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I watched The Hurt Locker while I was reading this book. It caused me to concentrate on the “war�� part of this novel �� even though that was my least favorite part.
There’s not much that’s clear to me about war. Why the hell do we keep thinking this is the way to solve things? How do these little power hungry monsters get men and women (and dogs too judging from recent news reports about PTSD) to risk their lives for murky, vague reasons? Which wars have been “good�� wars? How can anyone come out of a situation where their lives were constantly in jeopardy and they might have to kill a huge number of people �� or be responsible for keeping a number of people for getting killed, to live a regular, everyday kind of life?
But one thing is clear. War and its questions and its attraction and its passion and its putridness has not changed one bit. The same head-scratching things make people march out on the battle field proud to serve whatever country or cause they might think they believe in. There is never enough money or resources to protect the brave soldiers and their capable and incapable leaders. There is never enough of a plan to make sure they assimilate back in society. War is romanticized too much and vilified too much.
I started reading this book because I suggested it for our book group and I, a near 55 year old former English major had never read this classic weapon-sized book. I expected it to be a struggle �� and I’d be lying if I said that it NEVER was a struggle. I mean just holding the damn thing up in the air while I tried to read it in my bed (which is my favorite place to read) was a struggle. And my least favorite parts were the battle scenes (except when Pierre gets out there determined to see what war is all about) and god knows that was half the damn book. But like I said �� one thing I’ve learned about war is you can read a description of any war at any time from just about any point of view and you’re going to get the same questions and the same conflicted feelings.
My most favorite parts of the novel were those following the lives of the quirky Russian upper class characters. And yes, Pierre (the fat bastard) was my favorite. I was glad things turned out well for him. Other favorite characters include the little princess with her short upper lip and faint mustache and I really hated to see her die.
Glad I read it �� looking forward to discussing it in book group later this month.
Stinking war.