War reads: The popularity of fiction and non-fiction books
No
one will argue that war isn’t horrific, but troublesome times caused by conflict on a grand scale provide a consistently compelling backdrop for both fiction and non-fiction literature.
It draws in readers who want to learn about or vicariously experience the epic times and unusual challenges that characters face when countries are at battle.
Readers’ favorite
“Fiction set during times of war have enduring appeal for readers,” says Lizzie Matkowski, adult and teen services at the Downers Grove Public Library. “People are drawn to these stories for their ability to show ordinary people living in extraordinary times told with an acute sense of time and place.”
Her thoughts are echoed by Paul Garrison, co-owner, with his wife Robyn, of Frugal Muse Books in Darien, which has sections devoted to different wars including the American Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War.
“There are as many reasons war literature is popular as there are readers,” he says. “Fiction, non-fiction — anything regarding war is popular. There is built-in drama, there is life and death, there is violence, sadness and all of the human emotions that are kind of laid bare and raw.”
War even spurs comedy as evidenced in some classic novels such as “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller and “Slaughterhouse Five” by Kurt Vonnegut.
A wide range
The scope of war literature is very broad and encompasses a range of narrower subjects and genres that appeal to readers based on their specific interests.
“Some people are very interested in books about war equipment
— war machines,” says Magan Szwarek, reference services director at the Schaumburg Township District Library. “Then there are people who like biographies of people. John McCain’s autobiography (“The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights and Other Appreciations”) was very popular. And then there are people who enjoy reading about the Civil War or World War II.”
Matkowski says war presents external and inner challenges that make for intriguing characters, whether they are fictional or real, like Winston Churchill, General Ulysses S. Grant, or Clara Barton.
“These are stories of people facing immense challenges or adversity that reflect the real hardships of those times,” says Matkowksi. “They touch on acts of bravery and themes like resilience that resonate with readers of all ages.”
She says war literature also allows readers to better understand and empathize with the plight of real and fictional characters.
“War-related novels, as well as being socially and politically relevant, can help create empathy and understanding through the personalized depictions of humanity to which readers can connect and/ or relate,” says Matkowski. “Many of these titles remain favorites with readers years after their publication.”
The home front too
Books and movies set during war time aren’t only about soldiers going to war. They also may focus on people living on the home front or feature war as the backdrop to a genre such as romance or mystery.
Garrison cites the “Tattooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris as an example of a book that is set amid World War II and the concentration camps, but focuses more on the romance between two characters than on the war.
“There’s really not much in it about the war at all,” he says.
“And some people like that because they really just want the war in the background.”
Some books published decades ago continue to appeal to readers. A couple examples are “The Winds of War,” which is set in World War II and was written by Herman Wouk in 1971 and “The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War,” by Michael Shaara, which was published in 1974.
Garrison says some books, such as Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried,” which takes place in the Vietnam War, continue to be in demand because they are well written and because they are included on high school reading lists.
Veterans History Project
In addition to offering war literature, some libraries are involved in documenting the experiences of those who served in wars. The Schaumburg Township District Library is taking part in the Veterans History Project, an initiative of the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center that collects, preserves and makes available the personal accounts of American war veteran so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.
The library’s video interviews range from World War II to the First Iraq War. One video is by a gunner on a B-17 bomber who flew 15 missions over Germany during World War II. Another is of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was a member of the machine gun squad stationed in the trenches at the 38th Parallel in Korea and was involved in the Berlin Outpost Battles just before the Korean War Truce took effect in July 1953.
The library’s Veterans History Project videos are available on YouTube by searching for “Schaumburg Township District Library Veterans History Project.”
While no one wants war, it seems it will never go away as a topic for compelling literature. It’s a perennial favorite, Garrison, Matkowski and Szwarek agree.