J. B. Stevens

THE EXPLOSION TAKES BOTH LEGS - the title of this J.B. Stevens poetry collection brought to mind Ron Kovic and his Vietnam memoir, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. Except Kovic was crippled for life, while Stevens was only crippled by survivor's guilt. "Only" - ha! It's still for life. Because "Sleep is a luxury for the innocent." ("Training")

Stevens was a kid "from the suburbs," educated at the Citadel, who "read Hemingway (because I was a young white man in a war and that is what a young warrior white man must do)." ("I Left the Wire ")

There are poems here about IED explosions, suicide bombers, disfiguring and crippling injuries (on both sides), the heady excitement of a firefight, friends and comrades lost, both in the war and to suicide, and the confusion and depression that follow a combat deployment and the return to civilian life.

This is an extremely hard-hitting look at one man's war experience in Iraq, filled with grisly details, sometimes leavened with the black humor so necessary to survival and sanity. Very highly recommended.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the Cold War memoir, SOLDIER BOY: AT PLAY IN THE ASA.… (mehr)

Review of eBook

In “The Airport Hilton,” an experienced pick-up artist, James, sets his sights on a lovely young woman, Amie Dunn, half his age. Things do not go as he expects.

“The Fighting Squid” introduces two brothers, Heck and Martin. It isn’t long before the aquarium folks arrive, thanks to Martin’s hatred of squid.

In “The Tooth Fairy Deserves Peace,” the fairy godmother’s daughters, Annabelle and Tinkerbell take different paths as they deal with their father’s disappearance.

“Bobo and the Knife” pits Maria against Bobo the Clown. Bobo reminds her that they have eyes everywhere, but Maria has been in the game for ten years; now she wants to be with her daughter.

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Short, quirky, a bit coarse, a bit demented, often violent . . . these stories are not for the faint of heart. Although each has a twist, they tend toward negativity as they relate tales filled with sadness and disillusionment. The result is that the reader feels let down and frustrated.

“The Airport Hilton” is, arguably, the best of the lot despite its predictability. Comeuppance is sometimes well-deserved.
“Bobo and the Knife” is the most violent; “The Tooth Fairy Deserves Peace” is simply disillusionment.

Readers who enjoy quirky stories may find something of interest here, but they are also violent and disturbing.… (mehr)