M [Paperback]

John Sack (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1986

An infantry company goes to Vietnam.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Great literature." -- The Dallas Morning News.

"Great reportage." -- The New York Times.

"Sack achieves for the Vietnam experience the quality of William Marchs Company K in World War I, of James Jones From Here to Eternity in World War II." -- The Los Angeles Times.

About the Author

John Sack is a pioneer of Literary Journalism. "Great reportage," the New York Times. "One must go back to Orwell for appropriate comparisons," the Washington Post. "Funny, lunatic, savage, compassionate, moral, real, important," the Christian Science Monitor. "John Sack writes like a force of nature," Dan Rather, CBS News. "A marvelous maniac," Tom Wolfe.

Product Details

• Paperback: 223 pages
• Publisher: Corgi Childrens (November 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0552127825
• ISBN-13: 978-0552127820
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,523,997 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on Vietnam!, January 10, 2000

By 

thomas e chorba (Severn, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: M (Paperback)

M (company) is about real people, and real experiences. Read it, and I guarantee it will take you back to your days in basic training, and/or Vietnam. John Sack selected a new company of trainees at random while they were processing through the Reception Station at Fort Dix, stayed with them through 8 weeks of basic training, 8 more weeks of advanced infantry training (where he selected the title for his book - M - for M Company, 1st Training Regiment) and finally to Vietnam. I can attest to this, for I was there, and yes, I have about 2 and 1/2 pages written about me in his book! You will laugh, and you will cry, and you will love M!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real deal, December 9, 2002

By 

D. C. Carrad "augustabookman" (Augusta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: M (Paperback)

I was there (Ft. Dix Basic Trainee, 9/66-11/66) and Vietnam service (6/68-6/69). This is an excellent, well-written grunt's eye (i.e. worm's eye) of the American Army that fought in Vietnam, who they were, how they did (superbly), and how they fared afterward. A gem.

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An easily forgettable book, January 12, 2003

By 

brazos49 "brazos49" (Sugar Land, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: M (Paperback)

I thought this was going to be a good book about Vietnam, but, now that I've read it, I can see that my hopes were too high. Did you ever read the beginning of a book and think to yourself, "it'll get going here shortly..."? Usually, when I feel that way, I read a respectable portion of the book and then decide whether to finish it or drop it. With this book, since it was so short, I finished it, but never stopped wondering when it would get going.

I think the author needed to either write a longer book and better develop the characters and story or pare his effort down to a smaller focus on maybe one character. As it is, he produced a not very well developed story populated by not very well developed characters. A formula for a forgettable book, in my opinion. I've read a number of excellent books about Vietnam, but I can't say I'd rate this as one of them. I really can't recommend it.