Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Staff Review by Carol Ann Strahl:
It is difficult to believe that almost a half-century has passed since we became involved in the quagmire called the Vietnam War. In this remarkable and poignant oral history, we share the memories of 33 soldiers, including Medics, a former POW, a Navy Seal, Riflemen, Interrogation Officers, Demolition Experts, Snipers, Pilots, Nurses, and Squad and Platoon Leaders.
The reader is given a dose of reality--- Nam was not a John Wayne give 'em hell movie; it was much more complex. The author, Santoli, served in Vietnam and it is his hope that "you will see what we saw, do what we did, feel what we felt."
Those of us of a certain age remember Vietnam vividly and how it split America. This reviewer lost someone in the early days of the conflict. If you can possibly visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, I highly recommend the experience. It is a moving and sorrowful place. When you see all the names, your first thought is of all those unfulfilled dreams.
This book is a good reminder: We should never forget our Veterans. We are free because of their courage and unselfishness.
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I had to read this for a grad class at UB and it is fabulous. There is a 1 page account titled "The Party" where a kid comes home from Vietnam and his parents threw him a cocktail party because, "they didn't know what else to do." What happens next is so poignant and so instructive of what our guys have to deal with today when they come home. It's really good. I was really happy to see this post, the book is worth a look for sure, especially if you know a veteran. I feel far more at ease dealing with my friends who've been deployed after reading this book. I feel like we owe it to our soldiers to engage in these issues so we have a better understanding of their sacrifice and the gravity of sending people overseas.