A reading list on war and peace could quickly get out of hand, enumerating scores of worthy titles and invading nearly every field in Melvil Dewey’s extraordinary organizational scheme of world knowledge. Instead, this week’s Book Buzz mentions just a
A reading list on war and peace could quickly get out of hand, enumerating scores of worthy titles and invading nearly every field in Melvil Dewey’s extraordinary organizational scheme of world knowledge. Instead, this week’s Book Buzz mentions just a few recent and classic thought-provoking war and peace titles available at your neighborhood library that demonstrate the breadth and depth of the related subjects. The list does not mention war histories or personal accounts of war experiences although there are many worthy new and old titles in these genres available. Beyond Sun Tzu’s classic Art of War, Tolstoy’s War and Peace or The Anatomy of Peace by Emery Reves there is a rich literary conversation taking place about the merits, methods and the meanings of war and peace.
Happy reading!
Arguing the Just War in Islam (2009)
By John Kelsay
297.56242 Ke
How Islam, with more than one billion followers, interprets jihad and establishes its precepts has become a critical issue for both the Muslim and the non-Muslim world. Author Kelsay looks at jihad in Islamic thought, history and culture delving into the tradition of shari’a-Islamic jurisprudence and reasoning-and shows how it defines jihad as the Islamic analogue of the Western “just” war. He also demonstrates how contemporary Muslims across the political spectrum continue the quest for a realistic ethics of war within the Islanmic tradition. Look also for Jihad in Islamic History: Doctrines and Practice by Michael Bonner.
Armageddon in Retrospect (2008): And Other New and Unpublished Writings on War and Peace
By Kurt Vonnegut
818.54908 Vo
Imbued with Vonnegut’s knack of telling the truth through jokes, these pieces range from a visceral nonfiction recollection of the destruction of Dresden during World War II–an essay that is as timely today as it was then–to a painfully funny short story about three Army privates and their fantasies of the perfect first meal upon returning home from war, to a darker, more poignant story about the impossibility of shielding our children from the temptations of violence. Also look for Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace: How We Got to Be So Hated a collection of essays by noted novelist and critic Gore Vidal who questions U.S. assumptions regarding the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings. The essays are held together by Vidal’s belief that we must take the McVeighs and the bin Ladens of the world seriously and not dismiss their actions as simply “evil.” For more on the role of public policy in both internal and external conflict try Howard Zinn’s essays in A Power Governments Cannot Suppress.
The Culture of War (2008)
By Martin Van Creveld
306.27 Va
Since the Enlightenment, war has been described as a means to an end, serving essentially rational interests. But respected military historian Van Creveld asserts that war exercises a powerful fascination in its own right and has generated a distinctive military culture. From uniforms and war games, to martial music and parades, war is an essential element of history, rooted in psychology. He takes readers through the processes of preparing for, waging and commemorating war all of which are thought to motivate men to fight. For more war culture check out Men at War: The Greatest War Stories of All Time by Ernest Hemmingway. You may also be interested in War: Ends and Means by Angelo Codevilla, whose commentary is a sweeping, incisive treatment of mankind’s most persistent scourge that is likely to remain a part of the human condition. It shows an appreciation of the lessons of history and also cuts into today’s issues of peace, deterrence and the uses of military force.
Einstein on Peace (1988)
Edited by Otto Nathan
327.172
In this volume the story is told of how one of the greatest minds of modern times worked from 1914 to 1955 on the problem of peace. It is a fascinating record of a man’s courage, his sincerity, and his concern for those who survive him. “Einstein was not only the ablest man of science of his generation he was also a wise man, which is something different. If statesmen had listened to him, the course of human events would have been less disastrous than it has been.” This verdict, from the book’s preface by Bertrand Russell, sums up the importance of this collection of Albert Einstein’s writing on war, peace, and the atom bomb. For more on the bomb check out The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb: And the Architecture of an American Myth by Gar Alperovitz.
Living Beyond War (2009): A Citizen’s Guide
By Winslow Meyers
303.69 Me
Dreams of a world without war may seem hopelessly unrealistic but the author of this slim volume argues that truly unrealistic is to think that war remains a reasonable solution to our planet’s conflicts. Myers outlines the causes and consequences of war and also provides a comprehensive roadmap to a world beyond war. For a good introduction to social activism try Peacejam: A Billion Simple Acts of Peace by Ivan Suvanjieff about an educational program that uses Nobel Peace laureates to mentor and motivate youth to improve our world. The volume profiles figures such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, and Aung San Suu Kyi and covers their work with young adults on issues related to human rights, peace, the environment, and equity.
Nonviolence (2008): Twenty-Five Lessons from the History of a Dangerous Idea
By Mark Kurlansky
303.61 Ku
Talented writer Kurlansky discusses nonviolence as a distinct technique for overcoming social injustice and ending wars rather than a mere state of mind. The idea has a sweeping yet concise history that moves from ancient Hindu times to present-day conflicts raging in the Middle East. Is there such a thing as a just war? Could nonviolence work against even the most evil regimes? What is the deterrence value of standing armies and weapons arsenals? For a case study of a unique countercultural community that is marked by radical forms of gentleness, peacemaking and faithfulness, look for Living Gently in a Violent World: The Prophetic Witness of Weakness by Stanley Hauerwas and Jean Vanier.
We Who Dared to Say No to War (2008): American Antiwar Writing from 1812 to Now
Edited by Murray Polner and Thomas E. Woods Jr.
327.17209 We
This history of America in anti-war writing “coedited by a man of the left (Polner) and a man of the right (Woods),” is an insightful, relevant and varied collection that mines a strong tradition of American protest and principle. Covering the War of 1812 through “Iraq and the War on Terror,” the editors provide a brief background essay for each before ceding the page to essays, interviews, letters, poems and photos from the past 200 years. Look also for The Fight for Peace: A History of Antiwar Movements in America by Ted Gottfried.
What Every Person Should Know About War (2003)
By Chris Hedges
355.00973 He
Author Hedges takes a frank look at the effects of war on combatants, allowing U.S. military documentation of the physical and psychological consequences of combat to speak for itself. Here are dozens of questions that young soldiers might ask about combat and answers that quote from medical and psychological studies. This profound portrayal of the horrors to which we subject our armed forces stands as an indictment of the glorification of war. Look also for Veterans of War, Veterans of Peace edited by Maxine Hong Kingston who for more than a decade has led writing-and-meditation workshops for veterans and their families. The contributors to this volume-those who served in war and those to acted against war-are part of a community working to heal the trauma of war through art.
• Carolyn Larson, head librarian at Lihu‘e Public Library, brings you the buzz on new, popular and good books available at your neighborhood library. Book annotations are culled from online publishers’ descriptions and published reviews.
