5 comments about A Rumor of War.

1. Caputo's book doesn't need another review. I will offer mine anyway, if nothing else to contrast it with Wolff's "In Pharoah's Army," an inferior book. First, I wish I could have written "A Rumor of War." I wasn't ready to write about the war soon after I returned from Vietnam, in 1967. Not even after a couple years of college in 1971, when I camped on the mall with 1,200 other Vietnam Vets Against the War (including John Kerry). Caputo had the advantage of education on me. Not just that, I needed a lot more time to experience other things and gain a broader perspective. But he made it all perfectly clear when he had a dialogue in the officer's mess with the chaplain and the doctor, "The chaplain's morally superior attitude had rankled me, but his sermon had managed to plant doubt in my mind, doubt about the war. Much of what he had said made sense: our tactical operations did seem futile and directed toward no apparent end. . . . Twelve wrecked homes. The chaplain's words echoed. That's twelve wrecked homes. The doctor and I think in terms of human suffering, not statistics." AND THIS WAS IN 1965, before things really got going in Vietnam. If you want to know what the BS about body counts was--that ended up in a lawsuit by General Westmoreland against Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes, if you want to know what Vietnam was like because you are too young to have learned about it during that time in America and the world's history, read this book. If you want to know how it relates to more recent events, try my own memoir, Waiting for Westmoreland, that finally came out so many years later.



2. I was very impressed with the order of A Rumor of War. The book shipped quickly and arrived between the 7-14 day window. The service was professional. The book details matched the quality of the book. I am very pleased with the service provided.



3. I found this book to be so raw, and so terrifying that it was difficult for me to put it down. Philip Caputo puts the life of an everyday solider during the Vietnam War into a light that I believe does justice to every veteran of the war. He very articulately describes the horrors, and utter impossibilities of fighting a guerilla war in unfamiliar territory, and does so with a writing style that will make you feel as though you are crouched in a foxhole right next to him in the dense jungles of Vietnam. This book is an absolute must read for anyone interested in the Vietnam War, or for anyone who is sick of the constant "glamorization" of war by Hollywood.



4. Good Transaction.. Received the book quickly and in great condition. Brand new and wrapped nicely.



5. I think this book comes closest to achieving in literature what Platoon did for the movies, putting you in the war in Vietnam. Im not suggesting after reading this you will have a full grasp of the daily life in the Marine Corps outside Danang in 1965 but, hopefully, its as close as many of us will get. It is a horrible account of the disintegration of the human spirit and the humane sensibility that we all have. It takes us to very dark places and provides no easy answers, only tough questions evoked through powerful and beautiful writing. I have to stress the writing because it is exceptional.
   As the author states, it is a memoir of his experiences and not meant to be read as an overview of the war itself, but in many ways it is better than that, for instead of mere numbers, we are given the true nature of the war, one we were slowly pulled into and one we seemed to be unable to get out of. For me, I barely remember the Vietnam War and we barely discussed it in History class, but I think a book such as this would be an important addition to our history classes, especially in high school. Its not a long book. It is very intense and can be quite graphic at times but I was impressed that the author didnt dwell so much on the blood and guts but on the men themselves, who they were at the start and who they became later on. That is the fascinating and disturbing part of the book for me. It is philosophical without forcing it, dramatic in the best sense and one I know I will want to read again. Highly recommended!

3 comments about The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir.

1. I had the privilege of reading a pre-publication manuscript of this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Kao Kalia Yang tells the story of her family--which in Hmong culture extends far beyond one's nuclear family. From the jungles of Laos, where her family lived before she was born, across the dangerous Mekong River, into Thailand's Ban Vinai refugee camp, and ultimately here to the United States, Yang tells us of the alliance her Hmong people made with the United States, the dangers they experienced as a result of the US's withdrawal from Southeast Asia, their harrowing flight from the only country they had ever known, and the indignities suffered and hopes and dreams shared while living an uncertain life in a refugee camp. At the center of this unforgettable tale is Yang's grandmother, who struggles to keep her family together in the camp, but must ultimately surrender to the inevitability of their parting. Through Yang and her family we are connected to the challenges, pains, joys, and triumphs of the immigrant experience and the love and dedication of a family unlike any we have met before, yet as familiar and comfortable as any we are likely to know. We are drawn into the seductive prose of Yang's words, the poignancy of her family's and her own circumstances, and the hope that their suffering, including that of her grandmother, who ultimately comes to America, will somehow be redeemed in this new country that in many ways necessitated their flight from Laos. This irresistable and moving debut--and its author--deserve a wide and appreciative audience.



