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Anthony Swofford

27quotes

Anthony Swofford


Full Name and Common Aliases


Anthony Swofford, also known as Tony Swofford, is a writer and author best recognized for his memoir "Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles".

Birth and Death Dates


Born on March 15, 1972, in Los Angeles, California.

Nationality and Profession(s)


American writer and former U.S. Marine

Early Life and Background


Growing up in a family with an artistic background, Swofford was encouraged to explore his creative side from an early age. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he began writing seriously and developed an interest in journalism. Following college, Swofford joined the U.S. Marine Corps, which would later become a pivotal experience in shaping his writing career.

Major Accomplishments


Swofford's experiences as a Marine during the Gulf War formed the basis of his debut memoir "Jarhead: A Marine's Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles". The book received critical acclaim upon its release in 2003, earning Swofford recognition as one of the most compelling voices to emerge from the war. He has since become an accomplished writer and contributor to various publications.

Notable Works or Actions


In addition to "Jarhead", Swofford has written several other notable works, including:
"Hollow Boy" (2006) - a collection of short stories that explore themes of masculinity and the effects of war on individuals
 "Lights Out in Riyadh" (2010) - a memoir about his time as a correspondent in Saudi Arabia

Impact and Legacy


Swofford's writing has not only provided a unique perspective on military service but also contributed to ongoing discussions around the psychological effects of conflict. His works have been widely praised for their unflinching portrayal of life in the Marines.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Anthony Swofford is remembered and quoted due to his uncompromising narrative voice, which offers readers an honest glimpse into the lives of those who serve in the military. His works have sparked important conversations about the human cost of war and continue to resonate with audiences today.

Quotes by Anthony Swofford

Some wars are unavoidable and need well be fought, but this doesn’t erase warfare’s waste. Sorry, we must say to the mothers whose son’s die horribly. This will never end. Sorry.
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Some wars are unavoidable and need well be fought, but this doesn’t erase warfare’s waste. Sorry, we must say to the mothers whose son’s die horribly. This will never end. Sorry.
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If while alive you hurt or disappoint people you love, there’s no use continuing such behavior when you’re dead.
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If while alive you hurt or disappoint people you love, there’s no use continuing such behavior when you’re dead.
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I'd never talked about it, ... I'd left the Marine Corps when I was 22 ... and I really left.
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I'd never talked about it, ... I'd left the Marine Corps when I was 22 ... and I really left.
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#corps
I don't think so, ... What we fell in love with was the idea of combat, and this movie doesn't really give you what those movies did. It doesn't give you exploding body parts and gore the way 'Saving Private Ryan' or 'Platoon' did. It's more interior.
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I don't think so, ... What we fell in love with was the idea of combat, and this movie doesn't really give you what those movies did. It doesn't give you exploding body parts and gore the way 'Saving Private Ryan' or 'Platoon' did. It's more interior.
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#body
I never saw it as a political book, ... I wanted to open up a world that people might not know anything about. It's up to the people who go to this movie to decide how they feel about it, just like it's their job as Americans to decide how they feel about the war. We're asking the viewer to take responsibility for how they feel.
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I never saw it as a political book, ... I wanted to open up a world that people might not know anything about. It's up to the people who go to this movie to decide how they feel about it, just like it's their job as Americans to decide how they feel about the war. We're asking the viewer to take responsibility for how they feel.
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#asking
I love Jake's performance, ... It's thoughtful, introspective, rough, brash, conflicted ... and those are things that I was. Through the combination of having read the book, Bill's script and Sam's direction, he really captured that young 20-year-old Marine at war with many things.
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I love Jake's performance, ... It's thoughtful, introspective, rough, brash, conflicted ... and those are things that I was. Through the combination of having read the book, Bill's script and Sam's direction, he really captured that young 20-year-old Marine at war with many things.
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#captured
It's a young man's education. It's character-driven. It's warfare through this singular point of view, a confusing, scary, sometimes exciting situation that will define him for the rest of his life.
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It's a young man's education. It's character-driven. It's warfare through this singular point of view, a confusing, scary, sometimes exciting situation that will define him for the rest of his life.
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#define
War is always seductive, ... 'Full Metal Jacket' didn't make me want to join the Marines. I already had fallen in love with the idea of combat. I think whether somebody feels that about our movie is subjective. It depends on the viewer. I got letters from people who said 'I was thinking about joining up and I read your book and now I can't wait' and I got letters from people who said 'I was thinking about joining up and I read your book and now I'm going to go to college.'
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War is always seductive, ... 'Full Metal Jacket' didn't make me want to join the Marines. I already had fallen in love with the idea of combat. I think whether somebody feels that about our movie is subjective. It depends on the viewer. I got letters from people who said 'I was thinking about joining up and I read your book and now I can't wait' and I got letters from people who said 'I was thinking about joining up and I read your book and now I'm going to go to college.'
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#book
We watched 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Full Metal Jacket' before we went to war. It was pornography for us. They opened up this historical and psychological narrative. This is what men do when they go to war, we thought. It's a received image of war through film.
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We watched 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Full Metal Jacket' before we went to war. It was pornography for us. They opened up this historical and psychological narrative. This is what men do when they go to war, we thought. It's a received image of war through film.
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#historical
Writing the book helped exorcise all of that, ... Many years later, I'm happy that I didn't have that chance for a sniper kill.
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Writing the book helped exorcise all of that, ... Many years later, I'm happy that I didn't have that chance for a sniper kill.
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#book
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