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31%OFFNeil Sheehan - Bright, Shining Lie - 9780712666565 - V9780712666565
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Bright, Shining Lie

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Description for Bright, Shining Lie Paperback. Lt Colonel John Paul Vann went to Vietnam in 1962, but soon became appalled by the slaughter, leaking his pessimistic assessments to the US press corps in Saigon. Neil Sheehan was among them, and became fascinated by the angry Vann, befriended him, and followed his tragic and reckless career. Num Pages: 896 pages, 16pp b&w halftones. BIC Classification: 2ABM; BTM. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 233 x 153 x 58. Weight in Grams: 1042.

'Superb. If you ever read just one history of the Vietnam war, read and admire and celebrate this one ' John le Carré

WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION

Outspoken, professional and fearless, Lt. Col. John Paul Vann went to Vietnam in 1962, full of confidence in America's might and right to prevail. He was soon appalled by the South Vietnamese troops' unwillingness to fight, by their random slaughter of civilians and by the arrogance and corruption of the US military. He flouted his supervisors and leaked his sharply pessimistic - and, as it turned out, accurate - assessments to the US press corps in Saigon. Among them was Sheehan, who became fascinated by the angry Vann, befriended him and followed his tragic and reckless career.

Sixteen years in the making, A Bright Shining Lie is an eloquent and disturbing portrait of a man who in many ways personified the US war effort in Vietnam, of a solider cast in the heroic mould, an American Lawrence of Arabia. Blunt, idealistic, patronising to the Vietnamese, Vann was haunted by a shameful secret - the fact that he was the illegitimate son of a 'white trash' prostitute. Gambling away his career, Vann left the army that he loved and returned to Vietnam as a civilian in the pacification programme. He rose to become the first American civilian to wield a general's command in war. When he was killed in 1972, he was mourned at Arlington cemetery by leading political figures of the day. Sheehan recounts his astonishing story in this intimate and intense meditation on a conflict that scarred the conscience of a nation.

Product Details

Publisher
Vintage United Kingdom
Number of pages
896
Format
Paperback
Publication date
1998
Condition
New
Number of Pages
896
Place of Publication
London, United Kingdom
ISBN
9780712666565
SKU
V9780712666565
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 5 to 9 working days
Ref
99-99

About Neil Sheehan
Neil Sheehan was a Vietnam War correspondent for United Press International and the New York Times and won a number of awards for his reporting. In 1971 he obtained the Pentagon Papers, which brought the Times the Pulitzer Prize gold medal for meritorious public service. A Bright Shining Lie won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Non-Fiction.

Reviews for Bright, Shining Lie
If there is one book that captures the Vietnam War in the sheer Homeric scale of its passion and folly, this book is it... A dazzling montage: vividly written and deeply felt... The dramatic scenes of lonely men locked on combat...the clash of wills and egos...all these combine in a work that captures the Vietnam War like no other... An impressive achievement
New York Times Book Review
Superb. If you ever read just one history of the Vietnam war, read and admire and celebrate this one
John le Carré I have never read such a book and never expected to... It's not just about John Paul Vann. Not just about America and all of us. Not just Vietnam and all the Vietnamese. It is tragedy and comedy and I don't care how many pages it is. I'll never tire of reading it again and again
Harrison E. Salisbury It will stand as the definitive account of the passions, loyalties (guided and not), inspirations, follies and tragedies of the Vietnam War
Sunday Times
Probably the book on the Vietnam War...sophisticated, humane. It contains some of the best military reporting ever written
Francis Fitzgerald

Goodreads reviews for Bright, Shining Lie


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