Book Description
In 1969 six psychiatrists were assigned to combat divisions in Vietnam, charged with treating soldiers showing psychiatric symptoms in order to get them back into battle. Doug Bey, whose radio call name in the 1st Infantry Division was Wizard 6, was one of those psychiatrists.
Drawing on graphic detail gleaned from a journal Bey transcribed when he got back stateside, this psychiatric specialist describes the daily life of a military support unit, the boredom and mind-numbing routine, but also the social issues and psychiatric crises he confronted. In Vietnam he treated people with a range of coping mechanisms, including counter phobic reactions, self-medication with drugs and alcohol, and "gross stress reaction," as well as the gamut of psychiatric illnesses.
Each month Bey and his staff saw some four hundred men, including characters like the Vietnam equivalent of Klinger from M*A*S*H, a killer dentist, soldiers addicted to killing, and others who did not want to go home. He witnessed firsthand black pride, Vietnamese prejudice, racial conflict, and the Viet Cong's fear of mental illness.
Customer Reviews:
Wizard 6--Compelling Read.......2006-07-18
This book provides a unique account of the Viet Nam war seen through the eyes of psychiatrist. Doug Bey's account of treatment in the battlefields and the sidelines was compelling; I read it cover to cover and ignored all other demands until done.
I was captured by this journey of war that unfolds in stories both large and small with the insightful commentary that comes from the original experiences, tempered by long years in the field of psychiatry.
While this memoir is rooted in the Viet Nam experience it has implications for the current men and women in the armed forces and should be required reading for those involved in the treatment of mental illness and the trauma of war.
However, the heart of the story remains one man's voice telling us the stories of war with all it's characters, events, and personal change. It's a gem of a book.
'Nam from a psychiatrist's perspective.......2006-07-04
War memoirs rarely show up on my reading list. Therefore, my enthusiasm about this book is not based on widely comparative reading in this area, but rather on the merits of this book itself. I really enjoyed reading this book, viewing familiar material from a completely different perspective than I would ever have had from my own experience, and it is a darn good read as well. Bey was a young psychiatrist in his early 30s when his induction notice arrived. His time of military service included a tour of duty in Vietnam at the height of the war, 1969-1970, reflections on which form the heart of this book. Bey was one of a small group of psychiatrists assigned to combat divisions (Wizard 6 was his radio handle). Each of these divisions had one psychiatrist, one social work officer, and several social work and psychology techs. These teams of mental health specialists found themselves in the strange position of helping others adjust to an environment that was itself plainly bizarre. Bey relates these initial impressions in a masterful chapter, "Stepping Through the Looking Glass," drawing the comparison to the Lewis Carroll classic. As just one example among many of the young doctor learning the rules by which this strange world was governed, Bey relates a time early in his tour in which he was requested by a military court to evaluate a prisoner charged with criminal offenses. Bey dutifully wrote a lengthy evaluation, stating in as many ways as he knew how that this prisoner suffered from a personality disorder, not a mental illness, and was therefore likely to repeatedly criminally offend. Surprised that the court let the man off, Bey found out that the court had not read his evaluation at all, but surmised from the heft of it that this man had genuine psychiatric problems. However, they were so miffed at having to let this criminal offender off the hook that they really threw the book at the poor guy following in the docket!
There are many very interesting features of this memoir. Bey deals very forthrightly with issues of racial, class and cultural differences in relation both to military justice and to psychiatric and mental health issues. He approaches these issues with a clear, personal point of view, but is refreshingly aware of the strengths and limitations of his own perspectives. He also recognized the peculiar position he and his fellow medics were in as relatively high-ranking officers who had no long-range military career goals. Their indifference to military protocol was sometimes comical, sometimes rebellious, sometimes useful in getting things accomplished outside of channels, but it was also always a position of privilege.
One of the things that surprised me in this memoir was the almost complete absence of any discussion of politics. Although Bey does suggest that he was politically very conservative (just to the right of Genghis Khan, he says...) and generally supported the war effort (albeit, with grave doubts about the way the war was being conducted) candid discussion of war politics simply does not come up, either in the direct talk among the officers or in Bey's own interpretive narrative. The nearest to it is one episode in which, at the behest of a black fellow officer with whom he was very close, Bey attended a meeting of black enlisted men and relates the speeches presented there, which focused on their anger and resentment at fighting for the freedom of Vietnamese while having freedoms denied to them in the USA. This episode is related, however, not in the context of discussion of the war itself, but of racial tensions within the military. The main sense one gets here is that, aside from brief episodes of extreme action, the war was experienced by the soldiers themselves as grindingly boring. I suppose this strikes me so strongly exactly because, as I remember those years, heated discussions about the war seemingly consumed us stateside, and this brings home again the chasm of difference in perspective between those who actively participated in the war and those, like me, who did not.
A Review of Wizard 6.......2006-06-29
"Velcome Captain. You are the new Vizard-Ya?" "Ya. I mean, yes sir." "Vell, I must tell you dat I don't know if I believe in psychiatry." "That's okay, sir; I'm not sure I belive in colonels." This interchange took place in 1969 when Doug Bey M.D. aarrived at the base camp of the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) in Di An, Vietnam, to begin a one year tour of duty. His reponses to the U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with the German accent are vintage Doug Bey. They show his quick wit and his way with words, his irreverence and his college-wrestler toughness.
I write with familiarity because Doug and I took psychiatric residences togther at the Menninger School of Psychiatry in Topeka, Kansas. We were goth in the Berry Plan, in which the Army allowed us to complete our training but then expected us to go on active duty for two years. Doug and I both ended up in Vietnam. I was hospital based at the 67th Evaucation Hospital in Qui Nhon.
