Vietnam

A History

By: Stanley Karnow

Narrated by: Edward Holland

Length: 27 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

In this comprehensive history, Stanley Karnow demystifies the tragic ordeal of America's war in Vietnam. The book's central theme is that America's leaders, prompted as much by domestic politics as by global ambitions, carried the United States into Southeast Asia with little regard for the realities of the region. Karnow elucidates the decision-making process in Washington and Asia, and recounts the political and military events that occurred after the Americans arrived in Vietnam. Throughout, he focuses on people: those who shaped strategy and those who suffered, died, or survived as a result.

Panoramic in scope, and filled with fresh revelations drawn from secret documents and from exclusive interviews with hundreds of participants on both sides, Vietnam: A History transcends the past and contains lessons relevant to the present and future.

©1997 WBGH Educational Foundation and Stanley Karnow (P)1998 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"This is history writing at its best." (Chicago Sun Times)
"[T]he best journalist writing on Asian affairs." (Newsweek)
"Even those of us who think we know something about [the Vietnam War] will read with fascination." (New York Times)

Gripping book

Utterly compelling history of a tragic era
I will read more on the subject . Great job

Incredible depth and breadth

Not exclusively chronological; be warned. Narrator makes some pronunciation errors, but overall there's quality throughout.

One of the best books about Vietnam

If you could only read 1 book about Vietnam this is the book to read (or listen to).
I feel that Stanley Karnow is unbiased and s good writer which immerses the reader in the story/history.
The fact that he brings up his own interviews with historical figures (and many others) like Vo Nguyen Giap is an added bonus. The book is fairly lengthy but contains all the details the reader needs to understand the complex situation.
The author also writes of how Vietnam came under French control by starting that part of the story in the late 1700s.

The narrator is also very good. I can recall one brief scene where Ngo Dinh Diem meets Ho Chi Minh and the author reads that scene as if he were reading a conversation from a novel. I thought that was a nice detail.

Overall, fantastic book. A must read for history enthusiasts.

Comprehensive and honest

I really enjoyed this book. It appeared to be a pretty objective account, politically and militarily - at least as objective as such a polarizing subject as the Vietnam War can be. It's a tragic happening in modern history which occasionally still ignites tempers. It ended 40 years ago, and so little is taught about a subject from which so many important lessons can be learned. The numerous intricacies are laid out very well through the eyes and experiences of a man assigned to cover the conflicts from its earlier origins in the 50s (or before). Karnow is also careful to give a detailed description of Vietnam's very early history, as having this background is important to the reader's understanding of the psychology underlying the population of the region. Really, if the policy makers throughout the conflict were more aware of the history and mindset, it's possible things might have played out differently. It was a fantastic listen. I purchased a hard copy of the book as well.

Climax

The ending seem rushed with the fall of the south covered in under 30 mins. Also no information on the years after unification. But otherwise a good book

A worthwhile read...

I liked this book because it gave a very in-depth history of the country of Vietnam. From the beginning to the end of the book I was gripped and it was not only interest but, in a strange sense, fascinating.

The reason that I rated it so nightly was because of the fact that it was the most complete history of a very troubled country. I would highly recommend this book to those who like me grew up in the era of the Vietnam conflict.

I learned so much

Edward Holland's gravitas and reading skill is amazing! My high school graduation was in 1968 and I had regretted not joining the Marines back then instead of going to college right out of high school. Had I gone to war I may have regretted that too because it was " the wrong war". fought for "all the wrong reasons." This book filled in a lot of gaps for me. It's words strike emotions with every reminder and revelation of that time.

Great overview from a political perspective

This was a good overview of the US conflict in Vietnam. It tended to emphasize the political dimension of the story, though it seemed to fairly offer all sides of the equation.

Good

Very good book I I did it was very enthralling can't be wanting for more for somebody who didn't know anything about Vietnam it was a good starter book

The best history of the Vietnam War to date.

Hard to swallow truths about a poorly run war run by naive politicians and a stream of rigid Army officers.