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Vietnam - The Teenage Wasteland: A Hippie in a War Zone Paperback – August 2, 2012

by Tom Martiniano (Author)

4.3 205 ratings

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"Vietnam - The Teenage Wasteland. A Hippie in a War Zone" by Tom Martiniano.
The author was asked: Why write this book in 2012? His response was this: "This book actually took ten years to write because of the research involved, but mainly because it was hard for me to write, emotionally speaking. After 40 years of people asking me, 'What was it like in Vietnam?' 'What was combat like?' 'Were you scared?' 'What was it like for a peace loving late-60’s Hippie, drafted, with no desires to go off to war and kill people; to go through the harshest combat that one could ever endure and not only survive but to help lead a decimated company of tattered soldiers to victory against the insurmountable odds? What was that like?" And, the big question: "What was that war really all about?"
People have asked these questions since the Vietnam War started and their quests for the truth have gone on unanswered since then. Not anymore.
Finally a book that answers ALL of these questions, and a lot more. I realize that is a big statement, but it is true. It is a rearward analytical look at what American Combat Soldiers experienced so that it not only makes sense to the reader, but it puts the reader right in the boots of a combat veteran.
This book is very different than other books in that it is laid out in an informative way to put the reader there, in the terrain, with the hot humid, stifling weather, the green vipers and chattering monkeys - all in breathtaking mountainous terrain in which a company of US soldiers traverse in hopes of not being seen and forced to engage in a fire-fight with dedicated enemy combatants.
This book is divided into four distinct parts:
1. "What Was it Like to be there?" The author answers all of the questions such as, "What was the weather like? "What about drugs?" "What about the people there?" "What were the weapons like?" and so forth. Any question the author was ever asked is covered in this section so that the reader totally gets it.
2. The story of the Hippies in combat; The author's personal story about learning how to survive in this killing machine while keeping my convictions and principles intact. He starts out being an "FNG" to the point where he ends up running the company and keeping my men alive and safe as possible while kicking the enemy's ass all the way back to North Vietnam.
3. Re-entry into the USA was in it's own way, more brutal than the war itself with more hatred from Americans than the enemy had shown us. Whatever morale Vietnam Veterans had left to them was stripped from from them in the airports and on the streets by those who were against the war.
4. And lastly - "What was the war about, anyhow?" The author did years of research to find the answers to that mega-question. And he finally did get those answers and they are laid out for anyone to understand in this book.
If you want the real skinny on this war, read this book and if you have any other questions, feel free to contact this author at Phone: 480-427-8492
Email: ot7tom@gmail.com

Print length

334 pages
Language

English
Publication date

August 2, 2012
Dimensions

6 x 0.76 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1478350849
ISBN-13

978-1478350842
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 2, 2012)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 334 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1478350849
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1478350842
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.76 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,732,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,563 in Vietnam War History (Books)
- #24,901 in Asian History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 205 ratings

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Tom Martiniano

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I grew up in the West side of Detroit Michigan. It was a rough neighborhood and I just barely made it out of that neighborhood when I got drafted in the Army and was sent to an even tougher neighborhood - Vietnam, in combat for one year. I did pretty good, though. I think Detroit was my real boot camp and I was somewhat ready for what Vietnam had to dish out to me. I earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for my tenure there. Then I came home, basically in one piece.

After 6 months of cooling my heals post-Vietnam, I worked, mainly, as a drug and spiritual counselor. I was good at both because after Vietnam, I became real spiritual, almost to the point of nausea. I figured I owed someone my life because of all of the near-misses in combat, so I needed to pay it forward. And I did for 40 years.

I opened a retail business and took it public, only to lose it all one day (I found out later that people that took my company public had planned, from the beginning, to take it away from me after I fattened it up). I was out on the street $200,000 in debt and pretty caved.

It took me a few years to get back onto my feet and get going. Instead of watching TV at night I sat down on my computer and wrote a book. My first book, Vietnam - The Teenage Wasteland It took me several years to write it and a lot of edits, but I finally found Amazon last July 2012 and published it. It is a smash hit and is selling nearly 200 per month.

Meantime I just kept on writing and write I did. I penned 5 other books and 9 screenplays! It is a blast to just sit there and "imaginate" (new made-up word)and then put it all down in words for others to enjoy. Much better than watching "Survivor Chicago" on TV.

