Fields of Fire: A Novel
Nov 2008 · Sold by Bantam
4.4star
44 reviews
Ebook
496
Pages
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About this ebook
“Few writers since Stephen Crane have portrayed men at war with such a ring of steely truth.”—The Houston Post
With a new introduction by the author for the book’s 40th anniversary.
They each had their reasons for joining the Marines. They each had their illusions. Goodrich came from Harvard. Snake got the tattoo—“Death Before Dishonor”—before he got the uniform. And Hodges was haunted by the ghosts of family heroes. They were three young men from different worlds, plunged into a white-hot, murderous realm of jungle warfare as it was fought by one Marine platoon in the An Hoa Basin, 1969. They had no way of knowing what awaited them. Nothing could have prepared them for the madness to come. And in the heat and horror of battle they took on new identities, took on each other, and were each reborn in fields of fire.
Fields of Fire is James Webb’s classic novel of the Vietnam War, a novel of poetic power, razor-sharp observation, and agonizing human truths seen through the prism of nonstop combat. Weaving together a cast of vivid characters, Fields of Fire captures the journey of unformed men through a man-made hell—until each man finds his fate.
Praise for Fields of Fire
“A stunner . . . Webb gives us an extraordinary range of acutely observed people, not one a stereotype, and as many different ways of looking at that miserable war.”—Newsweek
“A novel of such fullness and impact, one is tempted to compare it to Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead.”—The Oregonian
“Webb’s book has the unmistakable sound of truth acquired the hard way. His men hate the war; it is a lethal fact cut adrift from personal sense. Yet they understand that its profound insanity, its blood and oblivion, have in some way made them fall in love with battle and with each other.”—Time
With a new introduction by the author for the book’s 40th anniversary.
They each had their reasons for joining the Marines. They each had their illusions. Goodrich came from Harvard. Snake got the tattoo—“Death Before Dishonor”—before he got the uniform. And Hodges was haunted by the ghosts of family heroes. They were three young men from different worlds, plunged into a white-hot, murderous realm of jungle warfare as it was fought by one Marine platoon in the An Hoa Basin, 1969. They had no way of knowing what awaited them. Nothing could have prepared them for the madness to come. And in the heat and horror of battle they took on new identities, took on each other, and were each reborn in fields of fire.
Fields of Fire is James Webb’s classic novel of the Vietnam War, a novel of poetic power, razor-sharp observation, and agonizing human truths seen through the prism of nonstop combat. Weaving together a cast of vivid characters, Fields of Fire captures the journey of unformed men through a man-made hell—until each man finds his fate.
Praise for Fields of Fire
“A stunner . . . Webb gives us an extraordinary range of acutely observed people, not one a stereotype, and as many different ways of looking at that miserable war.”—Newsweek
“A novel of such fullness and impact, one is tempted to compare it to Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead.”—The Oregonian
“Webb’s book has the unmistakable sound of truth acquired the hard way. His men hate the war; it is a lethal fact cut adrift from personal sense. Yet they understand that its profound insanity, its blood and oblivion, have in some way made them fall in love with battle and with each other.”—Time
Ratings and reviews
4.4
44 reviews
A Google user
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The names in the book were fictitious, one notable exception is that there was a marine that was nicknamed Snake with the platoon in 1969. The incidents in this book are not fictitious and accurately represent the experiences of Delta Co. 1/5, 1st. Mar. Div. during 1969. I know this because I was a member of the company for all of 1969. Lt. James Webb was my Platoon Commander/Company Commander. I clearly recall when he first came to Delta Co. He was an outstanding leader who did not chase medals at the expense of the Marines who served under him. On more than one occasion I and all of us owed our lives to his leadership and courage. Appropriately he was one of the wars most highly decorated Marines.
PS. The real Marine we knew as Snake, was named James C. Ward of Alexandria, VA. He was KIA on May 9, 1969 while attempting to save the life of Darryl Tod Dombroski of Youngstown, OH. also KIA the same day. I was also there when they died. Ward was subsequently awarded the Navy Cross. Please remember that the story you read is real in many ways, but most importantly these were real people with real families and they were America’s best. Dying Delta was what we became known as and appropriately so.
Bill Ready
A Google user
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April 30, 2012
Aside from having read "We Were Soldiers Once… And Young" my literary exposure to the Vietnam war was very limited prior to picking up Fields of Fire. I have always been a big fan of the work James Webb undertook as Secretary of the Navy and this book loosely based on his experiences as a Lieutenant serving in the United States Marine Corps is simply superb. The descriptions of the emotions and general confusion that comprised pieces of the Vietnam conflict are well written even to those unacclimated with military history or terminology. A must read for anyone interested in Vietnam or the Marine Corps in general.
A Google user
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October 15, 2010
My boss recommended this book to me, he is a Vietnam Vet. It was after a conversation in which a 34 year old person told my boss to go on the internet to "learn" more about the (Vietnam) war.
I was born in '65, too young to remember much about it, I found the book moving and informative and riveting. I am still crying because I am so moved.....and truely I still don't really have a clue.
My ultimate respect to all the vet's out there still. Definatelya 5 star read.
About the author
At the age of twenty-three, James Webb became one of the most highly decorated Marines of the Vietnam War, receiving among other honors the Navy Cross for “extraordinary heroism” and two Purple Hearts. His subsequent career has been divided between writing and public service. The author of ten books, including six bestselling novels, a filmmaker, and an Emmy Award–winning journalist, Webb also served as a committee counsel in Congress, an Assistant Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy, and as a member of the United States Senate. The father of six children, he lives in Virginia with his wife, Hong Le Webb, who was born in Vietnam and is a graduate of Cornell Law School.
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