thedrifter
08-21-07, 08:04 PM
Ponderosa grad's diary about Iraq becomes book
posted by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer
written by: Chris Vanderveen , Reporter created: 8/21/2007 4:36:59 PM
Last updated: 8/21/2007 5:45:04 PM
PARKER - Seth Conner remembers feeling a tremendous amount of respect for his grandparents' generation when he was a child. Years from now, he says he hopes his own grandchildren feel the same way about his generation.
He hopes his once very personal words will help.
"It was about six months ago when I finally decided I was comfortable enough having other people read (my journal entries)," said Conner, who spent the better part of 2004 fighting inside Iraq.
"I figured no one else would understand; so I kept it in," he said. "It was just easier that way."
This month, with the help of a one-time classmate of his at Ponderosa High School, he saw his personal work published in a book entitled, "Boredom by Day, Death by Night."
"It pretty much sums up war. There's going to be a lot of boredom interrupted by moments of excitement and terror," he said.
Conner joined the Marines shortly after 9/11.
"After that I was ready to go in," he said.
In 2004, he and many of his fellow Marines spent much of their time fighting in and around the Iraqi town of Fallujah.
Conner's father suggested he write a book about his experiences when he got back to the U.S.
Wesley English, another 2001 graduate from Ponderosa, thought the best way to do that would be to keep the words raw.
"I thought, 'Why don't we just publish the journal itself and share the story as it was written in the moment instead of afterwards?'" said English.
English helped finance the publishing and this month the first copies showed up.
Conner says some of the entries are disturbing. Friends of his were killed. But he says it is the best way to give others a good idea of what he, and thousands of other Marines, went through inside Iraq.
A college professor has already told Conner and English he plans on using the book in teaching the history of warfare.
Fifty years from now Conner says hopes students will continue to read about the battles inside Iraq.
"I would like them to look at me and see a warrior, like the people we looked up to when we were young," he said.
Ellie
posted by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer
written by: Chris Vanderveen , Reporter created: 8/21/2007 4:36:59 PM
Last updated: 8/21/2007 5:45:04 PM
PARKER - Seth Conner remembers feeling a tremendous amount of respect for his grandparents' generation when he was a child. Years from now, he says he hopes his own grandchildren feel the same way about his generation.
He hopes his once very personal words will help.
"It was about six months ago when I finally decided I was comfortable enough having other people read (my journal entries)," said Conner, who spent the better part of 2004 fighting inside Iraq.
"I figured no one else would understand; so I kept it in," he said. "It was just easier that way."
This month, with the help of a one-time classmate of his at Ponderosa High School, he saw his personal work published in a book entitled, "Boredom by Day, Death by Night."
"It pretty much sums up war. There's going to be a lot of boredom interrupted by moments of excitement and terror," he said.
Conner joined the Marines shortly after 9/11.
"After that I was ready to go in," he said.
In 2004, he and many of his fellow Marines spent much of their time fighting in and around the Iraqi town of Fallujah.
Conner's father suggested he write a book about his experiences when he got back to the U.S.
Wesley English, another 2001 graduate from Ponderosa, thought the best way to do that would be to keep the words raw.
"I thought, 'Why don't we just publish the journal itself and share the story as it was written in the moment instead of afterwards?'" said English.
English helped finance the publishing and this month the first copies showed up.
Conner says some of the entries are disturbing. Friends of his were killed. But he says it is the best way to give others a good idea of what he, and thousands of other Marines, went through inside Iraq.
A college professor has already told Conner and English he plans on using the book in teaching the history of warfare.
Fifty years from now Conner says hopes students will continue to read about the battles inside Iraq.
"I would like them to look at me and see a warrior, like the people we looked up to when we were young," he said.
Ellie