The Post-War Dream

by: Mitch Cullin

Published by: Nan A. Talese/Doubleday

Reviewed by Connie Anderson

The book ends with “…a sudden understanding that all things born are fated to move toward their end.” That describes life and this book.

I have such mixed feelings about The Post-War Dream. I was glad when I finished because much of the story was so painful to read–and at the same time wished it went on forever. Mitch Cullin is a tremendous storyteller and writer who knows how to choose the right word for the right place. For example, he describes sunrises, sunset and weather in such effective detail that the sun didn’t just set, it did it with such flare of words.

The painful emotions came from reading about a 1950’s 18-year-old guy named Hollis who feels unloved at home so runs away and joins the army. Too quickly he is fighting in the Korean War. We live the fighting, loss, inhumanities and friendships right along with Hollis.

We also learn about the then-unnamed post-traumatic stress syndrome and how it affected Hollis all his life as memories and ghosts that haunted him.

The love Hollis and Debra have for each other is so well told you know this couple and really feel their pain. In their long love story, they believe they’ll be together forever, having met when Debra was in high school and Hollis was just out of the army because his severe leg wound.

Throughout the book we are moved forward to the present and then backward to Korea and Hollis’ younger days. Long-married Hollis and Debra now live in an Arizona retirement community. Life is good–until Debra is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. For two years she receives both traditional and experimental treatments. As Debra’s illness progresses, she asks Hollis, “tell me about us”and Hollis does, telling most but omitting some.

My only complaint is Cullin writes often with long (60-75) word sentences, albeit well-written and filled with a lot of description, however, my brain often got lost in them.

The story is an emotional rollercoaster, so grab your heart and a box of tissues and give it a good read. Cullin’s writing will be a gift to you.

Armchair Interviews agrees.