Phil Klay quotes: wise famous quotes, sayings and quotations by Phil Klay

Phil Klay Famous Quotes & Sayings

Discover top inspirational quotes from Phil Klay on Wise Famous Quotes.

Phil Klay quotes: The notion that war forever separates veterans from the rest of mankind has been long embedded in our collective consciousness.

The notion that war forever separates veterans from the rest of mankind has been long embedded in our collective consciousness.

Phil Klay quotes: Pity addresses the perceived suffering, not the whole individual.

Pity addresses the perceived suffering, not the whole individual.

Phil Klay quotes: For me, leaving the Marine Corps was more disorienting than returning home.

For me, leaving the Marine Corps was more disorienting than returning home.

Phil Klay quotes: Treating war as farce is one way soldiers deal with it.

Treating war as farce is one way soldiers deal with it.

Phil Klay quotes: I've been asked what differentiates war literature as a category, and I don't think there is anything.

I've been asked what differentiates war literature as a category, and I don't think there is anything.

Phil Klay quotes: And that was my homecoming. It was fine, I guess. Getting back feels like your first breath after nearly drowning. Even if it hurts, it's good.

And that was my homecoming. It was fine, I guess. Getting back feels like your first breath after nearly drowning. Even if it hurts, it's good.

Phil Klay quotes: Writing fiction was a way to take the ideas that troubled me or confused me and put them under pressure.

Writing fiction was a way to take the ideas that troubled me or confused me and put them under pressure.

Phil Klay quotes: I have friends with post-traumatic stress - friends with post-traumatic stress who are, you know, highly successful, capable people.

I have friends with post-traumatic stress - friends with post-traumatic stress who are, you know, highly successful, capable people.

Phil Klay quotes: When I tell stories about Iraq, the ones people react to are always the stories of violence. This is strange for me.

When I tell stories about Iraq, the ones people react to are always the stories of violence. This is strange for me.

Phil Klay quotes: Bombs do very, very bad things to human bodies. It's incredibly shocking to see.

Bombs do very, very bad things to human bodies. It's incredibly shocking to see.

Phil Klay quotes: Fiction is the best way I know how to think something through.

Fiction is the best way I know how to think something through.

Phil Klay quotes: Veteran art creates a meeting place between veterans and civilians, or simply between veterans with different experiences.

Veteran art creates a meeting place between veterans and civilians, or simply between veterans with different experiences.

Phil Klay quotes: Writing 'Redeployment' shook me in ways I never expected.

Writing 'Redeployment' shook me in ways I never expected.

Phil Klay quotes: I was studying with Peter Carey, Colum McCann; but also, my fellow students were really critical readers for me.

I was studying with Peter Carey, Colum McCann; but also, my fellow students were really critical readers for me.

Phil Klay quotes: I did try to write in Iraq, and I failed. I think you just don't have the brain space for it.

I did try to write in Iraq, and I failed. I think you just don't have the brain space for it.

Phil Klay quotes: Certainly, my exposure in high school to writers like Flannery O'Connor, Shusaku Endo, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Graham Greene was formative.

Certainly, my exposure in high school to writers like Flannery O'Connor, Shusaku Endo, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Graham Greene was formative.

Phil Klay quotes: I don't want to act as though my deployment was particularly rough, because it wasn't. I had a very mild deployment; I was a staff officer.

I don't want to act as though my deployment was particularly rough, because it wasn't. I had a very mild deployment; I was a staff officer.

Phil Klay quotes: I'd been in college studying English creative writing and history when I made the decision to join the Marines in the runup to the Iraq war.

I'd been in college studying English creative writing and history when I made the decision to join the Marines in the runup to the Iraq war.

Phil Klay quotes: I ended up going to Dartmouth, and I did Marine Officer Candidate School during my junior summer.

I ended up going to Dartmouth, and I did Marine Officer Candidate School during my junior summer.

Phil Klay quotes: We're so used to using military terminology in civilian speech that we forget those terms might mean something very specific.

We're so used to using military terminology in civilian speech that we forget those terms might mean something very specific.

Phil Klay quotes: Less than 1 percent of American have served in 12 years of war, and serious public conversation about military policy is sorely lacking.

Less than 1 percent of American have served in 12 years of war, and serious public conversation about military policy is sorely lacking.

Phil Klay quotes: One thing I've always liked about the military is there's a certain amount of pragmatism.

