Fire and Forget: Short Stories from the Long War

Fire and Forget is a collection of short stories written by veterans and military spouses about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The anthology features contributions from fifteen writers who have experienced these conflicts firsthand, either in combat or on the home front. The stories move between battlefield experiences and the challenges of returning home, capturing both the intensity of war zones and the disconnection many veterans feel upon reintegration into civilian life. Each narrative stands alone while contributing to a larger mosaic of modern warfare and its aftermath. The range of voices and perspectives in this collection goes beyond traditional combat narratives to explore relationships, identity, and the ripple effects of prolonged conflict. These stories examine not just what happened during deployments, but how these experiences continue to reshape lives and communities. The anthology raises questions about the distance between civilian and military life in America, and how literature can bridge the gap between those who served and those who remained at home. The stories resist easy categorization or judgment, instead presenting raw and complex portraits of a generation marked by war.

Readers describe these war stories as raw and unflinching accounts from both military and civilian perspectives. Many reviewers note the anthology provides insight into the psychological impact of modern warfare and readjustment to civilian life. Readers appreciated: - The diversity of voices and writing styles - Focus on post-deployment struggles and relationships - Authentic military details and terminology - Mix of male and female perspectives Common criticisms: - Uneven quality between stories - Some stories feel disconnected or hard to follow - Military jargon can be overwhelming for civilian readers - A few stories described as pretentious or forced Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (216 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (31 ratings) One veteran reviewer noted: "These stories capture the confusion and alienation of coming home better than any war memoir I've read." A civilian reader commented: "While powerful, some stories left me feeling like an outsider looking in, unable to fully grasp the context."

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers A soldier's experience in Iraq and its aftermath unfolds through spare prose that captures both combat brutality and psychological consequences.

Redeployment by Phil Klay This collection of short stories presents multiple perspectives on Iraq and Afghanistan from soldiers, veterans, and civilians caught in war's machinery.

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien The interconnected narratives blend fact with fiction to convey the physical and emotional weight carried by soldiers in Vietnam.

You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon Eight linked stories reveal life at Fort Hood, Texas, where military families navigate separation, fear, and homecoming.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain A single day at a Dallas Cowboys game exposes the disconnect between civilian celebration of war heroes and the reality of combat experience.

🔸 The anthology features 15 different writers who are all veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, offering a kaleidoscopic view of modern warfare through fiction. 🔸 Co-editor Roy Scranton, who served in Iraq, later became a climate change scholar and wrote "Learning to Die in the Anthropocene," showing how military experience influenced his environmental perspectives. 🔸 The book's title "Fire and Forget" comes from military terminology for weapons that don't require further guidance after launch, serving as a metaphor for veterans' struggles with memory and trauma. 🔸 Several of the stories focus not on combat but on the challenges of returning home, including dealing with civilian life, relationships, and the disconnect between military and civilian experiences. 🔸 The collection was praised by acclaimed war writer Tim O'Brien (author of "The Things They Carried") who called it "a diverse and powerful collection of stories that charts new territory in the literature of America's latest wars."