TWELVE POST-WAR TALES

‘Twelve Post-War Tales’ by Graham Swift is a reflective collection of short stories loosely based around the theme of war, be it a tale of lost souls, the threat of an impending conflict and its aftermath or the impact of war on the everyday. Recommended by the Financial Times earlier this year, this is a wonderful introduction to the gifted author and Booker Prize winner, Graham Swift.

The 12 stories, set in different periods of post-war and modern history, are each skilfully crafted presenting tales of those affected by conflict and the ripple effect of war beyond the battlefields. Using empathy and a light touch of irony Swift addresses the plight of the individual in relation to war.

The first story ‘The Next Best Thing’ considers a young Private, Joseph Caan, who whilst stationed in Germany, is seeking the truth about his lost family members with a local retired German officer, presenting an uncomfortable meeting of enemies. In ‘Blushes’ a retired doctor is re-called back to work in the Covid pandemic. His expertise in respiratory disease and his own personal experience of viruses make this a compelling story. As readers we are challenged to consider the different experiences of war asking the bigger questions of what is war and juxtaposing these historical events with those on the periphery as well as contemplating the inner battles felt by others, either as a family member or as displaced individuals. This, for example, is illustrated in ‘Zoo’ when a maid working for the US embassy wonders if and how her birth on the day of the assassination of JFK shaped her life.

Everyday expressions, ‘where were you when…?’ And ‘he’ll kill me if …’ take on new meaning which Swift uses to diffuse as well as emphasise the futility of war.

The Den particularly enjoyed the audiobook as the stories were narrated by a cast of voices which gave additional vibrancy and colour to the stories. Makes a perfect +1 to any book club as well as plenty of talking points for your group. Poignant reading for November.