From his bodybuilding ambitions in South Africa to writing poetry in his native Afrikaans while deployed to Helmand Province, Neville Johnson has lived enough to fuel his writing for as long as he wants. Still so early in his writing career, he has attracted a lot of attention in veteran poet community for his moving descriptions and honest memories. Our first Five Eyes veteran on the podcast, Neville opened up about everything from his father on the South African police force to when he knew it was time to quit the military...and what it took for him to return to Iraq as a contractor. It's one hell of a life, made richer by the words of a talented - and still developing - writer.
Have a listen here.
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Sweeping Leaves in the Wind, Good Soldiers Don’t Cry, and Alone in a Crowded Room by the Veterans Collective, featuring selections from Neville Johnson.
In Love…&War: The Anthology of Poet Warriors by Dead Reckoning Collective, featuring selections from Neville Johnson.