Required Reading

[Fargo1]

My therapist gave me "What It Is Like To Go To War" by Karl Marlantes on Friday (Veteran's Day) and asked me to read it and give her my thoughts on it...to quote Gunnery Sergeant Terence D'Alesandro, 3rd Bat, 5th Marines, USMC

"To say that this book is brilliant is an understatement‚—Marlantes is the absolute master of taking the psyche of the combat veteran and translating it into words that the civilian or non-veteran can understand. I have read many, many books on war and this is the first time that I've ever read exactly what the combat veteran thinks and feels—nothing I have ever read before has hit home in my heart like this book."

I can't say it any better than that. This book is awesome and should be required reading for all boot camp inductees as well as all veterans in general.

 

[Ned]

I'll dig around. Put up the ISBN if it's got one, mate.

 

[Fargo1]

You can find it on Amazon

Dead Link Removed

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press; First edition (August 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802119921
• ISBN-13: 978-0802119926

 

[Ned]

You can find it on Amazon

Ta!

 

[Fargo1]

Ooops, I just re-read my original post...It should read:

...This should be required reading for all boot camp inductees and families of veterans...

It has flaws (like everything ever written) but it does a damn good job of explaining things. But it has been so damn difficult for me to explain it to people...then this book came to me and the first three people who read it said, "Oh, I get what you are talking about now." Do they really? Who knows. But it is better than anything else I have read on the matter....

 

[Ned]

Good enough. Funny isn't it? As soon as people see a bit of corroborative evidence, the 'Oh it's just him' reflex stops......

 

[Fargo1]

Yeah, especially if the evidence is in print...

 

[Ned]

Yeah, especially if the evidence is in print...

OK. Here's another one. Same era, weird, but I first read it during my 5 years in NI and it pressed a lot of buttons.

Author: Stephen Wright
Title: Meditations in Green
Publisher: ABACUS
ISBN - 0-349-13756-0

All about a spook unit in 'Nam. Too much detail to be pretend.

 

[Ned]

My therapist gave me "What It Is Like To Go To War" by Karl Marlantes on Friday (Veteran's Day) and asked me to read it and give her my thoughts on it... This book is awesome and should be required reading for all boot camp inductees as well as all veterans in general.

A few days into it now and agree. Totally truthful, unpretentious and very observant. Required reading.

 

[EOD96]

Yes, absolutely. This book is what eventually led me to seek therapy. This book is written from the perspective of a Viet Nam vet. I would read it again, but I gave my copy to another vet. I need to go buy another copy.

 

[Fargo1]

I have two copies for myself. One for me and one to loan out. If anyone needs it sent somewhere, let me know.

 

[Ned]

Don't know why it took me so long.....
Any of Spike Milligan (Lee C you will appreciate it especially)
'Rommel, gunner who?'
'Monty, his part in my victory'
'Adolf Hitler, my part in his downfall'
'Mussolini, his part in my downfall'
'Goodbye soldier'
'Peace work'

Detailing the journey from a bonkers recruit to a definite case of PTSD. Accurate, funny and just goes to show nothing has changed.