A War Writer Portrait Gallery

War is a grim subject, and war writing comes from painful and angry places, but all my opportunities to meet and converse with modern war writers in person have been fun, laugh-filled events that defy super-seriousness. Below is some of the “ocular proof,” as Othello put it. Only Hassan Blasim seems able to resist what must be an American impulse to smile for the camera, but I can attest that in conversation Blasim doesn’t miss many chances to put things in humorous perspective. Thanks for the good writing so far, everyone, and to more good times and more great writing to come.

Hassan Blasim
Hassan Blasim
Benjamin Busch
Benjamin Busch
Siobhan Fallon
Siobhan Fallon
Elyse Fenton
Elyse Fenton
Phil Klay
Brandon Willitts
Brandon Willitts
Maurice Decaul and Alex Mallory
Maurice Decaul and Alex Mallory
Colin and Lauren Halloran
Colin and Lauren Halloran
Mariette Kalinowski and Siobhan Fallon
Mariette Kalinowski and Siobhan Fallon
Siobhan Fallon and Andria Williams
Siobhan Fallon and Andria Williams
Phil Klay and Hassan Blasim
Phil Klay and Hassan Blasim
Brian Turner and Benjamin Busch
Brian Turner and Benjamin Busch
Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya, Phil Klay, and Roy Scranton
Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya, Phil Klay, and Roy Scranton
Matt Gallagher, Andrew Slater, and Fred Marchant
Matt Gallagher, Andrew Slater, and Fred Marchant
Brian Turner, Elyse Fenton, and xxxx.
Brian Turner, Elyse Fenton, and Jeremy Stainthorp-Berggren
Adrian Bonenberger, Roxana Robinson, David Abrams, and Matt Gallagher
Adrian Bonenberger, Roxana Robinson, David Abrams, and Matt Gallagher
Matt Gallagher, Siobhan Fallon, Brandon Willitts, and Mariette Kalinowski
Matt Gallagher, Siobhan Fallon, Brandon Willitts, and Mariette Kalinowski
Ron Capps, Kayla Williams, Colin Halloran, me.
Ron Capps, Kayla Williams, Colin Halloran, me
Brandon Willitts, Masha Hamilton, Phil Klay, and Maxwell Neely-Cohen
Brandon Willitts, Masha Hamilton, Phil Klay, and Maxwell Neely-Cohen
Brandon Willitts, Matt Gallagher, me, Teresa Fazio,   and Paul Wolfe
Brandon Willitts, Matt Gallagher, me, Teresa Fazio, and Paul Wolfe. Photo by Kelly Shetron, used by permission of Words After War.
Matt Gallagher, Brian Turner, the performance poet Rives, and a few happy fans
Brian Turner, Matt Gallagher, the performance poet Rives, and a few of their fans
A whole bunch of us
Nathan Bethea, Eric Nelson, Adrian Bonenberger, Brandon Willitts, Mariette Kalinowski, Vic Zlatanovic, Lisbeth Prifogle, me, Jacob Sotak
Brian Turner, Benjamin Busch, Siobhan Fallon, and Adrienne de la Feunte, Joanna Priwieziencew, Roman Baca, Chloe Slade, and Paige Grimard of Exit 12 Dance Companyt 12
Brian Turner, Benjamin Busch, and Siobhan Fallon, along with Adrienne de la Feunte, Joanna Priwieziencew, Roman Baca, Chloe Slade, and Paige Grimard of Exit 12 dance company

All photos taken by me, my wife Sang Hui, or with our cameras, with one exception:  the picture of Brandon Willitts, Matt Gallagher, Teresa Fazio, and Paul Wolfe.  This picture I downloaded from the Words After War Facebook page and somehow filed in our personal gallery.  My intent was to use only pictures that we had taken, but it is too good not to include.

3 thoughts on “A War Writer Portrait Gallery”

  1. Andria, Sang Hui just reminded me that that’s a Words After War picture, not one of our own, so I have to give credit where credit is due. I agree it’s a good picture–I love group photos in which everyone’s countenance is united in purpose and attitude. There’s actually a few too many pictures of Brandon, Matt, and myself on the post, but I definitely wanted to include Teresa and Paul in the gallery.

    1. The photographer was Kelly Shetron, and Words After War has given me permission to keep it up.

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