The great vietnam war novel was not written by an american. In this one, duong van mai elliot tells the story of her family starting with her great grandmother to her time working for the rand corporation interviewing viet cong pows during the. The definitive collection of fiction and nonfiction on the war 1998 by stewart onan. The iconic black granite of the vietnam veterans memorial in washington, d. This meticulously reported book pairs two stories that unfolded at the same time october, 1967 but separated by a great distance, that of an army infantry unit fighting in vietnam and. A novel of the vietnam war intense, powerful, and compelling, matterhorn is an epic war novel in the tradition of norman mailersthe naked and the dead and james joness the thin red line. There is a myth that vietnam had no true battles this book tells a different story and tells of the air war and naval war. For most readers, joe haldemans hugo winning the forever war 1974 comes immediately to mind it is widely considered to have been written in response to the vietnam war and is highly worth your time for anyone new to the genre who hasnt gotten around to reading it yet. My own father was in normandy and the battle of the bulge and my uncles fought in italy. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. The necessary war, michael lind if you only read one book on the vietnam war, this is it. South vietnam fell but the war continued into cambodia and laos. The top 30 vietnam war books to read this winter historynet. It is a story of effective and ineffective military leadership.
See campaigns in the air and battles in jungles, cities, and rice paddies, from saigon to the mekong delta. This epic threevolume masterpiece is to war what gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire was to history. United states vietnam wars and conflict larry heinemann, pacos story 1986. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. This book is not just a north vietnamese war classic it is a classic war novel of any time and any place. In this one, duong van mai elliot tells the story of her family starting with her great grandmother to her time working for the rand corporation interviewing viet cong pows during the vietnam war. The 14 best military nonfiction books of alltime americas. This category has the following 9 subcategories, out of 9 total.
Bao ninh, the sorrow of war 1991 bao ninh is a writer from hanoi who fought for north vietnam, and his novel sorrow of war, though fiction, offers a strikingly intimate portrait of war on. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to. The vietnam war stands as one of the pivotal moments in recent u. One is literary nonfiction by a vietnam war veteran. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. As for the communist party of vietnam, it, too, would rather not hear certain voices. The soldiers and journalists who wrote about the war were close to. This category contains historical battles fought as part of the vietnam war 19551975. Both the non fiction and fictional tales on this list have a sense of chilling realism gleaned from firsthand experience and indepth research. Vietnam war fiction books meet your next favorite book. Explore the people, places, battles, and weapons of americas indochina struggle with dk eyewitness books. Feb 05, 2008 a rumor of war, philip caputo to call it the best book about vietnam is to trivialise it. Herr commands one of the great voices in american literature, and is so overwhelming, so powerful, that he can, like hemingway, wreak havoc on the style of wouldbe writers who would fall under his spell.
The best vietnam war books, as recommended by vietnam war vet karl marlantes, author. Matterhorn by karl marlantes, the things they carried by tim obrien, the th valley by john m. Great battles of the vietnam war by tom carhart first. Five great historical fiction series posted on 16th march 2016 by asa wheatley with the release of bloodline, the third book in the brilliant war of the roses series by conn iggulden, this month i thought what better time than to take a look at some other fantastic historical fiction for.
A rumor of war, philip caputo to call it the best book about vietnam is to trivialise it. Ready to read the most celebrated and best vietnam war books. Hue 1968 is the new classic about americas vietnam war. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. During the vietnam war 19541975, the peoples army of north vietnam fought against us forces in south vietnam. Dog soldiers won the 1975 national book award for fiction, the first vietnam war novel to do so. Both the nonfiction and fictional tales on this list have a sense of chilling realism gleaned from firsthand experience and indepth research. Some made high falutin claims to be as good a war novel as. Complete organized chaos for the new guys would begin as we landed in vietnam.
Some joined the peoples army, where they fought as soldiers or worked as nurses on the front lines. A slew of war memoirs stand with the best writing of that genre. It is the definitive history of the us civil war it gives equal treatment to both sides, and is more than one million words, but is never boring. The fictitious characters and circumstances provide an entertaining read for those who lived through the era as well as those for whom vietnam is only a.
Every book on vietnam in the section claimed to be the best ever written on the. This rare account of the american aka vietnam war by a north vietnamese army veteran, although fiction, revealed truths. Army lieutenant colonel john paul vann killed in action and the united states involvement in the vietnam war sheehan was awarded the 1988 national book award for nonfiction and the 1989 pulitzer prize for general non fiction for the book. Not only one of the best books about the vietnam war, but one of the best non fiction books written by an american.
Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. The seemingly endless conflict in a faraway corner of south east asia was the first to. This book is widely viewed as the best concise history of the vietnam war. Extinctions edge is the ulimate novel of vietnam extinctions edge the story behind the story the sixties were an emotional decade, a time of free love and flower power and anguished outbursts of conscience over the horrors of the vietnam war. Great battles of the vietnam war hardcover january 1, 1984 by tom carhart author 4. The ensuing battle, the first major battle of the vietnam war, was a savage. Although conditions varied widely during the ten years of the war, the historical fiction genre allows veterans to recognize historically correct settings in vietnam during 1971 and 1972. Science fiction related to the vietnam war recommendations. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to historical and even dark comedy. Mar 06, 2015 dog soldiers won the 1975 national book award for fiction, the first vietnam war novel to do so. Unlike great war fictionthe red and the black, the red badge of courage, war and peace, all quiet on the western front, and a farewell to armsthat is read for generations, becoming part of a literary culture, the vietnam novels and memoirs are specific to a time and place.
This summer, americans around the country are getting their chance to experience the wall with. Using different points of view, from both sides, the book takes you on a journey through the vietnam war, the reasons behind it, the action on the ground and its end. The first great book on war in all its aspects, and still one of the best. Please see the category guidelines for more information. Organized chaos, seemed like a contradiction in terms, but after a few weeks in vietnam, it seemed plausible. Nang by posting my favorite vietnam war books, memoirs, novels, movies. Provides an excellent overview of the vietnam war with good photos throughout. Nov 08, 2012 our books experts recommends 10 authors to read on the conflict. Moyars work, though selfcontradictory in parts, is one of the most lauded texts among those who view the vietnam war as the 20th centurys lost cause. Another great read the tunnel rats, some of the ballsiest soldiers in history. A providence journal best book of the year in 1977, laura bell left her. Battles and operations of the vietnam war wikipedia.
This book, easily one of the best pieces of war fiction, is definitely one of the best books written by vietnam war veterans. Absolutely essential for understanding the human phenomenon of war. They are presented randomly within the categories of nonfiction and fiction. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. In the fiction section, you will find the best books on vietnam war, other vietnam bestseller novels as well as novels set in vietnam. Dec, 2017 in the fiction section, you will find the best books on vietnam war, other vietnam bestseller novels as well as novels set in vietnam. Moore and galloway have written by far and away the best piece of military history on one of the early battles of the vietnam war. What is best historical fiction book written about the. Diving into a book about the vietnam war can be a daunting task. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. One of my favourites from this list is the beauty of humanity movement, it might be an oldie but it is a great book that tells an interesting story about key characters and their lives in old vietnam. This was a great book about infantry patrols in the dmzdanang area.
Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. Cambodia and the khmer rouge revolution a stirring history of the 1968 battle that definitively turned the vietnam war into an american defeat. Shortlisted for canadas prestigious giller prize, this profoundly humane novel vancouver sun, wrings suspense and humor out of the everyday choices we make, revealing the delicate balance between sacrifice and selfinterest, doing good and being good. Vietnamese women lost spouses and children during the fighting. Jan 19, 20 the vietnam war was both a cold war and a military conflict which happened in vietnam, laos, and cambodia from november 1, 1955 to april 30, 1975.
Amazon warehouse great deals on quality used products. I found the use of first hand accounts from both sides really moving, bringing to life the impact of the war on the people involved. In the best and the brightest, halberstam sets out to discover how the. May 02, 2017 this book is not just a north vietnamese war classic it is a classic war novel of any time and any place. Science fictionvietnam war website of robertleader. We would be organized militarily, but we would have to break the bad habit, of trying to fight a conventional war in a guerrilla warfare environment. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers. The vietnam war was fought between north vietnam supported by its communist allies and the government of south vietnam supported by the u. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans. Feel how this story takes you back in time during carsons experiences. It is difficult to commit to one without dwelling on what the others could have offered. While the list of books about this conflict includes hundreds of enlightening works, we pick ten of the best texts offering illuminating perspectives on the war, its context and the effects it had on vietnam. John paul vann and america in vietnam 1988 is a book by neil sheehan, a former new york times reporter, about u. He joined the marines in 1963 and served a battleheavy tour with e company, 2nd.
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