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Summary: Penetrating Insight into Kerry's Character
Review: Reading this book, which can admittedly be overly hagiographic at times, you can really get a sense of who Kerry is and how deeply the lessons of Vietnam -- the war and what it did to this country -- affected him and haunt him to this day.
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Summary: History or Hagiography?
Review: When excerpts from Douglas Brinkley's forthcoming book on John Kerry and the Vietnam War appeared in The Atlantic in December 2003, I couldn't help feeling sorry for the author. Obviously he had spent a lot of time researching and writing a book that would be forgotten before the ink was even dry. Of course, at that time Senator Kerry's campaign for the presidency was dead in the water, while the supposedly smart money was accumulating around Howard Dean.Now Douglas Brinkley has the last laugh. His time spent on "Tour of Duty" looks like a shrewd bet. Not only has Kerry locked up the Democratic nomination to challenge George W. Bush--his experiences in the Vietnam War have become central to the campaign in a way few could have predicted. Anyone hoping to gain a better understanding of the veteran senator who would be president should start here. Brinkley shows Kerry's growth from youth to manhood through the harrowing crucible of the Vietnam War. Anyone who doubts the genuine courage and skill that Kerry showed as a Navy lieutenant in that conflict must contend with the evidence that Brinkley has amassed. With the cooperation of his subject, he has also produced a highly intimate portrait of Kerry's thoughts and writings at the time. Brinkley thereby succeeds in warmly humanizing a public figure often criticized for aloofness. Brinkley's Kerry is a compelling Renaissance Man: brave soldier, compassionate friend, charismatic politician, agile intellectual, avid sportsman. In short, he's a little too good to be true. And that's where one begins to have some doubts about this book. An associate of the late Stephen Ambrose, Brinkley seems to be a serious historian. And one might expect him to be broadly sympathetic to his subject--if he weren't, I doubt that Senator Kerry would have offered him access to his private papers. Still, Brinkley seems reluctant to criticize Kerry or even raise questions about his motives or judgment. This becomes more apparent when the narrative shifts from Mekong Delta war stories to antiwar protests and political campaigns. The final chapter, a glowing description of Kerry's presidential announcement in September 2003 (an event which seemed to fall flat at the time), reads like a ghostwritten hack campaign biography. It's too bad, because Brinkley was ideally situated to place the strengths and weaknesses of Kerry's candidacy in the context of his past. (A first-class example of this type of book is David Maraniss' biography of the young Bill Clinton, "First in His Class".) Brinkley's book also seems to have been rushed a bit into publication. Editors of political books ought to be able to spell Rep. John Dingell's name right, for example, and to know that Chuck Hagel is a Republican Senator from Nebraska, not a Democrat. That being said, Brinkley has produced a truly useful piece of work. Both Republicans and Democrats will be studying it carefully--the former probing for weaknesses, the latter looking for reassurance. But if John Kerry is half the man Doug Brinkley seems to think he is, the Republicans should be worried, and the Democrats should be proud.
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Summary: Compelling Read
Review: This is the second book that I have reviewed on John Kerry in the last week. I reviewed the biography "John F. Kerry" by Kranish, Mooney, and Easton the three veteran Boston Globe reporters that had known and interviewed Kerry for over 20 years. I thought that was an excellent book and I gave it five stars. It is well-researched, neutral, and covered most of his life without any input from Kerry. Kerry comes out basically positive in the book. The present book is also good but it is written by one person doing research including notes supplied by Kerry, Kerry was interviewed at length about certain points, and it covers a narrower time frame - manly his war experiences. So I think it merits a lower rating so I gave it 4 stars. This book is biased positively towards Kerry and that is okay and I think most readers would understand that, and would take that into account in drawing any conclusions. Having said that, the author Douglas Brinkley is a Professor at the University of New Orleans, he has written a reasonably well crafted lengthy and detailed story about 457 pages long and then added another 60 pages in notes, references, etc. So it is a solid job. I am a Canadian but was fortunate enough to go to college in Boston when Kerry had just graduated from Yale and was joining the Navy. I knew many people in college in Boston that managed to avoid going to Vietnam through college deferrals or joining the National Guard and believe me those deferrals from Vietnam were prized possessions. Nobody, or at least most honest people, did not want to go to the jungles of Vietnam carrying an M-16. It was a thankless experience, many were killed or injured, and they were not greeted with enthusiasm when they returned. I knew some who went, some in the army from West Point and some in the Air Force. Most people realized the war was contentious at best and very dangerous. Kerry was not the norm when volunteered to join the Navy, nor was he the norm to volunteer to join the swift boats in Vietnam. But he did. I will not review every detail of the plot here, but I think this is an excellent and sometimes gripping account of his service and reflects well on him as a person and an American. The book covers his training, his initial tour on a frigate, then his swift boat training, Vietnam, and the last 100 pages or so on his activities when he returned. Read the book before you judge or write a review. It is a mostly gripping account that will hold your attention. Recommend. Jack in Toronto.
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Summary: Is this a Blog?