Being assigned to a division meant that Doug had a Jeep and the freedom of movement to get a good pulse of the whole unit. His radio call sign was Wizard 6. He and his talented techs took care of all kinds of emotional problems but found the so-called combat fatigue of previous wars less prevalent in Vietnam. Instead were acting up personality disorders, racial issues, communications problems between officers and the often quite young soldiers, alcohol and drug problems, and anti-establishment attitudes reflective of the anti-warm movement in the U.S.
In Topeka Doug had studied the psychology of organizations under Dr. Harry Levinson. Doug applied the techniques of organizational case study to the 1st Infantry Division. His goal was to find stress points, such as abusive officers or nonsensical regulartions, and to try to deal with such problems before they became major. This emphasis prevades the book and provids exceptional insights of a unit at war.
Doug also writes of his own coping devices in an unpopular war far from home. He tried to forget about home, immersed himself in his work, developed relationships with his colleagues, observed and kept notes, isolated negative feelings and stayed away from war politics.He also admits that he overused alcohol to self-medicate. He reports one frightening experience when he was to intoxicated at the time of a Red Alert that he mistook a friend for the enemy and pointed and pulled the trigger on his .45. What saved a tragedy was that he forgot to remove the safety. Throughout the book he is unsparing in presenting his own failings, which makes his story ring true.
He writes of how his Vietnam experiences affect him even to this day. He has a lifetime of things to ponder, such as the obviously battle-hardened infantryman who barged into Doug's office and announced that he wanted the doctor to know that he was gay and who then ran off; or the grieving crowd around a Vietnamese boy who lay next to his mangled bicycle, the victim of a US military truck that didn't stop.
Doug also compares and contrasts Vietnam with Iraq. His disquieting conclusion is that the two conflicts are becoming more and more similar.
This book has value not only for the people with military interests but also for mental health workers. The descriptions of the smells and noises of the country and of the people and their sad plight rang so true to me. I found myself nodding my head in agreement as I read. Doug really got it the way it was. My biggest disappointment is that I didn't write this book. But I'm glad somebody did.
Ed Colbach M.D.
A Must-Read for Boomers.......2006-06-26
We all know, or knew, someone in Nam. An easily readable, enlightening chronicle of the time with touches of humor. I highly recommend this book.
Wizard 6 - Loved it!!.......2006-06-19
Great narration of life in a support unit in Vietnam, the problems faced when returning home and the lasting effect on the lives of those who served. Very much enjoyed and appreciated.
Average customer rating:
- The inner way of a warrior
- Important book that deserves a very wide reading
- A remarkable book by a remarkable man
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A Vietnam Experience: Ten Years of Reflection (Publication Series: No. 315)
James Stockdale
Manufacturer: Hoover Institution Press
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ASIN: 0817981527 |
Book Description
In September 1965, then navy commander James B. Stockdale was shot down while flying a mission over North Vietnam. He was to spend the next seven and a half years in a Hanoi prison, four of them in solitary confinement. As a senior officer among the prisoners, he was responsible for defining rules of conduct and maintaining morale. It was a task that, despite torture, intimidation, and isolation, he fulfilled with intelligence and courage. For a specific act of risking his life to protect his fellow prisoners, Admiral Stockdale was award the congressional Medal of Honor. Admiral Stockdale survived because of his character and his values. Both were honed and strengthened during his imprisonment, and their refinement under adversity represents a personal victory for him. His reflections on this experience and the reasons for his survival form the basis of the essays reprinted here. Ranging in subject from methods of communication in prison to military ethics to the principles of leadership, the thirty-four selections contained in this volume are a unique record of what their author calls a "melting experience," a pressure-packed existence that forces one to grow.
Customer Reviews:
The inner way of a warrior.......2007-04-27
These are the reflections of a well-educated leader for any age, yet an experienced Navy pilot in his post-captive years as a POW during the Vietnam War.Jim Stockdale makes clear throughout this book the differences between enlightened leadership and the business ethos permeating the Pentagon after Eisenhower.He even reveals early censorship and manipulation of "facts" by TV and print media decades ago. Throughout this philosophical lecture-filled book, this decorated Vice Admiral sprinkles historical naval decisions to underline his points.This is recommended for those who believe in the careful study of history and the wisdom of those who pass them down.
Important book that deserves a very wide reading.......2005-09-22
I read Vice Admiral Stockdale's obituary and became interested in his writing, given what I learned about him in the outline of his career. It was truly tragic that his moment in the national spotlight made him seem a confused old man, as anyone reading any of his writing will quickly discern.
This book could well serve as a 150 page handbook on the true meaning of manhood and ways of attaining it. Stockdale had a classical education and put it to excellent use during a long public career and an unbelievably difficult eight year period as a prisoner of war. He has important things to say about character and courage and leadership and adversity and history. The breadth of sources from which he draws his observations is breathtaking.
A remarkable book by a remarkable man.......2005-07-19
It is an honor to review this book. Vice admiral Stockdale reflects on his personal experience as senior officer in a POW camp in Vietnam during 8 years. This is one of the most remarkable example of human fortitude I have ever heard of told by a man of supreme intelligence and culture.
Book Description
Showcasing over sixty short stories, poems, speeches, and articles, Aztlán and Viet Nam is the first anthology of Mexican American writings about the U.S. war in Southeast Asia. The words are startlingly frank, moving, and immensely powerful, as they call to our attention an important and neglected part of U.S. history. Gathered from many little-known sources, the works reflect both the soldiers' experience and the antiwar movement at home. Taken together, they illustrate the contradictions faced by the traditionally patriotic Mexican American community, and show us the war and the grassroots opposition to it from a new perspective--one that goes beyond the familiar dichotomy of black and white America.