2. I would like to thank the author for writing such a lyrically beautiful book about our human experiences. This is a necessary reading for those of us who care about each other--through this book, we learn about cultural beliefs of the Hmong, their political experience, and spiritual beings. This book will find its place next to the great literature of this country and will be read for generations to come. It is truly a gift.



3. What a beautiful book. Although the emotional experience may be felt among many Hmongs who endured the Secret War and migration era, each detail and descriptor of the author's experience is raw, fresh, and beautiful. One of a kind and completely respectful and true to the Hmong. I would recommend this book for everybody and especially those who had forgotten or suppressed the Hmong in them. Great preservation of Hmong culture and experience post Secret War for future generations.

5 comments about The Wall (Reading Rainbow Book).

1. The Wall
   by Eve Bunting
   Illustrated by Ronald Himler
   
   You should read this book because it's great and it's about someone you will remember and someone you love! The main Characters are the Dad, son, and an old man from war, and grandpa. Dad and his son are trying to find grandpa's name on the wall. The wall is in Washington D.C. They can't find their grandpa's name even though they keep looking up and down.
   Dad and his son find grandpa's name! what do you think his name is? The book tells you a note and tells you where the wall is and it is in Washington D.C. it also tells you why the wall was made.
   By reading this book you can learn to Keep doing your best, keep looking for what you want, and don't give up. Keep looking for what you love too! What do you love to find that you love so much? What I love to find is my family and my things I love. So if you love to find your family then read this book!!!!!!!!!!
   
   
   By Tanashia C



2. Loosing a relative can be tough, especially if your close to them, or too young to ever experience or meet them. All you can do is wonder. The book The Wall by: Eve Bunting, is aobut a dad and his son that go and visit the Vietnam War Memorial in memory of the dad's father, or the son's grandfather that died in the Vietnam War. Eve Bunting describes what happens there from a child's point of view. It is very realistic, and makes you feel like you are really there.
   This book not only teaches little kid's lessons, but is good for even adults. IT really took me back and made me think. It made me think of how valuable our lives really are, and when we die, who is really affected by it. Also, it taught me that loosing someone you love doesn't always have to be sad, especially if they have died fighting for what they believe in. So, if somebody you know died, think of the positive side. Reading this book may take you back, and let you think of why they were so special.



3. The Wall by Eve Bunting is an incredible story of remembering. It all starts when a little boy and his father visit the Vietnam War Memorial. The father, who wishes to find the name and remember the good times with him, takes a piece of paper and and pencil and traces the name off of the wall. The little boy, who just wishes his grandfather was there with him, sadly watches another little boy and his grandpa on a walk. This book about rememberance will make you sad until the very end. Eve Bunting does a great job setting the mood at the Vietnam War Memorial. I give this book a thumbs up and believe it's the best children's book ever. Read The Wall by Eve Bunting to find out what happens in the end.



4. Being a "baby boomer" from the Vietnam era, I think this book will help explain to my grandchildren about Grandpa and his war time. It is beautifully illustrated and tender. I wish I'd had this book when I went to see the Wall with an 8th-grade girl who made an etching of her Grandpa's name. It may not mean as much to anyone who hasn't been touched directly by the Vietnam war, but it touched my heart.



5. I read this book to my students. But before I had read it myself, I shared it with my students. It was very emotional for me. (I have a cousin listed on the wall. His son was born about 4 months after he died. I could see my uncle walking his grandson there.) The book was a beautiful, moving tribute to all those who have given their lives in Vietnam.

5 comments about We Were Soldiers Once...and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam.

1. Battles achieve legendary status - however as modern times proceed, we don't hold the same reverence that we do to those battles from the time of Napolean to Gettysburg to Normady. This battle is on the same grounds and deserves the same reverence of how war was fought. Every military history buff and military strategist must read this account.



2. This is an account of the first large scale encounter between the North Vietnamese Army and the Americans. Prior to this battle the Viet Cong had fought against the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.(ARVN) The success of the Viet Cong had led the North Vietnamese to think that they could win the war by conventional means in 1965. They started to send large detachment of troops down the Ho Chi Min trail. The command problems the North Vietnamese faced was that it took literaly months for their troops to travel the length of the trail. The original plan which led to this battle was for the North Vietnamese to blockade a large town and then to ambush the ARVN relief column.
   
   The problem was that whilst the units were moving down the trail America committed large numbers of units to the war. This battle was not only an experiment for the North Vietnamese it also was for the Americans. Previously the French had problems in fighting the Vietnamese. Although they had modern forces their units were slow and the Vietnamese could make decisions about when to give battle. The Americans developed the notion of "Air Cavalary". Helicopter born infantry which could be quickly dropped in areas in which enemy troops were concentrated. This battle was the first combat experiance of Air Cavalary.
   
