BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK by Ben Fountain

Finished Th 8/30/12

My post on Good Reads-

Specialist Billy Flynn faces nearly the same conundrum as Captain John Yossarian did in Joseph Heller's classic novel, CATCH 22. Both characters are trapped in a 'double bind' or paradox. Yossarian can't get out of the Air Force due to insanity because War demands a certain degree of insanity, and Specialist Flynn can't reconcile what he did and saw in Iraq with the lavishly inappropriate reception that he and his squad receive when they return to the States. Ben Fountain's excellent novel presents Billy and the other members of Bravo Squad as they are idolized and adored at a home game of the Dallas Cowboys during the Thanksgiving Classic. Nearly the entire novel takes place at this football game, and 'The Heroes'  indulge in some pretty immature, yet understandable behavior, but what I found to be especially revealing is how 'the average' Americans related to these young men. They seem deliriously happy and grateful that the US had finally violently reacted to the tragic events of 9/11 even though Saddam Hussein or the country of Iraq had nothing to do with the attack. These Americans didn't care and didn't want to know, and although it's never stated, it seems that, 'Kill Em All, And Let God Sort It Out', was our wildly popular foreign policy. Also, the novel profiles some of the Texan 'Monied Elite' who supported Bush and his administration's agenda, and these characters seem especially chilling and almost demonic.

This is a thought provoking and entertaining novel about Americans and their questionable political and social culture. If you lean politically to the far Right, you probably would find this novel a waste of your time, but it's your profound loss.




The eight survivors of Bravo Squad are caught in a gun battle at Al-Ansakar Cana in Iraq, and are treated to be guests or 'America's Team', The Dallas Cowboys at the Super Bowl with Destiny's Child.

'Victory Tour' media stunt by the Bush administration to reinvigorate public support for the war.

Specialist William Lynn from Stovall Texas
Sargent Shroom who died in his arms
Excellent profiles of the big monied supporters of The War and Republican Party.

Whoever said that this novel is,"the CATCH 22 of the Iraq War", really hit the nail on the head.