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Audiobooks > History >  Military > Vietnam: A History
Vietnam: A History Audiobook, by Stanley Karnow Play Audiobook Sample

Download Vietnam: A History Audiobook

4.33 out of 54.33 out of 54.33 out of 54.33 out of 54.33 out of 5 (4.33) - 36 customer ratings
Vietnam: A History Audiobook, by Stanley Karnow Play Audiobook Sample
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Author: Stanley Karnow Narrator: Edward Holland Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Audio Length: Release Date: June 1999 Format: Unabridged Audiobook Delivery: Instant Download ISBN: 9781483077161
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Publisher Description

In this comprehensive history, Stanley Karnow demystifies the tragic ordeal of America’s war in Vietnam. The book’s central theme is that America’s leaders, prompted as much by domestic politics as by global ambitions, carried the United States into Southeast Asia with little regard for the realities of the region. Karnow elucidates the decision-making process in Washington and Asia and recounts the political and military events that occurred after the Americans arrived in Vietnam. Throughout, he focuses on people, those who shaped strategy and those who suffered, died, or survived as a result.

Panoramic in scope and filled with fresh revelations drawn from secret documents and from exclusive interviews with hundreds of participants on both sides, Vietnam: A History transcends the past with lessons relevant to the present and the future.

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Quotes

  • “Even those of us who think we know something about [the Vietnam War] will read with fascination.”

    - New York Times

  • “This is the first ‘big’ history in English of Vietnam at war, and it is superb.”

    - USA Today

  • “The best journalist writing on Asian affairs.”

    - Newsweek

  • “A landmark work…The most complete account to date of the Vietnam tragedy.”

    - Washington Post Book World

  • “A rich and unusal mixture. [Karnow] has the master reporter’s eye for meaningful detail.”

    - Los Angeles Times

  • “This is history writing at its best.”

    - Chicago Sun Times

  • “Controlled, comprehensive, and clear. Its strength lies not only in research and analysis, but in Karnow’s actual process of thinking itself.”

    - Christian Science Monitor

Awards

  • A New York Times bestseller

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Customer Reviews

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  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " very detailed history of not only the war, but the history of the country and it's people..pretty amazing stuff "

    - Brad, 2/16/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " An in-depth look at Vietnam's embattled history, lost opportunities by the United States, and the in-fighting that crippled South Vietnam's ability to fight the Viet Cong and increasingly North Vietnam soldiers. Karnow highlights the debates among Washington policymakers and the decision making about combat and diplomacy in great detail. Karnow's background as Time's Southeast Asian Correspondent gives him a great deal of authority to engage a wide range of sources about how the war was fought and the negotiations behind the scenes until the fall of Saigon. "

    - Bill, 2/2/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I'm very much looking forward to this book. "

    - Casey, 1/30/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Should be 3 1/2 stars. A terrific history, and I really appreciated the scope of the story Karnow told. His wisdom in his many years of reporting in Vietnam shine through. I just wondered why the Nixon years felt so thin. There was, I felt, a lack of details in the telling of the fighting. I would have liked to see more on the plight of the soldiers, and the effect of the draft. Still, a compelling, appalling narrative. Should be required reading. "

    - Ron, 1/30/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " This was a comprehensive history of wars in Vietnam, not just the Vietnam War. I thought it was well written; however, it is the companion set to a PBS series and as such the author tends to repeat himself a little. "

    - Terrance, 1/28/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " We've all got our opinions; this book will help inform them. "

    - Jim, 1/26/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This book was used in a great college course I took on the history of Vietnam. Very readable and thoroughly written. From the Trung sisters, Lt. Calley and Dien Bien Phu, to Nixon's Cambodia and the ultimate fall of Saigon. HIghly recommended. I would love to have a copy of this book. Please let me know if you see one for sale somewhere. Haven't seen one here in Hiroshima. "

    - Mark, 1/24/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Best single volume history of the tragedy available "