   Broadly what happened was that the North Vietnamese units failed in their attempt to trap an ARVN column. The Americans dropped an air cavalary unit in an area which had concentrations of the units which had been involved in this attack. The North Vietnamese had a superiority in numbers of troops but no artillery or air support. They decided to attack anyway. There were two distinct battles. One was an attempt to destroy a unit of 400 Air Cavalary troops which initially landed. This was not succesfull as the Americans were able to use artillery and air support to destroy the attacking North Vietnamese. The second was a ambush of American relief forces had been landed and decided to retreat after the completion of the first battle.
   
   The result overall of the engagement was inconclusive although it led to both sides thinking that they could win. The Americans inflicted a kill ration of something like 12 to 1. As a result the American commander thought that he could win a battle of attrition. It was from this battle that the search and destroy missions and body counts came from. The North Vietnamese although came out of the battle thinking that they could win. Despite the lack of artillery support and air support they had badly cut up one American column and they had inflicted casualties on the other.
   
   The book is pretty much an oral history of both battles. Like any oral history it gives a fragmented picture of what went on as it moves from one eye witness account to another. Not surprisingly as the book is written by an American the account has the veneer of heroism over it. Although in any battle there are different types of heroism. Whilst the American troops were clearly brave and the dependence on supply by helicopter meant that the troops on the ground were not supplied with water(preferance was given to ammunition)the North Vietnamese had to fight with light weapons against a vastly better armed enemy.



3. This book, while very popular and included on the US Army Chief of Staff's "Professional Reading List, is a mixed bag. There's lots of action, shooting, firefights, etc., and Col. Moore did get some of the NVA perspective as well. The maps are pretty good, and are useful to consult while reading this. After reading this book, I came away with a feeling of awe and near disbelief about what these very young soldiers had to go through, what they endured, and how many were killed. The problem, however, is that after awhile, the book reads like one non-stop chronicle of firefights and NVA assaults. There is not enough structural framework to the narrative once the battle starts. If the fighting was confusing to the GI's in the jungle where the battle was fought, how much more so to the reader 40 years later, not having seen the ground. The book suffers from what many do, especially by 1st time authors--it keeps EVERYTHING in, and leaves nothing out. The book could have used some editing of the repletion, and needs to have a much better organization of events. I kept asking myself, "why are the soldiers there?" "Why did they send in such a small force, and not reinforce in greater #'s?" Moore never really provides this.



4. Having studied the Vietnam war for many years, I found this to be the most accurate account of two actions, one that turned out as well as any such conflict, and the other a horrible disaster. When comparing it to General Moore's After Action Report, one finds all the details, complete with maps, comments, and recommendations that were largely ignored.
   
   This is not a pretty story; there is nothing beautiful about battle. What is compelling and extremely powerful are the author's straight forward, un-filtered account of the true face of battle. This is not a self-serving, ego driven account. It, in many ways, is reminiscent of Caesar's Commentaries in the description of the way events unfolded at LZ X-Ray and Albany. This is a must read and study for anyone trying to understand the American involvement in Vietnam.
   
   Jim Payne
   Las Cruces, NM



5. This is one of the finest most vivid true story accounts of the war in Vietnam these young men were the true heroes of there generation. if you saw the movie read the Book. a fascinating account of courage and heartbreak during fierce battle against NVA And VietCong forces in the Ia drang Valley.

4 comments about Soldiers of Reason: The RAND Corporation and the Rise of the American Empire.

1. Having just finished this book (strange that it is shipping already even though its publication date isn't for another week or two), I am stunned that this thing got past a legitimate publishing company to the market. Working in a industry tangentially related to the military-industrial complex, I had a particular interest in the Rand Corp. and its influence in American government. This book not only reveals nothing new about the original "think tank," but Abella's stunningly nonsequitor lines of reasoning, half-truths, and personal political beliefs make this book a complete waste of time by inserting narratives and motives into American history that simply did/do not exist. I can, however, see how these narratives make for a better story (very important for a novelist like Abella) even if they are, by any standard of measure, fallacious. For someone who supposedly had access to the rand archives, I was shocked by the fact that I learning NOTHING new. There is not a single thing, including the uninteresting and irrelevant pictures included, that you cannot find on Wikipedia, through Google, or the Rand Corp. website itself. The only thing new is the analysis which makes all of no sense, connecting people and events regardless of their relevance (or lack thereof) that when barely probed fall apart. Could not be more disappointed with this trashy novelist's rendition of a nonfiction book.



