Asian-American Books

Moving and extreme reality

This book reviews the aftermath of the Vietnam-U.S. war in a down to earth tone and it's impact on the people who's involvement in the war are explained in detail.Personally i like this book because of its content which voiced out the real opinion of the one involved in the war no matter whether they're the allies or enemies.It's a great book to those who wants to know more about the Vietnam war and its aftermath.

This book is worth reading for anyone interested in the history of the Vietnam War.
It is a collection of forty-eight short recollections from a wide variety of Americans and Vietnamese involved in the war, or the country, from the late 50's to the 80's. It also touches on Cambodia and Laos. Each recollection is from one-half to six pages long, and may cover one short event, or several years' experience in the country.
The book deceptively starts out slowly, and it is only with continued reading that one discovers that within this chosen group of recollections are many of the great truths of politics and military conflict in South Vietnam.
The essays cover the fatal flaws inherent within South Vietnam, which include the long history of being a colony of France, without France taking any steps to prepare the country for independence, such as training civil servants or encouraging the rule of law through local rulers. Once independent, South Vietnam was fragmented on religious lines. The civil leaders were corrupt, engaged in nepotism, and did not relate well to the peasants. South Vietnamese military leaders were promoted not on merit, but by family ties and the size of the bribes they paid to the government. For political reasons, the military zone around Saigon was intentionally unorganized and inefficient.
The geography of South Vietnam -- having all its territory within easy reach of Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam -- made it a very difficult land to defend from an enemy with safe sanctuary so close to crucial areas. This book does not mention the oppressive acts of the South Vietnamese government, which helped alienate its citizens. The book seems to understand, if not almost excuse, wrongful acts by US soldiers.
The US tactics also contributed to defeat: rules of engagement tied the military's hands in senseless ways (a SAM base couldn't be attacked under construction, but pilots had to wait until it was operational); rotating inexperienced officers through Vietnam to "punch their combat ticket" was more important than retaining experienced officers and advisors who often "got it" just before being rotated out; the battle for "hearts and minds" was often ignored; and years were wasted on ineffective strategy, until home protests compelled withdrawal.
And, yes, North Vietnam really was an oppressive regime which used terror and lies to achieve its goals.
Any discussion of Vietnam brings up many "what if's?" What if South Vietnam had a more appealing and legitimate government? What if US politicians hadn't used such ineffective strategy and tactics? Is there ANY scenario which would have resulted in a long-term stable and secure South Vietnam?
If you're at all interested in the field, this is a book well worth searching out.

Al Santoli's book, To Bear Any Burden, is a narrative of stories told by 47 Americans, Vietnamese (both North and South), and Cambodians regarding their experiences before the US involvement, during the US war, and the war's aftermath (after the departure of US troops). Each tale (from two to 10 pages in length) is riveting in itself. The book moves in relative chronilogical order beginning in 1954 and concludes with the present (circa 1985). Each tale is successfully interwoven with the next story such that there is a cohesiveness and a logical flow to the story telling timeline.

Some of the stories are quite stunning: from the description of US soldiers being called baby-killers and spat on after they returned to the US [difficult to comprehend in this patriotic post 9/11 world] to the horror stories of the Communist regimes in Cambodia and in North/South Vietnam after the fall of Saigon [after reading theses stories, one should question why the US would want to establish ties to Vietnam].

This "straight from the hip" narrative is recommended to anyone wishing to learn more about the scenes from a participant's point of view.

I first read To Bear Any Burden when it was originally released in 1985. This has been a 'must-read' classic of American involvement in Southeast Asia since it was published. For it, Santoli interviewed, in depth, 47 individuals representative of that involvement from 1945 into the 1980s--Americans, Viet-Namese (communists and anti-communists), Cambodians and Laotians. The book is so artfully compiled as to flow like a single narration; yet the 'cast of characters' are separate in time, space, culture and social rank--an entire spectrum from ambassadors to villagers, soldiers to politicians, in one volume. No ones education about the Viet-Nam War is complete unless they've read this book.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

This is an excellent book, well written. I learned of this book from a close friend who is mentioned and show in a photo depicting The Alamo in Vietnam.