George Mariscal offers critical introductions and provides historical background by identifying specific issues which have not been widely discussed in relation to the war, noting, for example, the potential for Chicano soldiers to recognize their own ethnic and class identities in those of the Vietnamese people. Drawing upon interviews with key participants in the National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Mariscal analyzes the antiwar movement, the Catholic Church, traditional Mexican American groups, and an emerging feminist consciousness among Chicanas.
Also included are personal accounts: Norma Elia Cantú's remembrance of her brother who died in combat, Bárbara Renaud González's evocative poem about Chicanas on the homefront, Alberto Ríos's and Naomi Helena Quiñonez's moving poetry about the Wall, and the recollections of Abelardo Delgado and others on the August 29, 1970 Moratorium.
Customer Reviews:
an excellent account of Vietnam and the Chicano community.......1999-05-11
George Mariscal has done a wonderful job collecting information by Chicano and Chicana writers -- both Vietnam veterans, and anti-war activists -- who share emotions, insights, and experiences about the Chicano community's involvement in the war. So little has been written about the Vietnam war and the Chicano(a) experience. As a community college teacher, I assigned my own book, Shifting Loyalties, to the class. Shifting Loyalties also deals with Chicanos in Vietnam. I remember a Vietnamese student saying, "I didn't know there were Mexicans fighting in Vietnam." His statement reminded me how sad it is that the Chicano community has given so much for this country, including the lives of our men and women, and still, there is relatively little recognition for our efforts. George Mariscal's book does much to remedy this situation. He has compiled a strong representation of poetry, short stories, interviews, and essays. His own narrative moves the work along in a way that makes the entire book act as if it were one piece. Any teachers, students, or persons interested in the Vietnam war from an entirely new and fresh perspective must buy this book.
Book Description
The powerful story of a young man's near death experience in Vietnam.
Customer Reviews:
A "must read" book.......2004-04-16
Being a senior citizen and an avid reader all of my life, I can unequivocally say that "If Morning Never Comes" is one of the greatest books I have ever read.
At a time when many young men were busy growing pony tails, fleeing to Canada, and staging protests, young 18-year-old Bill volunteered to serve in the unpopular Vietnam war. This decision altered his life forever. The way he portrays his experiences is both heart wrenching and heart warming.
The fact that Bill survived his massive injuries is unbelievable. His tale of what drove him to both survive and rehabilitate himself against all odds is amazing. This is a poignant, wonderfully written and awe-inspiring piece of work. I hope his book is a huge success----he deserves it!
If Morning Never Comes.......2003-10-31
This story of Bill's near death experience in Vietnam is an interesting melding of spirituality and the ravages of WAR. What a goose bump raising story! I have known Bill for many years and was no less enraptured with his words than I was tthe first time he shared the story with me. It should be required reading for anyone going to war, the families of those going to War, but most importantly for those politicians who have never been to War, but are very willing to send someone elses daughter or son. Write on Bill!
If Morning Never Comes.......2003-10-30
If you lived through the era of the Vietnam War you can relate to this book. I enjoyed the way VandenBush just told it the way it was. To many Vietnam stories are loaded with hyped up garbage. This book is straight forward and a joy to read. I hope he follows up with another one.
Average customer rating:
- A little more than you needed to know...
- An insightful study of the Vietnam War
- Superior reading for serious students
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The Indochinese Experience of the French and the Americans: Nationalism and Communism in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam
Arthur J. Dommen
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
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ASIN: 0253338549 |
Book Description
"Dommens book promises to be the definitive political history of Indochina during the Franco-American era.... It will add considerable luster to the list of the scholarly press that decides to publish it. I strongly recommend publication." --William M. Leary, E. Merton Coulter Professor of History, University of Georgia
Meticulous and detailed, Dommen s telling of the complicated history of the American-French-Indochinese relationship is always judicious and cautious in its judgments. Nevertheless, many people will find his analysis of the Diem coup in chapter 7 (itself as long as many monographs) a disturbing account of American plotting and murder.
This is an essential book for anyone who wants to understand Vietnam and the people who fought against the United States and won.
Customer Reviews:
A little more than you needed to know..........2003-08-19
Arthur Dommen was a young journalist in Saigon in the 60s, and covered the Paris peace talks on Vietnam in 1969. He later worked as an agricultural economist in the U.S. government, but wrote numerous articles and a perceptive book on post-1954 Laos. This hefty popular history of French and American intervention in "Indochina" offers, on the whole, factual content and informed analysis; Dommen documents his extensive research from primary and secondary sources.
At the end of several chapters, under the heading of "looking back", Dommen analyzes the consequences of foreign interference in the affairs of Southeast Asia. He admits to a grudging admiration of the Vietnamese (read: "Indochinese") communist party centre as it expanded its power, but disputes its constitutional legitimacy over that of other post-war nationalist movements. The villains of the piece are clearly identified, led by de Gaulle and Mendès-France, the latter having eviscerated the constitutional State of Vietnam at Geneva. In the U.S.-dominated period of the early 60s, he highlights the complicity of Henry Cabot Lodge in the assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem, and W. Averell Harriman is identified as the main "conspirator" in accepting the de facto division of Laos in the early 60s. Most egregious of all is Henry Kissinger, who accepted a Nobel Prize for, in effect, handing over southern Vietnam to the communists in 1973 in exchange for the release of U.S. POWs. Dommen is relativistic about the bombings of Laos and Cambodia, but correctly points out that the Khmer Rouge victory was primarily due, not to the meagre U.S. support of Lon Nol, but to the initial backing of the DRV and the petulant endorsement of Prince Sihanouk.
