▁he ▁received ▁the ▁honor ary ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Let ters ▁from ▁Le high ▁University ▁in ▁Beth le hem , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁Liter ary ▁career ▁Car roll ' s ▁plays ▁have ▁been ▁produced ▁at ▁the ▁Ber k shire ▁Theater ▁Festival ▁and ▁at ▁Boston ' s ▁Next ▁Move ▁Theater . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁he ▁published ▁his ▁first ▁novel , ▁Madonna ▁Red , ▁which ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁nine ▁others . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁written ▁for ▁numerous ▁publications , ▁including ▁The ▁New ▁York er , ▁and ▁his ▁op - ed ▁column ▁appears ▁week ly ▁in ▁The ▁Boston ▁Glo be . ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁National ▁Book ▁Award ▁for ▁Non f iction ▁for ▁An ▁American ▁Re qu iem : ▁God , ▁My ▁Father , ▁and ▁the ▁War ▁That ▁C ame ▁Between ▁Us , ▁a ▁mem oir ▁about ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War ▁and ▁his ▁relationships ▁with ▁his ▁father , ▁the ▁American ▁military , ▁and ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church . ▁ ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times , ▁Car roll ▁explained ▁why ▁he ▁wrote ▁it : ▁" I ▁thought ▁I ▁would ▁feel ▁better . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁telling ▁the ▁story ▁as ▁I ▁experienced ▁it ▁was ▁for ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁re de emed , ▁made ▁meaning ful . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end , ▁I ▁found ▁myself ▁deeply ▁in ▁touch ▁with ▁the ▁trag ic ▁aspect ▁of ▁the ▁life ▁we ▁live . ▁ ▁It ' s ▁a ▁high fal ut in ▁word , ▁but ▁there ' s ▁something ▁trag ic ▁to ▁the ▁story