2. Do you remember Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove? Way too crazy to be real, right? Well, in fact, no: the famous Peter Sellers character was based on a real person, and that person, a mad genius by the name of Herman Kahn, is one of the key characters in this fascinating book by Alex Abella. Kahn and a bunch of like-minded people (extremely smart, but somehow missing any kind of ethical dimension to their thinking) formed the core of the RAND Corporation during the Cold War, and the ideas they came up with arguably have shaped the world we live in today more than anybody else's. Failsafe, mutually assured destruction, anybody? This is larger-than-life stuff, so it's not surprising that Abella's history of RAND - from its inception at the end of World War II to its providing of the ideological underpinnings for the invasion of Iraq - is not just informative, but also entertaining and scary in equal measure. Abella convincingly demonstrates that there are two big problems with RAND and, by extension, with America's military and foreign policy: first, even though the think tank wielded huge influence in every administration since 1945, it has never been accountable to an electorate. Second, and more crucially still, RANDites for too long believed that human behavior was basically predictable: faced with a choice, every human would be rational about that choice and pick what was in his/her best interest. Too bad that, outside the ivory tower, things haven't been quite as straightforward...



3. First of all, the book is about a lot more than foreign policy, but that's what I find most interesting about RAND and what I think really shines in this compelling history. Yeah, yeah, there's social science that RAND did, too, and that's good to know, but where the writing really comes alive is with the great larger than life characters who were at the center of the Cold War -- people like Albert Wohlstetter, Herman Kahn, Bernard Brodie, Paul Wolfowitz, Daniel Ellsberg, Donald Rumsfeld, and on and on. A lot of the material has been glancingly covered elsewhere, but never has one book presented the whole story. And with the whole story in one place, it becomes shockingly clear what enormous influence RAND's "soldiers of reason" had in every administration for over 60 years.
   
   It's a relief that for most of the book Abella just presents history -- story after story of all the players and their deeds (and more important, their incredibly influential ideas). It's also a relief that at the end Abella sums up the achievements and failings of RAND's systems analysis and approach to problems by stating: "the problem with rational choice theory is that it is not rational. It fails to comprehend the world as it is..." Exactly. One need look no further than Viet Nam (or Iraq!) for proof.
   
   A very good secret history of American foreign policy during and after the Cold War.



4. Great introduction to Rand history - the author doesn't get bogged down in high theories or boring political history. This book is easy to read and though he saves his punch for the end (basically that Rand's love affair with "rational choice theory" pretty much defined the second half of the 20th century, including cold war policy and doomsday plans, Reaganomics, so yes, the theory is really important, but "rational choice" totally fails to be politically sensible or human, pretty much), it is just plain fascinating to see how many fingers in how many pies the Rand (Research And No Development - hilarious!) octopus has had, and how many contemporary figures in Iraq, including Richard Perle, Donald Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld and Condi Rice, have had ties to Rand.

5 comments about The Nightingale's Song.

1. An old salty Squid once said (purportedly):
   'I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast...
   I INTEND TO GO IN HARM'S WAY.'
   That's all you really need to know about Annapolis, Maryland, 21412.
   Timberg was in Annapolis and Vietnam (briefly...
   until certain unpleasantness presented itself.)
   Timberg understands that someone who tells the truth to the many cowards or thieves (who from time to time camp out) in Washington, DC causes problems in the business environment.
   True enough, the 'people' have sent the politicians to Washington, but the 'people' don't know the half of what they have done, sometimes. The coiffed, the perfumed, the ambitious and the pretty, delicate 'men' who surround themselves with other 'yes-men' and harems will always be with us. In the end, better men will bide their time. The Annapolis men simply know what it is like to put all their chips in & let the hand play out.
   Get this book. Mr. Timberg is a great reporter and a terrific writer.



2. Heros of Vietnam... a sad time in U.S. history. An informative read on some of our politicians of today and the past. Insightful.



3. This was an amazing book when it was written a few years ago, and is now more timely than ever. It follows the careers of five Naval Academy graduates, all of whom gained some measure of fame--Oliver North, Jim Webb (now US Senator from VA) John Poindexter and "Sparky" McFarlane, both of whom served Ronald Reagan, and JOHN MCCAIN, who certainly was a wild man, by any standard, in his younger years. Beautifully written by another Naval Academy graduate who was severely wounded in Vietnam.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book's insights into these prominent graduates of the U. S. Naval Academy. I gained in-depth information about the subjects which I never saw covered in any other publication.



