Welcome to Litsy!

A remarkable and harrowing novel about the Vietnam War. A raw semi-autobiographical account capturing the brutal dehumanizing effects of war. The pacing is intense and chaotic fitting the narrative perfectly. It is quite the novel.

#fullmetaljacket #remembernovember @Klou

In war, truth is the first casualty. Correspondents are more effective than grunts. Grunts merely kill the enemy. All that matters is what we write, what we photograph. History may be written in blood and iron but it‘s printed with ink. Grunts are good show business but we make them what they are.

I don't think I've yet read a book that better encapsulates the sheer absurdity of being in the military, on top of the political context and absurdism of the Vietnam War itself. Mind you there is nothing whimsical or romantic here, this is a book written by a mean green Marine who was in the shit in the late 60s.

This was also the source book for Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket which captured the book's dialogue well and had a great cast.