Articles tagged "Vietnam"
February 2018 Nonfiction
Nature, history, humor, and sex—just a few of the subjects in this month’s new nonfiction releases:
THE SEABIRD’S CRY: The Lives and Loves of the Planet’s Great Ocean Voyagers by Adam Nicolson
THREE starred reviews! “Marveling at lives lived in some of the harshest places on the planet, Nicolson writes lyrically of birds most of us only briefly notice when visiting a rocky shoreline, beings possessing extraordinary forms of understanding we have never shared.” — Booklist, starred review
THE KINGS OF BIG SPRING: God, Oil, and One Family’s Search for the American Dream by Bryan Mealer
Two starred reviews! An indelible portrait of a family through three generations of boom and bust, and a legacy of fortune and ruin as big as Texas itself. “In his themes and vivid storytelling, Mealer invites comparison to James Mitchener (TEXAS) or J.D. Vance (HILLBILLY ELEGY). As tribute to the grit of the rural poor, as social history of dirt-and-oil Texas, and as rambunctious family saga, this work triumphs.” — Library Journal, starred review
LEFT BANK: Art, Passion, and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940-50 by Agnes Poirier
A lively, authoritative group portrait of some of the 20th century’s most revered creative minds as they lived, loved, fought, and flourished in Paris during and after World War II. “This book defies simple description; part collective biography, part cultural history, it aims to make the generation of intellectuals who shaped the Paris of the 1940s familiar to readers. For Francophiles and informed readers interested in 20th-century cultural trends.” — Library Journal
OPERATION CHAOS: The Vietnam Deserters Who Fought the CIA, the Brainwashers, and Themselves by Matthew Sweet
An untold Cold War story about how the CIA tried to infiltrate a radical group of U.S. military deserters; a tale that leads from a bizarre political cult to the heart of the Washington establishment. “A surprising, tragic, and, in many places, angry story of a country’s paranoia inflicting itself upon its own citizens.” — Booklist readmoreremove
Stars for THE GREAT ALONE
Kristin Hannah’s THE NIGHTINGALE was a worldwide bestseller and a book club favorite. Now, Hannah’s sure-to-be instant bestseller, THE GREAT ALONE, has two starred reviews:
“Hannah’s follow-up to her series of blockbuster bestsellers will thrill her fans with its combination of Greek tragedy, Romeo and Juliet-like coming-of-age story, and domestic potboiler. She re-creates in magical detail the lives of Alaska’s homesteaders in both of the state’s seasons (they really only have two) and is just as specific and authentic in her depiction of the spiritual wounds of post-Vietnam America. A tour de force.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Hannah skillfully situates the emotional family saga in the events and culture of the late ’70s—gas shortages, Watergate, Ted Bundy, Patty Hearst, and so on. But it’s her tautly drawn characters—Large Marge, Genny, Mad Earl, Tica, Tom—who contribute not only to Leni’s improbable survival but to her salvation amid her family’s tragedy.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
Veteran’s Day!
In honor of Veteran’s Day we’d like to share with you poignant novels and war-time accounts from award-winning authors:
THE GOOD SOLDIERS and THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE by David Finkel
In these companion works, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Finkel chronicles the Iraq War through the eyes of the soldiers of the 2-16 Infantry Battalion. Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, The Christian Science Monitor, and many more, THE GOOD SOLDIERS is a new classic on war. In THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, Finkel reconnects with the men of the 2-16 Infantry Battalion and follows them as they returned home and struggle to reintegrate into their family lives and into American society at large. As with THE GOOD SOLDIERS, it's received outstanding reviews and critical attention.
SPARTA by Roxana Robinson
In Robinson's novel, a young man drawn by the appeal of furthering a long tradition of honor, courage, and commitment enlists to serve in the Iraq War. Upon his return home four years later, he finds it nearly impossible to adjust to "normal" life and fears that the bitterness and rage he's festering will cause irreparable damage when it comes out.
BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME: An Oral History of New York City's Vietnam Veterans by Philip F. Napoli
In the spirit of Tom Brokaw’s THE GREATEST GENERATION, Napoli’s collection of oral histories from New York’s Vietnam vets humanizes the men and women who sacrificed for our country in a deeply troubling war. "Riveting... BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME crackles with the kind of extraordinary voices Studs Terkel mined from ordinary people." – New York Daily News
MARSHLANDS by Matthew Olshan
In his first novel for adults, Olshan reveals the story of a prisoner who was formerly a doctor in a culture virtually snuffed out under Saddam Hussein. Transcending fiction, MARSHLANDS is a gripping and deeply moral investigation into our own history as occupiers and the myths we spin around it. readmoreremove
A debut to take you back.
Tatjana Soli's debut novel tells the story of an American female combat photographer in the Vietnam War as she captures the wrenching chaos and finds herself torn between the love of two men. The buzz for this title has been huge both in-house and in trade reviews. Not one to miss!
"A visceral story about the powerful and complex bonds that war creates... Moving and memorable." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Soli's poignant work will grab the attention of most readers. A powerful new writer to watch." —Library Journal (starred review)