The book's main flaw -- starting with its cumbersome title -- is its daunting attention to detail. But this is inconsistent: there is, for example, virtually no analysis of U.S. policy, e.g., the rationale for the massive military build-up in Vietnam after 1964. And there are annoying historical parallels: to compare the RVN and the DRV to "Athens and Sparta" is a stretch. The opening chapters describing the 19th century expansion of French power are simply confusing -- Milton Osborne has done a better job in his recent concise history of the Mekong. Dommen needed a good editor to tighten the prose and limit the timeframe: he repeatedly recounts incidents from the viewpoints of all three countries (and sometimes Thailand as well), even when there is little difference in interpretation. And his research into more recent events seems to be based largely on press accounts, which weakens his analysis, e.g., of developments in Cambodia.
For knowledgeable students of modern Indochina and the role played there by France and the United States, there is little that is new in this book. Dommen's point of view, however, is curiously refreshing. For younger readers who have been taught that the Vietnam war was the result of U.S. "aggression", it may come as a surprise that there were, for a period of thirty years or so, viable alternatives to communist rule in the area, corrupt and venal as some may have been. Moreover, the comparison between the colonialism of France -- which never, for example, had a national leader assassinated -- and that of the equally war-weary United States, which, as it withdrew, cut off all military assistance to its former "puppet", is biting. Dommen dedicates this book to the professional diplomats and aid officials who gave good advice to Washington which was mostly ignored, and who returned home, much like their military counterparts, to face shattered careers and ignominy.
An insightful study of the Vietnam War.......2002-07-23
This is by far the most comprehensive work on Vietnam during the past few years.
Previous books looked exclusively at the American aspect of the Vietnam War while others focused only at the Hanoi side. Dommen elucidates the perspectives of all the parties involved in the conflict, namely North and South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. He thinks the fates of the Indochinese countries are intertwined and the loss of the nationalists to the communists in Laos and Cambodia has adversely affected the war in Vietnam.
Dommen begins his story in 1626, but the fratricidal war actually started in 1600 when duke Nguyen Hoang broke away from the then Thanh Long (Hanoi) regime, settled in present-day central Vietnam. and thus founded South Vietnam. North and South fought against each other for 50 years from 1627 to 1677 followed by one hundred-year peace. It was only in 1778 when the southern general Nguyen Hue reunited the whole country. He unfortunately died young at the age of 40 and another southerner Nguyen Anh reunited the country for the second time in 1802.
Dommen also looks at the war as a struggle between communists and non communist-nationalists that eventually went the communist way. The assassination of President Diem, the US take over of the Vietnam War, Kissinger's machiavellian ploys to extricate the Americans out of Vietnam, and the eventual fate of the nationalists are carefully analyzed. He hopes the latter could recover one day the sovereignty that has been stolen from them by Hanoi, a regime of "mendicity and mendacity."
The author is to be congratulated for his in-depth review of this long and agonizing war, for which many lives have been lost, certainly not in vain. The lessons are still vivid and it is hoped we can learn enough from them to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
Superior reading for serious students.......2002-06-06
For anyone who wants an accurate, objective, and thorough understanding of 20th century conflict in Indochina, this work is essential. Dommens research is balanced, well planned and documented, and for a change provides a complete picture of the much mis-understood complexities of the conflict. The work is lengthy; a necessity in this case, but for those truly interested will not seem cumbersome. Dommens links Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia together as they should be linked to grasp the subject. Many works are published every month claiming to be full accountings of the Indochina struggle. Dommens literally is. Highly recommended for those truly interested.
Book Description
Du Nguyen is finally home. Except he’s never even met his family. And home is an ocean away from everything he’s ever known. Du’s mother, father, brother, and two sisters immigrated to California when he was just a baby. Du and his grandmother had to stay behind in the Philippines.
But now, 10 years later, Du has finally joined his family. And the trouble begins.
What’s so great about this place, anyway? Du wonders. Kids at school call him Doo-doo, and it’s hard to muster a good comeback when he can’t think of the right words in English.
Only his grandmother understands who Du really is. “You are a dragon,” she says. But for Du to feel like a dragon, he must untangle the trouble he finds himself in and call upon the strength he knows he’s always carried inside.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Richie's Picks: THE TROUBLE BEGINS.......2006-10-13
is exceedingly difficult to stop myself from jumping up and down as I talk about THE TROUBLE BEGINS, a unique and fun tale of a young boy who has journeyed to contemporary America to rejoin the parents and siblings he hasn't seen since his infancy. In fact, if you are within a half hour of Sebastopol, California, teach third, fourth, or fifth grade, and would like me to come read this really delightful and eye-opening book to your class for the next couple of weeks, then email me and I'll be over there on Monday.
"At lunch in the cafeteria the lunch is ugly. It's cheese--stringy like snot--on mushy noodles, with chocolate milk, sickly sweet and not very cold. I eat the apple slices. I raise my hand to be excused to go to the playground. Veronica sits next to me because Mrs. Dorfman makes us walk in line. Veronica says, 'You gotta eat half before you can get up, Du.' She says it loud enough for the lunch aide to hear. The lunch aide shakes her head at me: 'No, you can't go yet' and nods at my food: 'Eat that first.' I shrug and sit there.
"Veronica's talking to the girl on her other side. I take my chocolate milk and pour it into Veronica's backpack. I stuff my cheesy mushy noodles into the empty milk carton. I raise my hand. The lunch aide nods 'Yes, you can go now' and smiles happily at my empty tray. As I leave for the playground I hear Veronica shriek."
Du's parents and siblings had departed Vietnam for the US at the end of the war. But Du and his paternal grandmother were suffering from tuberculosis and weren't permitted to accompany the family. Instead, his grandma escaped Vietnam with Du, selling her gold jewelry to secure passage on a flimsy, overcrowded little boat. They made it safely to the Philippines, got over TB, and spent eight years living in a refugee camp until the family saved up the funds for their passage. Now it's 1984 when Du and Grandma arrive in America.
" 'They could have brought Ma's sister and her mother but they saved and saved and brought you and you're just a bad-luck kid,' Vuong says.