5. This book was important when it was published and remains so today. It describes in detail key members of the Reagan administration and other prominent political figures. Some remain active today, e. g. John McCain, James Webb, Oliver North. Most interesting figure, in my opinion, was Admiral Poindexter. He was a brilliant man with a Ph. D. but commanded at sea and was apparently respected and liked by the sailors. In my opinion, it may be unusual for a CalTech PH. D. to be a down-to-earth commander of troops.
   
   Lots of detail; well-researched; very interesting book.

5 comments about Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam.

1. For this reader, Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife's value centers on two main premises: 1) those who fail to learn the lessons of history are condemned to repeat them; and, 2) a large, monolithic organization such as the U.S. Army will struggle to adapt unless it adopts a learning culture. Both relate to the U.S. Army's experience in Viet Nam. It is clear that the U.S. Army has only recently begun to learn from its earlier failures fighting a stubborn insurgency in 2004-06 and to implement strategy and tactics appropriate to the situation.
   
   Eminently readable for an Oxford PhD thesis, what sets Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife apart from many other books attempting to explain the failures in Viet Nam is the degree to which the author supports his arguments. He combines exceedingly thorough research befitting a PhD thesis with fully developed and clearly articulated arguments. By examining the British Army of the Malay Campaign and the U.S. Army fighting in Viet Nam in terms of their organizational cultures - that is, the degree to which they promoted learning, flexibility, and adaptability - the author does a superb job of explaining why the British were successful in defeating the communist insurgency on the Malay Peninsula and why the Americans failed in South Viet Nam.
   
   Of course, Nagl has his detractors. There are those who would suggest that the conflict in Malaya in the 1950s differed markedly from the conflict in Viet Nam in the 1960s and early 1970s. For instance, the Viet Cong were able to leverage a well-funded, well-organized, and well-trained North Vietnamese army against the U.S. Army in South Viet Nam. By contrast, the British really only had to confront a communist insurgency in Malaya. However, those readers who point to the dissimilarities in the two conflicts are really missing Nagl's point.
   
   The author's contention that the British Army eventually succeeded in defeating a thinking, adaptive enemy is instructive. In Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife, we are told that for any institution to be successful when faced with new and decidedly different operational challenges, it must be capable of learning and adapting. This includes everything from changing strategy and tactics to completely reorganizing. In fact, it may even need to develop a whole new set of core competencies. In the context of armed warfare, this may mean viewing victory through a different lens. As members of the Bush Administration have readily pointed out, the war in Iraq will not end with a formal surrender aboard a U.S. battleship. More to the point perhaps, Nagl's work compels us to think differently about how we define success in a counterinsurgency.
   
   For the U.S. Army currently operating in Iraq, adapting really means moving away from war fighting strategy and tactics appropriate to a linear battlefield and more toward an approach that better recognizes the nature of the threat. The current threat in Iraq is more socio-political than military. In fact, it is now an article of faith that for our counterinsurgency efforts to be successful, U.S. war fighters must win the hearts and minds of the local populace. If the local Iraqi citizens believe they are more secure and hence can live productive lives, they will be more willing to cooperate with the "occupying" Army. That cooperation will take the form of alerting nearby ground troops to the presence of Al Qaeda fighters and Sunni insurgents.
   
   For any large military organization, adapting to an entirely different threat characterized by a highly complex and dynamic situation involving ethnosectarian conflict, religious persecution, and violent criminal activity such as we see in Iraq today requires tremendous innovation and agility. As Nagl points out, the British were able to eventually embrace change and pursue an effective counterinsurgency strategy while facing a similar set of conditions. He argues persuasively that British and Malay counterinsurgency forces eventually were structured to respond quickly to the communist insurgent threat precisely because they were quite flexible. In large part, the Brits' success can be traced to their approach to counterinsurgency warfare in that era - centralized command with decentralized control. This approach recognizes that the fight is really very different in each province and therefore strategy and tactics will need to be different to attain success.
   
   As Nagl points out, to enjoy the kind of success the Brits had in Malaya, the U.S. Army "will have to make the ability to learn to deal with messy, uncomfortable situations an integral part" of its organizational culture. It must, per T.E. Lawrence, be comfortable "eating soup with a knife." Additionally, as a previous reviewer states quite clearly, "it must be ready to work with outside resources as well, such as the United Nations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and various religious institutions."
   
   Overall, Nagl offers terrific analysis. This work should be required reading for all officers of all branches of the U.S. military.



2. Haven't read the book quite yet. I plan to get it done by the time I am to attend CCC though.



3. A very interesting analysis of two contrasting counterinsurgency
   methodologies. Not exact parallel circumstances but shows well enough that military muscle is in itself not the answer to such problems.



