Reconciliation Road: A Family Odyssey [Paperback]

John Douglas Marshall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2000

In his prize-winning memoir, "Reconciliation Road", John Marshall recounts a road trip around America in search of the truth about his famous grandfather General S. L. A. (Slam) Marshall, author of "Pork Chop Hill". In the process he comes to terms with his own past and that of others whose families were torn apart by the Vietnam War. 'This is a remarkable story that threads a man's search for the truth about his grandfather into a call for reconciliation between individuals and generations, between history and our own lives, between the men who fought the Vietnam war and all the rest of us for whose sins they suffered...Read this for the peace offering it is' - Bill Moyers.'A notably dignified and heartfelt and wise life's account' - Richard Ford. 'This poignant book...is an important contribution to the rich literature of the Vietnam War' - David Halberstam, "Washington Post Book World". 'A modest and searching memoir of self-discovery...often moving, aiming unerringly for political and personal reconciliation in the still-unsettled aftermath of the war in Vietnam' - "New York Times Book Review". '"Reconciliation Road" is one of those rare books that purports to tell a straightforward tale but in its own subversive way tackles issues of major import...This book succeeds on several levels...leaves indelible marks upon the reader' - "Chicago Tribune". 'A fascinating portrait of General Marshall emerges, interwoven with events from the turbulent Sixties and the author's yearning for reconciliation; highly recommended' - Library Journal.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Marshall, a conscientious objector during Vietnam, tells of his quest to salvage the tarnished professional reputation of his grandfather, a prominent military historian.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A fascinating portrait of General Marshall emerges, interwoven with events from the turbulent Sixties and the author's yearning for reconciliation; highly recommended". -- Library Journal

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Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Washington Pr (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0295979496
• ISBN-13: 978-0295979496
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,089,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #55 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( M ) > Marshall, John

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reconciling the emotional wounds of the Vietnam War, April 24, 2000

By 

"tiptoprog" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reconciliation Road: A Family Odyssey (Paperback)

This is a book written by the grandson of the famous military historian, General S.L.A. "SLAM" Marshall. It conerns allegations made about his grandfather, that appear to be true. Allegations that make his grandfather out to be a person who does NOT lie about catching the fish, but each time the story is told, the fish gets bigger and bigger. At least, that was my impression. But, it's also about how John Douglas Marshall, the grandson and First Lietenant in the US Army, disappoints and hurts his grandfather by filing for and receiving a Concientious Objector status in 1969, instead of being sent to the Vietnam War. Initially, I was slightly irked, because I was drafted in 1969, and have psychiatric problems from my two tours in Vietnam. It often seems that people with connections, or better education, often get the best of what America has to offer. Yet on another level, I was very pleased with Mr. Marshall's honesty, and the book shows how, no matter what family you came from, the Vietnam War affected everyone in this country, one way or another. One of the remarks Mr. Marshall made, which I will always remember, is a feeling he shared, many years later, with a fellow concientious objector. It was that their decision to seek C.O. status was the most important decision of their lives. And in this sense, I must agree with him and his friend. Because I think my decision to go to Vietnam for two tours, at the end of the war, was the most important decision or event to occur in my life, and I think that must be true of almost any male of our generation. No matter what course of action you took in regards to the war, it was a defining moment in your life. At this point, I look for forgiveness and healing, and I would suggest that this book is truly about some kind of Reconciliation Road for all of us.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reconciling the emotional wounds of the Vietnam War, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Reconciliation Road: A Family Odyssey (Paperback)

This is a book written by the grandson of the famous military historian, General S.L.A. "SLAM" Marshall. It conerns allegations made about his grandfather, that appear to be true. Allegations that make his grandfather out to be a person who does NOT lie about catching the fish, but each time the story is told, the fish gets bigger and bigger. At least, that was my impression. But, it's also about how John Douglas Marshall, the grandson and First Lietenant in the US Army, disappoints and hurts his grandfather by filing for and receiving a Concientious Objector status in 1969, instead of being sent to the Vietnam War. Initially, I was slightly irked, because I was drafted in 1969, and have psychiatric problems from my two tours in Vietnam. It often seems that people with connections, or better education, often get the best of what America has to offer. Yet on another level, I was very pleased with Mr. Marshall's honesty, and the book shows how, no matter what family you came from, the Vietnam War affected everyone in this country, one way or another. One of the remarks Mr. Marshall made, which I will always remember, is a feeling he shared, many years later, with a fellow concientious objector. It was that their decision to seek C.O. status was the most important decision of their lives. And in this sense, I must agree with him and his friend. Because I think my decision to go to Vietnam for two tours, at the end of the war, was the most important decision or event to occur in my life, and I think that must be true of almost any male of our generation. No matter what course of action you took in regards to the war, it was a defining moment in your life. At this point, I look for forgiveness and healing, and I would suggest that this book is truly about some kind of Reconciliation Road for all of us.