I'm an oldest sibling myself, and am known for sometimes not being overly sympathetic to the plight of a youngest, but Du's older, Americanized brother and sisters (Vuong, Lin, and Thuy) are so darn overbearing that I can't help but cheer for Du as he gradually proves himself to them.
" 'Clothes cost money!' he shouted. He doesn't even know about my shirt in the trash and my smelly shoes."
Du's father is struggling hard to support the family, and his having come from being a respected property owner in Vietnam to renting a little house and having to work for a verbally abusive boss here does nothing for Ba's personality--especially after getting several phone calls at work from Du's school principal.
Shades of Dennis the Menace: The most memorable relationship in the book is that between Du and the old man living by himself next door.
"Saturday is a long day. I get up early to look for Cat. I blow some weed seeds toward the old man's grass. He was okay about the bike. The seeds won't grow anyway or he'll pull them up before they have a chance. He'll get some exercise. It's good for him."
They definitely get off on the wrong foot, and Du frequently refers to him as the old spy, but in the long run he and Mr. W show each other a thing or two. Along the way, though, Du does get himself in enough zany predicaments to merit a "Menace" label of his own.
So many of those predicaments result from the language and cultural barriers he faces. Fortunately, Du's grandma spent those years raising him in the Philippines. She's clearly done a great job of seeing that the boy has a good sense of resourcefulness and self-esteem.
It works so well to have this story told through Du's own eyes. I'm sure it will certainly impress many readers to recognize Du's frustration when even the teacher and administrators make incorrect assumptions because of their ignorance of the boy's life and culture before arriving in America.
THE TROUBLE BEGINS is a title that certainly invites a follow-up. Hey, count me in! I'll take all of this kind of trouble I can get.
GREAT BOOK! I enjoyed learning about an immigrant child's struggles to fit into the American life! .......2006-05-19
I wrote my first KIDS BOOK, The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley, primarily to entertain kids (and myself while writing it) AND to introduce the high-tech kids of The Valley to cultures of other countries. So when I came across this book about a delightful, yet rambunctious, little Vietnamese boy who came to the United States when he was eleven, I was delighted. Even more so when I read it.
It was sad to learn that when Du Nguyen's parents came to the US years before, he had to stay behind with his grandmother, but is was heart-warming to see the close bond they shared.
To learn of the problems Du faces in the "confusing, new culture" of the United States is a lesson in humility for us all. Du is a brave young man who faces his problems with good advice from his grandmother, but primarily with how he finally learns (the hard way, most of the time) to adjust to his new way of life: the language, the culture, his classmates, his parents, his siblings, etc.
This is an inspirational story for other immigrant children AND, hopefully, will teach American children compassion for others who look and act different from themselves.
A different sort of immigrant story.......2006-03-08
Du has the misfortune of having a fine name in Vietnamese and a terrible one in English. This is no problem while Du and his grandmother live in the Philippines, but is far more of a problem when Du comes to America, and meets his parents and siblings for the first time. Du struggles mightily in the United States as everyone from his next door neighbor, who calls the police on Du, to his teacher, to his father, thinks he is a trouble maker. The book, told from Du's perspective, lets us experience his frustration, anger, and loneliness.
Himelblau deserves credit for creating in Du a unique voice and a near modern day (the story takes place during the 1980s) immigrant story that does not paint an unduly rosy picture of life in America. The changes in Du during the story are subtle and realistic and will allow the reader a lot to think about.
The Trouble Begins.......2006-01-07
This is a wonderful middle grade story of Du, a recent immigrant from Vietnam. It is not a typical immigrant story but a very realistic and captivating family story, school story, intergenerational story and animal story. You will care about Du from page one. This story can be read by an individual or by a teacher outloud to students who will be interested and sympathetic as they see Du face challenges and grow.
A funny, realistic, and colorful story.......2005-12-16
Du Nguyen is new to America. He was born in Vietnam, but when his parents, sisters and brother relocated to the United States, Du and his grandmother were forbidden to go due to an illness. But now they are better, and his parents have finally saved up enough money to send plane tickets for Du and his grandmother to join the family in America. Du barely remembers his parents or his siblings, and he only knows a little English, but everyone tells him he is a lucky boy. Unfortunately, Du has some trouble adapting to his new life.
First, he gets sick on the plane ride. Then his unfamiliar family doesn't seem to have much time for him: his parents work long hours, his siblings study (even though it is summer break), and his grandmother needs to rest. Nobody in the neighborhood is interested in him, except the nosy old man who lives next door. He is forever watching through the window, and it drives Du nuts. When Du sees juicy blackberries growing in the neighbor's yard, he decides to take them --- it serves the old man right for spying on the family. But then the neighbor calls the cops and sets up a booby trap for the next time Du crawls over the fence. The feud begins, and Du decides to get revenge by playing lots of pranks on him, like loosening the bolts on his lawn mower so that it falls apart the next time it's used.
Then fifth grade starts, and things get even worse. Du doesn't understand the language well, so he gets put in the slow reading class. And the kids laugh at him and call him "Doo Doo." No one wants to be friends with him except his grandmother, who says he's a dragon, brave and strong. It's going to take bravery and strength to find his way through the obstacles that his new life has put before him.
THE TROUBLE BEGINS is a funny and realistic story that throws the reader into the sympathetic cheering section. Du is an intelligent and colorful character who just seems to attract trouble, like sunburn to pale, unprotected skin. But his spirit is admirable and contagious, so he is likable despite his faults. Unfortunately, the author, Linda Himelblau, passed away in early 2005. Although she wasn't able to see her book in print, her spirit will smile knowing the joy that this story will bring to all readers.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author
Book Description
Retired Navy pilot Dave Carey tells the story of how he and his fellow POWs survived more than five years in the prisons of North Vietnam. He analyzes the strengths and strategies that made their survival possible and shows how these forms of faith--in self, others, country, and God--can carry everyone through personal and business crises. A moving epilogue tells of his wife's battle with breast cancer and her death, and how the same strengths helped her and those around her.
