Tell me about the first book on your list, a rumor of war 1977. An important early study of the war and its literature. This intervention would become one of the most divisive decisions in u. Search results for vietnam war download free fiction. Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. An epic year with an elite airborne rifle company of the 101st airborne divisions wandering warriors, during the height of the vietnam war. Booktopia buy vietnam war books online from australias leading online bookstore. I graduated from college in 1970, so the vietnam war and all the issues related to the conflict dominated the my late teens and twenties. Enough books novels and non fiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. Image of american troops exiting a helicopter south of saigon. The vietnam reader by if you were to read only one book on the vietnam war, the vietnam reader should be it. He is best known for his book the things they carried 1990, a collection of linked semiautobiographical stories inspired by obriens experiences in the vietnam war. Philip caputo was a marine who later became a very wellknown journalist. 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.
The top 30 vietnam war books to read this winter historynet. Teresa mei chuc is the author of two poetry books, red thread fithian press, 2012 and keeper of the winds foothills publishing, 2014. Now that ken burns pbs documentary has concluded, were rereading the classics of the vietnam war s literary canon. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. These 9 vietnam war books range from darkly comic war fiction to. The definitive collection of fiction and nonfiction on the war 1998 by stewart onan diving into a book about the vietnam war can be a daunting task. These 10 books, in addition to the ones below, were recommended multiple times. Matterhorn by karl marlantes, the things they carried by tim obrien, the th valley by john m. Soldierpoetry, morality, and the american war in vietnam culture, politics, and the cold war only 1 left in stock more on the way.
Patterson, and while it is true that the settings and details in the poems. In vietnam, all us forces were ordered to cease fighting and that included air assets as well as the ground troops. Obrien was a sensitive, intelligent, wellread budding poetauthor when he was. Vietnam war in american literature oxford research. Book in 2003, this storypoem tells the tale of a young solider in vietnam. He is author of 14 books of prose and poetry, and editor or coeditor of four anthologies, and has been publishing regularly in vqr since 1980. This collection primarily consists of more than 4,000 imaginative works of fiction, poetry, drama, cartoons, and sketches. Its characters range from men in the field to the pentagon and the white house. Edited by stewart onan, the vietnam reader is a powerful collection covering the breadth of the vietnam war and its impact. Looks at the way that the vietnam war and its texts fiction, memoir, and filmhave challenged us to reconsider the traditional american myth of the frontier hero, which has been disrupted by the war. Vietnam war in literature a vast body of literature has been dedicated to the vietnam war 195475, including scientific research volumes, fiction stories, autobiographical accounts and poetry.
In the fiction section, you will find the best books on vietnam war, other vietnam bestseller novels as well as novels set in vietnam. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. Five great books about the vietnam war for middle readers. Three are novels, two of which were written by vietnam war veterans. List of books and articles about vietnam war in literature. Ehrhart, a former marine sergeant and veteran of the vietnam war, holds a phd in american studies from the university of wales, where he did his dissertation on american poetry of the korean war. The new yorker may earn a portion of sales from products and services that are purchased through links on our site as part of our affiliate partnerships with retailers.
They are presented randomly within the categories of nonfiction and fiction. O brien was a sensitive, intelligent, wellread budding poetauthor when he was. There are fictional and nonfictional vietnam war books, some of which are. It is difficult to commit to one without dwelling on what the others could have offered. Much as poetry provides a window into the allied mood during world war i, antiwar songs provide a window. Best literature about the vietnam war 283 books goodreads. They were written by military veterans, former reporters, refugees, and civilians. The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations.
Friendly fire, one of the earliest 1976 notable nonfiction books about the vietnam war, is now available electronically through open road media. This book is widely viewed as the best concise history of the vietnam war. Rolling thunder is an historical novel about the decisive role politics played during the vietnam war. Fighter pilots and special forces warriors try to do their best but are hampered by president johnson, secretary of. In 2010, the new york times described obriens book as a vietnam. Americas wars have inspired some of the worlds best literature, and the vietnam war is no exception. The poetry of the vietnam war and its aftermath mahony. Nonfiction an intimate history of killing by joanna bourke. Books in paperback and hardcover over 250 titles in paperback and hardcover editions, many on a variety of aspects of world war ii, plus the american civil war, world war i, korean war, vietnam war, first gulf war, and more, including histories, veterans and participants memoirs and biographies, historical fiction, mystery, poetry, and more.
The vietnam war stands as one of the pivotal moments in recent u. While the subtitle of this collection of poetry is the vietnam war poetry of charles e. Online shopping for vietnam war history books in the books store. Stewart onans the vietnam reader is perfect for the indecisive as it highlights the best texts from an american perspective, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry. It is only recently that books about this era are more prevalent for young readers, but i will admit to having had absolutely no.
Poems from and about the american involvement in vietnam. Five great books about the vietnam war for middle readers october, 2017 by staff leave a comment american infantrymen crowd into a mudfilled bomb crater and look up at tall jungle trees seeking out viet cong snipers firing at them during a battle in phuoc vinh, northnortheast of saigon in vietnam s war zone d, june 15, 1967. 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. An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans by wallace terry. Classic fiction fiction books javascript seems to be disabled in your browser. William timothy tim obrien born october 1, 1946 is an american novelist. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. This literature, although dealing mostly with the participation of the united states in the war and the consequences of this, is not solely of american. When we think about contemporary war books, literary fiction is often not what comes to mind. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. One womans journey to love and living life to its fullest.
How the vietnam war changed political poetry literary hub. Several libraries house special collections that focus on the vietnam war and its literature. In 1975, the vietnam war literature collection was established at colorado state university. The th valley by john del vecchio there have been a number of excellent books about vietnam. In remembrance of american involvement in vietnam, the poetry foundation has assembled a selection of poems from our archives that address the conflict and its aftermath. Ready to read the most celebrated and best vietnam war books. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war.