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Rating: 
Summary: A Touching (and sometimes funny) Commentary on the War
Review: Mr. Whitaker does a wonderful job of sharing a series of frontline experiences from the Vietnam War. Sometimes funny (in a fairly dark way) always touching, I found Tears in the Rain to be a wonderful book and a way to view the war through the eyes of someone who was neither embittered nor gung ho about the experience.Mr. Whitaker's style is fairly complex for a first-time author. I would compare it to a combination of the gonzo journalism of Thompson and the story telling of Conroy. Stylistically, I found it's format extremely unique and enjoyable for a war experience novel. This book would be a wonderful read for anyone who is 1) a Vietnam War veteran who is looking for a way to see the war from a different perspective or 2) someone who did not experience the war, but is interested in seeing the war from an individual's frontline viewpoint.
Rating:
Summary: Vietnam from the Ground Soldier Up
Review: Tears in the Rain is one of those rare books, which, even though born out of the ashes and blood of the Vietnam War - actually made me laugh out loud. Whitaker's "real talk" captures the human, horrible, and humorous sides of hell, bringing the war ordeal down to the most personal level of feelings, friends, food, fraud, and phoenix-like transformation. Whitaker's personal catharsis opens doors of healing and understanding for everyone directly or indirectly impacted by Vietnam. Forget the geopolitics. Soldiers are people - with some heroic moments packaged in a lot of human wrappings. In war, corruption, stupidity, and absurdity may be the only real victors. Whitaker's easily digestible swallows of short stories are addictive. Each time I'd pick up the book pledging to only read a single episode, I found, like munching potato chips, it was impossible to limit my self to just one. Each account drew me into the next with the thought, "OK, just one more." I highly recommend Tears in the Rain for anyone who wants to further understand the Vietnam War from the ground soldier up.
Rating:
Summary: Vietnam from the Ground Soldier Up
Review: Tears in the Rain is one of those rare books, which, even though born out of the ashes and blood of the Vietnam War - actually made me laugh out loud. Whitaker's "real talk" captures the human, horrible, and humorous sides of hell, bringing the war ordeal down to the most personal level of feelings, friends, food, fraud, and phoenix-like transformation. Whitaker's personal catharsis opens doors of healing and understanding for everyone directly or indirectly impacted by Vietnam. Forget the geopolitics. Soldiers are people - with some heroic moments packaged in a lot of human wrappings. In war, corruption, stupidity, and absurdity may be the only real victors. Whitaker's easily digestible swallows of short stories are addictive. Each time I'd pick up the book pledging to only read a single episode, I found, like munching potato chips, it was impossible to limit my self to just one. Each account drew me into the next with the thought, "OK, just one more." I highly recommend Tears in the Rain for anyone who wants to further understand the Vietnam War from the ground soldier up.
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