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Summary: Far too important to be out of print!
Review: Quite simply, this is one of the most compelling, disturbing, and underrated novels of the Vietnam era--or any other era for that matter. Del Vecchio taps into mankind's never-ending struggle for peace--between countries, amongst men, within one's self--in a manner that deserves both commendation and respect. Nothing about this novel is easy (what is?). To me, that makes it a MUST read! Thank you, John. Many of us have read and understood and, more importantly, we have paid attention.
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Summary: Not really worth reading
Review: Technically, the book is well-written. Del Vecchio, however, glorifies the war in steroid-fueled adolescent fashion, and actually believes that the torture, rape, and mass murder of over 1 million Vietnamese civilians amounted to a "moral war".He tells a good story, though, and teenagers in love with guns and the macho culture of military violence will enjoy this book. So will adults who think that the lives of Americans are more valuable than anyone elses.
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Summary: Vietnam the way is was for most ground troops, I'm sure.
Review: The 13t Valley delivers a powerful story with memorable characters.Del Vecchio did a fantastic job piecing together a story of survival and heartache in the 13th Valley. For realism, this book I'm sure captures the moment all too well. You can feel the leeches on you when you read this book. For those interested in a good Vietnam war story, this one and Platoon Leader are definately worth checking out.
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Summary: A Must Read
Review: The 13th Valley is one of those books I keep around knowing that I will read it again and again. It is a thoughtful depiction of an unpopular war fought by very competent soldiers on both sides. Brooks, Eg and Cherry are characters that are easy to identify with and sadly missed when the book is finished. They enter the world of a clever and surprisingly well-equipped enemy and turn the tables on their adversaries. It is a world where death can lurk around every corner or rain suddenly from the skies, where ordinary soldiers are forced to spend tension filled hours and even days in silent contemplation of their pasts and uncertain futures. I hate to label this as simply a war book because it is much deeper than that. It is an incredible account of ordinary individuals who overcome extraordinary challenges in the worst of circumstances.
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Summary: THIS NOVEL WILL HIT YOU LIKE AN RPG!
Review: The author unabashedly states in his "Author's Note" that Vietnam was "the most moral war this nation has ever engaged." There are merits to that view in spite of "those in the media, in the arts, and in education who continue to perpetrate the cliches" (p. xi). This is not the venue for a debate on that topic, but if you read this book, you will understand the camaraderie and heroism of the men who heeded their country's call and fought there. The novel chronicles thirteen days of Company A, 7th Battalion, 402nd Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. As you hump with the boonierats, you will come to understand the psychology of survival that men like Egan, Cherry, Doc, Jax, and Lt. Brooks employ to keep from going insane: "Don't mean nothin. Drive on." The author's turbo-charged prose plants you right there in the Khe Ta Laou Valley up in I Corps. You feel the elephant grass slice your hands as you move into the valley. If you read before bed, you may wake up in the middle of the night imagining that you're being attacked by insatiable blood-sucking leeches crawling into your poncho. The descriptive language alone is a tour de force, while the characters seem so real they materialize before you as you read. The maps help you keep track of unit positions and movements, and the "Activity Reports" at the end of some chapters aptly summarize the military activity of each day in the valley. I just finished reading this novel today, and already I'm going back and re-reading certain passages that I liked. ... However, if you approach it with an open mind, it can't help but make a powerful impact on you. This is the way Vietnam was. The language of the grunts is authentic. I know. I was there during the time frame within which the story takes place. You can go there, too, if you read this novel. In the beginning chapter, Cherry asks a clerk, "Oh-deuce?" The clerk responds, "Yeah, Man. Oh-deuce. Four-oh-deuce. That's where you goin, cherry. That's where you goin." I dare you to follow along.
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Summary: The finest Vietnam War book I have ever read.
Review: The best book I have ever read about the Vietnam War, and one of the finest books I have ever read , period. This book comes from the point of a young infantryman thrust into the malestorm of combat. The book examines, from several perspectives, a combat patrol in Vietnam circa 1970. Poignant, funny, horrifying and ultimately sobering this book is a gem and a realistic view of what the war in Southeast Asia must have been like. Absoluely amazing.
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Summary: Pay Greg No Mind
Review: The Greg's of the world will always be with us.
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Summary: Reviewer from Seattle Misguided
Review: The reviewer from Seattle is not sufficiently far from the cradle to know that many adolescents served in ground combat during the Vietnam War. So many American mothers' teenaged sons were, in fact, killed in Vietnam, and such was the outcry, that the US Marines were eventually not permitted to accept a 17 year-old recruit without the signatures of both parents. Mr. Del Vecchio did Americans a good service by putting the horror and heartbreak of his war to the printed word for all of us to examine. Del Vecchio's follow-up to 13th Valley, Carry Me Home, proves only too well that his personal experiences were, also, all too real.
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Summary: The definitive book about the American experience in Vietnam
Review: This book captured the terror and horror of war and the spirit, kinship and love of the soldiers in a way that no book has since "All's Quiet on the Western Front." Reading this book is like having a wild love affair: sweet and poignant, with a dreaded anticipation of a bad ending.
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Summary: outstanding, visceral, disturbing book
Review: This book has to be one of the greatest war novels ever written. I read it over a decade ago then recently reread it. It was amazing how vivid and fresh the book's impressions remained with me even after all these years. It has helped me understand and appreciate what my veteran patients went through. It is a beautifully written, gripping, graphic book that captures the horror and madness and random bravery of war.
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