George Cullinen
Published: 2004
Total Pages: 181
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Wild Grapes and Rattlesnakes chronicles the extraordinary life and times of George Cullinen, Spanish Civil War veteran, union organizer and anti-war activist. Unlike other Spanish Civil War veterans such as George Orwell and Arthur Koestler, Cullinen's devotion to the cause of the Spanish Republic never wavered, even when the trauma of shell shock finally drove him from the battlefield. In this evocative memoir, Cullinen recounts the events in his life before, during and after the war, offering wry insights into the forces that shaped the history of the last century, with Spain as a cruel microcosm for the global struggle against Fascism that was yet to come. Cullinen recalls his youthful follies growing up in the Pacific Northwest as a rough and tumble prelude to his political radicalization in the years following World War I. While still in his teens, he became a merchant seaman and at one point, hoping to create a new life for himself, he jumped ship in Japan, only to be apprehended and deported. Other early adventures include his riding the rails during the Depression, working for the Civilian Conservation Corps, and fighting for the rights of fellow seaman on the waterfront. In later years, as an educator and filmmaker, he devoted his life to the cause of world peace. While fierce in his beliefs and driven by an inflamed social conscience, Cullinen tells his tale with compassion, humility, and self-effacing humor.