david halberstam

There’s a Book for That: The Vietnam War

This week PBS viewers have been captivated by Ken Burns’ and Lynn Novick’s 10-episode, 18-hour, documentary series, “The Vietnam War” which concludes on September 28th. Six years in the making, written by Geoffrey C. Ward and narrated by Peter Coyote, the series tells the epic story of one of the most controversial and divisive events in American history like never before and “explores the human dimensions of the war through revelatory testimony of nearly 80 witnesses from all sides.” (PBS.com). The official companion book and audiobook to “The Vietnam War” are now available from Penguin Random House along with other excellent titles – including reportage and reporters featured in the series –  all of which broaden our understanding of this seminal event in our history.

expand
  FEATURED TITLES:   The Vietnam War by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken BurnsTHE VIETNAM WAR: AN INTIMATE HISTORY by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns From the award-winning historian and filmmakers of The Civil War, Baseball, The War, The Roosevelts, and others: a vivid, uniquely powerful history of the conflict that tore America apart–the companion volume to the major, multipart PBS film to be aired in September 2017. THE VIETNAM WAR audiobook is narrated by Ken Burns, Brian Corrigan and Fred Sanders.   The Vietnam War by DK THE VIETNAM WAR: THE DEFINITIVE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY (DK) Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this authoritative guide chronicles America’s fight against Communism in southeast Asia during the 1960s and 1970s, and comprehensively explores the people, politics, events, and lasting effects of the Vietnam War.   Embers of War by Fredrik LogevallEMBERS OF WAR: THE FALL OF AN EMPIRE AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA’S VIETNAM by Fredrik Logevall WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE Written with the style of a great novelist and the intrigue of a Cold War thriller, Fredrik Logevall traces the path that led two Western nations to tragically lose their way in the jungles of Southeast Asia.   Marine Sniper by Charles HendersonMARINE SNIPER by Charles Henderson The explosive true story of Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, a legendary Marine sniper in the Vietnam War.       The Girl in the Picture by Denise ChongTHE GIRL IN THE PICTURE: THE STORY OF KIM PHUC, THE PHOTOGRAPH, AND THE VIETNAM WAR by Denise Chong On June 8, 1972, nine-year-old Kim Phuc, severely burned by napalm, ran from her blazing village in South Vietnam and into the eye of history. Her photograph-one of the most unforgettable images of the twentieth century-was seen around the world and helped turn public opinion against the Vietnam War. This book is the story of how that photograph came to be-and the story of what happened to that girl after the camera shutter closed.   The Best and the Brightest by David HalberstamTHE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST by David Halberstam “[The] most comprehensive saga of how America became involved in Vietnam. It is also the Iliad of the American empire and the Odyssey of this nation’s search for its idealistic soul.”– The Boston Globe     Vietnam by Stanley Karnow VIETNAM: A HISTORY by Stanley Karnow “A landmark work.” -The Washington Post Book World This monumental narrative clarifies, analyzes, and demystifies the tragic ordeal of the Vietnam war. Free of ideological bias, profound in its understanding, and compassionate in its human portrayals, it is filled with fresh revelations drawn from secret documents and from exclusive interviews with participants.   Last Night I Dreamed of Peace by Dang Thuy TramLAST NIGHT I DREAMED OF PEACE by Dan Thuy Tram Brutally honest and rich in detail, this posthumously published diary of a twenty-seven-year-old Vietcong woman doctor, saved from destruction by an American soldier, gives us fresh insight into the lives of those fighting on the other side of the Vietnam War.     A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan A BRIGHT SHINING LIE: JOHN PAUL VANN AND AMERICA IN VIETNAM by Neil Sheehan Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. When he came to Vietnam in 1962, Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann was the one clear-sighted participant in an enterprise riddled with arrogance and self-deception, a charismatic soldier who put his life and career on the line in an attempt to convince his superiors that the war should be fought another way.   When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip and Jay WurtsWHEN HEAVEN AND EARTH CHANGED PLACES by Le Ly Hayslip Le Ly Hayslip’s searing account of the Vietnam War: just twelve years old when fighting broke out in her village, Le Ly was recruited as by the Viet Cong as a lookout, enduring years at the brutal heart of the conflict before undertaking a courageous path to recovery and triumph. With a new afterword by the author.   The Vietnam Reader by   THE VIETNAM READER: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION OF FICTION AND NONFICTION ON THE WAR by Stewart O’Nan An extraordinary selection of the finest and best-known art from the American war in Vietnam, from Tim O’Brien to Marvin Gaye, from mainstream bestsellers to radical poetry.     The 1964 Election and Its Aftermath by Robert S. McNamaraVINTAGE SHORTS ON VIETNAM The Vintage Shorts series presents timely reading from enduring classics as well as exciting original works from contemporary voices—exclusively available as eBooks. The Vietnam series features 10 e-titles from authors such as Bao Ninh and Tobias Wolff.     FOR YOUNGER READERS   DK Eyewitness Books: Vietnam War by DKDK EYEWITNESS BOOKS: VIETNAM WAR; Ages 8 to 12 A visual and informative guide to one of the longest and most controversial wars in American history, now revised and updated in the relaunched DK Eyewitness Books format.     For more on these and related titles, visit the collection: Vietnam War  

There’s a Book for That! is brought to you by Penguin Random House’s Sales department. Please follow our Tumblr by clicking here—and share this link with your accounts: theresabookforthat.tumblr.com. Thank you! Did you see something on the news or read about something on your commute? Perhaps you noticed something trending on Twitter? Did you think: “There’s a book for that!”? Then please, send it our way at theresabookforthat@penguinrandomhouse.com