No Peace After War: Twenty-Six Short Stories and Poems
Illustrating Life AfterCombat is a collection of moving and unforgettable stories and
poems depicting the life of soldiers, and those of their loved ones after
military service, written by Claire St. Hilaire.
With a foreword by SPC Dennis Murphy, the
entire book collection is told in alternating perspectives between first and
third person. The stories are arranged in alphabetical order, with Abandoned being
the first and Zenith being the last. The author uses
descriptive words lavishly portraying not only vividly detailed scenes but also
the profound and innermost feelings and emotions of
characters.
The stories and poems depict the pain, the
suffering, the guilt, the nightmares and references to untold horrors that
plague a former soldier’s nights. Moreover, they portray the anguish suffered
by widowed wives, orphaned children, bereaved girlfriends as well as the sorrow
of the family from witnessing the changed behavior and the entire personality
of the returning warriors. Furthermore, they told not only of death but also of
life of service and honor. Mostly importantly, however, the stories/poems
glorify the sacrifices of the veterans so that we, civilians, would continue to
live in peace.
This is a touching and moving book that
gives us a glimpse of a world we know nothing about and which we will never
understand. I particularly like the stories: Betrayed, Guts, Knowledge,
Left Behind and Zenith.
The author also includes a Crisis
Information chapter for veterans in crisis.
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