfriend may be cheating on him back home. Anthony swoffords jarhead is the first gulf war memoir by a frontline inf. Feb 04, 2007 as the author of the hugely successful memoir jarhead 2003, swofford was made by war. When the marines or jarheads, as they call themselves were sent in 1990 to saudi arabia to fight the iraqis, swofford was there, with a hundredpound pack on his. Anthony swofford joined the us marine corps at the age of 17. He is a writer and producer, known for jarhead 2005, the code 2019 and taken 2017. With jake gyllenhaal, jamie foxx, lucas black, scott macdonald. Following the success of jarhead, anthony swofford assumed he had exorcised his military demons but as every veteran knows, that isnt exactly how it works. A marine sniper sta during desert storm i in the early 1990s, he recounts his experiences there with vivid emotion, weaving in his experiences of boot camp, adolescence, and civilian life after the corps in the process.
162 765 907 1382 915 783 612 916 283 825 265 922 1189 184 1054 124 456 387 850 953 737 1074 1356 1315 1352 584 689 850 103 51 707 219 767 998