A Soldier Returns [Paperback]

Terry Burstall (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Queensland Pr (January 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0702222526
• ISBN-13: 978-0702222528
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,852,592 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT BOOK, MUST READ, CONTROVERSIAL, July 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Soldier Returns (Paperback)

TERRY BURSTALL, HIMSELF A VETERAN OF VIETNAM AND LONG TAN (1966 BATTLE IN WHICH AUSTRALIA LOST ITS GREATEST NUMBER OF TROOPS IN THE VIETNAM WAR) GRAPPLES WITH HIS OWN FEELINGS OF GUILT AND SORROW, HAVING HAD TO CARRY OUT "RELOCATIONS " OF VILLAGERS AND BURN THEIR HOMES DURING THE WAR, ALL THE TIME 'HAVING' TO HATE THEM, INADVERTANTLY CONSIDERING THEM LESS THAN HUMAN BUT NOW REALISING IT WAS PERHAPS THE WESTERN POWERS WHO COULD BE DESCRIBED IN SUCH A FASHION. TERRY GOES BACK TO VIETNAM IN THE LATE 80's / EARLY 90's SEVERAL TIMES TO SOMEHOW COME TO TERMS WITH WHAT HAPPENEDTHERE SO MANY YEARS AGO, AND PERHAPS MEND SOME BRIDGES. THE VIETNAMESE AND THEIR CULTURE ARE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED AND ONE, ALONG WITH TERRY CANNOT HELP BUT FEEL SORRY FOR THEM. ALTHOUGH SOME ASPECTS OF WHAT HE HAS TO SAY ARE HARD TO COMPREHEND, AS THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM THE ''OFFICIAL" TRUTHS WE HAVE BEEN TOLD, ONE CANNOT IGNORE HIS VIEWS. BRILLIANT BOOK THAT INSPIRED ME TO STUDY THE VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE AND DELVE INTO THE VIETNAMESE CULTURE. READ IT, IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT.