No 9 dispatches by michael herr 1977 a compelling sense of urgency and a unique voice make michael herrs vietnam memoir the definitive account of. The th valley by john del vecchio there have been a number of excellent books about vietnam. War story author jim morris ponders the hated nickname baby killers given to vietnam war soldiers, and then explains the extraordinary lengths u. All these books on the vietnam war are cataloged here by their prominence. Jun 14, 2019 list of books about the vietnam war, including jacket cover images when applicable. Nonfiction an intimate history of killing by joanna bourke. This wellresearched vietnam war bibliography includes out of print titles and generally contains the most popular, famous, or otherwi. Inclusion on this list does not equal an endorsement. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. The essay why men love war also about vietnam is worth reading for similar reasons. Dec, 2017 find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. Vietnam war nonfiction vietnam veterans of america.
Americas wars have inspired some of the worlds best literature, and the vietnam war is no exception. Despite how one may feel about the war, the universal themes bourke exposes re. There is virtually no new history here, however, and a number of the personal stories included here can be readily found in memoirs and other books, including those of vietnam war veteran writers. The top 30 vietnam war books to read this winter historynet. The ten best memoirs of the vietnam war council on. You may also request these titles online through our opac. A history of americas involvement in and extrication from the vietnam war henry a. From darkly comic war fiction to astute historical analysis and devastating battlefield memoir, these vietnam war books cast a brilliant light on. The 11th armored cavalry regiment in vietnam and cambodia, 19661972. Oct 08, 2015 perhaps the only decent thing to emerge from the vietnam war is a body of literature unsurpassed by the writing thats come out of any other war. Some of these are fiction books about vietnam war based on factual information, whilst others include some of the best books on vietnam history of the war. For viewers of the ken burns pbs documentary on the vietnam war, here are some more stories you might love. From his encounters with exvietnamese soldiers to interviews with victims of his own violence, broyles memoir is a reminder of how the brotherhood of man can.
The timing for the third book is during the vietnam war, and the fourth and sixth books in the series span a twentyfive year period roughly corresponding to the gulf wars, thereby leading up to present day. Yesterday, i posted my picks for the best histories of the vietnam war. Nonfiction updated december 2006 a war story is good, but sometimes nonfiction can be more interesting, as in these true vietnam war stories, compiled by reader advisor paul mathews. Ronald glasser arrived at camp zuma in the midst of chaos. There are an extraordinary number of works both fiction and nonfiction that seek to understand the impact of the war or simply excise the longfestering wounds. In my mind its one of the first really wellwritten books that describe the moral ambiguities and difficulties faced by a young marine officer in this particular war. Whilst some of these books are a bit older, they are still brilliant to read and give you great insight into the war. May 26, 2016 the violence, tragedy, bravery, and loss of the vietnam war has been memorialized in countless novels and works of nonfiction. Halberstam, who was a vietnam war correspondent for the new york times.
Military jim morris author of war story published his story about the making of the disney movie, operation dumbo drop, starring danny glover and ray liotta, about the efforts of the green berets in transporting elephants hence dumbo via helicopter. Vietnam war nonfiction missouri secretary of state. Go beyond ken burns documentary and discover the landmark memoirs and bestselling novels of the vietnam war. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of books written about the vietnam war. Before he penned the screenplays for jarhead and castaway, a young william broyles enlisted to serve in the vietnam war. An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans by wallace terry. Not only one of the best books about the vietnam war, but one of the best nonfiction books written by an american. The books below are among the most illuminating and some of the best vietnam war books. Discover the best vietnam war history in best sellers. More than a decade later, he returned to his former battlegrounds and recorded his journey in goodbye vietnam. This website presents the most informative, insightful and popular nonfiction books about the vietnam war. Nonfiction audiobooks matching keywords vietnam war.
Philip caputo was a marine who later became a very wellknown journalist. Get the best deals on vietnam war nonfiction books when you shop the largest online selection at. Rub a dub dub three men in a tub and who do you think they be. John paul vann who arrived in vietnam in 1962 and witnessed firsthand the corruption, deception, arrogance. The recipient of the national book award and the pulitzer prize for nonfiction, neil sheehas book stands among the best accounts of the war, bringing to light the experiences of lt. Considered one of the definitive memoirs of the vietnam war, it is, simply a story about war, about the things men do in war and the things war does to them.
Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. Friendly fire, one of the earliest 1976 notable nonfiction books about the vietnam war, is now available electronically through open road media. 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. It strikes me that this is the way our memories work. Appys monumental oral history of the vietnam war is the first work to probe the war s path through both the united states and vietnam. Aug 03, 2018 the soldiers ultimate destination was sweden, which at the time granted asylum to american servicemen who abandoned the military in protest of the war in vietnam. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and fiction books. The first book in the series depicts events during the era of world war i, whereas the second and fifth books span the period of world war ii. Audible provides the highest quality audio and narration. Daniel ellsberg and the secret history of the vietnam war is new york times bestselling author steve sheinkins awardwinning nonfiction account of an ordinary man who wielded the most dangerous weapon. The books below will be sorted by nonfiction and fiction.
Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. There are an extraordinary number of works both fiction and nonfiction that seek to understand the impact of the war or simply excise the longfestering wounds that resulted. Within those categories, books will be further sorted by topic, where applicable. There is catch22, and slaughterhouse five, and these are classics to be sure. Vietnam war books list of books about the vietnam war. The necessary war, michael lind if you only read one book on the vietnam war, this is it. Before he penned the screenplays for jarhead and castaway.
After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. The vietnam war has scarred, transformed and inspired countless writers and art practitioners. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Daniel ellsberg and the secret history of the vietnam war bccb blue ribbon nonfiction book award awards things ill never forget. Argosy in the wartossed waters off the coast of vietnam, three young american sailors form an unlikely bond. Beyond that, on the fiction front, we quickly traipse into forgettable territory. Tell me about the first book on your list, a rumor of war 1977.
When i think back to reading either book for the first time, and other vietnam war books, the. She lives the green lifestyle and has undertaken voluntary work for. Download nonfiction audiobooks matching keywords vietnam war to your device. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans.
Her books include highly regarded titles on anne frank, the black death and the vietnam war, books on religions and the conflict between north and south korea, and forthcoming titles on selfharm and relationships. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. The disaster that was the vietnam war the new york times. The story of vietnam from ancient past to uncertain future. In my mind its one of the first really wellwritten books that describe the moral ambiguities and difficulties faced by a young marine officer in this. The butcher, the baker the candlestickmaker and all of them lost at sea.
They range from memoirs to academic studies to government accounts. A rumor of war, philip caputo to call it the best book about vietnam is to trivialise it. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. If you buy only one book on the vietnam war, this is the one you want. Nov 20, 2018 a british journalist and prolific military historian who once reported on the war, hastings indicts the united states with passion and engaging snark but mostly reinforces old critiques. Books on librarything tagged vietnam war nonfiction. One is literary nonfiction by a vietnam war veteran. While those books all provide excellent analyses of the war, another way to. Mar 03, 2015 here are my picks for the ten best memoirs of the vietnam war. The ten best memoirs of the vietnam war council on foreign. 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. Within those categories, books will be further sorted by topic, where. Jul 9, 2018 this collection of books includes both fiction and nonfiction books about the vietnam war.
Pages in category vietnam war fiction the following 14 pages are in this category, out of 14 total. Matterhorn by karl marlantes, the things they carried by tim obrien, the th valley by john m. Vietnam an epic tragedy, 19451975 by max hastings illustrated. To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. According to the department of defense, there were a total of 503,926 desertions between july 1st, 1966 and december 31st, 1973. A bright shining lie is a sprawling, powerful account of the peril and folly of the vietnam war. Covering world war i, world war ii, and the vietnam war, this book does an exceptional job illuminating the psychological aspects of wartime on those who do the killing. Appys monumental oral history of the vietnam war is the first work to probe the wars path through both the united states and vietnam. My top 10 fiction and nonfiction books to read on vietnam. Determined to maintain their code of conduct, the pows developed a powerful underground resistance. If you are going to vietnam, these books will make your journey more meaningful.
An epic year with an elite airborne rifle company of the 101st airborne divisions wandering warriors, during the height of the vietnam war. Each has fled an america they were raised to love but somehow no longer understand in the tumult of the late 1960s. An oral history unlike any other, bloods features twenty black men who tell the story of how members of their race were sent off to vietnam in disproportionate numbers, and of. Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. If you havent been yet, or dont even plan to go, they will still enrich your knowledge about a. Find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war.
Marine corps lieutenant who landed on the beach near da nang on march 8. These vivid testimonies of 5 men and women span the entire history of the. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. During the vietnam war, hundreds of american prisonersof war faced years of brutal conditions and horrific torture at the hands of north vietnamese guards and interrogators who ruthlessly plied them for military intelligence and propaganda. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. The powerful words in these eleven books help us understand a complicated time in our recent history, and the political and personal legacy that it still carries. No 9 dispatches by michael herr 1977 a compelling sense of urgency and a unique voice make michael herrs vietnam memoir the definitive account of war in our. Now that ken burns pbs documentary has concluded, were rereading the classics of the vietnam wars literary canon. Webb, as you probably know, went on to write a few other books and still find the time to become a u.
Nov 08, 2012 enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. A new york times notable book the national bestseller that tells the truth about the vietnam war from the black soldiers perspective. This intervention would become one of the most divisive decisions in u. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. A list of interesting, insightful and above all truelife or truetolife books on vietnam. Vietnam war teens, military history teens, books barnes. This compares with an estimated 50,000 desertions during world war ii and,790 during the. These 10 books, in addition to the ones below, were recommended multiple times. The violence, tragedy, bravery, and loss of the vietnam war has been memorialized in countless novels and works of nonfiction. The vietnam war deserters who sought asylum in sweden. 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. The definitive collection of fiction and nonfiction on the war 1998 by stewart onan.
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