Customer Reviews

Vietnam Veterans Since the War: The Politics of PTSD, Agent Orange, and the National Memorial

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I think this is an absolutely fascinating book. I read it, oh maybe fifteen or twenty years ago when it was published under a different title, something like The Politics of Readjustment. What I remember most from the first reading was being mad at the major veterans organizations for obstructing the construction of the the Vietnam War Memorial (The Wall). I didn't pay much attention to the PTSD issue at the time, I guess because I didn't know much about it, and I didn't pay attention at all to the Agent Orange issue because I associated it with the organization Vietnam Veterans of America which seemed focused on it as though it were the only veterans' issue of any importance. I read these sections closely this time, and found them extremely informative. One of the things I found very interesting this time was the Ross Perot/James Stockdale connection. Had I known they had so opposed the building of The Wall, I never would have voted for them <grin>.

Anyway, Scott does a great job with this book. He must have spent months, even years doing the research and interviews. His writing style is very approachable, almost like reading a fiction story, but he lost me throughout most of the last chapter when he turned "academic," speaking mostly to a "sociology" audience. I especially enjoyed pages 247 - 254, though, when he describes complex vs. primitive wars, good vs. bad wars -- all very fascinating and informative stuff.

I highly recommend this book.

The item/book seemed in great condition when I opened it. However, when I began reading it, I discovered that the book reeked of smoke so badly that while I read it my eyes actually started to tear--a real big turnoff........