Customer Reviews:
Top Notch.......2007-10-10
Great insights from a guy that's been there. Dave has an uncanny knack of applying his challenging POW experiences to our everyday lives. A solid read.
Dave was my roommate aboard USS ORISKANY........2005-04-30
Dave was my roommate aboard USS ORISKANY prior to his capture in 1967. As a Naval Academy graduate and Naval Aviator he was assigned to an attack squadron flying the A-4 Skyhawk. I met Dave the day we departed NAS Alameda for deployment to Southeast Asia, and Vietnam. He had his fiance Karen aboard for a short time in the officer's wardroom for coffee and last minute good byes. The next time he saw Karen was 5.5 years later after his release from a North Vietnam prisoner of war camp. I saw him again at his wedding!
This is terrific read along with Zalin Grants "Over the Beach" about the war, it's history, and the toll it took on countless lives.
WOW... and i thought i had a few tough years!.......2001-09-04
i thought i had lived through some tough times before reading Dave's story... if life has got you down, choose this book, you'll begin to feel you too can survive and excel even in the most demanding situations. Dave ties in his Vietnam experience to create powerful insights for daily living in part 2.
My advice... READ THIS BOOK!
"THE WAYS WE CHOOSE" LESSONS FROM A POW.......2001-07-26
"The Ways We Choose" is truly a lesson in life. While reading it I asked myself how I handle adversity. What do I do when life gets tough? As a prisoner of war for 5 1/2 years, Dave Carey feels that his experience can be used as an analogy for facing problems and changes in our own lives. Hopefully, none of us will have to endure the trauma of being a POW, however, Dave lists simple factors for his success in the harsh environment he was existing in. He believes that these guidelines can be directly translated into every life. He discusses the importance of communicating in every aspect of our daily life. The book has helped me to live "one day at a time." It also encouraged me to ask myself not only how I cope with the problems of life but more importantly, how do I CHOOSE to cope. Dave Carey's witness to his faith completes the message in this outstanding read. The author has a great gift of sharing himself with his readers. You won't want to miss this adventure in life.
Very Inspiring!.......2001-06-15
This is simply a wonderful book that shows the strength of the human spirit and shows us the stuff a true American hero is made of.
Tacoma, Washington
Book Description
War Stories of the Green Berets Halberstadt Subtitled: The Viet Nam Experience. US Army Special Forces commandos in action! This unprecedented oral history profiles high-risk, high-intensity missions into the jungles of Laos and Cambodia duringthe Vietnam War. Green Berets break their code of silence for the first time to reveal their top-se cret missions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Customer Reviews:
Never Forget.......2007-03-25
Have you ever listened to any war stories from a family member, or friend? I have, and I have a few of my own. This book is a collect of war stories from the various members of the Green Berets, in their own words. All of the stories were from the Vietnam war during the 60s and early 70s. Some of these stories were very sad, but at the same time, very heroic. A lot of the stores were scary, especially during some of the patrols these guys had to do. There's also a quite a few funny stories that will make you smile, especially if you were in the service. I really liked the stories that were kind of spooky, there was one story that involved a SF patrol that bed down for the night. During the night, it was so dark an enemy patrol had mistaken the SF patrol for one of their own, and decided to bed down in the same area as the SF patrol! Crazy stuff! This is a book dedicated to the men of the Green Berets.
I was fascinated by the authenticity of the book........1998-08-30
As a former Special Forces medic in Viet Nam I could not put this book down until I had finished it. I got out of the Army in 1966 and didn't look back, but I could never get Viet Nam and Special Forces out of my blood. It was truely a calling that I failed to hear.
I was surprised to read about many people that I had long forgotten, but there they were again, as big and true to life as if it was yesterday.
There was even a story about the little sleepy camp, Polie Kleng, that I had helped build in 1966 (A-241), and of course there were lots of stories about Dak To, Kontum, Pleiku, Na Trang, Saigon and other places I had been.
I have always wondered what my life would have been like if I had made a career of Special Forces. Now I know. There is a good chance I would have gotten zapped, but it sure would have been an exciting life while it lasted, and I would have had an endless supply of the greatest friends in the world. I have never had those kinds of truely great friends since getting out of Special Forces.
This book tells it all, just as it was. Get ready for a lot of flash backs. Every word of it is true. Even the lies are true!
A human-eye view of the war, from those who endured it........1998-08-09
I grew up during the Viet Nam war, in a military family. I joined the Army immediately after college and was the first woman commissioned at my University, in 1975. While I never served in combat, I knew many who did. I read this book to try and understand what it must have been like for the men who served, without having to read through the filters of the liberal media, or the continuing lies of our government.
Being from a military family, I understand what duty, honor and country means, and to me, the Green Berets are some of last, true defenders of those ideals. This book did not disappoint me.
It is a wonderful book, with all the elements of life, both precious and horrible, woven through it.
My favorite story was of the POV and how his faith in God was restored by a fir tree and some fire-flies. He does work in mysterious ways!
To my brothers-in-arms--my heartfelt thanks for sharing parts of your souls with the rest of us.
To those who are stil! l unaccounted for--forgive us. I, for one, shall never forget you.
Outstanding!.......1998-07-31
As a fellow Green Beret, I found Hans Halbertstadt's book very refreshing. It is free of the bravado and hype found in most books regarding Special Forces. What it shows is the real face of war a told by the unique and courageous men who fought it. You'll laugh out loud after reading one page and cry after reading the next. I highly recommend it!
