Reviewed by Patrice Tappe

What is the meaning of war?

Anthony Guidone searches for answers in his book, The Face of War, A Soldier’s Lament. War has impacted the way Guidone defines it. He uses the art of photography juxtaposed, literally, under his own musings, his own poetry and a few quotes by famous people to pay homage to fellow soldiers. Each turning of the page leads to a different story, and each photo with its own verse will evoke a different reaction from the reader.

Guidone puts his artistic talent to good use. His verses often sit astride the photographs like a child’s open-eyed assessment, poignant and poetic. There are multiple messages, not just those of pain, death, suffering and despair–all of which are negative (and expected) towards war. In this vein one might recall Salvador Dali’s work, similarly titled, “The Face of War,” which depicts only one tone and nothing more. Dali’s decaying skull only sees and speaks death

Guidone, on the other hand, invites the reader to consider war in a less negative fashion and to quietly reflect on war’s aftermath using such images as:

• A white dove floating.
• Little white slabs sticking out of the earth – much like popsicle sticks put there by a child’s hand.
• A face turned upward pleading for the end of sorrow.
• A woman’s red jacket mirrored in the reflected blackness of the Vietnam Memorial Wall as she searches for a name.

On the blank page opposite, simple words mesmerize: “You were more than a name to me.”

Many of the most poignant and revealing moments are Guidone’s photography, visual moments that reveal the shape of a world, a point of view, an argument about life and war. Guidone’s accompanying poetry then remains somewhat at the margins, like an echo through a mountain valley, sonorous and fleeting.

To place an order for The Face of War, A Soldier’s Lament send an email to soldierslament@gmail.com. Include your name, address, and telephone number.

The Face of War, A Soldier’s Lament, written in 2014 by Anthony Guidone. Hard cover, self published, ISBN #978-o-615-98456*8.