Review: I'm dissapointed to see such "reviews" as the reader from Chagrin Falls, OH - who decided to use what is usually a valuable resource when trying to decide whether or not to purchase a book to espouse his political opinions. Unfortunately, by doing so, he isn't held to the truth. Most of his so-called facts about Kerry have been proven to be false. I did appreciate the honest reviews provided by others, though (good and bad). Based on those, I am buying the book. I gave this five stars because I was required to in order to submit this "review" - even though I have not yet read the book. Maybe they will offset the one star given by our friend in Chagrin Falls and provide a more balanced overall rating.
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Summary: Surprised Me!
Review: I love politics and make a point of reading as much as I can about all the players - positive-negative-unbiased-etc. Because of this "hobby" I picked up Tour of Duty a few months ago (shortly after it was released, I believe) and on my shelf it collected dust until a trip.
I had to partake a couple of plane trips within a months time for work, one in which I was going to be able to visit the Viet Nam wall and touch my cousin's name, so I decided to pick up Tour of Duty and even though I am not into "war" stories I was captivated.
Again, I have read tons of political books from all sides and am very aware of "propoganda" both positive and negative and this one does not read as such (propoganda) and is a great adventure story...recalling that it is true - takes my breath away.
I also find it interesting that I was finishing the book, during a week when J. Kerry was on the NBC Sunday morning show and pundits from the rep. party were decrying his military record for about a day and a half (the obviously had not read this book, or anything about this war) and by Monday evening those same pundits were saying in effect "okay, he is a hero but this doesn't really matter." I found it so interesting to have watched these political events, while having the background of facts that this book produces.
Whether you want to read about the Viet Nam war, John Kerry, a great adventure story or all of the above, I recommend heartily Tour of Duty. Let us just say that my opinion about the man, who is the subject of this book, was raised tremendously.
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Summary: Andres Puentes Writes 3 Reviews !!
Review: Is Andres Puentes trying to reduce to the number of stars on this book? Yes indeed !! He has 3 of them, all with 1 star. Proves reviews on amazon are bull.
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Summary: 4 months and we're supposed to make him President
Review: Propaganda piece to make John Kerry look presidential. Doesn't do enough in covering John Kerry's radical extremism in slandering US GI's in Vietnam as war criminals and the bad guys. Kerry served a total of 4 months and this book makes it out like he is a regular Audie Murphy, do all for your brothers in arms. Kerry sought to get out after getting a third Purple Heart(due to very minor 'injuries') and got out after those 4 months, leaving those 'brothers in arms' to come back and join the pro-Hanoi, Fonda sponsored Vietnam Veterans against the War, a very radical, communist loving group that slandered the US and our troops still over there(The North Vietnamese used Kerry's supportive rhetoric as propaganda with our POWs) as the one committing the wrongs and this book attempts to sugar coat it. Kerry is a phony. This book is a phony.
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Summary: John Kerry & Douglas Brinkley -- great pairing / great story
Review: Much of what we hear about John Kerry - good and bad - is exposed in this fascinating tale of Senator Kerry's life through the early 1970's. Kerry's arrogance is apparent in numerous incidents during his school days, in Vietnam and with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. However, his bravery, intelligence, and commitment to his country also come through loud and clear. Douglas Brinkley is an great historian and an even better story-teller.
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Summary: PT 109 NOT
Review: Who would write about the experiences of a junior officer who only served for four months of a full year tour in a war lost 40 years ago? Perhaps that person himself, as an apologia, or Douglas Brinkley, if the subject happened to be a Presidential candidate. Just as nobody would write about the experiences of a junior officer who mistakenly placed his PT Boat in the path of a Japanese destroyer during the Second World War, unless that person had been Senator and Presidential Candidate John F Kennedy ....
But Kennedy's story was told in retrospect: his Presidential bid made the PT109 story interesting, and not vice versa. One doubts Kennedy thought about running for the White House while fighting the Japanese. Not so with Kerry. What Brinkley's book makes painfully obvious is that Kerry's whole career has been a cynical imititation not of Kennedy the hero, but of Kennedy the cadidate. One could hope that, should John Kerry become President, he would follow his alleged role model's example and cut taxes while strengthening defense. Unfortunately, during his 19 years in the Senate he has done exactly the opposite. It is by this performance, and not the deliberately cultivated myth that Brinkley propagates, that candidate Kerry should be judged.
Rating:
Summary: PT 109 NOT ....
Review: Who would write a book about a junior officer with four months combat experience in a war lost 40 years ago? Perhaps the man himself, or perhaps Douglas Brinkley if the subject happened to be running for President. Just as the story of a junior officer who managed to screw up by placing his PT boat in the path of a Japanese destroyer in the midst of the greatest war in history would not be worthy of note unless that fool happened to have been John F Kennedy....
But in Kennedy's case, the incident was glorified in retrospect - I doubt Kennedy was planning his Presidential bid while serving in the Second World War. What Brinkley's book makes painfully clear is that Kerry's whole life has been a deliberate imitation not of Kennedy the war hero, but Kennedy the candidate. One could hope that, should the Senator become President, he will emulate the first JFK by cutting taxes and boosting national defense. Unfortunately, during his nineteen years in the Senate, Kerry has done exactly the opposite. These are the actions he should be judged by, not the deliberatly ( and cynically) cultivated heroic myth that Brinkley is propagating.
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