Vietnam: A History by Stanley Karnow Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Vietnam: A History
Book Review: An Exhaustive but Important Work
Summary: 4 Stars
In the future (and probably in the present as well) Stanley Karnow's book, "Vietnam: A History," will be supplemental literature in some college course about Vietnam. I doubt if in many institutions that it would be the main text. Karnow's strength is in his knowledge and research of the history of Vietnam and vividly portrays how the past has influence the present in the struggle for independence among the Indochinese and specifically Vietnamese peoples. Be warned that this book is written by a life-long journalist, not a historian. For some that won't matter. Karnow saw first-hand many of the events he talks about. He also was able to aqcuire interviews from every statesman and dignitary available: Vietnamese and American. He has BEEN to Vietnam and paints a beautiful and horrifying literary portrait of this area of the world. Journalists inherit the responsibility of being the first words in any era's history. Trying to be an historian Karnow does attempt in some objective hindsight and analysis of his topic, but sometimes these commentaries fall flat and boring. It is in Karnow's strict adherence to his journalistic roots where he achieves success. It may not have an academic historical viewpoint, but that is not necessarily the point when dealing with a subject as divisive as Vietnam. "Vietnam: A History" is an important work nonetheless and deserves its place in the canon of works related to the Vietnam War. It can be an exhastive read, but worth it in the end. A good foll-up book to read after this one would be "Dispatches" by Michael Herr. Also read the final section on the Vietnam War in Barbara Tuchman's "March of Folly" to get an excellent historical/political analysis.Book Review: Better Understanding Iraq
Summary: 5 Stars
The revised copy of Karnow's classic is a historical masterpiece. While tedious at times, this work gives one of the best insights into the nuances of power in the 20th century. Everyone lost in Viet Nam and our government thought we had learned the lesson. We didn't as one can see by reading this in parallel with some of the recent works on the politics underlying Iraq. No student of history should miss the lessons of our time as outlined by Karnow and his interviews with most of the major influences of this turbulent time.Book Review: Compelling
Summary: 5 Stars
Very scholarly history of the Indo Chinese war. In my opinion, ranks above, "Vietnam The 10,000 Day War," and Shehan's "A Bright Shining Lie." A must read for any serious student of the conflict in Vietnam.Book Review: Comprehensive but covered elsewhere
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is written in a clear style, and it covers the history of Vietnam comprehensively from the earliest beginnings through the end of the war and a bit beyond the war. However, having read other works on Vietnam, including "Fire In the Lake," the "Pentagon Papers" and numerous articles in magazines and newspapers, I found that Karnow did not offer much in the way of information or theories that I had not already gotten from earlier sources. So it is an excellent work for people who don't know a lot about Vietnam already, and who want to read a complete history, but not so good for someone who already has a strong background.Book Review: Comprehensive history of the war
Summary: 5 Stars
Stanley Karnow has assembled all the major events of the Vietnam War into a single well-written volume. His thesis, argued throughout the book, is that the Vietnamese people viewed the French and then the Americans as merely the latest in a centuries-long series of invaders. Those who are not convinced may wish to skim the early chapters, which start thousands of years ago, and skip to 1945 or so.