Being a veteran of Operation Pegesus and a former member of the 1st Battalion 2nd Marines, I highly recommend this book. It's very well researched, thoughful, and easy to read. However, I was disappointed that the authors didn't describe or write how the siege was actually continued (contrary to the media) even after the departure of the 1st Air Cav and the 26th Marines. After moving out of Con Thien in early April, my unit (2/1) spend 77 days at Khe Sanh, until we finally destroyed the combat base and moved to the coast. During that time, the NVA did attempt to overrun the combat base on Ho Chi Minh's birthday May 19th, which the authors Prados and Stubbe have failed to mention. It was the pinnacle moment of the siege. If the NVA had overrun the combat base, it would have shocked the politicians in Washington and further the disillusioned the American public. Only by a strange set of circumstances and the enemy mistakes were we able to overcome their plans. Meanwhile, the surrounding hill fights were still continuing and being fought by the 1st Battalion 1st Marines. If a person is interested in reading about these engagements and the continuing siege, he or she can read my book, "Arc Light," by G.V. Short.

Moreover, the authors didn't seem to understand the strategical meaning behind the Tet Offensive or the NVA's battlefield tactics. But what I did find very amusing about their book was that after conducting their thorough research, the authors obviously discovered how flawed the offical accounts have been in describing the campaign.

As a Marine who was in the trenches at Khe Sahn, Mr. Prados and Ray Stubbe have done all of us an immeasurable service. Ray's recollection of places, people and events is phenomenal. As a "grunt" PFC then, I certainly lacked the macro-knowledge provided by Mr. Prados. They have succeeded in helping me,(and many others, I'm sure), construct a better picture of why we were there and what we did. There are a few defects, generally due to information not then available to the authors. However, until something better comes along, this book is, in my opinion, definitive.

In Valley of Decision, The Siege of Khe Sanh, the authors chronicle the trials of both the Marines and the North Vietnamese who fought there. Both sides attempted to turn this remote outpost on the Laotian border into a decisive campaign that would ultimately determine the outcome of the war. Both sides failed in this attempt despite their best efforts.

After reading this book I find Khe Sanh to be the war in Vietnam in microcosm. The problems of differing perceptions held by Westmorland, Marine General Walt, the CIA, Special Forces, Marine Force Recon and the Bru tribesmen who occupied Khe Sanh illustrate the violations of the principles of war of objective and unity of command. Hovering above it all was the President of the United States exercising personal control of a battlefield from his office, 10,000 miles away.

In retrospect, Khe Sanh was a victory in a sense for the U.S. An isolated U.S. garrison that blew reville and raised a tattered American flag each day despite the inevitable mortar/artillery barrage it drew, told the Bru tribesmen and the North and South Vietnamese that he U.S. was still in control despite being outnumbered significantly. Almost unlimited American artillery and air support helped make the point.

Reading this book, one almost feels the fear, frustration, and misery the garrison endured there. Yet the reader senses the fierce pride that only combat soldiers doing a dirty, thankless job can feel. You can also imagine the rage felt when they were told simply that Khe Sanh was no longer important and to simply walk away.

Valley is essentially a foxhole level analysis of this campaign that shows how decisions emenating all the way from Washington and Saigon impacted the lives of the men on the ground. They were indeed the bait that lured thousands of North Vietnamese to their deaths. Like elsewhere in Vietnam, they were left with nothing to show for their heroic efforts.

VALLEY OF DECISION BY PRADOS

The authors did their apprenticeship with an addition to the Overlord hagiography, and have now worked up to the Vietnam era. In due time, we may expect a re-write of Fallujah and Abu Ghraib. Well, as boys say when they play Army: we killed more of them than they did of us.

This style of - writing the book and backing it up with the oral history is very effective. The authors have done a superb job of not only telling the story of the troops in combat, but placing it in a context that clearly shows how the war was faught and lost - in Washington - and by (political) extention, the streets of America. I was there in 1967-68 and experienced much of the story being told. The authors are historically faithful in its presentation and artful in the way they humanize the way "it" happened. Particularly for those who were there, this is a must read.

