Title: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
Author: Ben Fountain
First published May 1, 2012
307 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780060885595 (ISBN10: 0060885599)
Rating: 3.79
Overview
In Ben Fountain’s gripping novel, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, readers are taken on a journey that explores the stark contrast between the war at home and the war abroad. Set in Texas during America’s infamous war in Iraq, this razor-sharp satire follows the Bravo Squad as they embark on a media-frenzied “Victory Tour”.
Their stop at Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, proves to be an exhausting and eye-opening experience as they encounter fans, promoters, and cheerleaders. With remarkable insight, Fountain delves into the national disconnect between the two wars and offers a poignant commentary on modern-day America.
About the Author
Ben Fountain is a highly acclaimed author whose work has been featured in prestigious literary publications such as Harper’s, The Paris Review, and Zoetrope: All Story. He has received numerous awards for his writing, including the O.
Henry Prize, two Pushcart Prizes, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. Fountain resides in Dallas, Texas with his spouse and two children.
Editoral Review
In his 2012 debut novel, “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” Ben Fountain paints a vivid picture of contemporary America through the eyes of an Iraq War veteran. The book has won critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction.
Fountain’s writing style is raw and gritty, depicting the harsh realities of war and its aftermath in stark detail. The story follows Billy Lynn and his fellow Bravo Squad soldiers as they come home from a victorious but bloody battle in Iraq, only to be immediately thrust into the national spotlight as part of the halftime show at a Dallas Cowboys football game.
The band of brothers are hailed as heroes, but they are also weary and traumatized, struggling to reconcile their experiences on the front lines with the extravagant excesses of American consumer culture. Along the way, they confront issues of class, race, and celebrity, all while grappling with their own mortality and trying to find a sense of purpose in life after war.
Fountain’s portrayal of the soldiers is nuanced and complex, with each member of Bravo Squad displaying their own fears, desires, and flaws. Billy, in particular, is a compelling protagonist, a young man who has grown up too quickly in the face of unspeakable violence, but who still retains a glimmer of hope for a better future.
The novel is also full of vivid secondary characters, from Hollywood movie producers to Dallas cheerleaders, who help to paint a larger picture of the society that the soldiers have returned to. The novel’s critique of American society is scathing, yet compassionate.
Fountain takes aim at the hypocrisies and excesses of the entertainment industry, but he also shows the deep human connections that can be forged even in the most unlikely circumstances. The book is not only a searing indictment of the Iraq War and its aftermath, but also a reflection of the broader cultural and political challenges facing America today.
Overall, “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” is a stunning achievement. Fountain’s writing is precise and evocative, capturing both the horror and the humor of life in wartime and its aftermath.
The book is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary American fiction, and a powerful testament to the resilience and courage of those who have served in our armed forces. Highly recommended.
