Bibliograph

Steinbeck in Vietnam, dispatches from the war, [John Steinbeck] ; edited by Thomas E. Barden

Type

Label

Steinbeck in Vietnam, dispatches from the war, [John Steinbeck] ; edited by Thomas E. Barden

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

resource.governmentPublication

government publication of a state province territory dependency etc

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Steinbeck in Vietnam

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

739913957

Responsibility statement

[John Steinbeck] ; edited by Thomas E. Barden

Sub title

dispatches from the war

Summary

Steinbeck in Vietnam offers for the first time a complete collection of the dispatches Steinbeck wrote as a war correspondent for Newsday. Rejected by the military because of his reputation as a subversive, and reticent to document the war officially for the Johnson administration, Steinbeck saw in Newsday a unique opportunity to put his skills to use. Between December 1966 and May 1967, the sixty-four-year-old toured the major combat areas of South Vietnam and traveled to the north of Thailand and into Laos, documenting his experiences in a series of columns titled Letters to Alicia, in reference to Newsday publisher Harry F. Guggenheim's deceased wife. His columns were controversial, coming at a time when opposition to the conflict was growing and even ardent supporters were beginning to question its course. As he dared to go into the field, rode in helicopter gunships, and even fired artillery pieces, many detractors called him a warmonger and worse. Readers today might be surprised that the celebrated author would risk his literary reputation to document such a divisive war, particularly at the end of his career. -- Jacket

Classification