Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Excellent! Story of American soldiers in Vietnam. Stunning photographs, vivid descriptions. This is another coffee table book or read it straight through like I did. She interviewed several soldiers and tells their experiences. She also intersperses their stories with scenes from the White House and the decisions the different presidents made.
What I think this book does really well is give a full and comprehensive look at the Vietnam War; from our initial hopes and the introduction of troops in the early 1960s, through the reactions to and completion of the Vietnam War Memorials. I liked that the book looked through the lens of all the presidents involved in the war (Kennedy-Ford), as well as at individual experiences of service men and women. Highly recommend this for middle school+ ages, and especially to any adults who want a quick, concise, and fair examination of the Vietnam War.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Lately I have been consuming book about Vietnam from as many different perspectives as possible. I found this book unique due to the variety of people interviewed, gaining insight from nearly all sides of the war. I found this book highly informative and equally emotional. There are times when I read accounts of Vietnam through my own lens, meaning, my age. I too easily lose sight that those involved in the fighting were so young. There is a particular story in this book of a nurse and realized the patient she was treating (NVA) would have been protesting the war on his side, just as some Americans had been. This man was 19 years old. I find it difficult to wrap my head around the people placed in these situations at such a young age. Be sure to read the epiloque in this book as it contains a follow-up on those interviewed and what happened to them post Vietnam war.
This is not a traditional nonfiction book, or an encyclopedia of the events of the Vietnam War. It is not a political treatise. It is not a factual rendering of the causes of effects of the war. It is personal, and memorable.
It is a linear telling of some of the stories of a few of the people involved. A few pivotal sections focus on the three US Presidents who made decisions about the war. The other stories filled in the intervening years with what their experiences were like “in country”. Many were soldiers, both volunteers and draftees, with the additional inclusion of a nurse, a musician, and a refugee. The stories bring us forward through the creation of the Wall. Most of them break your heart at least a little. There were photographs included, and it came together logically. An excellent way to get at the diversity of the people affected and involved, rather than only a political or military history.
Almost 5 stars.
It is a linear telling of some of the stories of a few of the people involved. A few pivotal sections focus on the three US Presidents who made decisions about the war. The other stories filled in the intervening years with what their experiences were like “in country”. Many were soldiers, both volunteers and draftees, with the additional inclusion of a nurse, a musician, and a refugee. The stories bring us forward through the creation of the Wall. Most of them break your heart at least a little. There were photographs included, and it came together logically. An excellent way to get at the diversity of the people affected and involved, rather than only a political or military history.
Almost 5 stars.
some interesting accounts, but feels disconnected and a little superficial. the chapter on the memorial is a standout. (content warning for violence, racism & suicidality)
Powerful stories from multiple perspectives of the Vietnam War. A good book for high school students studying the war.
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book: Non-Fiction
Estimate of age level of interest: Ages 11-17
Estimate of reading level: Lexile 960L
Brief description: This is the story of the Vietnam war told in an interwoven perspective of eight different people. There are six different American soldiers, one American nurse and one Vietnamese refugee. Throughout the books there are also profiles of leaders and events during that time, such as Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., Watergate, and Woodstock. It culminates with the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I really enjoyed this book. It felt very informative and balanced. It seems this would be a great book for someone looking for their history lesson to be more personalized
Brief discussion of why it fits into the particular genre identified. I think this could be considered young adult nonfiction because many details are cut out in exchange for a tight narrative. The length of the book is not daunting, which make it more appealing to a younger reader. I like this book because it compelled me to dive deeper into the subject.
Source and date of published reviews from professional sources
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/elizabeth-partridge/boots-on-the-ground/
Estimate of age level of interest: Ages 11-17
Estimate of reading level: Lexile 960L
Brief description: This is the story of the Vietnam war told in an interwoven perspective of eight different people. There are six different American soldiers, one American nurse and one Vietnamese refugee. Throughout the books there are also profiles of leaders and events during that time, such as Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., Watergate, and Woodstock. It culminates with the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. I really enjoyed this book. It felt very informative and balanced. It seems this would be a great book for someone looking for their history lesson to be more personalized
Brief discussion of why it fits into the particular genre identified. I think this could be considered young adult nonfiction because many details are cut out in exchange for a tight narrative. The length of the book is not daunting, which make it more appealing to a younger reader. I like this book because it compelled me to dive deeper into the subject.
Source and date of published reviews from professional sources
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/elizabeth-partridge/boots-on-the-ground/
I’m going to be dead within minutes in this little nothing battle in Vietnam that’s not going to change the course of the war, he thought. The valiant, critical battles of World War II flashed through his mind. This is not like Normandy, or Stalingrad,he thought. This is just a skirmish. Scruggs felt furious he was going to bleed to death next to a tree in Vietnam. — 102
Informative for adults, too, not just teens. I loved the way it was written, with each player in the war getting a chapter to tell their story.