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The Greatest Beer Run Ever  By  cover art

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

By: John "Chick" Donohue, J.T. Molloy
Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
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Publisher's summary

"Chickie takes us thousands of miles on a hilarious quest laced with sorrow, but never dull. You will laugh and cry, but you will not be sorry that you read this rollicking story." (Malachy McCourt)

Soon to be a major motion picture written and directed by Peter Farrelly, who won two Academy Awards for Green Book - a wildly entertaining, feel-good memoir of an Irish American New Yorker and former US marine who embarked on a courageous, harebrained scheme to deliver beer to his pals serving Vietnam in the late 1960s.

One night in 1967, 26-year-old John Donohue - known as Chick - was out with friends, drinking in a New York City bar. The friends gathered there had lost loved ones in Vietnam. Now, they watched as anti-war protesters turned on the troops themselves. One neighborhood patriot came up with an inspired - some would call it insane - idea. Someone should sneak into Vietnam, track down their buddies there, give them messages of support from back home, and share a few laughs over a can of beer. It would be the Greatest Beer Run Ever. But who'd be crazy enough to do it? One man was up for the challenge - a US Marine Corps veteran turned merchant mariner who wasn't about to desert his buddies on the front lines when they needed him. Chick volunteered. A day later, he was on a cargo ship headed to Vietnam, armed with Irish luck and a backpack full of alcohol.

Landing in Qui Nho'n, Chick set off on an adventure that would change his life forever - an odyssey that took him through a series of hilarious escapades and harrowing close calls, including the Tet Offensive. But none of that mattered if he could bring some cheer to his pals and show them how much the folks back home appreciated them.This is the story of that epic beer run, told in Chick's own words and those of the men he visited in Vietnam.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2017 John "Chick" Donohue and J.T. Molloy (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Featured Article: Listen Before You Watch—The Biggest Page-to-Screen Adaptations in Fall/Winter 2022


It’s not just crunchy leaves and cozy vibes that autumn brings. This fall and winter, television and movie fans also have a lot to look forward to, with major page-to-screen adaptations slated from streaming and theatrical releases. So, as your next listen, consider tuning in to the original works that have inspired what are sure to be our new book-to-movie and book-to-television obsessions.

What listeners say about The Greatest Beer Run Ever

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A good read that moves along nicely

Entertaining and fun read if you're even vaguely into history. A story and chain of events that would seem impossible to replicate these days.

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  • BG
  • 09-29-21

Best Title Ever (and a great story)!

After I started listening to this book, I ordered a paper copy for my father as this was his era and I knew he would appreciate the story. The themes of friendship and war-type comrade are what my father appreciated most. For me, it was the in depth and first hand historical account that was most appreciated. Chick tells a great story and it is well worth the read or the listen!

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  • Overall
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Great tale

This is just a really fun and true tale of another time and place. For some of us there will be a bit of nostalgia.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great Story

Great Story. A beer run has such a capacity to be trivial. Not this one. Not an excuse for the author to tell us how brave he was. The star of this story, is the story.

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Best Read in Years

If you liked Catch-22 and you love history, this is for you. Some real life absurdities and bureaucracy of war, and unbelievable adventure. You’ll laugh, you will be hit in the feels, you will be glad you read this book.

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Great book!

I really enjoyed the performer who read this story! He was able to keep my attention the entire time and it felt like he cared about the telling of this story!

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Love the first hand accounts of what really happened

I bought this book a year ago on a whim and now that they are making it into a movie I knew I wanted to finish it. Being from Buffalo I though we had some good beer run stories but this takes the cake. It was a nice look into history, and I loved the first hand accounts.

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Excellent

Love this book. The narrator did a fantastic job narrating. Those who like reading and learning more about Vietnam War will enjoy listening to or reading this book.

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Crazy Beer Journey

Entertaining story of friends helping and supporting friends. I had a few beers in honor of this journey.

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Great story!

This is the story of a guy who went into the worst pats of Vietnam, during the worst part of the war, to pay his respects to his friends from NY, soldiers, and to bring them a beer. Wild ride! What an interesting journey by a dedicated friend and patriot. And he exposed the lies of the government and the hell or this war.

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16 people found this helpful