Flowers of the Dinh Ba Forest [Paperback]

Robert David Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

Fiction. In this novel of war, love, camaraderie, and betrayal Vietnam veteran Clark centers his plot around a search for a rare orchid in the height of the Vietnam War. As novelist and veteran Tim O'Brien has pointed out, the telling element in any true war story is that it doesn't make sense. Clark's characters--both Vietnamese and American, both men and women--are painfully aware that nothing seems to make sense in the war, that one might as well trek off in search of a deep jungle orchid.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

With several wars since that are easier to glorify, Vietnam novels have become rare. To succeed at all, they must be more than confessional or simply antiwar. Clark pays tribute to his many predecessors in an absurd series of scenes between an old first sergeant and a demon monkey that Joseph Heller might have written, as well as in the poignant tale of a new lieutenant who knows he is not fit for command and whose poor decisions cause a soldier to lose his arm. But Clark's real contribution to the Vietnam novel is to introduce a plot: two soldiers, wondering what in the world the war is about, decide it's about venturing into the jungle during the Christmas truce and capturing rare orchids to send home to an amateur botanist. They enlist the help of their chieu hoi--a VC who has defected to the Americans and serves as a scout. But operating also in the area is a brutal VC commander with a personal vendetta against the chieu hoi, and, through torture, he learns of the nutty American mission. He springs an ambush and one hell of a firefight ensues, followed by an almost unbearably suspenseful pursuit. Clark stumbles here and there, but this is a fine first novel. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

Clark pays tribute to . . . predecessors in . . . scenes between an old . . . sergeant and a demon monkey that . . . Heller might have written -- Booklist starred review Mar 1, 2004

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Livingston Press (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931982309
• ISBN-13: 978-1931982306
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,304,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vietnam with a new twist., May 25, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Flowers of the Dinh Ba Forest (Paperback)

Hunting for orchids at the height of the Vietnam war? Crazy? You bet, and Clark pulls it off. This book drew me in from the get-go. Clark's characters are as real as the guy living next door to you. And when they talk, you can't help but listen. Just a good read, and you don't have to be interested in war novels to enjoy this kind of writing. Good stuff. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing and Unusual, October 7, 2004

By 

PocketEyes (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flowers of the Dinh Ba Forest (Paperback)

This is a fresh novel that keeps getting better as it goes along. The beginning seems a little familiar (I guess I've read too many Vietnam novels) but then you suddenly notice you're hooked. We get to see the war from very personal but complex points of view. There are good and bad and innocent on both sides, and we can figure that out for ourselves as we travel on the strange road to find orchids. A little bit of mania (how can anyone have any outside interests in the middle of battle?) makes the novel move with confidence and friendship.

The people in this novel are convincing and sometimes annoying and it's hard not to worry about them as we see how their fates keep driving forward. There's a real momentum here, based on what we want to see happen to these people--we want the good ones to live; we want the orchid to be found. We want everyone safe and we want the horror to be gone. This book feels real.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book is one you can't put down, and you don't want it to end..., October 14, 2007

By 

Frank Embree "embref" (Mankato, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flowers of the Dinh Ba Forest (Paperback)

Flowers of the Dinh Ba Forest was a great read, I can't wait to see what Clark puts out next! The book isn't about the Vietnam war, but is a story that took place during the war. The characters are fabulous, well developed and realistic. As I said, I couldn't put it down, but didn't want it to end.