
This book is probably the best collection of short stories I have ever read. Not surprising that it won the Pulitzer Prize. Butler has crafted a book that tells the human side of the Vietnam war. Each story, which read like chapters in a novel, is a tale told in first person. Most of the stories are told by Vietnamese immigrants living in Louisiana. They all have a unique relationship to the war ranging from military officer to prostitute. The last tale is told from the perspective of a US soldier who is not missing in action, but voluntarily chose to spend the rest of his life with a woman in Vietnam. The author is amazing in his ability to realistically capture differing and believable voices for a wide variety of personalities. He captures huges emotions and politics in simple situations.
There has been so much attention given to Vietnam. This book is the most human and the most touching I have read. The author has made the storytellers incredibly real with intriguing tales filled with a cornucopia of emotions, including humor. I finished each short story saying "Wow!" to myself. This is a great book in everyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment