These Heroic, Happy Dead

In this remarkable collection, Luke Mogelson provides an unsentimental, unflinching look at a diverse array of characters affected by the war in Afghanistan. Subtle links between these ten powerful stories magnify the consequences of the war for both soldiers and civilians, as the violence in Afghanistan echoes through their lives in America.
Troubled veterans first introduced as criminals in "To the Lake" and "Visitors" are shown later in "New Guidance" and "Kids," during the deployments that shaped their futures. A seemingly minor soldier in "New Guidance" becomes the protagonist of "A Human Cry," where his alienation from society leads to a shocking confrontation. The fate of a hapless Gulf War veteran who reenlists in "Sea Bass" is revealed in "Peacetime," the story of a New York City medic's struggle with his inurement to calamity . A shady contractor job gone wrong in "A Beautiful Country" is a news item for a reporter in "Total Solar," as he navigates the...