Picture an American storyteller who turned the chaos of war into haunting, surreal tales—meet Will Mackin! A U.S. Navy veteran with over two decades of service, Mackin crafts military fiction that captures the raw, absurd, and deeply human moments of conflict. His debut, Bring Out the Dog, has earned him a spot among the most compelling voices in contemporary war literature, blending gritty realism with poetic insight.
From night raids in Iraq to quiet moments on forward operating bases in Afghanistan, Mackin’s stories offer a window into the lives of Navy SEALs and the psychological terrain they navigate. With a style that’s both unflinching and lyrical, he’s redefining how we read about modern warfare. Let’s dive into his journey, works, and why his voice resonates so powerfully.
The Making of Will Mackin
Born in Ocean City, New Jersey, Will Mackin’s path to writing was anything but conventional. Inspired by an early love for literature—sparked by S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders and The Who’s 'Baba O’Riley' in sixth grade—he always felt a pull toward storytelling. After studying physics at community college, he joined the Navy in the 1980s, driven by a Top Gun-fueled dream of adventure. Over 23 years, Mackin served as a weapons system officer, speechwriter, and joint terminal attack controller with SEAL teams in Iraq and Afghanistan, experiences that would later fuel his fiction.
While in the Navy, Mackin kept journals, jotting notes on his forearm in grease pencil or MRE kit flaps during missions. These fragments became the seeds of his stories. After retiring in 2011 and teaching ROTC at the University of New Mexico, he honed his craft under the mentorship of George Saunders, embracing fiction to capture the 'weirdness' of war.
Will Mackin’s Unforgettable Stories
Mackin’s debut, Bring Out the Dog (2018), is a collection of 11 short stories drawn from his deployments. Published by Random House, it won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection. The stories, like 'Kattekoppen' and 'Crossing the River No Name,' blend visceral action—night raids, desert patrols—with dreamlike reflections on loss, camaraderie, and moral ambiguity. Critics, including Phil Klay, praise its 'surreal psychological terrain,' comparing Mackin to Tim O’Brien for its emotional depth.
His prose is both precise and poetic, often focusing on sensory details: the green glow of night vision goggles, the hum of drones, or the bark of wild dogs. Stories shift between Iraq, Afghanistan, and U.S. training grounds, exploring not just combat but the bonds between soldiers and fleeting connections with civilians. Mackin’s upcoming project, Animals, delves into encounters with creatures—dogs, goats, bulls—met during missions, promising more of his signature blend of absurdity and humanity.
Published in outlets like The New Yorker, GQ, and The New York Times Magazine, Mackin’s work stands out for its authenticity and lack of bravado. He avoids glorifying war, instead highlighting its paradoxes: the thrill of a mission, the grief of losing a bomb-sniffing dog, or the déjà vu of a foreign battlefield.
Why Will Mackin Matters
Will Mackin’s impact lies in his ability to humanize the elite world of special operations without sensationalism. His stories bridge the gap between soldiers and civilians, offering empathetic portraits of those caught in war’s orbit. By focusing on the mundane and the profound—boredom on a base, a woman’s grief in Afghanistan—he challenges stereotypes of military fiction as mere action tales. His work joins a wave of post-9/11 literature by veterans like Phil Klay and Elliot Ackerman, reshaping how we understand America’s longest wars.
At a time when war literature risks becoming cliché, Mackin’s originality and compassion ensure his stories endure. His influence is growing, with Bring Out the Dog celebrated as a modern classic, earning accolades from literary giants like George Saunders. Mackin’s voice is a vital addition to the canon, reminding us of war’s lasting echoes.
- Birthplace: Ocean City, New Jersey
- Key Work: Bring Out the Dog (2018)
- Awards: PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection
- Notable Publications: The New Yorker, GQ, The New York Times Magazine
Snag Bring Out the Dog and dive into Will Mackin’s haunting, heartfelt world of military fiction! Whether you’re a fan of war stories or just love a good tale, his vivid prose will stick with you long after the last page.