Having lived through the what the author is writting about I found the information to be right on target. It is laid out in good time date order and kept my interest. I rate this book to be one of the better books written about Khe Sanh for that period of time.

LBJ came to see Khe Sanh as a place reminicent of the Alamo and the Texas Rangers, Texas pride on the line, clouded thinking at best, but this an 'good' ole Bob McNamara controlled much of his decision making.

One of the main issues this book addresses is the question of 'why' this area so important to the NVA, was allowed to become of prime importance to us. The other question of just 'why' after the sacrifices of battle which was an American victory, did LBJ immediately have Khe Sanh evacuated; with hardly any media coverage or American public attention to the hardwon U.S. Marine victory.

Both LBJ and Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, are seen here through many of their flaws, some of which eventually caught up with both of them. Unfortunately, so many American fighting men were dead beyond any help by the time of that reckoning.

Both LBJ and McNamara were fancifully out-of-touch "during the bloody 77 day" seige with the real events of Khe Sanh, the DMZ, Route 9, and the NVA massive military staging taking place in Laos. For all their study and statistics LBJ and McNamara were obtuse in many of their decisions. The manner in which both LBJ and McNamara ignored experienced military men are fully discussed, too.

And the link between TET and Khe Sanh in 1968 is examined, a fact that for few Americans may realize or recall they both took place at the same time, with Khe Sanh being a set piece of TET. It was both Hanoi and the NVA's desire to destroy the Americans as they had the French at Dien Bien Phu in May, 1954. Their desire was to 'annihilate' the Americans at hills 861, 558, 881 N & S, among others and thereby force us forever out of Vietnam, even saying they would kindly then offer a 'red carpet' which we could use to leave. But with their failure at Khe Sanh and TET, 68, that did not happen. With our 24/7 air operations and supply a turnabout for the NVA and General Giap came about, and represented a major blow to Hanoi's thinking.

The main element for me in this book is its arrangement, with each chapter being keyed to its audio CD counterpart. The ability of being able to read the text and then go directly to a CD helps reinforce what you've just read. Unique, on CD 2, an actual mortar, RPG, and artillery attack is captured for the listener to experience. This story and the USMC will stick with understanding and pathos most reader's memory.

As a Vietnam era veteran I can truly recommend this book. Books such as this are rare concerning Vietnam and especially, the battle of Khe Sanh.

Semper Fi.

My cousin was at Khe Sahn with the Marines. A year later I was all over the central highlands with the Army. I was in Vietnam for nearly 3.5 years and this book just backs up what I have been saying for years. I went to Vietnam 40 years ago, today.

Politicians should do the poli-tick-ing ...and soldiers should do the killing. You cannot run a war from across the world either by telephone or by proxy. Every time Washington tries to take the reins, the soldiers in the field lose. They lose against the enemey...and they lose at home. Things are spinning up on the home front just like in the late 60's

Watch TV news and night...and the simularities between Nam and Iraq are stunning. Same Stuff Different Day.


Great book by some good authors that "get it"

Impressive impressionistic poetic memoir, powwerful and free, obviously not for everyone especially english instructors.

a very personal look in a rather unusal life of the author.

Borne from nights of insomnia and kaleidascopic memories, The Winged Seed is a beautiful search for answers for the tumultous inner questions of the mind. Part poem, part waking dream, part remembrance, this haunting book will draw you in to the author's nights, where he is surrounded by the seeds of moments the past has left behind.

love it as you would a sleepless nite of rain and poetry one and the same.

leaving a small imprint, claire

the winged seed is probably the most poetic book i have ever read. li-young lee's quiet, condensed writing style is almost sedating. he is one of the most interesting people i've met and one of the best poets i've ever read. he is what many poets strive to be.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

This is a brilliant, concise gem of a book that brings certain sights of Kyoto to life unlike any travel guide. When I visited many of the places described here, I'd no idea that any of this remarkable history had occurred.

I think this book is an essential addition to any serious Japan library, and as it is a slim text - I think it'd be a welcome and portable companion on a reader's visit to Kyoto.

