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Summary: Chickenhawk: A review of Robert Mason's struggle in "Nam"
Review: An exciting story of a Vietnam pilots emotional recovery. Robert Mason doesn't hold anything back as he tells it the way it is. He takes you on a journey through "Nam": women problems, job problems, his never-ending drinking, the occasional pot smoking and smuggling, and, of course, all of his traveling. Mason also tells of his struggles trying to raise a family, while staying sane at the same time. This is a great book, however it starts out slow in the first few chapters. But, after a while you will find yourself glued to the pages!
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Summary: Still great after 15 years!
Review: I first bought and read Mason's book Chickenhawk in the mid-eighties. I recently got the urge to reread a number of 'Nam books, so I bought a new copy. Keeping in mind that the war in Vietnam was ever-changing, and that each time period made for a different environment, Mason gives a good account of the early period of the war. This is one of maybe the three or four best books written on the vietnam experience or, for that matter, combat flying. I recommend it highly.
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Summary: Chickenhawk
Review: I have read this book three times. I know what an extraordinary story this is and have tried to turn others on to it.
Bob Mason's transformation from eager pilot trainee to jaded combat veteran/burnout, while probably not anymore remarkable a story than any other pilot's is well written and that is what makes it great! After reading the book I felt as though I know Bob Mason. Not a bad thing.
When Mason describes the deck inside the chopper,covered in blood you can almost smell it.
Serious life and death stuff with some of the funniest stories of human screw ups wrapped up in a truly memorable account of one
helluva chopper pilots' experience in Vietnam.
It's like I say:" 'Chickenhawk' is the best damn war movie they never made!"
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Summary: excellent sequel
Review: unless you stumbled onto this book somehow, you probably picked it up because you had been through the "chickenhawk" experience with him in his first book by that name. this book is the perfect sequel to his vietnam story. mason's deeds in the war were heroic, and yet,he ends up struggling for his life even more as soon as he is "home". he is brutally honest about his own misdeeds--to his wife and son, his friends and associates, and to himself.you feel that you are trying to claw your way upward with him, as his life spirals downward.his salvation lies in his ability to tell his story, and you become part of it as you read this book
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Summary: A response to the Kirkus Review of this book.
Review: While not as action-packed as Mason's first book, Chickenhawk, this sequel is still a fine read. The Kirkus Review calls the book "flat-footed." Before I read this book, I probably would not have been surprised to hear that the sequel to what is probably my favorite book of all time does not live up to the first installment. Chickenhawk is mostly a war story, rich in detail and technical information about the helicopters Mason flew. I am fascinated with helicopters and that is probably why I like Chickenhawk so much. I approached Back In The World with skepticism. I doubted that it had any chance to be as interesting as Mason's first book. But as a fan of Chickenhawk, I was happy to discover that Back To The World does not really try to stand by itself. In many ways, it is just the story of how Chickenhawk was written. It is the story behind the story. The Kirkus Review makes it sound as though this book is dull, and belittles the significance of Mason's incarceration and his description of the way Chickenhawk was recieved by the public. Personally, I thought Mason's imprisonment was conveyed in a style reminiscent of Henri Charrier's Papillon, another of my favorites. The point is, it is impossible to fully understand or appreciate Chickenhawk as a description of the Vietnam Experience without reading this book. If you liked Chickenhawk, this is a must-read.
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