Book Description
The war in the skies above Vietnam still stands as the longest our nation has ever fought. For fourteen years American pilots dropped bombs on the Southeast Asian countryside -- eventually more than eight million tons of them. In doing so, they lost over 8,588 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. They did not win the war.
Ironically, Vietnam, though one of our least popular wars, produced one of the most effective groups of warriors our nation has ever seen -- men of dedication, professionalism, and courage. In Fast Movers, official navy historian John Sherwood offers an authoritative social history of the air war, focused around fourteen of these aviators -- from legends like Robin Olds, Steve Ritchie, and John Nichols to lesser-known but equally heroic fighters like Roger Lerseth and Ted Sienecki.
Sherwood draws on nearly 300 interviews to tell stories of great pilots and great planes in the words of the men themselves. Fliers recall jets such as McDonnell Douglas's famous F-4 Phantom, "a Corvette with wings"; the F-05 Thunderchief, the workhorse of the war; the F-8 Crusader, the last of the gun fighters; and the block-nosed but revolutionary A-6 Intruder with its fully computerized attack systems, terrain mapping radar, and digital all-weather navigation system.
Ultimately, though, it was the men who mattered. Sherwood shows us the brash confidence of famous iconoclast Robin Olds, who does not hide his thrill of the hunt -- and the kill. Roger Sheets looked like Don Knotts but prepped his "Vulture Flight" of Marine A-6s with the simple, unequivocal line, "Gentlemen, let's go out and kill something." But Sherwood lets us know that it wasn't all glory, that pilots suffered fear just like other soldiers. Ed Rasimus later admitted he thought that an assignment to Thailand was "like getting diagnosed with terminal cancer: everyone is hoping the cure will come before you die."
There were things worse than death, too. Fast Movers offers fascinating portraits -- based on Sherwood's interviews and just-declassified naval archives -- of Vietnam's POWs. Pilots lucky enough to suffer only broken bones and burns from the violence of 1960s-era Martin-Baker ejection seats struggled to find honorable ways to negotiate half-decade-long periods in captivity. Passive resistance, like Commander Jeremiah Denton's famous blinking of TORTURE in Morse Code, was sometimes successful, often brutally reprised. Escape was impossible.
Those who avoided shootdown learned to live with other frustrations. Most wanted to "go downtown" (bomb Hanoi) but were foiled by their civilian superiors, who dictated the numbers and types of aircraft that could be used in a given strike, the kinds of ordnance that could be levied against a target, and even the flight paths that could be flown. Against all odds, the pilots spawned a culture of success in the midst of failure and frustration. Fast Movers captures a hidden and crucial story of America's least successful war.
Download Description
The American air war over Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia spanned twenty-five years. The United States dropped more than eight million tons of bombs and lost more than 8,588 aircraft. More than half the money spent during the war went to air operations. Yet this "war of the skies" has remained one of the least examined and understood aspects of that long conflict.
In Fast Movers, John Sherwood, a staff historian of the U.S. Navy, focuses on fourteen pilots, including legendary aces Robin Olds and Steve Richie, and provides the most revealing look we have ever had of the war and its aviators. From their first missions to their years as POWs, Sherwood lets these men tell their engrossing stories and shows how and why, in contrast to the soldiers on ground, they never lost the will to fight.
Fast Movers is a penetrating examination of the warriors who always put their squadron first.
Customer Reviews:
Better than Top Gun.......2005-05-11
I know next to nothing about jet fighters, the air force or the air war in Vietnam. I found this book to be an extremely interesting and entertaining read. Unlike some military books, the author assumes no prior knowledge of the subject. The strengths and weaknesses of the different planes and the resulting tactics required to fly them are explained in simple terms. This really gives a good feel for what it was like to fly the different planes covered in the book.
Each chapter deals with a different type of fighter and focuses on a specific pilot who flew that plane. Perhaps the characteristics of the different pilots are slightly exaggerated for effect. Who cares? It makes for a great read. Another thing I appreciated was the fact that all aspects of the airwar are covered, including the less glamorous ones like Medivac or POWs.
Highly recommended to all readers.
An Important and Sobering Book.......2005-04-05
I was loaned this book by a friend because of my interest in aviation and my work as a docent at an Air Museum near my winter home in Arizona. I had expected it to talk about the planes and pilots of the Viet Nam War, but I did not expect the eye opening experience that this book turned out to be. John Sherwood steps on some toes in this book and as a result some of the reviews herein reflect personal displeasure when his stories come too close to home or cut too close to the bone. I found the book to be a sobering experience and one which awoke much of the anger that many of us felt about how this war was conducted, not only by the generals, but more especialy by the politicians all the way up to LBJ. The fact that we dropped eight million tons of bombs in SE Asia and lost over 8,500 planes and helicopters without winning the war is an unsettling fact. However, bombs do not deliver themselves and real people were in those planes and helicopters and a great many of them lost their lives in this mishandled piece of business. It is the spirit of those that fought, even when their hands were tied by the ones in charge with foolish rules of engagement that is at the heart of the story that is told. It is not a pretty story. It is often a story of the raw underbelly of war, but it is a story that needed to be told and John Sherwood, an official U.S Naval Historian tells it without fear or favor. Had the war been managed in that fashion, the outcome would have been much different. He has my gratitude for doing it.
Poor history.......2002-01-18
I have read several books of this type and though this one provides quite specific details, they turn out to be quite different from other books. Sometimes I feel like the author making new stuff for the fun of the readers (for example the battle of the air force on May 10 1972). Another thing is that this one purely tells stories rather making deep analysis about the airwar, the formations, and technical issues. Better spend your money on "Clashes" of Marshal L. Michel III.
