Summary: The Yellow Birds, by Kevin Powers, takes its title from a marching cadence that he learnt in the army. A rather coarse and violent verse, it sits as an epigraph alongside a quote from Sir Thomas Browne; a combination that serves as an appropriate introduction to the novel itself. The Yellow Birds looks at the recent Iraq War from the inside, following Private John Bartle during his time there and then as he tries to cope afterwards. The harsh dialog and brutal moments of war are set against spare, exquisite descriptions of the land and empathetic examinations of emotion and recovery. It’s a wonderful book, shortlisted for the National Book Award and winner of the Guardian First Book Award. Kevin joined Sky Kirkham to discuss the story, the challenges with recovering from the army, and the power of imagination. Originally broadcast on 28/03/2013. The Yellow Birds is out through Hachette.
