Become a Rumpus Member
Join NOW!“Fiction is, of course, serving rearguard here; the last decade has seen Iraq War films, poetry collections, documentaries, and non-fiction books too numerous to list, but part of what’s appealing about examining American Iraq War fiction now is that there isn’t that much yet. A common perspective unites this early wave of American Iraq War […]
...more
A collection of short pieces written by Rumpus readers pertaining to the subject of “Magic.”
...more
What did I turn to when I needed to channel my frustration with this corporatized Republican state against which I could only kick my small angry feet? The music of Gen-Xers from another country.
...more
But I had deployed only once to Iraq. When so many others, including friends of mine, had suffered two, three, four, five, or more deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, why should I be the one enjoying the comfort of flying first-class?
...more“Here are some of the things you need to know.” Gooding handed Pilley a card, laminated to slip smoothly into and out of his wallet, with a bulleted list of do’s and don’ts. Pilley stared at the card like it had the answers to the algebra final exam. He licked his white lips and coughed […]
...moreJulian Assange may have more sidekicks than we know of. You can read about how Bradley Manning, a gender-questioning soldier, came to subvert the American military’s authority over information regarding the war in Iraq. He has simultaneously earned the title of WikiLeaks hero and U.S. traitor, on account of the classified information he leaked over […]
...moreNote: All names have been changed. Major Mark Ross is currently home from Iraq. He has had two tours of duty and will redeploy in a year. He knows he suffers from PTSD and that returning to battle is unhealthy, but wants go back, feels he needs to go back.
...moreRemember the Wikileaks video depicting the killing of twelve people, including two children and a journalist, in Iraq? Well, one of the soldiers responsible has written a formal letter of apology. He also claims that when he expressed regret and sought counseling after the incident, he was told, “Don’t be a pussy.” It’s like Star […]
...more