10,000 Days of Thunder

Starred review from September 12, 2005
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and Vietnam veteran Caputo (A Rumor of War
) pulls no punches in this portrait of the Vietnam War. In his introduction, Caputo movingly depicts the war's impact on him personally, but also objectively presents the events. "The Vietnam war has three dubious distinctions: It was the longest and most unpopular war in American history and the only war America ever lost," he begins. After setting the stage with the heating up of the Cold War, Caputo begins a three-part exploration of the Vietnam War's origins: French colonialism, the dividing of Vietnam, and America's intervention. The design packs a visual wallop: a strong full-page photographic or cartographic image appears opposite a clean and succinct discussion of the topic (usually one theme per spread), while a sidebar offers "quick facts," such as the six presidents involved in the war (from Truman to Ford), or explanations of terms like "Viet Cong." The full-page and inset photographs are dramatic and often haunting (e.g., a marine crouched in a pagoda on the Ho Chi Minh Trail). Caputo's balanced approach offers evidence of atrocities and humanity on both sides of the conflict. He documents how American soldiers developed unique combat techniques for guerilla warfare and for the terrain, such as the use of special forces, helicopters and Agent Orange. The narrative also spotlights the homefront—antiwar protests and songs, plus the impact of the publication of the Pentagon Papers. Caputo offers readers an intelligent, close-up view of a defining time in world history, with many pertinent insights and lessons for today. All ages.

Starred review from November 1, 2005
Gr 5 Up -In this truly multifaceted presentation of the conflict, both on the front lines and on the homefront, Caputo has produced what is at once an overview and a sensitive, resonant picture of the war as seen and experienced by American soldiers, the Viet Cong, North Vietnamese guerrillas, and the citizens of both South Vietnam and the United States. Covering the period from the rise of Bolshevism in Russia in the early 20th century to the American normalization of relations with Vietnam in 1995, it's an ideal source for both information and understanding. Beginning with an affecting introduction, the author then gives a history of communism and the origins of the war. Following this, the American involvement in Vietnam is traced in numerous two- to four-page sections dealing with various aspects of the conflict, such as the Viet Cong, the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the DMZ, and the draft. Each section has a -quick facts - box that highlights the main issues surrounding each topic. Caputo's prose is clear and direct, and the award-winning photos, both black and white and color, add an immediacy that sets this title apart from more conventional treatments. The glossary is detailed and informative, and the bibliography is a veritable gold mine of sound sources. This is the book of choice for libraries serving today's students." -Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2005
Gr. 7-10. Caputo, whose 1977 memoir " A Rumor of War " provided adults with a personal glimpse of the Vietnam War, chooses a more straightforward, wide-angle approach for this introduction to the "most unpopular war in American history and the only war America ever lost." Background comes first, including chapters about the role of Communism and how America became involved. Page-long profiles of various groups taking part in the conflict (tunnel rats, nurses, journalists, villagers, etc.) follow, interspersed with discussions of key battles, the evolving politics, and events on the home front. Sidebars expand the information, and the 10 by 10 trim size allows for large photos, many of which are candid close-ups: a wounded soldier in agony; a paratrooper carrying a Vietnamese toddler out of harm's way. Dramatic and immediate, they humanize the tragedy and celebrate the heroism, which Caputo makes abundantly clear in his thoughtful, articulate text. A time line appears on the endpapers, and the appended material features a bibliography that includes many classic adult books. An excellent way to expand on the highly visual approach Stuart Murray took in his recent Eyewitness Guide " The Vietnam War" (2005). (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)