Offers her thoughts of the upanddown sides of the brooklyn, new york. We wrap up our sunday primetime lineup at 11 00 p. M. With a biography of former president , bill clinton. First up, heres Michael Anthony. Good evening everyone. Welcome and thank you for joining us. I want to let you know about a couple of of author events on the way. Saturday at 3 00 p. M. Griffin will be here with her new middle grade mysteries. On tuesday we have eugene with his novel, about a widowed painter in the american experience. Tonight, you might might notice we have cspan here with the event so if you can make sure your cell phone is turned off. Also when we do the q a we have a microphone here. Please come up and speak your question into the mic so the camera can pick it up. We are delighted to have you here tonight for two local authors. We have Michael Anthony, author of civilian iced after he got back from iraq he did a bachelors degree. Chris welshs interim director of the writing program and the author of cowardice so thank you very much. Thank you sarah. Everybody can hear me okay . Should i move the mic . Maybe im just talking really quietly knocking here and michael will do one too. Thank you and good evening. Its an honor to be here to help michael launch this fantastic war memo. Im going to say a few words to introduce him in the book. Ask them if you questions and then well open it up for euro questions. Looking at the book, i was reminded of the image that was going on the internet about six or eight years ago was snapchat of a whiteboard and some military base in afghanistan that said, america is not at war. The marine corps is at war. Americas at the mall. It was just the marines that were, the army was too. And with the army was Michael Anthony who, at the age of 17, fresh out of bridgewater high, joined up and in 2007 at the age of 20 he went to iraq and help to build and then man combat and a support hospital where he assisted doctors categorizing wounds, suturing skins, sign through lens, and saving saving american lives and iraq he lives. The story of civilian iced is not so much of that experience although thats in the background, but about what he experienced when he came back to the states. And he felt like a vet who no longer wanted to live in the world that he had 54. Reentry was difficult. The smell of baloney reminded him of the small cauterized of fresh he said we had to turn part of ourselves off to survive. The only hard part was turning ourselves on. It was hard for number of reasons. Parlay his own kind of selfawareness and vigilance about the project love reentry and it made it difficult. He was a troubled vet who was aware of the cliche of the troubled vet. He. He wanted to remember and also to forget a complicated thing. The thing that made it difficult for him that interest me the most was dealing with civilians of which i am one. The book is really wise and insightful about that relationship or nonrelationship between soldiers and civilians. We are willing, or at least we tolerate having other people and other peoples children put themselves in harms way. But, we we feel ignorant and guilty about that experience and so we get to the members of an all volunteer military, kind of an indiscriminate gratitude and thank you for your service. Or to cover for our own unwillingness to sacrifice ourselves we call all the soldiers heroes and leave it at that. Pondering pondering the experience of soldiers and veterans more carefully might lead all too readily to the question of why we, ourselves have not answered or heard the call to duty are more actively supported those who do. Or, joined the debate of whether fighting is the right thing to do. Becoming active in antiwar movements. Theres conversation in the book about the vietnam vet who might be outside a liquor store where a friendship happens. On the vietnam vet i was telling michael that things are worse for him then they were for the vietnam vet. Worse for michael than the vietnam vet. Better than someone who gives a dashmacs banana someone is his passion, shaking hands is so, so each scratched his chin. Michael took a a drag and let it out, passive. People are so, so passive said the vietnam vet. But that is how it goes. So this is the gap that i found this book so effectively a bridge. A way to help civilians better appreciate soldiers. We want to civilian civilian soldiers im not so sure thats the right thing to do. I also realize something i dont think i want to know more about veterans to make them feel better, i dont feel guilty and that way. I want to know more about veterans and everybody to know more about them because i think they have a great deal to teach us about the sense of purpose, about the possibility of living and leading us significant part of life by dedicating themselves larger, about duty. And about a lot of the things that michael talks about in the book. He makes this bridge by an away unusual and unique in the memoirs, and a variety of ways it is great writing, wonderful observations and through the humor in the book. I just want want to touch on the passages he laments feeling aimless, jobless, hopeless, just less all around in the confusion of being a vet. I didnt know what it was that messed me up and i think thats what did the most. The book is also very selfcritical. He finds that he does not want to talk about the war and he gets tired of people bringing it up and then he realizes that he himself is bringing it it up. And and that partly it is the problem of peace that he is grappling with. It is a problem that he is well aware in the book and it refers to the predicaments of many others. That lots of vets are dealing with. The fact that soldiers are 50 times more likely to commit suicide at home, at at peace than they are in the fields. It makes you realize what a challenge it is to get civilianized. There is a feeling of trying to be as authentic self. Of turning back and turning himself in the holding back on the part that he had to shut down. It never quite feels real. He writes, real smiles, squinty eyes. Now when i smile, i make sure i squint to. And then is looking in the mirror, the reflection looking back was sad one, bit off center. Sounds lovely writing a bleak moment. He is saved in a way by his sense of humor and more particularly by joining a picked up community, savage you a call, pick up pick up artists, saboteur called. The dating