Keene's study of Ashikaga Yoshimasa, who many historians call the worst shogun in Japanese history, is remarkable for its central theme: that this man was actually one of the greatest Japanese persons ever.

Keene does a decent job of recounting the historical context of Yoshimasa's life: it was an era of unending war and brutality when famine and sickness ravaged the peasantry and rich aristocrats vied for power in the most brutal fashion - beheadings, suicide and betrayal were commonplace. These same aristocrats also lead lives of dissipation - spending their lives drinking and "sporting" while the masses suffered and Kyoto was razed time after time.

But where Keene shows his brilliance is in his interpretation of the life of this failed shogun who embraced religion and the arts as an escape for the 'impure world' and in the process invented many Japanese cultural forms.

When Yoshimasa fumbles the choosing of his successor and a civil war is unleashed, he decides then and there to leave his shogun's life behind and build a mountain retreat - the so called 'silver pavilion' - where he spent his days contemplating the arts.

It is clear that an aesthete such as Yoshimasa was incapable of leading the Japanese nation in war. But Keene shows in this book that Yoshimasa's peculiar taste in art - simple unadorned wood, sliding screen doors, rustic tea utensils, and gardens filled with rare trees and stones, poetry, Chinese calligraphy, flower arrangements, No theatre and so on - served as the template for future Japanese cultural expression.

Yoshimasa's silver pavilion was thus an incubator for 'the soul of Japan,' and a location where visitors can still see the building almost exactly as it looked a half millennium ago. Now I want to visit Kyoto again with newly aware eyes.

This book's only shortcoming is its lack of explanation as to how the culture born at the silver pavilion spread throughout Japan. Yet that might require a lengthy tome, and one of the nice aspects of this history is that it can be read leisurely in a couple of days. It also features some nice color photos. Highly recommended.

This book was given to me by a friend. Frankly, I wouldn't have bought it based on the back flap. Yet, Donald Keene wrote a great book explaining the importance of possibly the worst Shogun in Japanese history, Ashikaga Yoshimasa. He was a terrible military strategist and his government (especially during the Onin war) was one of the weakest in Japan's history. On the other hand, Yoshimasa was of vital importance to the Arts; calligraphy, Waka and other poetry, the cha-no-yu ceremony and painting all were sponsored by Yoshimasa. He also left the beautiful Ginkakuji, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, for posterity. Yoshimasa's impact on Japanese culture and the arts is undeniable, even in modern day Japan.

Donald Keene, who probably has done more to make Japanese literature understandable to Americans now turns his attention to the state of Japan during the days of Yoshimasa, one of the Ashikaga shoguns. Like other families to rule Japan in the name of the emperor, the founder of the family generally tended to be a fairly dynamic figure, followed by persons of varying competance before sinking into dynastic decadance.

This book presents a portrait of one of the least competant persons to ever become shogun, but managed to have a positive influence just the same. Keene argues rather convincingly that Yoshimasa, though a weak ruler, was an influental patron of the arts. It is Yoshimasa's aesthetic which eventually prevailed in the Japanese imagination and that is the lasting contribution of both him and the Silver Pavilion.

I thought the book was consistent with the overall general high level of scholarship that characterizes Keene's works in general. However, while I am willing to give this work my highest possible recommendation, I am not sure if I can totally support all of the claims made for Yoshimasa. My main concern is that even though I am ready to concede that he does have an aesthetic legacy, I am not sure (and for that matter no one ever really can be) that he can claim to have originated all of the artistic innovations (though patronage) that Keene claims. My reason for doubt is that many buildings that date back to Yoshimasa's period were themselves destroyed during the Onin war (a war brought about by Yoshimasa's politic ineptness). Lacking anything really to compare the Silver Pavilion to, makes it difficult to determine just exactly how great an influence this building actually had at the time. The fact that it survives at all probably ensures that it has had and continues to have an impact on other generations. I am just not sure on what influence it might have had at the time that it was built.

The title of the book is "the soul of Japan" which means the Silver Pavilion built by Ashikaga Yoshimasa the 8th shogun of the Muromachi period.

