Plain of Jars : And Other Stories

In The Opening Story Of Geary Hobson’s Riveting New Collection, Plain Of Jars, A Young Private Confides To His Friend That He’s Trying To Leave The Marine Corps. “i Am Not Doing This Just Because I Find The Marine Corps Too Tough,” Warren Needham Says, But Because Violence Is Contradictory To His Faith. The Story’s Surprising Climax, However, Reveals A Different Side Of Needham’s Contradictory Nature. It’s This Acute Understanding Of Conflict That Characterizes Plain Of Jars, A Book Populated By Bullies, Men In Combat, Abusive Spouses, And Native Americans Seeking A Sense Of Personal Identity In An Environment Where Conformity Is Law. The U.s. Marine Corps Sets The Stage For A Number Of These Stories, Whose Protagonists Combat Racism, Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome, And The Looming Reality Of The Vietnam War. With Pitch Perfect Dialogue And A Sense Of The Unexpected, Plain Of Jars Tests The Depths Of Complex Lives.