One thing I've always liked about the military is there's a certain amount of pragmatism.

Phil Klay quotes: If you're going to write about war, the ugly side is inevitable. Suffering and death are obviously part of war.

If you're going to write about war, the ugly side is inevitable. Suffering and death are obviously part of war.

Phil Klay quotes: I never thought anyone would pity me because of my time in the Marine Corps.

I never thought anyone would pity me because of my time in the Marine Corps.

Phil Klay quotes: [Prayer] will not protect you. It will help your soul. It's for while you're alive.

[Prayer] will not protect you. It will help your soul. It's for while you're alive.

Phil Klay quotes: The Cold War provided justification for a larger peacetime military, since we were never really at peace, or so the argument went.

The Cold War provided justification for a larger peacetime military, since we were never really at peace, or so the argument went.

Phil Klay quotes: Oftentimes, discussion of war gets flattened to a discussion of trauma.

Oftentimes, discussion of war gets flattened to a discussion of trauma.

Phil Klay quotes: I grew up a little north of New York City and went to high school at Regis, an all-boys tuition-free high school in Manhattan.

I grew up a little north of New York City and went to high school at Regis, an all-boys tuition-free high school in Manhattan.

Phil Klay quotes: War is complicated and intense, and it takes time and thoughts to understand what it was.

War is complicated and intense, and it takes time and thoughts to understand what it was.

Phil Klay quotes: I like the ethos of the military and the idea of joining an institution in which, at the very least, everyone who signs up believes in something.

I like the ethos of the military and the idea of joining an institution in which, at the very least, everyone who signs up believes in something.

Phil Klay quotes: In State of the Union addresses, I always look at the foreign policy and military parts first, which are generally pretty minimal.

In State of the Union addresses, I always look at the foreign policy and military parts first, which are generally pretty minimal.

Phil Klay quotes: there are circumstances that trump personal feelings.

there are circumstances that trump personal feelings.

Phil Klay quotes: War is too strange to be processed alone,

War is too strange to be processed alone,

Phil Klay quotes: But platitudes are most appealing when they're least appropriate.

But platitudes are most appealing when they're least appropriate.

Phil Klay quotes: I love opera. I love jazz, especially Mingus. This makes me sound highbrow. I'm not.

I love opera. I love jazz, especially Mingus. This makes me sound highbrow. I'm not.

Phil Klay quotes: Bob, I quickly learned, had an existential view of the Iraq war.

Bob, I quickly learned, had an existential view of the Iraq war.

Phil Klay quotes: People have a very political way of looking at war, and that's understandable.

People have a very political way of looking at war, and that's understandable.

Phil Klay quotes: In a strange way, you have to have a certain amount of distance from a thing in order to be able to write about it.

In a strange way, you have to have a certain amount of distance from a thing in order to be able to write about it.

Phil Klay quotes: I'm not anti-war. I served in a war, and I served proudly. But just or not, necessary or not, war is the industrial-scale slaughter of other humans.

I'm not anti-war. I served in a war, and I served proudly. But just or not, necessary or not, war is the industrial-scale slaughter of other humans.

Phil Klay quotes: I saw so many radically different versions of Iraq. It would have been difficult for me to come back and think, 'This is the Iraq experience.'

I saw so many radically different versions of Iraq. It would have been difficult for me to come back and think, 'This is the Iraq experience.'

Phil Klay quotes: Writing fiction means putting a lot of what you believe about the world at risk, because you have to follow your characters.

Writing fiction means putting a lot of what you believe about the world at risk, because you have to follow your characters.

Phil Klay quotes: A great writer is a great writer ... Tolstoy was not a woman, but 'Anna Karenina' is still a pretty good book.

A great writer is a great writer ... Tolstoy was not a woman, but 'Anna Karenina' is still a pretty good book.

Phil Klay quotes: Going to war is a rare experience in American culture, so it's easy for simple notions to gain a lot of weight. The reality is always more complex.

Going to war is a rare experience in American culture, so it's easy for simple notions to gain a lot of weight. The reality is always more complex.

Phil Klay quotes: Certainly, when I'd left Iraq back in 2008, I'd been proud of my service, but whether we'd been successful or not was still an open question.

Certainly, when I'd left Iraq back in 2008, I'd been proud of my service, but whether we'd been successful or not was still an open question.

Phil Klay quotes: There's a very particular way that the military speaks. There's a lot of profanity and a lot of acronyms.