Chapter 1 Ashikaga Yoshinori the 7th shogun, a tyrant killed by one of daimoys
Chapter 2 Childhood of Yoshimasa, his wife Shigeko and his "favorite mistress" Imamairi
Chapter 3 Weakness of the shogunate, preparation of Onin war
Chapter 4 Onin war, the relationship between Japan and Ming dynasty of China
Chapter 5 Japanese Renaissance, Eastern Mountain culture
Chapter 6 Yoshimasa as a patron of Cha-no-yu, his interest in Chinese painting
Chapter 7 Poetry at that time: renga and waka
Chapter 8 The Silver Pavilion, the garden and the architects Zenami and Soami
Chapter 9 Cha-no yu
Chapter 10 Religions of Yoshimasa, art of the no theater

The division of the chapters and the description of their content are very rough because the author usually puts many different topics in one chapter. This informal writing style seems like that the author has no clear plan and he just writes down something when he remembers something. Reading the book from cover to cover may not be the best way to appreciate it. The character I most like is the index of the book. It is complete and interesting. Just choose a word from the index, and read something about the word in the book. For example you can just read the paragraphs about the eccentric Zen monk Ikkyu and his poems. After you finish all the words in the index, you are able to construct a whole story in your mind. It is the post-modern style of V. Nabokov's novel "Pale Fire".

Judging from the book, the author is just a good story-teller not a good historian. Actually he is good at Japanese literature. This book just contains much facts and details which I don't think important. The author does not see the essence of Japanese culture and does not explain why Japanese culture is special. It is not easy to understand the essence of Japanese culture for most Western scholars. Usually they just emphasize bizarre events, strange imaginations or explain things from the Western piont of view. In my opinion, the soul of Japan is the Bushido and Zen. These two topics are not treated deeply in this book. If you are interted in Japanese culture I will recomment to you the other books:
Bushido: the soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe
Zen culture by Thomas Hoover
Kwaidan by Lafcadio Hearn

By the way, I like this little book. It is beautiful with its poetic language. It is a pleasant experience reading the book on the train passing through Appalachia Mountain in the summer.

Donald Keene's latest contribution to the field of Japan studies is a masterpiece on the development of Japanese aesthetics and kokoro (heart, soul, mind), much of which evolved during the Higashiyama Period at the Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji) under the leadership of Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Shogun at the time of Onin War (1467-1477), which destroyed nearly all of Kyoto, Yoshimasa was a hapless leader who devoted himself instead to the pursuit of beauty. In this Period, Noh and ink painting flourished, the tea ceremony "originated in a small room at Ginakaku-ji where Yoshimasa offered tea to his friends," and with it the Japanese art of flower arrangement was born. Keene acknowledges the judgment of most historians-that Yoshimasa was weak, extravagant, incompetent in affairs of state, and unable to end a meaningless war and its incumbent famine and suffering-yet posits that he has yet to be recognized for his contribution to Japanese arts and taste. In the midst of wholesale destruction, Yoshimasa precipitated a Japanese renaissance.
Though respecting his grandfather Yoshimitsu, the builder of the Golden Pavilion (kinkakuji), he had no interest in emulating either his life or works. Yoshimasa's Silver Pavilion stands in stark contrast to his grandfather's Golden Pavilion, the later coated in gold leaf, the former the epitome of Kyoto cool wabi sabi understatement. "The simplicity and reliance on suggestion of the buildings and gardens at Higashiyama may indicate that a man who had earlier exhausted the pleasures of extravagance had at last achieved a kind of enlightenment," writes Keene.
This concise work is a complex web of murder, chaos, and endless war that destroys everything in its wake. And, simultaneously-amazingly, ironically, unbelievably-the Period gave birth to some of Japan's best-known art forms. As an insight into medieval Kyoto, there is no better place to begin.

