The Last Parade [Hardcover]

Hiland B. Doolittle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

In January, 1967, the American forces in Vietnam declared Ben Cat part of its pacification program. To secure this ancient farming village came twelve naive young soldiers fresh out of advanced training. What they found when they brought the war to Ben Cat blew their lives apart forever.

Hodges found the woman he would love despite all odds. MacKerry found a friendship he had to kill. Sergeant Dudley found his way back into action. They all found the disaster that was Vietnam.

For in Ben Cat they found a subtle culture they didn't understand and a complex people filled with desperate, concealed passion and timeless patience. They found Laureen Nhu Lam, a beautiful half-French girl born out of an earlier conflict; Mai Nin, h er fierce grandmother; Tranh, her relentless teenage brother; the mysterious old woman Ching Phor; Guyan, Laureen's childhood friend, a ferocious fighter for national independence; and many others.

Who was friend? Who was enemy? How could you survive? If you survived, how could you go on living?

The compelling characters in this intensely fast-paced story of patriotism and love, of fear and bravery, of violence and endurance tell the Vietnam War the way it really was.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Last Parade is the For Whom The Bell Tolls of the Vietnam generation. This love story amid the chaos of war takes you captive and leaves you aching." Robert E. Lee Taylor

"The Last Parade is one of those books you pick up and forget to put down while you enjoy letting love and war fight for your emotions." Libby Treadwell

"Truly a side of Vietnam we all knew existed but few of us saw or experienced. The world has waited too long to hear this story." Sgt. Jack Mazar

"A story that haunts you long after you close the cover." Lorraine Tallcott

"Extraordinary! Full of love and understanding and generous feelings for everyone involved. Healing! A memorable experience in itself." Gerry Herman" -- From the Publisher

About the Author

Hiland B. Doolittle was born in Albany, New York. He is the grateful son of John Q. A. and Mary-Arthur B. Doolittle, who gifted him with love, sport, and pursuit of happiness.

Mr. Doolittle was educated at St. George's School in Newport, Rhode Island, Randolph-Macon College and The State University of New York at Albany. He served in Vietnam from January 1967 through May 1968.

Mr. Doolittle lives with his wife, Suzanne, and his three children, Ashley, Hiland Jr. and Abbigail Adams, who have tolerated and supported him through the creation of this, his first novel.

Life is good!

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Rome Pub Inc; Revised edition (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966274202
• ISBN-13: 978-0966274202
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,223,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Parade, November 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Parade (Hardcover)

Primarly a love story. A rite of passage for a young American GI in Viet Nam. A story that comes from many viewpoints...From young GI's thrust into a war with little understanding of why; to the villagers of 'Ben Cat' trying to survive and maintain their history; to those actively involved in the resistance. From the Vietnamese characters(of all idealogies)comes an insight into their humanity posed against the backdrop of the futility of War. Strong human characters that remain trapped in your thoughts after the book is closed. I enjoyed this read.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A spare encounter with the drama of war, June 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Parade (Hardcover)

The author of The Last Parade reenters a war that has been continually rewritten over the years as a sounding board for fashionable morality. His achievement lies in his ability to slip under the radar screen of revisionists and romanticists alike to emerge with an economical tale grounded in human truth. The Last Parade is a vivid dramatization that asks the reader for a belief made possible only by one's shell-shocked exposure to the 20th century. Indeed, this is a book for the present age, as no other age has been quite prepared for it.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "A Soldiers Book", February 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Parade (Hardcover)

The Last Parade brought back memories of my experiences as an infantryman during the Korean Conflict. The military jargon, the "buddy" system and doing things the American Way. VFW Post 1995 donated a copy to the Library. So far the comments range from: "I had no idea what it was like"; to "I probably would have done the same thing". The author did a great job in setting the tone in the opening chapter. The rest holds your interest until the end. And, what an ending.