Vietnam Veterans' Homecoming: Crossing the Line [Paperback]

Carey J. Spearman (Author), Robert R. Tomes (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2000

Vietnam Veterans' Homecoming: Crossing the Line is a thoughful and moving account of the impact that the Vietnam War had on one veteran's life. Medic Carey Spearman's emotional message will resonate in the hearts and souls of each and every veteran that picks up this book, and enlighten anyone that did not live through the war.

Carey Spearman has come home, and his journey will quickly become the journey of those who read his book. In a sequence of profound meditations, rich in poetry and deep in spirituality, Spearman draws insights from his experiences as a medic in Vietnam, and as a veteran returning home. Insights which emphasize not so much the uniqueness of his own encounters and feelings but the mighty common bonds which unite the courageous men and women who served this country during its longest war.

Crossing the Line, without pretense or political agenda, reveals page after page that those who fought in Vietnam had to be heroes twice; first in war, and then again as veterans returning home to a society that all too often failed to appreciate or understand the enormity of their sacrifices on so many different levels.

Crossing the Line is not just the story of one man, it sets down in meaningful terms the experience of an entire generation. It is a powerful testimony to the far-reaching effects of the Vietnam War on virtually all aspects of American life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"His poems, short stories and sketches of life during the Vietnam War bring the danger and sacrifice of that war into vivd focus." -- Letter from General Henery H. Shelton, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Carey Spearman's writing reminds me of Buddhist sayings, words that usually flow from a monastery. -- Ron Steinman, Author/Producer, ABC Productions, New York

It helps veterans look deep inside of themselves to explore their feelings and the ramifications of the war... -- Thomas Wilborn, Disabled American Veterans, New York

Penetrating "The work you; have done in observing your own process of recovery and identifying feelings and obstacles to recovery is of immense value to other veterans and their families as well as to the general public. Some of these meditations powerfully evoke the pain veterans feel, which would make this a valuable tool in the recovery process. I was brought to tears several times." -- Patience H. C. Mason

Powerful "In a selfish and cynical age where responsible people yearn for examples of meaningful "role models" for the young, Spearman's voice testifies loud and clear to the eternal capacity of the human spirit to live heroically and to triumph over hell itself." -Robert R. Tomes, Ph.D. -- From forward in book

Profound "many of us could not, others forced their feelings way down into the depths of their minds, and others worked through many years of various kinds of therapy to deal with their inner demons. There was not then, nor is there now, a lot of support in the process even a quarter century after we, or most of us, came home." -- Frederic R. Ryder

What came through to me was the clear perspective of a vet who has known, suffered, and wrestled with the indelible aftermath of war. -- Joan Fiset, MA, Seattle Vet Center, Seattle Washington

From the Publisher

A retired New York Police Department Sergeant, Spearman has lived a life devoted to public service--for his country during the Vietnam War; and for his community after coming home.

Spearman joined the military in 1965 and served as a medic until 1968. He was stationed in Vietnam for one year, first in An Khe, and then Tuy Hoa. It was here that he began his pilgrimage towards "Vietnam Veteran's Homecoming: Crossing the Line".

Spearman has appeared in the national broadcast media including "The Learning Channel", sharing his experiences in Vietnam during the war, and post war experiences in the United States. He has also participated as a guest speaker on panels discussing personal remembrances of the Vietnam War.

His book is a jouney replete with memories of war and of childhood; pain and sadness; of forgiveness and hope. It is a journey which is just beginning a mere thirty plus years after Vietnam.

It is a thoughtfully introspective account, a spiritual jouney of healing and regeneration.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 111 pages
• Publisher: Truman Publishing Company; 1st edition (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966339355
• ISBN-13: 978-0966339352
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #637,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Veteran Reaches for the Heart, March 2, 2000

By 

Mary Martin (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vietnam Veterans' Homecoming: Crossing the Line (Paperback)

Carey Spearman reaches right for the heart with his poignant vignettes on life in Vietnam and at home. The very cover of his book reveals much about his message: Vietnam's wounds are not just carried by Americans, but by many more; nor are all jungles lush and tropical. The soldier depicted on the cover wears a mix of western and oriental gear. The soldier's shadow is simply a man's--without the trappings of war. The palms trees of Vietnam on the skyline give way to the concrete skyscrapers of urban America. Spearman's year in Vietnam amounted to a lifetime of tending the wounded and maimed of every sort of humanity: man, woman or child carried into the medic's ward. There he began to realize how war wounds not only the soldier, but the family back home, the villager in the jungle, the lover awaiting the letter that never arrives. Like good wine, Spearman's words come from years of reflection and hard work. They reveal a man who has come to terms with his own post traumatic stress and has accepted healing. He sees the world as filled with individuals. War takes it toll one by one. Families of those lost or wounded in Vietam or other conflicts, and anyone who has suffered a significant loss in his or her life will benefit from Spearman's vignettes. If you want to read something charged with deep emotion, yet minus the gore of "war stories," and one that helps to heal inner wounds, Spearman's book: Vietnam Veterans'Homecoming: Crossing the Line will be a wonderful read. For anyone teaching American history, or history buffs, Spearman's book casts a piercing light on the reality of war--its horror and far reaching effects. In language anyone can understand, this book is one I recommend for people who look for wisdom and a sense of peace. They will find both in Carey Spearman's reflections on life as a veteran of a war American wants to forget.

5.0 out of 5 stars Vignette, February 17, 2010

By 

J. M. Meadows - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Vietnam Veterans' Homecoming: Crossing the Line (Paperback)

Carey writes "There wasn't a patient that I touched who was not touched by the both of you." [his grandmother and mother).

I met Carey in DC a few years ago. Reading his book is like a hug to me. You can open it anywhere and start reading. There is no starting point or ending. I have re-read these pages over and over. Through his book, Carey, his grandmother and mother have been with me through some tough times. Thank you Carey for your gift.

5.0 out of 5 stars Journey Home crossing many lines and lifes, December 15, 2005

By 

Kerry Pardue "Doc" (Chandler, AZ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Vietnam Veterans' Homecoming: Crossing the Line (Paperback)

Carey's first book about Vietnam is profoundly written in such a way that the reader is joined along side the writer on the journey to finding home. The journey has been long and teadous. As well as being full of self-discovery about my own seeking of healing from the War in Vietnam. Like Carey, I too, was a medic. It took a long time for many of those who were caregivers to find the courage to take that first step to coming home. This book will gently ask you questions and you have to go deeper to find the significance for you. Carey's style of writing is unique in that he didn't tell us war stories or even shared the blood and the guts of being a medic. He wrote about loss of innocence, the helplessiness of being alone, to loss, to find ourselves again, to regaining hope, to finding the way home. This book should be read by all Vietnam Vets and their families who suffer from PTSD. Carey, through his writing and his encouragement began my journey home and taught me how to love myself again. I, too, have finally written my story of being a medic in Vietnam. "Poems In The Keys Of Life: Reflections of a combat medic". I can't wait for his second book. Thanks Carey for your friendship to me.
Kerry "Doc" Pardue