Description
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.
