Not exactly the kind of folk art we were introduced to by the Joneses in the mid-1970s, the work of Michael Cousino in miniature dioramas recreates the ravages and destruction of war as experienced by a Marine "grunt," an infantryman who struggled with his memories of that war for years after his return home.  With the help of counselors and fellow vets, he eventually discovered that he could tell difficult stories - "scenes," he calls them - with plastic, dirt, and paint - and amazing detail.  This monograph - one of a series on contemporary folk art and artists published by the University of Mississippi Press - relates Mikes' personal experiences during the war and since, using his own words to tell the stories behind his own scenes and those shared with him by fellow veterans.

By Varick A. Chittenden, University of Mississippi Press, 1995. 72 pages. 40 full color and 10 b/w photos.

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