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Of Rice and Men: A Novel of Vietnam Audiobook
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(3.26) - 34 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Spreading democracy takes more than cutting-edge military hardware. Winning the hearts and minds of a troubled nation is a special mission we give to bewildered young soldiers who can’t speak the native language, don’t know the customs, can’t tell friends from enemies, and–in this wonderfully outrageous Iraq-era novel about Vietnam–wonder why they have to risk their lives spraying peanut plants, inoculating pigs, and hauling miracle rice seed for Ho Chi Minh. Brash, eye-opening, and surprisingly comic, Of Rice and Men displays the same irreverent spirit as the black-comedy classics Catch-22 and MASH–as it chronicles the American Army’s little known “Civil Affairs” soldiers who courageously roam hostile war zones, not to kill or to destroy, but to build, to feed, and to heal. Unprepared, uncertain, and naive, they find it impossible to make the skeptical population fall in love with them. But it’s thrilling to watch them try. Among the unforgettable characters: Guy Lopaca, an inept Army-trained interpreter who can barely say “I can’t speak Vietnamese” in Vietnamese, but has no trouble chatting with stray dogs and water buffalo. Guy’s friends include “Virgin Mary” Crocker, a pragmatic nurse earning a fortune spending nights with homesick soldiers; Paul Gianelli, a heroic builder of medical clinics who doesn’t want to be remembered badly, so he never goes home; and Tyler DeMudge, whose cure for every problem is a chilly martini, a patch of shade, and the theory that every bad event in life is “good training” for enduring it again. Pricelessly funny, disarming, thought-provoking, as fresh as the morning headlines, and bursting with humor, affection, and pride, Of Rice and Men is a sincere tribute to those young men and women, thrust into our hearts-and-minds wars, who try to do absolute good in a hopeless situation.
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"audio book. The book seems to be an u[dated takeoff of Catch 22 but set in Vietnam. It seems to work, although it doesn't have the same fullness as Heller. Its a bit like listening to a quartet instead of a symphony."
— David (4 out of 5 stars)
Of Rice and Men Listener Reviews
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" This is not what you would imagine from a book about the Vietnam War. Very humorous and touching. "
— Stacey, 12/3/2012 -
" Oh, this was good. It combined the gritty reality of war with the dark comedy and satire of M*A*S*H* and Catch-22, like it says in its own description. It pulls you in and keeps you hooked from the first page. "
— Chris, 5/31/2012 -
" 3 -- blah and interesting and boring and funny "
— Joy, 12/4/2011 -
" I adored this book. Very many laugh out loud moments and I didn't want to put the book down each night. "
— Amy, 10/16/2011 -
" Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Showed the lighter side of a tour in Vietnam without being silly. Highly recommend it. "
— Gabrielle, 4/4/2011 -
" 3 -- blah and interesting and boring and funny "
— Joy, 3/25/2011 -
" Oh, this was good. It combined the gritty reality of war with the dark comedy and satire of M*A*S*H* and Catch-22, like it says in its own description. It pulls you in and keeps you hooked from the first page. "
— Chris, 11/27/2008 -
" This is not what you would imagine from a book about the Vietnam War. Very humorous and touching. "
— Stacey, 11/19/2008
About Paul Michael
Paul Michael, winner of several Earphones Awards, has also won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He has acted on stage, radio, television, and in feature films in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. He has had leading roles in series and made-for-television movies and has guest starred in such series as VIP and Alias. He has been nominated for a Canadian Emmy and has recorded over 150 audiobooks, including the international bestseller The Da Vinci Code.