4. As the war in Iraq slides into it's fifth year I am sure most Americans are perplexed on why things remain so screwed up over there. Why can't American's just handle it and come home. This book sort of explains the why. This book is excellent. It really defines what an insurgency is. It isn't like the traditional war like WWII which we see on the history channel. Anyone who wants to get perspective on events needs to read this book.
   
   The book has a second point too which anyone can apply. This book shows how the organizational culture can effect the ability to solve problems. The author does that in studying the British experience in Malay vs. the American experience in Vietnam. He shows how the British were adapt and could learn then apply as they go along. The LTC then shows how the American's were not flexible and paid the consequences. LTC Nagel shows how the American's were so preprogrammed in fighting a WWII type battle they couldn't grasp any other solution. The Generals were preprogrammed in Vietnam to such a degree they threw out any fact that upset the model in their mind. They may have changed the buzz words but the core way of doing business was the same throughout Vietnam for the Americans, search and destroy. While the British had a way to listen and apply the lessons learned from the bottom up. The result of such innovation was that they won their war and we didn't. Insurgencies tend to be as much of a political fight as anything else. LTC Nagel shows that in the book.
   
   Any manager of any large organization needs to read this book because it shows how organizational culture can choke a team to death.
   
   LTC Nagel does identify what an insurgency is but doesn't offer much remedy to fighting that war directly. He does talk about how the British did it and how some American's had theories in handling that type of war. It would be interesting to hear of his insight in the context of Iraq. However I feel that the planners in this surge probably read this book. It has a lot of similarities with the British Malay model.
   
   Overall it is an easy read. He does get lost in the military terms a little. The material he talks about is the same concepts you read about in the newspapers. It will help the reader understand what is going on.



5. Good read. Great knowledge. I wish the authore had stayed in the army becasue he knows what he is talking about.

5 comments about Tree of Smoke: A Novel.

1. It's easy to understand why most of the reviews of "Tree of Smoke" are either 5-star or 1-star -- it's that kind of novel.
   
   If your tastes are toward a crisp, linear plot with well-fleshed-out characters whose motives are fairly clear, this isn't your kind of novel. That's OK. If you're looking for a fiction treatment of actual events, this isn't your kind of novel either.
   
   But if you have some patience for the tortuous inner struggles of good people who've been driven to madness by wretched circumstances, told in a graceful and poetic manner, give this one a ride. It's a long ride, yes, and a bumpy one, but I found it well worth the effort. I probably read 70 novels a year, and this one is certainly no piece of cake, but it's at the top of my fiction list this season.
   
   A previous reviewer found problems with people who "weren't there" writing about the Vietnam experience. Fair enough. But even an observer who "wasn't there" can make a reasonable determination that the reality of the Vietnam experience was anything but linear and clearly defined.



2. Steaming jungle, tunnels, brothels, missionaries, vestigages of the French--make a list of all the things you know about Viet Nam in the l960's and they're all here, in a swirl of plot confusions, with characters who mostly speak in a hipster patois, whether they are l8-year-old Arizona kids or weathered old operatives.
   The writing is lush, but I'm afraid this novel is mostly atmosphere with no center.



3. What a waste of time. Author arrogantly assumes the reader can read his mind, because his characters/writing/plot are so vague and pointless you sure can't understand the book by reading it. The Houston brothers start out trash, go into the military and come out trash--what's the point?Characters thrown in for no reason (ie Ginger in coffee shop scene). I can't believe I wasted two weeks reading this book.



4. Tree of Smoke is paced and layered wonderfully. Slow, dry, alcohol and drug filled conversations unravel the intricate and then not so intricate web of spies and soldiers that is Johnson's Vietnam. Johnson is interested in life at the fringes and he obviously picked the right place. His prose patiently shows its beauty in long dialogue or horrible LURP missions and by the end Johnson has shown us a truly striking portrait of humanity living on the edge. Nothing is fully understood or solved, Johnson comes at things at tough angles, but this is the heart of his message: life is complex and hard and you can never quite get to the top of a tree of smoke.



5. I made the mistake of reviewing this book after reading only the first 200 pages. That was unfair to the book. It becomes a much finer book once the action finally moves to Vietnam. Certainly give this a book a chance. It may not be excellent from start to finish, but it is a surprisingly fast-moving and accessible book once it gets rolling.

5 comments about The Wednesday Wars.

