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 BlasimBenjamin BuschSiobhan FallonElyse FentonPhil KlayBrandon WillittsMaurice Decaul and Alex MalloryColin and Lauren HalloranMariette Kalinowski and Siobhan FallonSiobhan Fallon and Andria WilliamsPhil Klay and Hassan BlasimBrian Turner and Benjamin BuschJoydeep Roy-Bhattacharya, Phil Klay, and Roy ScrantonMatt Gallagher, Andrew Slater, and Fred MarchantBrian Turner, Elyse Fenton, and Jeremy Stainthorp-BerggrenAdrian Bonenberger, Roxana Robinson, David Abrams, and Matt GallagherMatt Gallagher, Siobhan Fallon, Brandon Willitts, and Mariette KalinowskiRon Capps, Kayla Williams, Colin Halloran, meBrandon Willitts, Masha Hamilton, Phil Klay, and Maxwell Neely-CohenBrandon Willitts, Matt Gallagher, me, Teresa Fazio, and Paul Wolfe. Photo by Kelly Shetron, used by permission of Words After War.Brian Turner, Matt Gallagher, the performance poet Rives, and a few of their fansNathan Bethea, Eric Nelson, Adrian Bonenberger, Brandon Willitts, Mariette Kalinowski, Vic Zlatanovic, Lisbeth Prifogle, me, Jacob SotakBrian 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.
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.
Time Now: The Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in Art, Film, and Literature 
What great people!! There’s something special about that pic of you, Brandon, Matt, Teresa and Paul. It looks like your album cover.
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.
The photographer was Kelly Shetron, and Words After War has given me permission to keep it up.