MWSA Review

THAT TIME, THAT PLACE, THAT WAR by Margaret Brown is a book for every American's bookshelf, a book that reveals the Vietnam War, not as a war book or a political book--though it addresses both evenhandedly--but as a human book: a book of human life during war shown by those who fought. The author shares the code of Vietnam using the grunts' words, photos and poetry. Her hope is that her book "unlocks the door that separates the soldiers who went to war from those who love them and from those who want to learn about history."

Sections are organized by military alphabet. Alpha is for A-Team, Ace of Spades, Afrvn--Armed Forces Radio in Vietnam, and Agent Blue (plus 22 more including Anti-War Protests). Bravo is for Baby-killer, Bad Paper and Bagged and Tagged. THAT TIME, THAT PLACE, THAT WAR: VIETNAM uses stories from the men who fought in the war, photos, research, definitions, songs, poems to give a complete and balanced view of Vietnam.

A professor at Radford University in Radford, Virginia, the author taught a course on the Vietnam War and invited vets in to speak of their experiences. What they shared changed the students' perspective and evolved into this book.

I grew up in the Vietnam era, yet this book gave information and perspective to so many memories, questions, and emotions. I hope THAT TIME, THAT PLACE, THAT WAR unlocks the code to finally welcome our Vietnam vets home.

Highly recommended!

Reviewed by: Marcia J Sargent (July 1, 2012)

Author's Synopsis

THAT TIME, THAT PLACE, THAT WAR by Margaret Brown is a book for every American's bookshelf, a book that reveals the Vietnam War, not as a war book or a political book--though it addresses both evenhandedly--but as a human book: a book of human life during war shown by those who fought. The author shares the code of Vietnam using the grunts' words, photos and poetry. Her hope is that her book "unlocks the door that separates the soldiers who went to war from those who love them and from those who want to learn about history."