    - Michael, 1/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Ever thought the Vietnam War is too confusing to understand? This book will set you straight. A well-written and thorough look at one of the most complicated conflicts in our nation's history. "

    - Mike, 1/14/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Very informative. Filled in a lot of gaps for me. I read this in conjunction with the PBS video series. The two complement each other very well. "

    - Manifest, 1/10/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A bit dense, but impressively comprehensive "

    - Thanhdk, 12/3/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " After growing up watching this war on tv, I had to know more. Fascinating. "

    - Toby, 11/25/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Change the geographical and personal names and this could be contemporary history. "

    - Andrew, 8/9/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Loved it. Great for people like me who grew up during the era , but knew nothing about the history. "

    - Glenn, 4/15/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " A concise book that awakens the mind of Americans to the history of Vietnam. "

    - Vivian, 3/10/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Published just a few years after that cataclysm, and written from a reporter's point of view. Karnow reported from Vietnam for the early part of the book, and there's a noticeable change in the narrative after he left. Worth a look. "

    - Gib, 2/20/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I'm very, very tired of Vietnam and this book fit the bill in closing that period in American history for me. "

    - Robert, 12/13/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Fantastic book. A wonderful overview of a very complex topic. "

    - doug, 10/22/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Karnow badly needed an editor to cut down on his wordiness. I read this many years ago when it was required reading for a college course on the Vietnam War. "

    - Mark, 9/23/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Insightful, but a tedious read. "

    - Wayne, 1/23/2012
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Excellent book about the Vietnamese people and just how fiercely nationalistic they are. If Washington politicians had listened to those who knew about Vietnam we wouldn't have lost so many young men and women there. "

    - Eric, 12/14/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Mostly received wisdom with very few insights or strategic analysis. "

    - Lysergius, 11/23/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I always wanted to understand this war better. I could read this many times and learn something new each time. "

    - Toni, 10/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Great book. So many things I didn't know about this terrible time of our history. "

    - Claudia, 4/3/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Very good. A good primer to more fully understand our current wars. "

    - Tye, 3/14/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I'm very, very tired of Vietnam and this book fit the bill in closing that period in American history for me. "

    - Robert, 1/30/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " We've all got our opinions; this book will help inform them. "

    - Jim, 12/31/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Loved it. Great for people like me who grew up during the era , but knew nothing about the history. "

    - Glenn, 11/29/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Every asshole who wanted to go to war in Iraq should be forced to sit down and read this book. Then, they should be beaten about the head and neck with it.Just sayin'. "

    - Tonya, 6/12/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Excellent book about the Vietnamese people and just how fiercely nationalistic they are. If Washington politicians had listened to those who knew about Vietnam we wouldn't have lost so many young men and women there. "

    - Eric, 5/11/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " The book has a few weaknesses for my money, among them he does not really explore if we could have been more successful fighting a different way. Still - as a place to start - this is the book. "

    - Dave, 5/5/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Very good book. If your interested in Vietnam, this book will provide you with an interesting look at american & french occupied vietnam. "

    - Bryan, 1/18/2010
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Perhaps the best history written on this war. I very much enjoyed this book! "

    - Paul, 12/25/2009
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I'm very much looking forward to this book. "

    - Casey, 8/11/2009
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Great history about the war that shaped a generation. "

    - John, 6/27/2009
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " The "One" read if you are curious about the most beautiful country and people in SEA and America's intervention in their civil war. "

    - Jack, 4/10/2009

About the Author

Stanley Karnow was born in New York and graduated from Harvard in 1947. He began his journalistic career in Paris in 1950 as a Time correspondent. He covered Southeast Asia from 1959 until 1974 for Time, Life, the Saturday Evening Post, the London Observer, the Washington Post, and NBC News and was later an editor for the New Republic. He has written a number of books, including the bestselling Vietnam: A History and the Pulitzer Prize–winning In Our Image: America’s Empire in the Philippines. He lives in Washington, DC.

About the Narrator

Edward Holland is an audiobook narrator whose credits include Confessions of a Spy, Vietnam, and How to Read a Book.