This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Abstract

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things is an experimental memoir about one Marine officer's experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan. It weaves together journal entries, short stories, and private reflections in an interrogation of the personal and emotional costs of war: how one's humanity can get sacrificed overseas and what burdens are carried home from deployment. The memoir progresses in a non-linear fashion, making connections between battlefield relationships, dark humor, and physical discomfort set against a backdrop of unrelenting absurdity. The narrative begins and ends in a way that speaks to the cyclical nature of American warfare in the 21st century.