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Tour of Duty
- John Kerry and the Vietnam War
- Narrated by: Douglas Brinkley
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
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Tour of Duty
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Publisher's Summary
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 US 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 US 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.
What the critics say
"Though never intended as a political biography, this book offers perhaps the most insightful examination available of the character of this or any other Democratic candidate." (Publishers Weekly)
"There is enough of a war narrative here to satisfy Vietnam buffs, even if they aren't interested in Kerry's politics. Political buffs will do best to wade patiently through the combat action, which is followed by the veteran's antiwar testimony before Congress. This would be a timely book even if Kerry weren't running for president." (Booklist)
"Kerry's story is impressive....The book is...laced with quotations from Kerry's extensive diaries and letters....They are at the least insightful and at best arresting." (The New York Times Book Review)
"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." (AudioFile)