Grayson+A

=Grayson A's 9th Grade Book Review=

"War, war never changes," a quote from Fallout, that could describe the Vietnam War, and all others. Since ancient times to modern warfare, war has always been filled with horror, mutilation, diesease, and death. No matter what weapon fought with, or what strategy deployed, war will always end the same. "A Rumor of War" by Philip Caputo shows just this; at first fighting for his country, and then fighting for survival. The true horrors of Vietnam are relived in the events of this book. Disturbing could only just barely describe it. Caputo lived in the iconic 1950's. It was the era of John F Kennedy's "New Frontier." Caputo joined the army partly because of pride, and partly to get away from his menial existence in the suburban world. The army trained him, disciplined him, but no amount of training could prepare him for thwe shock of real war. Vietnam was not a war of bravery and courage, you would not die protecting your fellow soldiers, you would die a slow painful death, or be blown apart instantly. Vietnam was a guerilla war, there were no rules. Marines were picked off one by one from hundreds of mines placed along paths, from friendly fire of paranoid troopers, to the sniper and mortar fire that never ended. Caputo retells his nightmarish days in Vietnam with all his thoughts and emotions. He tells the truth; the horrable things soldiers can do in war, when no one is looking, are just appalling. The way this book playes out is like a horror movie, and Caputo is in the middle of it. This is an incredible book, the detail is fanonminal! For a war 60 years ago, Phillip Caputo can remember almost every detail. The murky marshes and dark forests come alive; you can get a clear image of everything. Every feeling, every emotion, is almost tangible. This book is an incredible revisitation to America's long lost war. The most incredulous part is that it all really happened. The people were all real, every bullet, explosion, and act of violence all of it happened, and not that long ago too. Caputo tells of lies, coverups, and fraud that the government today is denying ever existed or occured. America wants the Vietnam war to be forgoten, but Caputo and all his fellow soldiers will never forget it. Caputo's writing opens up worlds I have never seen before. It, at the same time disturbes me and facinates me. There are no cliches, happy ending, or "cool" action sequences, this is real life, and real life is no pretty. Caputo is the first person I have seen successfully write down emotions like fear, excitement, pain, and a mix of everything together. In every other book, these emotions are simulated, but in A Rumor of War, they are frighteningly real. This book uses and abuses all five senses, and it is not for the faint. For someone to truly understand the horrorsof war that have been passed down through the ages, all you have to do is read,"A Rumor of War" by Philip Caputo.