There's a very particular way that the military speaks. There's a lot of profanity and a lot of acronyms.

Phil Klay quotes: Political novels are full of pitfalls, particularly for a novelist with strong political leanings.

Political novels are full of pitfalls, particularly for a novelist with strong political leanings.

Phil Klay quotes: There's a tradition of public service in my family. I'm one of three boys that joined the military. My father was in the Peace Corps.

There's a tradition of public service in my family. I'm one of three boys that joined the military. My father was in the Peace Corps.

Phil Klay quotes: I didn't want to write a 'this is how it is' Iraq book, because the Iraq War is an intensely complicated variety of things.

I didn't want to write a 'this is how it is' Iraq book, because the Iraq War is an intensely complicated variety of things.

Phil Klay quotes: I have, for a very long time, been a huge admirer of Marilynne Robinson, whose work I just love.

I have, for a very long time, been a huge admirer of Marilynne Robinson, whose work I just love.

Phil Klay quotes: Responsibility and accountability is a big part of being in the military.

Responsibility and accountability is a big part of being in the military.

Phil Klay quotes: I was angry. I'd gotten a lot of Thank You For Your Service handshakes, but nobody really knew what that service meant, you know?

I was angry. I'd gotten a lot of Thank You For Your Service handshakes, but nobody really knew what that service meant, you know?

Phil Klay quotes: Fiction offered me tools that allowed me to approach a wider variety of issues than the events of my own life would.

Fiction offered me tools that allowed me to approach a wider variety of issues than the events of my own life would.

Phil Klay quotes: If we fetishize trauma as incommunicable, then survivors are trapped - unable to feel truly known by their nonmilitary friends and family.

If we fetishize trauma as incommunicable, then survivors are trapped - unable to feel truly known by their nonmilitary friends and family.

Phil Klay quotes: It's not so much the question that offends me; it's that the people asking it don't seem to respect the moral seriousness of the question.

It's not so much the question that offends me; it's that the people asking it don't seem to respect the moral seriousness of the question.

Phil Klay quotes: It's easier to get people to talk to you if you're a vet and you want to interview a vet about war. Sometimes they open up a little bit easier.

It's easier to get people to talk to you if you're a vet and you want to interview a vet about war. Sometimes they open up a little bit easier.

Phil Klay quotes: We are part of a long tradition of suffering. We can let it isolate us if we want, but we must realize that isolation is a lie.

We are part of a long tradition of suffering. We can let it isolate us if we want, but we must realize that isolation is a lie.

Phil Klay quotes: We've got some PTSD vets," Sarah says, making it sound like she's keeping them in jars somewhere.

We've got some PTSD vets," Sarah says, making it sound like she's keeping them in jars somewhere.

Phil Klay quotes: There's a tradition in war writing that the veteran goes over and sees the truth of war and comes back. And I'm skeptical of that.

There's a tradition in war writing that the veteran goes over and sees the truth of war and comes back. And I'm skeptical of that.

Phil Klay quotes: Sometimes macho language is to mask things people are not ready to deal with.

Sometimes macho language is to mask things people are not ready to deal with.

Phil Klay quotes: War is too strange to process alone.

War is too strange to process alone.

Phil Klay quotes: I doubt there's anything you could say to Donald Rumsfeld that would puncture the armor of his narcissism.

I doubt there's anything you could say to Donald Rumsfeld that would puncture the armor of his narcissism.

Phil Klay quotes: 'Redeployment' is a military term. It means to transfer a unit from one area to another.

'Redeployment' is a military term. It means to transfer a unit from one area to another.

Phil Klay quotes: Pity sidesteps complexity in favor of narratives that we're comfortable with, reducing the nuances of a person's experience to a sound bite.

Pity sidesteps complexity in favor of narratives that we're comfortable with, reducing the nuances of a person's experience to a sound bite.

Phil Klay quotes: Even if torture works, what is the point of 'defending' America using a tactic that is a fundamental violation of what America ought to mean?

Even if torture works, what is the point of 'defending' America using a tactic that is a fundamental violation of what America ought to mean?

Phil Klay quotes: You come back from war, and you have a certain authority to talk about war.

You come back from war, and you have a certain authority to talk about war.

Phil Klay quotes: Resilience is, of course, necessary for a warrior. But a lack of empathy isn't.

Resilience is, of course, necessary for a warrior. But a lack of empathy isn't.