Long Time Passing: Mothers Speak about War and Terror [Hardcover]

Susan Galleymore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009

Susan Galleymore is the mother of a US soldier who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is the story of how and why she traveled to Iraq to visit him on a military base. It is a remarkable portrait of what it means to be a mother in a time of war. It also tells of her continuing journey through the middle east, interviewing mothers in war zones including Iraq, Israel and the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan and the United States. As these women relate their experiences, across the political divide, they show how they view their child's involvement in war, and illustrate the wider impact of war on family, community and country.  In exploring how mothers cope with war, Galleymore sheds light on related social issues including how countries treat their war veterans; US military recruitment techniques; conscientious objection and AWOL; court martials; and the failures and successes of military leadership. She explores cultural differences and examines common assumptions civilians hold about war and why troops themselves are hesitant to share their own stories or discuss the psychological breakdown that occurs within their ranks. Long Time Passing gets to the heart of extreme social experiences -- war and warriors, mothers and children, leadership -- and explores the limits of courage and fear.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Susan Galleymore has given us an indispensable perspective on the wars that have laid waste to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding countries. Thanks to Long Time Passing, we can now see past the abstract policies and patriotic rhetoric into the lives of those for whom none of this is either abstract or rhetorical. Out of the enormous damage come the voices of mothers whose children have been lost or damaged showing us the wastage from their front row seat and sharing their endless loss. Their need to speak is compelling and none of us can afford not to listen. -- David Harris, Journalist and author of Our War: What We Did in Vietnam and What It Did to Us, Random House Long Time Passing is a heartfelt and gut-wrenching account - and a must reading for anyone wanting to understand the effects of modern war. -- Andrew J. Bacevich, author of The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism A collection of narratives and reports that reveal in powerful detail the experiences of women struggling for survival amidst war and occupation. A gripping and compelling read. -- Michael Parenti, author of Contrary Notions and The Culture Struggle

About the Author

Susan Galleymore is a counselor ont he GI Rights Hotline, founder of MotherSpeak, and a radio host sharing the stories of mothers affected by war.  Her writing and reporting is widely published on radio and the internet, as well as Commondreams, Left Curve Journal, Natal Witness, and other publications

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Pluto Press; First Edition edition (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0745328296
• ISBN-13: 978-0745328294
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #982,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and convincing, May 7, 2009

By 

J. P. Malinowski (Phila.,Pa USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Long Time Passing: Mothers Speak about War and Terror (Hardcover)

This book belongs on a priority list of recent antiwar literature. The author tells her story (and several others)in a passionate, moving and highy literate manner. Susan Galleymore brings an unusual mix of personal and professional experiences to bear on the major war situations faced by Americans today, starting with her own son's unsettling decision to enlist in the military.
From her own beginnings in South Africa, her time in Israel and the West Bank and her life in California, the author writes from deep in her mother's heart while at the same time offering a coherent analysis of military culture and policy.

This is recommended (highly readable) reading for all concerned citizens.