community is the people learn how to pick up girls i came back to the were young 21yearold so i thought whatever he 21yearold thinks is going to save him and learn how to pick up girls. So i go out and look at all these pickup artists classes thinking that would save me. That would be the crush that would bring me out of the hole of depression. Theres a few great passages that i wanted to ask you to read. The first one webpage are you on . Sure go ahead. This is the thing that chris picked out that he wanted me to read. It is me me on one of these dating courses. There are just throwing motley crew sprays so im just trying to save myself and hes just his own crew of depressed guys trying to do the only things as well. I just got mixed in and im just a suicidal vet and these guys are just in their own world are trying to make sense of things. On this is just us out in the town ready to pick up girls. On another note to one of the places that they love to go to pick up girls is a bookstore stew. This is a nightclub. I would almost get the nighttime forever but david did not offer refunds i figured i might as well go. Theres another reason why should i. Normally they cared to see if david techniques work and meet a girl or two. I had somehow started to feel for these guys. It was like and more. How more. How the relationships forced upon you shoulders dont choose who they share a foxhole with. Its a shared experience that brings you together. Not whether whether not you both like video games or basketball, even though we are in it together. We pay thousands of dollars not because we wanted to get laid but not just for that. We do want to be alone anymore. I had i had nominated myself as protector of this motley crew. But after that one of the guys gets in a fight with a boyfriend and then the night goes downhill from there. Lots of drugs, drinking, but there are some triumphant stories from the pickup Artist Community as well. But there is another passage i wanted you to read on page 34 you would think that a young man the veteran soldier would talk to a girl. I spent 12 months in a war zone, and in 13 mass casualty situations help deliver ten babies, participate in more than 450 surgeries and survive through hundreds of her hundreds of mortar rounds. I received a medal, unit combination metal, Good Conduct MedalIraq Campaign medal, i could do this. Never thought of of talking to a woman amy nervous. The reason i started taking the dating courses is because i was a big nerd in high school. I had this friend who i only found that years later on in high school he would tell girls to talk about bras in front of me. I would get awkward and weird. So its a big joke to have these girls talk about bras in front of me. When i heard the story later and i remember the girls talking about bras. The first time it happened i froze up. I dont know anything about bras what am i going to talk about. The next and went online to research the broths. And so we goes by and the girls are talking about bras again because my friend told him too and i said what did you know that bras were invented in the 18th century by so is that guy who came back from the iraq war say maybe if i could learn how to talk to girls i would help save me. Maybe learning some talking techniques are different techniques would save me. Thats the guy who came back taking these courses trying to get himself out of this whole. Did you give a quick short course of interested parties. Theres something called the i o on. So these dating courses these guys are computer guys, they they break down every type of Scientific Study so when you approach a girl you have to approach in a certain way, talk in a certain way. Say certain things and as long as you go through step a, b, a, b, c, d, youre going to take yourself take them home. He has girls lip and hair touching me on the arm like that means hes interested and then you can inactivate two of of your plan. So these guys are very methodical. Thats way connected with the army said. I would go through drills and basic training, these these guys are going to learn how to approach girls make jokes or Something Like that. Very methodical. There is some gripping not battle scenes, but pick up scenes or would be picked up scenes. Tell us about the title. How came to. Its just the aspect of coming home. Like chris said, we have all heard veterans 22 veterans kill themselves every day. They come home with ptsd. We talk about the aspects of war that lead to it. Theyre more likely to kill themselves at home the network. So if you think about it everything that happens in war makes them kill themselves and then there would probably kill themselves in war while it was happening. Its a coming home aspect that makes them do it. Thats why they dont kill themselves for weeks or months later. Theres something about coming home that does it. Its not just the war, is the war of coming home and its during the transition where something is happening. Where were getting those high suicide rates and high rates of depression. The book has what you call a deadline, and that was homage to yourself that you made to end it all. And so even he is having his suicidal thoughts hes going to his pickup classes im putting together a dating profile. It was hard writing a dating profile, nothing seems right but it seemed easy to figure out what was wrong. I wrong. I decided to leave out the suicidal stuff. This might be a personal question but where are you at now in this pickup game . Well now im married. It worked out well. I think the class is hell. I actually never told my wife of audit that i went to those classes. She knows now . Now . Not yes, national. I told her when i got the book deal. The classes i took it. And yet, you still, i saw on your website that tout is too strong of a word, but but you recommend it as a reentry strategy, why is that . There is that multiple pickup groups. Teachers that teach one aspect, another aspect, and this book i only focus i only focus on three or four months after being home. For like a year after i came back i probably spent ten or 15 grant taking these courses. I took about three or four courses and some are good, some are bad. A lot had some crazy guys in them. The ones that were the best are the ones that are called in her game. They focus on the inner game area so you get the inner game that your game in a girl and then the inner game where