John Sherwood tells their story well........2000-07-29
The air war over Southeast Asia showcased the proud, dedicated Americans who unselfishly did what was asked of them. This group, highly motivated though they were, was unfortunately misused and mismanaged by the very government that sent them there. True or not, many still feel that if they had been allowed to do what they had been trained for, most of their friends would still be alive, and Vietnam would not be seen as a "loss." Indeed, the common retort was "We were winning when I left."
The new book Fast Movers: Jet Pilots and the Vietnam Experience takes a hard look at some of those men and what ultimately inspires them. Author John Sherwood, official historian of the U.S. Naval Historical Center, is well suited to bring this long-overdue book to the public. He realized that most books dealt only with air war tactics. Few examined the warriors themselves. With over 300 interviews and extensive research, Sherwood attempts to reveal the personal side of these pilots. Contrary to most opinions, these men wanted to be there, to test themselves against the most hostile environment ever designed. They were the "fast movers", those who flew jet fighters and attack aircraft. In all, 14 pilots are examined here: some Air Force and some Navy, some famous and some not. Whether battling the North Vietnamese defenses or trying to survive in such places as the Hanoi Hilton, these military professionals proved they had "the right stuff." John Sherwood tells their story well.
Robert S. DeGroat, Flight Journal
a new look at the air war in SEA.......2000-06-23
Official Air Force books told us on typical operational history: units, battles,.. facts, figures. John Sherwood looks at the fighter pilots life, their flying skills and attitudes. He draws from memories or interviews with some Air Force pilots including such famous figures as Olds, Ritchie.. John Sherwood opens a new perspective on the air war in SEA. He brings you from operation room to the cockpit and back on the airbase with the after hours activities: Officers Club , and sometime he adds a touch of female companionship. John Sherwood has written an excellent book on the social life of fighter pilots during the Vietnam war. This book is a must for any SEA conflict student.
Book Description
"With the first page the book explodes...a story of fortitude and patriotism to inspire generations of Americans to come."
—Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
"It's to our experience as Blackstone is to the law."
—Col. George E. "Bud" Day, USAF (Ret.), attorney, former POW and Medal of Honor winner
Customer Reviews:
1 of 2 Part Bible on Vietnam Captivity.......2006-03-10
As the title states, this is a definitive exploration of the experience of US heroes while in Vietnam captivity. Hubble's research is exemplary. The book is fact based with little bias. If one is interested in this topic, then this is the FIRST book they should read - from there, the reader can find particular people/topics of interest and branch out. The next book to read is "Honor Bound" by Rochester and Kiley - a later text using declasified sources. In reading these two books, a reader will come to understand the POW experience in Vietnam and appreciate America's TRUE heroes. Personnaly, I feel these should be required reading for ALL Americans - particularly our youth.
An Invaluable Rersource.......2005-04-20
As a POW researcher, I would have been lost without Hubbel having gone before me to pave the way. This book continues to be a resource for me, a one of a kind history that says it all. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand what the 566 POWs who were repatriated to the US in 1973 endured. The books by and about individuals give their person accounts, but Hubbel offers an objective analysis and global persecptive.
Learn about moral courage practiced by the most vulnerable.......2005-04-13
I regretted loaning my Readers Digest Press hardcopy of this book and never seeing it return. I had to wait years for the re-publication of this marvelous book.
This book is the quintessential book on the POW experience in North Vietnam, and I have read many of them. The atrocities committed by the North Vietnamese captors were barbaric, horrific, and inhuman. The POWs mostly Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force pilots and crewmen were left with no guidance other than their consciences, their moral compass, their pride of service, their patriotism and an outmoded "Code of Conduct" to fight back against unspeakable tortures designed to win over and break the "American Enemy" and score political propaganda points. For these prisoners, the war was not over when they were shot down. A new and completely unexperienced war commenced upon their capture, a cold, calculating battle to exploit those most vulnerable in the Vietnam War in order to exact concessions from the United States of America.
Against the background of these torturous events, North Vietnam's enablers from the U.S. and international anti-war activists cravenly cooperated with North Vietnamese officials to further undermine the courageous efforts of our POWs who endured barbaric handling to not betray their country's honor.
Not all POWs held up to the rigors of the "Code of Conduct" as well as the greatest majority. However, fortunately not having walked in their shoes, I cannot judge their behavior. The activities of the most stalwart POWs as well as those who were less so are chronicled it this very readable and very moving book. These were the true "heroes" of the Vietnam War. They have never received due honor and recognition. This book attempts to do so in a very meaningful way. If you read ANY book on the Vietnam experience, this must be the one.
A monumental account of POW captivity..............2003-06-02
Researched over a 9 year time span using information gleaned from hundreds of interviews from Vietnam war POW's, this extensive saga of captivity is truly outstanding in its depth.
John G. Hubbell not only relates the stories of high profile POW's from North Vietnam, he explores the many aspects and rigors faced by U.S. servicemen in the brutal Southern Vietnamese prison camps. In helping the reader to truly understand the entire experience, this being a cautionary note to everyone, torture methods suffered by our U.S. servicemen are described very graphically throughout the text and may be difficult to read about at times.
Included in the superbly written and well researched narrative are maps of the various prison compounds, photographs of POW's and their captors, and the entire list of repatriated servicemen at Operation Homecoming in 1973.
"P.O.W. - A definitive history of the American Prisoner of War Experience, 1964-1973" is a very comprehensive and powerful study that makes for a lasting, memorable, and emotional reading experience. Upon recommending this book to everyone with interests in POW captivity, I would also like to suggest the brilliant and epic work "Honor Bound - American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973".
Books:
- 1921: The Great Novel of the Irish Civil War (Irish Century)
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A military history of the western world: Vol. II:from the defeat of the Spanish Armada to the Battle of Waterloo
- Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England
- Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England
- America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
- American Generalship: Character Is Everything: The Art of Command
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
- Arab Air Forces Post WWII
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