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  1. Culture
27 August 2010updated 12 Oct 2023 10:15am

Words in Pictures: Karl Marlantes

The novelist and Vietnam veteran Karl Marlantes reflects on the power of literature.

By Staff Blogger

 

In a recent review of Matterhorn for the New Statesman, David Flusfeder remarked that its author, Karl Marlantes, “is entirely convincing on the mess of war, tropically damp, teeming with disease, in a world criss-crossed by dividing lines that have little to do with the notional enemy”. This authenticity no doubt originates from Marlantes’s own experience in Vietnam, upon which he reflected in the Books Interview in this week’s magazine.

Marlantes also suggested that Matterhorn‘s extraordinary reception in the United States can be ascribed to the parallels between Vietnam and the current conflct in Afghanistan.

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In this video, Marlantes touches on the role he hopes Matterhorn might play in healing an Amercan society divided by conflict, and on the enlightening power of literature in general.

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Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
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