people are naturally attracted. What are you working right now . So my last one that i went to one was an inner game and i spent like two grand on it. And the guys like youre focusing on trying to get laid too much. What you need to do is go on a note woman diet and give up women for six months. Im paying this guy too grand to teach me how to talk to girls. And he says i have to focus on myself. So i said im gonna go six months no girls in the two weeks later i met my wife. I gave up on this diet. And that on this diet. And that was the end of that. And then as you say on your website, there is some creepy and i dont know if you could give tips to the audience when youre being games, how can you tell . How can you tell if youre being games . Its gained . Its really good, you cant really tell. Heres a line. Someone walked up to you and asked if you floss before or after you brush, thats a line everybody uses. Its a gateway line into a conversation. Okay. Its weird, it will it will make sense when somebody comes up to you and says it. How about the cover . I have the color version,. That was just with the jacket off. This is just redacted information. Everyone note the military document is redacted. It is represented in the redacted stories. Maccallum real stories but i like to tell the full picture military stories. I think we just get this romanticized, idealized version of the stories. I think it helps veterans to get out talk about these things. To out talk about these things. To talk about the full stories. That pain people as real soldiers, not just the square john hundred pound 6foot 1 inch southern boy. You have to tell real people. Its real people fighting the wars in coming home. If if we want to help people we have to see the mess the real people they are. One of the things you talk about is that the anger about some of the injustices or corruption that you have witnessed. These are great names, but i dont think their real names of these officers, lally dash. You say the wrong people being called heroes. I think in some cases they fictionalize reports and make soldiers, youre forced to take a metal that maybe you do not want because excepting the metal made a superior officer look good. It tears that you more than you would imagine it said. Does it still bother you, and why . Ill most died a lot of times i think what messed me up the most to seen people, a lot get awards. I can fight wars and almost i and have people die in my hands, thats fine. But just seen like a soul fall apart in front of you, someone trying to lie and do anything for an award. Napoleon set along a fight long and hard for colored ribbon. Just seen that an action where people are fighting in line for a bit of colored ribbon. It just breaks your heart and breaks your inside to see that time and time again. And just coming home. One of the reasons i wrote this book was, talk about it in here i was on a date with a girl and she started talking about a newspaper article she read at a local newspaper. A Hometown Hero piece. How this how this guy is a hero and hes the epitome of the american soldier. She told me about the story and i said i enjoy a good war story and heroes, was a guys name and she said it is lally. Not only was he is a hero he is one of the biggest dirtbags in the unit. So i call up of body mind and of mine and i said you not to believe this. And first thing he said is lets go burn this guys house down. So there was an aspect of people come home and theres a lot of real heroes in the military. A lot of great guys but theres also great guys that chase ribbons, fight for for a bit of colored ribbons. It happens. What shes talking about in iraq is a bunch of people nominate for these awards. We dont want these awards. We dont want to stand up there and look like idiots. When you stand up there and get your participation trophy. We dont really want to do this. On the other side, you have people who were petitioning to change military regulations so they could get an award because something happened they did not qualified for. Everybody wants a combat action badge. And they audience exploded far away from these people, but it was an unexploded ordinance because the terrorist took all the gunpowder. It didnt explode. These guys, they thought they would have qualified for an award but not really. They are trying to change Army Regulations to get the award. Ugh i wanted me to lie so he could get the award. And im like i dont even like you. I would think about it if id like to but i dont even like you. Its just this bad aspect. It tears at your heart. When youre fighting for these things you think youre fighting for something. You have the guys wearing the same uniform as you who are fighting for that ribbon. I mentioned that passage where youre talking anything i would rather have someone set spit on me that shake my hand. You talk and then theres a book called thank you for your service. And talk about the resentment of veterans and yourself about fawning attitude in the shallow curiosity then maybe they dont want to hear about the non heroes. But i wonder, how should we, you see a soldier in uniform at the airport. Do you say thank you . Do you just let it be . Or at the bar where a friend who served, how do you recommend for those of us who are civilians for life to talk to you, per jew, and attitude . I will tell you to quick stories. Once with the publication. We talked to a lot of vietnam vets. They would say thank you for your service. I would say thank you for your service. This happened to me a dozen of times. A vietnam vet would say nobody that was say nobody has ever said that to me before. I can understand, the vietnam war is what it is. The iraq war is what it is. So i can understand people had that sensation but to go 50 years and people not recognize that you are willing to give up your life and you went over into this. Now im the first person to say this to like a dozen people. The other end of this is, go back to one of the dating classes. I took a dating class dating class and this was an inner game on. I remember one scene with one of the exercises were a big masculine guy and we are doing this internal meditation exercise. This big, masculine guy has a breakthrough. He just realized just realized something about himself, something about life. He is having a breakthrough and he starts crying. One of those cathartic cries, a fullbody cry and he real