Long Time Passing
Mothers Speak About War and Terror
Susan Galleymore, the mother of a US soldier, chose not to wait at home for her son to return, or to die. Instead she left for Iraq to visit him at the base where he was stationed. This is a remarkable portrait of what it means to be a mother in a time of war.
She tells of her continuing journey through the Middle East, interviewing mothers in war zones including Iraq, Israel and the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan and the United States.
In exploring how mothers cope with war, Galleymore confronts many issues, including the treatment of veterans, alarming US military recruitment techniques, conscientious objection and AWOL, courts martial and the failures of military leadership. She explores cultural differences and examines common assumptions civilians hold about war and why troops themselves are hesitant to share their own stories for fear of psychological breakdown.
Long Time Passing gets to the heart of war and warriors, mothers and children, and explores the limits of courage and fear.
She tells of her continuing journey through the Middle East, interviewing mothers in war zones including Iraq, Israel and the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan and the United States.
In exploring how mothers cope with war, Galleymore confronts many issues, including the treatment of veterans, alarming US military recruitment techniques, conscientious objection and AWOL, courts martial and the failures of military leadership. She explores cultural differences and examines common assumptions civilians hold about war and why troops themselves are hesitant to share their own stories for fear of psychological breakdown.
Long Time Passing gets to the heart of war and warriors, mothers and children, and explores the limits of courage and fear.
Susan Galleymore is a counselor on the GI Rights Hotline, founder of MotherSpeak, and a radio host committed to sharing the stories of mothers affected by war. She is the author of Long Time Passing (Pluto, 2009).
'An indispensable perspective on the wars that have laid waste to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding countries' - David Harris, Journalist and author of Our War: What We Did in Vietnam and What It Did to Us, Random House
'A heartfelt and gut-wrenching account - and a must reading for anyone wanting to understand the effects of modern war' - Andrew J. Bacevich, author of The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism
'Narratives and reports that reveal in powerful detail the experiences of women struggling for survival amidst war and occupation. A gripping and compelling read' - Michael Parenti, author of Contrary Notions and The Culture Struggle
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Introduction
The Voices
1. Your glass has destroyed their stones - IRAQ
2. A king sitting on the ashes of this throne - ISRAEL
3. Promises of a relief…gifts and parcels - WEST BANK/PALESTINE
4. They caress their children's hair in the dusk - LEBANON
5. Walled in from mankind's cause and voice - SYRIA
6. You were never hidden from my eyes - AFGHANISTAN
7. Broken-heartedness is the beginning - UNITED STATES
8. Where Do We Go From Here?
9. Just the Facts
Notes
Index
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Introduction
The Voices
1. Your glass has destroyed their stones - IRAQ
2. A king sitting on the ashes of this throne - ISRAEL
3. Promises of a relief…gifts and parcels - WEST BANK/PALESTINE
4. They caress their children's hair in the dusk - LEBANON
5. Walled in from mankind's cause and voice - SYRIA
6. You were never hidden from my eyes - AFGHANISTAN
7. Broken-heartedness is the beginning - UNITED STATES
8. Where Do We Go From Here?
9. Just the Facts
Notes
Index
Published by Pluto Press in Feb 2009
Hardcover ISBN: 9780745328294
150mm x 230mm