La Voz

"Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace" is an anthology compiled and edited by critically acclaimed and award winning author Maxine Hong Kingston. The book features 80 veterans, including two faculty members from De Anza College.

English instructor Sean McClain Brown served in the Gulf War as a Marine jet engine mechanic, and contributed three prose poems, including the sarcastic and bitter letter to the president, "Dear Commander in Chief; thank you for reminding us that signing our names on the dotted line meant we were indentured servants; we're sure you meant that in the best way."

Dean of Language Arts John Swensson is a former Army Officer who served two tours of duty in Vietnam. In his short narrative, "The Chicopee Flash," he recounts visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. to remember a fallen friend. "Bob was an unlikely hero, but he was a hero," he writes. "How fortunate we were to have known him, how much richer our lives for his sacrifice, and our collective service."

The book presents us with the varying works of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and accompanying biographies of the veterans.

However, in her introduction, Kingston is quick to disprove any one particular notion of the word veteran. "A veteran could be a woman; a veteran could be a deserter; a veteran could be a civilian who had served in war…a veteran could be a peace activist." She made sure to include a wide range of perspectives in the book, from the soldiers in the front line, to the family back home because "wars affect all of our lives."

The book is a culmination of twelve years of works from writing and meditation workshops for veterans led by Kingston. The book covers five wars, with authors from diverse racial backgrounds. The book names the contributor's purpose as a "community of writers working together to heal the trauma of war through art."

This book effectively captures the essence of war: pain, sorrow, destruction, and the resulting effects of those it touches. It is beautiful and haunting, and is therapeutic for the veterans and a testament to the rest. "Our motto: Tell the truth. And make peace," Kingston said.

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