One of our most acclaimed historians explores the decorated military service of one of America’s most intriguing politicians—the leading Democratic presidential candidate for 2004—and its profound effects on his career and life
In Tour of Duty, Brinkley explores Senator John Kerry’s career and deftly deals with such explosive issues as U.S. atrocities in Vietnam and the bombing of Cambodia. Using new information acquired from the recently released Nixon tapes, Brinkley reveals how White House aides Charles Colson and H.R. Haldeman tried to discredit Kerry. Refusing to be intimidated, Kerry started running for public office, eventually becoming a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.
Covering more than four decades, this is the first full-scale definitive account of Kerry’s journey from war to peace. In writing this riveting, action-packed narrative, Brinkley has drawn on extensive interviews with virtually everyone who knew Kerry well in Vietnam. Kerry also relegated to Brinkley his letters home from Vietnam and his voluminous “war notes” journals, notebooks, and personal reminiscences written during and shortly after the war. This material was provided without restriction, to be used at Brinkley’s discretion, and has never before been published.
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"I learned just how badly broken our federal systems are when they are "supposed" to be there to help in times of need. I learned that politicians will say anything to make excuses for their craven behavior and shift the blame wherever they can. Brinkley is thorough and pulls no punches. " — Mary (4 out of 5 stars)
"I learned just how badly broken our federal systems are when they are "supposed" to be there to help in times of need. I learned that politicians will say anything to make excuses for their craven behavior and shift the blame wherever they can. Brinkley is thorough and pulls no punches. "
“Tour of Duty succeeds in its polemical point. It convincingly shows us a man driven from an early age by a sense of destiny.”
“Kerry’s combat experiences make for gripping reading, and later sections on his high-profile role in the antiwar movement are equally engrossing, including the Nixon White House’s efforts to discredit veteran-turned-antiwar-activist Kerry as a ‘phony.’”
“With a chest full of medals—three Purple Hearts, Bronze and Silver Stars—Vietnam veteran John F. Kerry returned home a passionate activist against that war…This compelling biography details the judgment, heroism, and compassion of his wartime service and presents an unflinching account of the brutal actuality of jungle war fought by inadequately trained soldiers in a complex foreign setting.”
“Built out of interviews and historical research, as well as Kerry’s diaries, there is enough of a war narrative here to satisfy Vietnam buffs, even if they aren’t interested in Kerry’s politics.”
" Everything you should know about this American tragedy -- the failure of geography, the failure of history, and the failure of the American government. "
" Terrific account. Very good read. "
" It amazes me that this happened. And, boy, do I need to get an emergency kit together. "
" Minute-by-minute account of a slow-motion train wreck, mainly caused by political and public service (think levee-board planning) failures in some cases over many decades. "
" Awesome. This book was so intense. I felt like I was there. Intense!!! "
" Covers the events in the week starting with the Saturday before Katrina reached the Gulf Coast to the Saturday afterwards. Needs maps of New Orleans and Mississippi coast. Too many literary & popular culture references "
Douglas Brinkley is an acclaimed historian and award-winning author of many books, including six New York Times bestsellers. The Chicago Tribune dubbed him “America’s New Past Master.” His book The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast received the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. He was awarded a Grammy for Presidential Suite and his two-volume, annotated Nixon Tapes recently won the Arthur S. Link–Warren F. Kuehl Prize. Other awards he has won include the Frances K. Hutchison Medal, Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lifetime Heritage Award. He is the recipient of seven honorary doctorates in American studies.
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