The author was an intelligence officer of the US National Guard and served as a liaison to the French 6th Light Armored Division in the Gulf War. His writing style is excellent and so is his ability to watch the small things and the myriads of details around him, giving an impressive account of how the things were done at the extreme left flank of the great allied sweeping maneuver. The author had a good knowledge of the French language and also was a professor of history, having though a very good background to comprehend the general situation in the Persian Gulf. I especially enjoyed his description of the French MREs and the terrific elan of the troops employed by the French, such as the regiments of the Foreign Legion. The book contains some black and white photographs of rather bad quality and a few maps which give a decent picture of the campaign, althoygh they are simple computer sketches.

The important contribution of the Franch Army in the Gulf War has been largely overlooked in the English-speaking countries. Their "left hook" around Saddam's forces was a crucial element in the strategy of his defeat. Perhaps more important for the future, for the first time since World War Two, French and American troops stood side by side against a common enemy, rediscovering their common bonds and heritage in the process. Colonel Cooke, a French-fluent military intelligence and armor officer who teaches Middle Eastern history in civilian life, was uniquely qualified for liason with the "Division Daguet" (French 6th Light Armored Division), bringing to the task not only military expertise but a sensitive and informed understanding of these highly capable but prickly warriors. His book is an admirably clear and complete record of the Daguet operations, and has enough context to serve as a good one-volume history of the overall land conflict as well. Highly recommended.

I had the pleasure of being one of Dr. Cooke's students as an undergrad, which was my initial reason for picking up this book. For those who are expecting dry scholarship on a discrete subject, you would be wrong. Dr Cooke accomplishes in this book a feat he matches and builds upon in his other books- strong narrative--almost chatty-- combined with solid scholarship and research, making for a flawless, streamlined, easy read. This book read like a novel for me. I have heard that people prefer his WWI books but this one is my favorite of the bunch. A page-turner. Keep writing, General!

This reviewer deplores the mandatory requirement for rating "stars".

The important contribution of the Franch Army in the Gulf War has been largely overlooked in the English-speaking countries. Their "left hook" around Saddam's forces was a crucial element in the strategy of his defeat. Perhaps more important for the future, for the first time since World War Two, French and American troops stood side by side against a common enemy, rediscovering their common bonds and heritage in the process. Colonel Cooke, a French-fluent military intelligence and armor officer who teaches Middle Eastern history in civilian life, was uniquely qualified for liason with the "Division Daguet" (French 6th Light Armored Division), bringing to the task not only military expertise but a sensitive and informed understanding of these highly capable but prickly warriors. His book is an admirably clear and complete record of the Daguet operations, and has enough context to serve as a good one-volume history of the overall land conflict as well. Highly recommended.

Eddie Fung's curiosity, sense of adventure, and generous spirit in helping others is inspiring!

He never let his small stature get in the way of anything he was determined to do, whether it was to enlist in the army, help the men on the ranches where he worked at during his teens, or (secretly) help get food and medicine for his fellow POW's during WWII.

I admire his way of sharing his adventurous life, which was often humorous: he didn't hesitate to recount the times he got in trouble or made himself look not-so-smart when he could have asked for help. I like his forthright manner! As he put it to his second wife: "What you see is what you get."

Fung's spirit shines throughout the book; it serves as reminder to me of the sacrifices made by servicemen such as himself, as well as my father, and members of their generation during WWII. Moreover, he describes how he helped his fellow POW's to survive in the most unimaginable circumstances by using his past experiences, however minor they may have seemed. Being frugal, helping his mom with household chores like making preparations for dinner, and working on the ranch provided useful skills he could share with the other prisoners.

His many adventures are nicely complemented with loving family background/memories of parents and siblings, and life, post-POW. A really enjoyable read!

Don't miss out!

