Through the Read Smart program, David Gilmartin, professor of history, offered his analysis of The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers, alongside other opinions from those participating in a discussion at the Cameron Village Regional Library Jan. 24.

The novel tells the tale of 21 year old Pvt. John Bartle and 18 year old Pvt. Daniel Murphy, their journey in Al Tafar, a northern city in Iraq and the power behind a promise. The novel calls attention to the intricacies of war and the different effects it has on the soul and mind of the soldiers fighting. Powers introduces the frailty of man, the brutality of war and the strength of friendship to the reader in a way that cannot be overlooked.

Powers, before publishing his debut novel, spent his own time fighting overseas after enlisting at the young age of 17. In his novel, Powers develops a bond between the soldiers through friendship and peril.

The discussion was sponsored by Friends of the Library of North Carolina State University and moderated by N.C. State faculty.

Marian Fragola, director of program planning and outreach for NCSU libraries, started the discussion by introducing Gilmartin and telling participants about the upcoming dates for discussion. Proceeding the introduction, Gilmartin took the podium and began to educate on the history behind the novel.

“In terms of American history, particularly military history, it is not an area that is really an academic interest of mine. In a way, it was all the more interesting to read the book and talk about it because it was an opportunity that I normally would not have been engaged in,” Gilmartin said.

Gilmartin, after being contacted by Fragola, decided he wanted to participate in to Read Smart program for a chance to gain a different perspective from the readers of the group and teach them about the historical backgrounds of the setting. After reading the novel, Gilmartin admitted the lack of history irritated him at first but when he understood the meaning behind the exclusion, he began to really admire the qualities of the novel.

“The novel is a little bit oblivious to history,” Gilmartin said, “I think a very deliberate strategy…and a powerful one.”

As a historian, Gilmartin believes Powers excluded history to highlight the greater message in the novel, the message of friendship and the different psychological conflicts that come about from the war. Gilmartin states that the beauty of this story is the deliberate undermining of the history.

“History lurks behind the novel, like another character in the novel,” Gilmartin said.

Gilmartin said he “read parts more than once,” as the symbolism and literary features of the book revealed things to him he hadn’t seen the first time around.

“This book treats the war as something profoundly felt but not particularly intellectually analyzed. I don’t think this book would help anyone understand why war occurred but you would understand war on a extremely visceral level,” Gilmartin said.

The Read Smart program, free and open to the students of N.C. State, provides a platform for educated N.C. State professors to given an array of academic opinions and education to fuel literary conversation and enlighten those participating in the reading group.

“I would recommend any student to pick up this novel and read it … and to also participate in the Read Smart program,” Gilmartin said. “Though many students don’t have time to read recreationally, it is a great experience.”