Vietnam Voices: Perspectives on the War Years, 1941-1982 [Hardcover]

John Clark Pratt (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 1984

Arranged chronologically and in counterpoint, this unique book samples all conceivable forms of oral and written documentation to illuminate the United States' involvement in its longest and most divisive war. From foot soldiers to generals, politicians to protesters, hawks and doves, their attitudes and experiences are graphically revealed.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Few readers will come away without learning something from [Vietnam Voices]."--London Times

"A dramatic sampling of the war's human dimension . . . a highly useful compilation of the manifold experiences that Vietnam signified, one that will help us to comprehend the magnitude and significance of this war."--Library Journal

"Perhaps the best one-volume introduction to the literature of the war."--Vietnam War Literature

“Everything about this anthology is imaginative and exciting.”--Playboy

"A valuable book, well worth reading."--Los Angeles Times

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

John Clark Pratt served for more than twenty years in the U.S. Air Force. He is a professor of English emeritus at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. His other books include the novel The Laotian Fragments.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 706 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (September 4, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067074607X
• ISBN-13: 978-0670746071
• Product Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 20 inches
• Shipping Weight: 20 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,337,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Compilation--Should Be Expanded To 10 Volumes, April 25, 2004

By 

S. Annand (Alexandria, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vietnam Voices: Perspectives on the War Years, 1941-1982 (Mass Market Paperback)

I bought this when it first came out, but continue to use it as a reference book. What is most irritating is that this book is out of print, while the cheap knock-offs keep rolling!!

Pratt has compiled a cross section of everything, from literature to music to poetry, to help explain the Vietnam War from start to finish. As the subtitle explains, this is from 1941-1982, so you get the French view as well as American, North and South Vietnamese mixed in. If you look on page 187 you will also even see a Swedish poem by Goran Sonnevi based on what he saw on television! This is why I say this should have been 10 volumes. And, like, why is poet Bruce Weigl missing?

What is interesting is how Pratt also chose to compile this volume. By that, I mean that authors writing in 1979 on what they saw in 1965 are interspersed with what was reported that year. His Prologue is 1941-May 1955, with an Epilogue for 1975-1982. Each "Act" starts with a page of GI graffiti, such as "As I slide down the banister of life I'll always remember Veitnam as a splinter in my ass." Believe me, I saw this and much better by 1971. Sometimes, you just had to be there to understand the humor and what it was all about.

What is also important is that Pratt also included the casualties for each year. Curious about how my year stacked up with the current situation in Iraq, I noticed we had about 156,000 troops in Vietnam in Vietnam which suffered 1,381 killed and 8,936 wounded. Seems to be getting close by that calculation. I also liked the inclusion of the Christmas song at the end of the 1971 section. We actually sang that in Christmas 1971. The refrain "Take your Merry Christmas cheer and shove it up your ass" got louder each time. We supplied the free fireworks for that and New Year's. Sure beats waving sparklers.

Like I say, my only complaint is that this was never seen as the definitive compilation for Vietnam. What I would like to see would be a much more ambitious project along these same lines.