Tag: Vietnam

Book Review: All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee

BonnieReadsAndWrites8 Comments

Mattie Taylor arrives back in Tullahoma, Tennessee in 1969 to see her dying mother before it is too late.  She left her parents’ horse farm in anger a year ago after her twin brother Mark was killed in Vietnam. Mattie blamed her father for his death, as he had not tried to keep Mark from volunteering to go to war.  Her brother’s best friend Nash McCallum is now working at the farm.  Nash had joined the military the same day as Mark but lost his arm in battle and was sent home.  Maddie’s mother Ava does not have long to live but has requested that Mattie read some old letters Ava has stored away. 

In 1942, Ava has received word of her husband Richard’s death at Pearl Harbor.  She is living on the Delaney farm with her mother-in-law and is grieving for a man she barely knew, as they were only married for a short time.   In need of money and a way to keep busy, Ava applies for and is accepted to a job at a military base, Camp Forrest, which she soon learns is being used to house German immigrants in an “internment camp” situation.  As Ava becomes closer to one of the Germans being held against his will, Gunther Schneider, she faces scorn and judgment for their friendship. 

This heartwarming but sad novel sheds light on the internment of thousands of innocent people in the United States during World War II, as well as the healing and recovery efforts for wounded Vietnam veterans. The themes of grief, forgiveness, and faith are addressed throughout the book. There is also the question, “Why does God allow good people to suffer?”  The revelation of long-held secrets is heart-touching and compelling.  The main characters are easy to connect with, and the story is enjoyable. Recommend.

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House via The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (FROM HER WEBSITE)

Michelle Shocklee

(In Her Own Words) I have always loved the written word. As far back as I can remember I’ve enjoyed books. My mother, an elementary school teacher, read to my four older siblings and me a lot while we grew up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After I learned to read on my own, books were part of my daily life. When I walk into a bookstore, I take a deep breath, inhaling that wonderful, unique aroma. Ahhh. (Sorry techies, but ya just can’t do that with a Kindle!)

So it wasn’t a big surprise when I discovered how much I enjoyed writing my own stories. I filled pages of notebooks and eventually computer screens with tales of love, heartbreak, drama and humor. Although I write various genres,
historical settings are my favorite.  

When I’m not writing, editing, or dreaming up new stories, my husband and I work as Estate Caretakers, which means we live and work on beautiful private properties and help the owners with just about any need that comes up! We also enjoy spending time at the beach with our two grown sons and their beautiful wives. 

MICHELLE’S SOCIAL MEDIA: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

A Memorial Day Salute to a Fallen Hero

BonnieReadsAndWrites14 Comments

This is a tribute to my Uncle Wayne Jenkins, who died in Vietnam in 1968, four days before his 21st birthday. He will always be our hero. Below are some photos and some information that I found on the FindAGrave Website.

Specialist Four Wayne Daniel Jenkins was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army Selective Service and a Draftee, SP4 Jenkins served our country until September 12th, 1968 in Bing Long, South Vietnam. He was 20 years old and was not married. It was reported that Wayne died from small arms fire or grenade. His body was recovered. Wayne was born on September 16th, 1947 in Bryson City, North Carolina. SP4 Jenkins is on panel 44W, line 038 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for one year. 

Sp4 Jenkins, this is in remembrance of you and the members of your squad who were ambushed on September 12, 1968, while on reconnaissance 5 kilometers Northeast of Loc Ninh, Binh Long Province, Vietnam. That day was a long and sad day for Alpha Company, 1st Battalion 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. You will never be forgotten. Niner One.

Find A Grave Page for Wayne D. Jenkins

Wayne D. Jenkins

VIETNAM WALL PHOTO

BRYSON CITY, NC: Resting Place: Blankenship Cemetery.

We will always remember you, and wonder what might have been. I never got to know you because you died when I was four years old, but you will always be honored by our family.

Please tell us all about your fallen heroes in the comments section.

Village Teacher

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

Village Teacher by Neihtn, who also writes as Nguyen Trong Hien, is a well-written novel set in Vietnam in the late 19th or early 20th century while Vietnam was under French colonization. Teacher Tâm has traveled to the Imperial City of Hue to take the national examinations, challenging tests that help the country choose its leaders. He meets Giang, the daughter of a powerful Frenchman and a wealthy Vietnamese woman. The teacher becomes the student as Giang begins teaching him to write Vietnamese in Romanized script without using the Chinese characters. Outside forces begin to intervene in Tâm’s life in many ways, and the reader is taken on a journey through Vietnamese history, language, and customs as the Village Teacher and those who love him fight for his life and his rights.

This is such a beautiful historical love story. The author is an expert in Vietnamese history and I learned so much in this book. The struggles of Teacher Tâm are struggles that are being repeated even today as the wealthy and powerful try to hold down those of lesser means, especially the smart and talented. Over and over again we see in this book how some of the rich and powerful will use any means to try and destroy anyone who they believe threatens their total control. The love story is beautiful, and the reader gets a master class in Vietnamese history, language, and culture. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the history of Vietnam or anyone who just wants to read a well-written historical love story.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nguyễn Trọng Hiền is originally from Vietnam. In the United States, he is known as Hien Nguyen, or Hien T. Nguyen.  neihtn is his Vietnamese first name (Hien)  and initials, spelled backward. Why backward? One reason is to indicate that he now lives on the opposite side of the world from where he was born and spent over two decades of his life.

Hein wrote Village Teacher at night and on weekends over four years while he worked a full-time job. He is now retired and spends his time writing and taking photographs of birds, wildlife, flowers and landscapes. He posts the photos on his blog, Village Teacher. He also published another novel, The Siege of An Loc, in 2020.

Buy Village Teacher on Amazon

Buy The Siege of An Loc on Amazon

MY AMAZON REVIEW OF VILLAGE TEACHER

My Review of The Siege of An Loc