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carstensena's review against another edition
5.0
This is an extraordinary book. Chapters based on personal interviews by the author alternate with chapters on American policy, all in chronological order. The reader can understand what the president was thinking & planning and then read a chapter and see just how his decisions affected a specific man or woman serving in Vietnam. The variety of experiences represented range from the beginning of the war to the end and after.
seobhan12's review against another edition
4.0
Boots on the Ground builds the story of the Vietnam Conflict as experienced by soldiers, medics, politicians, protesters & refugees. The accounts of loss, tragedy, love, & terror create a unique & memorable account of war. Outstanding.
blondelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Personal stories frame the history of the Vietnam War with just enough information to convey the basics to a YA reader. I appreciate that the author added information about what happened to each person interviewed.
Loved the book. Read it in one afternoon.
Loved the book. Read it in one afternoon.
jessmaye's review against another edition
4.0
If you want a complete history of America's involvement in Vietnam, this isn't it; however, it's a compelling read, is definitely informative, and is a great introduction/overview of the Vietnam War for its junior high/high school target audience. It's told chronologically through 8 people's experiences "in country" during the Vietnam War (6 soldiers, an Army nurse, and a Vietnamese refugee), and each story is bridged by a brief overview of the incredibly unstable political and social events back in the States at the same time. The book concludes with the creation & dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial. It's not a deep-dive into history, but each person's story is gripping, and the overall structure of the book works well.
maweets's review against another edition
3.0
This was fine but I guess I was expecting something more or different?
abigailbat's review against another edition
Wow, what a powerful book to take the study of the Vietnam War to a whole new level. Patridge interviewed veterans from diverse backgrounds and who served in many different ways to present the Vietnam War from the perspective of those who were actually involved in it. She intersperses these first-person "boots on the ground" accounts with sections describing how America's presidents and leaders were dealing the war from home. Students will benefit from having some background knowledge of the Vietnam War before reading this book. Hand this to older teen readers who are looking for military history with lots of action.
trixie_reads's review against another edition
3.0
I'm just old enough to remember reports of the Vietnam War on the nightly news, but young enough that I knew very little about the actual goings on. I learned a lot about people's individual experiences during the war from this book, which was depressing (as are most books about war) but absorbing.
stenaros's review against another edition
5.0
Read for librarian book group
This would make a great companion book for Steve Sheinkin's Most Dangerous. While Sheinkin dives into the details behind why we were in the war, Partridge uses a series of first-person interviews to explain the Vietnam experience. The interview subjects are diverse and from them we take away a better understanding of what it must have been like to experience the war, either as a soldier, a nurse, a Vietnamese refugee and others.
The interviews are interspersed with background information about the policies and people who kept the war going, and attempted to end it. Information is relayed in an age-appropriate way and there are good photographs to supplement the story. This is an excellent example of quality nonfiction.
This would make a great companion book for Steve Sheinkin's Most Dangerous. While Sheinkin dives into the details behind why we were in the war, Partridge uses a series of first-person interviews to explain the Vietnam experience. The interview subjects are diverse and from them we take away a better understanding of what it must have been like to experience the war, either as a soldier, a nurse, a Vietnamese refugee and others.
The interviews are interspersed with background information about the policies and people who kept the war going, and attempted to end it. Information is relayed in an age-appropriate way and there are good photographs to supplement the story. This is an excellent example of quality nonfiction.
taralorraine's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
To begin with I have to admit that I have put this book off because I feared it would be a dry “war” book.
It wasn’t at all. It was a beautifully written compilation of first-hand accounts from a wide array of individuals intermixed with the politicians and politics that landed them a year “in country”.
The last section detailing how the memorial wall came to be brought me to tears because the author really made me understand where Scruggs was coming from and made me feel a little better equipped to understand what the wall represents.
And the photographs made it all the better. So good.
It wasn’t at all. It was a beautifully written compilation of first-hand accounts from a wide array of individuals intermixed with the politicians and politics that landed them a year “in country”.
The last section detailing how the memorial wall came to be brought me to tears because the author really made me understand where Scruggs was coming from and made me feel a little better equipped to understand what the wall represents.
And the photographs made it all the better. So good.
wren_in_black's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this story. The author paired together separate experiences brilliantly. Not only did this book give great background information on the war, but it gave that information as a series of human experiences; not dates and places to memorize. I can see this book appealing to some of my students who had family members who served in Vietnam or to those who are interested in the military themselves. I teared up when Elizabeth Partridge concluded her story of the war with The Wall. My teen self would have loved to have this book. I think it would have started some conversations with my grandfather, a Lt. Col. during his final tour (of three) in country. I would give anything for those conversations now.