Comments on: Robert Haydon Jonesand Matthew Levine

By: Mark Liberman

Mark Liberman — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:16:43 +0000

Wonderful story with all the honor of an honest liar. Felt it all. Thanks!

By: Larry Reilly

Larry Reilly — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:56:53 +0000

Dual inspirations. The creek is very close to home. The tale honorably honest.

By: malachy McCourt

malachy McCourt — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:51:14 +0000

Nobody tells lies except conservatives. This story has the elements of my definition of a lie to wit ” A lie is a dream that might come true”.Jones has the abandon of the true story teller he flings the words about like demented confetti and some how they connect and float to earth in good order and proper intervals .In this story he makes us feel the agony of war and the utter loneliness of death in far foreign fields and the bravado of those of us who would defecate in our trousers at the sound of gunfire.Lies ! The man who never told a lie has nothing to say.

By: sean beaudoin

sean beaudoin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:52:39 +0000

I really like the watercolor. Wish it was hanging in my office. Also, this line: “Well, of course, I revel in such praise even if I don’t believe it ‐‐ and you can’t beat the steak sandwich at The Harvard Club.” A great way to take the air out of yourself, we should all have it on our walls as well.

By: Charles L. DeFanti

Charles L. DeFanti — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:56:33 +0000

Someone once told me, “Never tell the truth. It’s bad taste.” Or, as the Italians say, “Se non è vero, e ben trovato.” Even if it’s not true, it’s a great story.
T. E. Lawrence was a compendious liar, yet he wrote some of the most gripping war accounts in history. Jones does the same, but with honesty. Such self-revelation takes as much courage as does combat.

By: Ed Lambertson

Ed Lambertson — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:38:29 +0000

There’s nothing like a good war story, even a “yearned for” one. It stirs up my memories of the 40’s and the feelings of that era.
Nicely done!

Mathew, Your painting is “magical”.

By: clarissa mcfairy

clarissa mcfairy — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:30:11 +0000

The watercolour “Gray’s Creek” by Matthew Levine, is simply beautiful. And inspirational. Love the colours, the shapes, the light, the shadows. The more one beholds it, the more one sees. Some paintings really lift one into another realm. This one did it for me!

By: Dave Monroe

Dave Monroe — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:31:29 +0000

Moving story about a side of war that’s rarely written about. Admiration, longing heart, fear one can’t measure up to one’s hero’s, stretching the thing so you become who you’ve dreamed of becoming, feeling better because of the lie, then the pang of shame following the untruth. Somehow I never stopped pulling for the guy — his heart was in it, even though he never got to be in for real.