The next meeting of the Veterans Book Club will be Thursday Oct 21, 5:30-7:00, both in-person in room 301 of the library, and on Zoom. The group will be discussing, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain. This award-winning dark comedy tells the story of Bravo squad, both during a traumatic battle, and during a traumatic day being featured during a Dallas Cowboys’ halftime show. Please contact Rhonda Culbertson, (rculbert@iusb.edu) with questions, or to get a free copy of the book.
Below are a few reflection questions to consider
- What is the significance of the ‘long walk’ in military usage, and how is it related to the story?
- There is a lot of religious imagery and language in this book, (along with a lot of profanity.) How do the different characters explicitly and implicitly embody their spiritual beliefs? Which characters strike you as hypocritical? Genuine?
- Most of the story is told from inside Billy Lynn’s head. Occasionally, as he is listens to someone talk, his thoughts dissolve into a word cloud. Is this an effective technique on the part of the author, or does it take you out of the story?
- Is Billy Lynn a believable 19-year-old from a troubled background?
- How does the world of football mirror the world of the military in this book?
The Veterans Book Club welcomes everyone. Consider joining us for great conversation!