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goodneighborbooks's review
4.0
Jeff Danziger gives a very straightforward account of his experience with the Vietnam War. It removes the perceived glamour of war, and presents a very biting critique of the leadership that led us into Vietnam, and the indifference of the combatants.
Tune into our interview with Jeff on July 7 at 7:00 PM
https://fb.me/e/Kim9kXg3
Tune into our interview with Jeff on July 7 at 7:00 PM
https://fb.me/e/Kim9kXg3
liberrydude's review
2.0
Very mixed feelings towards this book. A lesson in how not to be a leader.
The author answered the call to duty but did he do his duty? Reads like a cynically humorous after action critique or a lessons NOT learned report. It’s more a rant than a memoir and a litany of excuses. He would have been better off going to Canada.
I initially enjoyed this book but once he hit Vietnam the enjoyment turned to annoyance and disgust at his clock watching and embrace of the minimum.
Appalling behavior for an officer. Should have never been one. He didn’t go to OCS but was a direct commission due to his college degree. Survivor and shirker. Negative. Thinks he knows everything. Critical of everything. No camaraderie here. He did his duty or he thinks he did. He did everything for the wrong reason and spent more time not doing his duty. Feels too sorry for himself. He’s obviously a problem child given his numerous assignments during the course of a year.
So we’re supposed to thank him for his service? He’s very jaded. Is he feeling regret for being so mediocre? Or is just embellishing his cynicism through the safety of fifty years? He wrote the book fifty years later because today’s generation has no clue as to the “evils” of the draft in this era of the all volunteer force. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Air Medal but really doesn’t know what he did to deserve them. Sad.
The author answered the call to duty but did he do his duty? Reads like a cynically humorous after action critique or a lessons NOT learned report. It’s more a rant than a memoir and a litany of excuses. He would have been better off going to Canada.
I initially enjoyed this book but once he hit Vietnam the enjoyment turned to annoyance and disgust at his clock watching and embrace of the minimum.
Appalling behavior for an officer. Should have never been one. He didn’t go to OCS but was a direct commission due to his college degree. Survivor and shirker. Negative. Thinks he knows everything. Critical of everything. No camaraderie here. He did his duty or he thinks he did. He did everything for the wrong reason and spent more time not doing his duty. Feels too sorry for himself. He’s obviously a problem child given his numerous assignments during the course of a year.
So we’re supposed to thank him for his service? He’s very jaded. Is he feeling regret for being so mediocre? Or is just embellishing his cynicism through the safety of fifty years? He wrote the book fifty years later because today’s generation has no clue as to the “evils” of the draft in this era of the all volunteer force. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Air Medal but really doesn’t know what he did to deserve them. Sad.
abibliofob's review
4.0
I have had a long fascination for the Vietnam war and have read quite a few books about it. This is one of the better ones. Not so much action but lots of thought. Lieutenant Dangerous is all about the reflections upon the conflict by author Jeff Danziger. Great insight. Well written and hard to put down. Thanks to @this_is_edelweiss @steerforthpress for giving me this advance copy. Out in the beginning of July 2021.
ldcornell's review
4.0
This memoir recounts Jeff Danziger's time in the Army (1967-71) and his year in Vietnam. (Yes, Jeff Danziger, the political cartoonist.)
There a times when his recollections ramble, and he pauses the narrative to take some (not undeserved) shots at past and present politicians and military leaders.
Even so, it is a detailed memoir that shows why it is so hard for the US and its citizens to come to terms with the Vietnam War.
There a times when his recollections ramble, and he pauses the narrative to take some (not undeserved) shots at past and present politicians and military leaders.
Even so, it is a detailed memoir that shows why it is so hard for the US and its citizens to come to terms with the Vietnam War.
baskerville_book_reviews's review
3.0
This review is going to be for the audiobook version. I normally save my audiobook comments for the end, however, in this instance, most of my commentary has to do with the audiobook and not the physical and or kindle version.
I was surprised to find Jeff Danziger was the narrator for the audiobook version as he sounds much younger than he is. He often stutters, mispronounces words, or begins a chapter sounding totally different than he did in the one before. While it makes sense that he’d want to narrate his own memoir, it’s apparent that he lacks the professional talent of other narrators. My first impression was that the narrator was chosen for his age, due to his poor reading abilities.
While the information presented in the story is interesting from a historical point of view, the lifeless, emotionless narration makes this one of the most boring listens I’ve ever sat through. At one point, after listening for what felt like hours, I was getting ready to write my review, only to find I’d only been listening for an hour or two.
Another issue with the novel itself is how poorly planned it seems. The author will occasionally bring up a fact or mention something of historical importance, only for it to not be mentioned for hours. It feels like hours anyway; I genuinely can’t tell. I have an hour or more left and I feel as if I’ve been listening to this book for days. At one point in the story, he talks about how a friend of his wanted to help a woman he was smitten with, by borrowing 200$ to send her away to his home so he could marry her. He then proceeds to tell you that he doesn’t even know if things ever worked out, making that story a complete waste of time.
This audiobook really feels as if you’re sitting down in from of your grandfather as he prattles on for seemingly an eternity about the bad old days. As I said at the start of this review, I listened to the audiobook, so I can’t comment on the illustrations or their quality.
I’m giving this book my middle-rating of ‘meh’. It’s not a bad book, just rambly. It’s an interesting look into the Vietnam War and the absolute lunacy of it all through the eyes of a soldier. It reads like a well written ” and then …… and then …….. and then …… and then…..” type of story. You’d be better off picking up a physical or kindle copy as the Audiobook is likely to put you to sleep.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
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