1. I'm not sure what the target audience for this book is, but I love young adult/children's novels and I'm 23. I browsed this book when I was in the US (cannot find it in Australia to finish it) and decided to skim the first page. That turned into the first few chapters - I was smitten! The witty, hilarious dialogue had me sitting in the bookstore trying to hold back giggles. I didn't even get to the Shakespeare plot in the story or anything to do with Vietnam, yet I still loved it. I particularly loved the dialogue that occurred between him and his sister in the beginning when he was telling her that the teacher hated him.
   I only wish that EVERY other young adult/children's writer could read this book and see the standard it has set. Previously I had thought that perhaps I was just a bad reader. Now I realise that I only read bad books.



2. Oddly, THE WEDNESDAY WARS is probably going to appeal more to adults who came of age in the 50s and 60s than it is to young adults. And oddly, despite a lot of positive writing, the overall story will, at times, drag for younger readers -- especially if they are in the "reluctant reader" category.
   
   Let's start with what's good about this novel: It's clean, wholesome, charming, and one might even say, quaint. Although set in the turbulent years of 1967-68 on Long Island, the book seems more like a snapshot out of the 50's -- all Eisenhower tranquility, all "Leave It to Beaver" good fun. Yes, there's mention of Vietnam, nuclear bomb drills at school, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy, but it's more in name than in spirit and remains stubbornly remote from the story and the characters themselves (except for protagonist Holling Hoodhood's older sister, the lightly-sketched Heather, who is a Kennedy fan).
   
   I liked the humorous tone, the plot's use of Shakespeare (poor 7th-grader Holling must memorize parts of the Bard's work during Wednesday afterschool sessions), and the character of Mrs. Baker -- the prototypical "teacher we all remember throughout life." What threw me was the character of Holling. He's way too mature and precocious for his age. In the one moment of family crisis, he acts wise WAY beyond his years and acts like a seasoned father, not a 7th-grade kid. His interests, words, and opinions? Also very adult-ish, despite Schmidt's game inclusion of such hijinks as 8th graders wanting to beat him up because he wears tights in a Shakespeare scene and because he outruns his elder classmen in a track meet.
   
   Bottom line: if you like charming, if you like books about memorable teachers, or if you like the 50s (as projected in the 60s), you probably will love this nicely written ode to youth (or at least "a good boy's youth"). If you like your YA a little edgier, a little more realistic to its time, setting, character, then you might smell the professor-writer in all of this and wonder if it misses its full potential. In that sense, reaction to the book may say as much about you as it does the book.



3. Set during the Vietnam War, this novel has many parallels to what's going on today in Iraq and Afghanistan. At first, Holling Hoodhood and his teacher have a mutual dislike for each other, but as the year goes on, and Shakespeare begins working on Holling, they come to an understanding. This would be a though-provoking read for middle school and high school students. Highly recommended.



4. He did it again. Gary created another thought provoking book about kids becoming adults. It is written in a whole new voice. I had to keep reminding myself that it was really written by the same author as Lizzie Bright. The intertwining of the personal story, the political story of the 60's, and the various Shakespeare stories was amazing. I am an adult, but love a great juvenile fiction book. With "Wednesday Wars" Gary Schmidt is now at the top of my Juvenile fiction author list. I am looking forward to "Trouble" coming soon.



5. I loved this book. I am a junior high teacher and chuckled over the perception students have of teachers. The Vietnam War time period is also a hard time period to find good books.

5 comments about The Things They Carried.

1. The Things They Carried allows the reader to relive O'Brien's experiences in the Vietnam War and learn the various lessons he teaches through them.
   
   A collection of short stories about the experiences of his and his comrades in war, the novel is tied together by the same characters. At times, the stories are exciting, bizarre, sad, and funny. This blend makes the novel unique in its display of all the experiences he faced at war.
   
   It is meaningful as it is a way for him to keep the memories of his deceased comrades alive through his stories. Taking the reader up close to the environment of the war, the novel gives a glimpse of the harsh experiences in war, especially having to be exposed to death often.
   
   He also admits that he writes as a form of therapy for his regrets and scars from the Vietnam War. An interesting point he makes is that "true" war stories are not ones that are based solely on facts, but are ones that have the ability to move a person and impact their life.
   
   An innovative mix of fiction, memoir and nonfiction, this novel gives it's readers a deeper understanding of war and the physical and mental burdens of soldiers. Anyone even slightly interested in war or the effects of it on a soldier or looking for an informative, yet entertaining, book will enjoy this novel.



2. I read this book because it got some votes for the best work of American fiction of the past 25 years. It certainly belongs at the top of that list.
   
