A review by missyjohnson
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain

4.0

Billy Lynn is a 19 year old member of the army serving in Iraq after 9/11 (nina leven). Bravo squad, his unit, were recently involved in an ambush and fire fight that was caught on camera. The Bravo team has been brought back to the US for a “victory” tour after this fight. They have traveled the country and are finishing with a trip to Texas Stadium as guests of the Cowboys and to be featured during the half-time show along with Destiny’s Child on Thanksgiving Day. Billy is young but also is observant and very smart. He admires his Sargent (Dime) and is mourning his friend Shroom who died in his arms in the ambush. During the visit to Texas Stadium, Billy meets the Cowboys owner, (Norm aka Jerry Jones), several players, the cheerleaders, (Faison Zorn), a lot of rich folks, and some regular folks. Ben Fountain is able to use the setting of the football stadium, game, and folks involved to show so much of the consumerism of America. He shows the question of the US involvement in the middle east and the various thoughts that many folks have concerning the war. The book is funny, sad, thought-provoking and realistic. There is a good social commentary. Billy’s sister is begging for him to go AWOL and not return to finish his tour. the reason that he is in Iraq is because he vandalized a car that belonged to his sisters ex-boyfriend, and joining the army avoided jail time. In trying to convince him to not return, she says (page 255)——- “Billy all those mofos ever do is lie. You think if they halfway told the truth we’d even be in a fucking war? You know what I think, I think we don’t deserve to have you guys die for us. No country that lets its leaders lie like that deserve a single soldier to die for it”.