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Summary: This is not a historical record of the Second Indo-China War
Comment: This is an almost stream of consciousness series of snapshot impressions of what his time in Vietnam meant to him. I feel that Mr Herr wrote the book for himself as much as anyone else, and for that reason alone, he should be indulged because his impressions are his alone and to get the true value of this book, you have to make the journey with him.
I have some small experience of conflict (Bosnia and Northern Ireland) and have to say that I do not feel as "sexy" about it as Mr Herr makes Vietnam look, but then again it was the 60s and Vietnam was the first "rock and roll" war, but in some ways, the bond of the fighting man and the accoutrements of war, the guns, the planes, the helicopters, and the momentary lack of accountability that can allow the combat soldier to revert to a more primal state, can at the instant, be a real turn on. The ground rush, the noise, the wind and the sheer head-wreck of a low level heli-bourne insertion, particularly in potentially hostile situations, is hard to describe. No soldier seriously in these times truly thinks about what it would mean to be maimed, or what would happen if the helicopter snagged a wire or succumbed to ground fire and hit the ground in a heartbeat, you just don't.
It's why generations of young men (and latterly women) join the armed services, or volunteer, deep within us is primal desire to experience combat, to kill or be killed. Its not something that many rational or sane people would admit to, but Michael Herr tries to take us beyond that world of the rational and the sane to a level where the normal rules don't apply. It's a bit of a heresy to admit that war is fun, but he sometimes does so.
I cant compare my experiences to his, because mine are different, and this book makes a very interesting counterpoint to a book like "Jarhead", but the only criticism of this book that would warrant serious merit would be from someone who was a combat soldier in Vietnam. Let him tell me why he didn't like this book and I will listen.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Watch Full Metal Jacket.
Comment: watched the movie and you read the book. literally all that would be great lines in this book were used in the movie. Other than that it wasn't that captivating. I find it way overhyped.
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Summary: The Gift of Ignorance
Comment: Fortunately I did not buy this book, it was given to me. Unfortunately I felt obliged to read it, and found it worth less than I had paid for it. I was so amazed by the how bad it was I read the whole thing, to see if it could maintain its low level of literary merit, I think it actually got worse. I would not normally bother to write a review on this book, but out of curiosity I looked at the reviews and thought ????. This is not James Joyce, or William Faulkner, this is Michael Herr, trying to get a little more fame and money out of his 18 months in Viet Nam. The only thing notable about this book is that he has managed in only 260 pages, to include every possible stereotype, caricature, and misconception there was, concerning the war and the solders. And then to read the reviews, Michael is not opening his heart to the reader he is trying very successfully to make some money. That he was in Viet Nam for so long a time and never talks of the people that live there shows how much he really cares. There are a lot of books about the Viet Nam War, many of them good, few of them as bad as this. To believe this is the way things were requires the reader to active want it to be so.
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Summary: Excellent depiction of how it must have really been
Comment: I've never been there, thank God, but this book got me closer to the madness of being there than comfortable. Outstanding read.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Herr's reach exceeds his grasp
Comment: The subject matter is definitely worth 270+ pages, but I agree with others who said that Herr talks endlessly but doesn't seem to get to the point.
The first 80 pages are free associative. Chapters 3 and 4 are the meat of the book and the ones worth reading, and I recommend you read those and let that be the end of it. Towards the end he descends again into the free associative stuff. I have nothing against that style, but Herr is not a gifted-enough writer to pull it off. I think sometimes he thinks he's Joseph Heller. He isn't. And he isn't Joseph Conrad or Erich Remarque, either, though one gets the feeling he wants to be. Herr is at his best when he does the straight forward, journalistic writing.
Finally, do not mistake this book for non-fiction. Herr has admitted that he has taken liberties with the truth with this book, so consider it "inspired by actual events."
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