Everyone who reads "Teenage Wasteland" loves it. You don't have to be my age or from the military to enjoy it. Everyone from every age and ethnic group has read it and majorly give me 5 stars rating for this book.

My other books are just fun as can be, except for the serious one: "How To Take Care of Your Veteran". This is actually a manual on taking proper care of vets. anyone who knows a veteran needs to read this book.

I can be contacted at ot7tom@gmail.com. Love to hear from you.

Tom

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4.3 out of 5

205 global ratings

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Brook Jackson

Wonderful Book! Worth the Read!

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2017

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War. I will never understand it. This was an intriguing book full of the craziness of war. I think I enjoyed it because the writer had a sense of humor about himself which is probably why he survived. I think everything bad that could have happened to him happened, short of getting struck by lighting…oh, maybe, yeah…spoiler alert!? Some of the things that happen are off the wall funny and some are so awful, but the way he tells you his stories, you see a boy become a man in the midst of chaos and destruction who has to build his wings on his way down.

In all seriousness, I was drawn to the book because of the title and the picture on the front cover. It struck me because it was a picture taken in the middle of the wreckage of Vietnam. Boys. Babies really. It was written with the intent of showing the reader how insane it was and that the only way through it was to find peace within it and play the game—to survive. I think the author showed his progression of survival through naivety, fear, bravery, brotherhood, humor and sorrow. He writes it as a young voice that was living it, his style is very in the moment.

I enjoy his personality and his riveting stories throughout the book. His writing kind of reminded me of the “matter of fact-in your face” writing of Kurt V., Slaughter House 5. The message is similar about how he was thrown into it just like Vonnegut was with all the vulnerability felt and expressed with humor. Yes, a different genre, but still the same message of how senseless war is. It is a real voice from a person who lays it down for you and doesn’t hold back. I think it was well worth the read. The gallows humor is very appropriate for such a heavy book. “And so it goes.” ---Vonnegut. With that being said, to fully understand humor one must also know that humor in many cases comes from knowing great sorrow.

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reese

2 people found this helpful

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Thomas E. Jones

Interesting reading

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2013

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Not the usual Vietnam memoir which is written in chronological order beginning with the draft notice or enlistment, but a collection of "what was it like" answers to questions posed by non-veterans. The book gives the answers without having to hear the questions...again. There is no chronology, dates and locations of specific incidents are rarely offered and the book can be read in reverse order with no loss of understanding. Alternately, you can even skip a chapter and still not "lose your place" in the book. The author's character is gradually understood as the book progresses; and even his division and unit designations remain mysteries until revealed piece-by-piece.

Factual errors are standard these books, but cause me no alarm. The author has the 82nd doing combat jumps in 1965 when the Division's brigade never arrived in-country until early '68, and never jumped in Vietnam in any case. And if the Americal was an airborne division I never knew it. That's just the nature of old memories, and why veterans from the same unit at the same time and place always get into arguments over what happened

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coco

UK vet of NI Bosnia Kosovo GW1 and 2 Iraq and Afghan

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 21, 2020

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Hi Tom

Great read. I can concur with many others I think you have said many things that myself and others have been unable to articulate.

I served as an Infantry Soldier and as a Tac Support Operator. Probably bizarrely saw more combat in the latter role but its still boots on the ground.

Anyways thanks for your work I think this one is a keeper.

Kind Regards

Ali

gg 111

EXCELLENT ACCOUNT OF ONE MAN'S TOUR IN VIETNAM

Reviewed in Canada on January 16, 2016

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EXCELLENT ACCOUNT OF ONE MAN'S TOUR IN VIETNAM.

david carter

Superb book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2020

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What an informative read,I’ve read loads on Vietnam and I’ve never read the reasons for the war now I have, how corrupt and greedy can people be and not think about people’s misery. Tom was a very brave soldier who credits his comrades first.

One person found this helpful

Kindle Customer

What a great read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

At first I did not know where the book was going and then you get get carried alongside the author and the rest of the troops on a breath taking run through the jungles. Outstanding thank you tom.

Rich Stokoe

A must read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

I don't normally write too many reviews but felt I had to with this one. It had the right mix of action, humanity and was very thought provoking. Definately worth a read 👍

One person found this helpful

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Vietnam - The Teenage Wasteland: A Hippie in a War Zone Paperback – August 2, 2012

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