America’s Most Righteous War Produced Its Best Anti-War Novel

美国最正义的战争孕育出了其最佳反战小说

Old School with Shilo Brooks

2026-01-15

55 分钟
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单集简介 ...

In Venezuela, a U.S. operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro has sent shock waves through the hemisphere. In Iran, a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests has Washington threatening the possibility of direct military action. Meanwhile, war rages on from Ukraine to Sudan. All this instability and conflict makes now a good time to revisit the most acclaimed anti-war novel in American history: Catch-22. In this episode, Elliot Ackerman—a Marine Corps veteran and former CIA special operations officer—sits down with Shilo Brooks to unpack Joseph Heller’s classic satire, why it speaks so sharply to this moment, and how Americans have been shielded for the past few decades from the true costs of war.  Old School is proudly brought to you by the Jack Miller Center. If you believe in the importance of civic education and want to help prepare the next generation to carry on our democracy, join us at JackMillerCenter.org. Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press today to enjoy exclusive bonus episodes and reduced ads. Click here to subscribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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单集文稿 ...

  • I'm Shiloh Brooks.

  • I'm a professor and CEO, and I believe reading good books makes us better men.

  • Today, I'm sitting down with Elliot Ackerman.

  • Elliot is a best-selling author, a contributor to the Free Press,

  • and a veteran of the Marine Corps and CIA Special Operations.

  • Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, published in 1961, changed Elliot's life.

  • Today, I'm asking him why.

  • This is old school.

  • Elliott Ackerman, welcome to old school.

  • Yeah, thanks for having me on, Charlotte.

  • It's a pleasure to have you.

  • I've been looking forward to this.

  • I want to talk to you about Catch-22 today.

  • This is a novel you selected, said that it changed your life.

  • When did you first read Catch-22 and how old were you and where did you find that book?

  • I really first read it and it kind of hit me when I was 26 years old.

  • I was a Marine First Lieutenant.

  • I was aboard the USS Iwo Jima.

  • Israel had invaded Lebanon.

  • I had just come back from Iraq and we're sitting here in the Mediterranean Sea,