Jock wrote:Right folks. Looking for recommendations. Good books. Not to heavy, on American Civil War and Vietnam. All recommendations appreciated
Vietnam - am sure there are posters here - DD? Toby? our colonial cousins? - who are experts on the American Civil War, here are a couple of personal Vietnam faves
Michael Herr -
Despatches (excellent on-the-ground reportage, the like of which we will never see again because no government would ever be mad or stupid enough to give writers as incisive as the late MH such freedom)
Neil Sheehan -
A Bright Shining Lie (Pretty much the definitive book on how the US got sucked in to Vietnam and what happened when it did)
Geoffrey C Ward and Ken Burns
The VIetnam War (The book of KB's superb TV series from last year. Excellent overview from all sides. If you've not seen it, the series is brilliant TV)
Robert A Caro -
The Years of Lyndon Johnson Book FiveIf previous volumes - essentially a history of US politics in the 20th Century - are anything to go by, the long overdue - fifth and apparently final - volume in Robert A Caro's magnificent biog of LBJ will investigate Vietnam in some depth.
Don't hold your breath, though.
Given that RAC's previous book mainly covering the six weeks after JFK's assassination ran to 736 pages, there's no telling when Vol 5 will come out. In the meantime, there's an excellent PBS serial on LBJ for anyone interested in his rise and how Vietnam essentially destroyed him and his presidency.