Vietnam War Stories: Innocence Lost Book

Years after the Vietnam War ended, it continues as a moral, political, military, and media touchstone for Americans. This very readable introduction to American literature emerging from the war examines critically acclaimed books written by Philip Caputo, Michael Herr, Larry Heinemann, Jambes Webb, Tim O'Brien, and Bobbie Ann Mason. Tobey Herzog discusses important cultural and literary themes including war's inherent ironies, the John Wayne syndrome, a "heavy Heart-of-Darkness Trip," literary voices from previous wars, and Vietnam as a different war. A significant feature of this book is its focus on the historical and literary connections between Vietnam narratives and modern war literature authored by Crane, Remarque, Owen, Hemingway, Mailer, and Jones. Thus, across time, wars, and cultures, the voices of all these soldier-authors and civilians present similar perspectives of war's human toll, ones counterbalancing the views of media, historians, the military, and governments. Vietnam War Stories provides readers with a helpful critical framework for understanding the Vietnam experience, Vietnam narratives, and modern war literature.Read More