"Another Little Big Man" might have been the immodest title of this too modest gentleman's autobiography. That memorable movie from 1970 told the life story of a diminutive guy who lived many different lives within the span of one and that could also describe Eddie Fung. Short on stature, big on life, that's Eddie. Born in San Francisco's Chinatown, he dropped out of high school and went to Texas at age 16 to become a cowboy just because he wanted to. There he discovered a now nearly vanished breed of everyday honest men and a challenging way of life that for him epitomized the American dream of freedom of spirit paid for by hard work. By 1940 as war raged in China and simmered in Europe he too joined the Texas National Guard just as many of the other ranch hands were doing. That one simple act put Eddie onto a path that took him through three and a half very tough years as the only Chinese American prisoner of war after his unit's capture by the Japanese Army early in 1942. You won't want to put it down once you begin Eddie's book but the beauty of it is that you can pick it up and open it nearly at random and be rewarded with simple truths as experienced by a complex man. For this we have Eddie's wife Dr. Judith Yung to thank for an excellent job of editing a number of multi-hour interview sessions. Judy is one of this nation's most well known and respected scholar/authors of the modern Chinese American experience. Be sure to read the Preface to learn how they met and married when Judy needed a WW II vet interview for a project she had begun. This memorable book has one little shortcoming, so to speak, that must be mentioned .... it comes to an end. This reader wanted Eddie's adventures to continue indefinitely. We do learn of his post war life including family and career, his eventual involvement with the Lost Battalion Association and its annual reunions, etc. so it is a well rounded effort. My wish came true recently when I discovered that YouTube offers a six part look at one of this special couple's book talks. Thank you sharing your life Eddie.

I met Eddie Fung in person last week and heard him discuss the book and his life. What a journey! He is a 10 an so is his book. There are many greatest generation stories that will never be told (my Dad's for example) so take advantage of reading this amazing story of survival from a good story teller.

Also, it is a reminder that many American minorities were in WWII who were staunch patriots, sacrificed much, and should not be overlooked.

this is a very touching story- somewhat like angela's ashes re experiences of a poor background. school dropout, becoming a cowboy then a searing 4 years as a pow -finally graduating from stanford university and moving on

I came across this book as a result of trying to find out the details of how a platoon mate from TBS was killed in RVN. I was told that the action and details were described in Ambush Valley. On the morning of 9/7/67 2/Lt Charles Ryberg was in position with the India company commander as his FO. In the initial barrage from the NVA both were hit. Lt Ryberg died of his wounds. The action is described in the book but Lt Ryberg's name is not listed. In discussions with Mr. Hamel he is certain that Lt Ryberg and the fatally wounded FO are one and the same. Lt Ryberg was a Harvard grad (graduating in 3 years) and had been "in country" less than a month. As for the rest of the narrative...compelling is the least I could say about it. I'm glad that my tour of duty was with the 1st Division and not the 3rd!

This book is very well written and very factual. It tells the story of those few days in the life of 3rd BN 26th Marines just as it happened. For most people that have never experienced combat this will open their eyes. If you had a relative or friend that served in Viet Nam and for sure if they served in the U. S. Marines you should read this account of 3/26. I served in 3/26 from August of 1966 to October of 1967 and was there at Ambush Valley. I was the 81mm mortar forward observer attached to Kilo Company during this time. I sincerly appreciate the work of Eric Hammel in telling our story.

My father Bill Wildprett, also was at Ambush Valley. As the first-born son of a Marine warrior, it was my privledge and duty to learn first-hand from him of those events from September 7-10, 1967. Reading this excellent book made it much easier for me to visualize the scope of the carnage and the heroics of 3/26. I've poured over his maps with him, which still smell like jungle rot and red clay, and seen both the pride and pain in his heart as he describes that time.

Please buy this book, and celebrate these extraordinary Marines.

Semper Fi 3/26!

Having spent some time with 1st Force Recon near 881S & 881N & Khe Sanh just prior to tet, I will have to say that what I experienced vs. what 3/26 encountered during those for intense days did not compare. The format of the book and the research the author conducted was insurmountable. This book was riveting to me and those that enjoy REAL LIFE encounters. I picked up the book and read it until I finished it in one eight hour period. I picked the book up in east Tennessee at a used book store for (price)I thought I overpaid, but after reading it I can see why it would sell for (price)instead. The author captured direct quotes from the officers and enlisted alike which made it sound like I was right in the middle of the cluster (....)It was an outstanding compilation of the events that occur in a combatzone. If the VA and other parties read this book they would realize themselves how difficult it would be to maintain their sanity in times that were discussed. THIS IS A MUST BUY BOOK. BUY THE BOOK!