   O'Brien's stories pack a devastating emotional punch. The opening story vividly paints a picture of the experience of men in war by focusing first on the physical things men carried with them, then the emotional baggage they brought to the conflict, and finally on the angst they leave with. The best story in the collection contrasts a veteran's circuits around his hometown Iowa lake with flashbacks to his experience of the muck in Vietnam. The inability of anyone to understand the veteran's experience and the vet's inability to adapt to civilian life are portrayed more vividly than any story I can recall. Also brilliant are the story of O'Brien's handwringing about how to respond to the draft and a fable about what happens to a hometown girl who visits the front.
   
   What all these stories have in common is complete authenticity of emotion, the fundamental ability to tell a story, and a passion that is often rare in modern ficition.
   
   O'Brien is a self-conscious writer, troubled by the legitimacy of writing fiction, by whether truth can be found in fiction, and by whether amalgamated made-up tales are truer than literal narratives. There is a bit of Dostoyevsky in his wrangling with this theme. He handles this theme well, and as the last story in the book shows, he finds that storytelling is all about coping and saving ourselves.
   
   This is a beautiful book.



3. Honored by the Pulitzer Prize, the ultimate bestseller The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien tells us about O'Brien's true personal stories in Vietnam War. His realistic war stories often drive us to the Vietnam in 1960's. This "work of fiction" may seem as a collection of short stories, but these little pieces are wonderfully woven to sculpt this masterpiece. Even though the writer may not have stayed in the Tip Top Lodge or his friends might not have died through gory and painful moments, his heartbreaking way of telling war stories creates these remarkable stories.
   
   O'Brien opens up the new chapter of the war stories as he recollects his memories. He mentions his friends' death and how they have influenced soldiers in the battlefield. One soldier's death seriously impacts first lieutenant, Jimmy Cross, who considers himself accountable for Ted's death. Jimmy's soldiers also realize how the death of their friend come to them, how they need to be alert about this new environment, and what they really care. The narrator also wanders between the margin of the exile and the war, and he finally makes his decision in favor of his conscience.
   
   Since this is a "work of fiction," we know that stories in The Things They Carried may not be true. He might not have seen his friends dying. He might not have known his friends, Rat Kiley, Kiowa, and others. However, these stories still come close to our hearts because his true, touching descriptions of the scenes make us believe them. Also, his lessons on how to write the true stories make us even more to believe his stories as he takes us to Vietnam and makes us see what has happened in 1960's. As he narrates events that have happened around him, he finally binds them together, making a beautiful, heartbreaking fiction.
   
   Tim O'Brien erases the invisible line between the truth and the fiction which shows his skillful way of writing. It seemed that he had undergone through painful experiences such as his friends' death and the loss of the lover, but as I read more, it was difficult to tell whether he actually saw these happening. Furthermore, the instructions on how to write the true story may be wrong since this book is still constrained as the fiction. However, they make us believe what he is telling us and also his examples that he has given. As we believe more of his examples, he finally blinds us to believe this whole book. This amazing trick connects his war stories to the profound meaning of our lives.
   
   This book is limited in a sense that it can only be written from the view of another soldier. Therefore, the larger scale of the characters' development can't be seen. Readers can only know the superficial knowledge about most of the soldiers. O'Brien mostly describes things from his own view and thus obstructs readers from looking at different angles. O'Brien needs to balance between his view and other people's view of life.
   
   The Things They Carried tells us the real true stories of the war in Vietnam, and questions to everyone: what do you live for? This general question does not only belong to soldiers in the battlefield but also belongs to people who are lost in the middle of the road, questioning about life. We do not realize what we want in our lives until we are in need of them. Do you live for your love? Do you live because you do not want to be embarrassed not to live? And he finally makes a general fact of life, "And it's not a movie and you aren't a hero and all you can do is whimper and wait" (211).



4. My advice to anyone who loves great books -- read this book right now. it is quite simply everything i would want literature to be. this book has helped shaped for me what to expect from books.
   
   a seamless combination of memoir & short stories, this book is o'brien's account of his experience in vietnam. it is told with such honesty and rawness that the emotion is sometimes overwhelming.



5. Here is one of the most amazing books I've ever read. Reads like a tough memoir but also like excellent literary fiction, and shares many a profound insight about war, courage, human nature, truth, trust, friendship, and a hundred other deep topics.
   
   What makes this all the more interesting is the variety of stories O'Brien tells, some read like Chekovian sketches, others like the best of Andre Dubus in a grittier setting. My favorite, How to Tell a True War Story, explores the ironies and absurdities of war in so many ways -- how war changes the combat soldier, how it creates deprivation and desire, how it is both unspeakably ugly and yet beautiful to behold at the same time. Only someone who has been there and experienced these things can write with the authority O'Brien displays here.
   
   This should be required reading in high schools and colleges across the land. Ten stars!