A Country Such As This Review

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(More customer reviews)"A Country Such As This" is a timeless classic that chronicles the enormous social, economic and political upheavals that roiled America throughout the 1960s and 1970s. James Webb, a foremost author, Vietnam combat veteran and future Secretary of the Navy, presents a moving and incisive allegory in the life experiences of three 1951 U.S. Naval Academy graduates. Red Lescynski, Judd Smith and Joe Dingenfelder are "blood brothers" who swear an oath of allegiance to their country and each other. But their lives are destined to be sundered by the epochal changes sweeping the country: economic dislocation, an epidemic of divorce and fractured families and, most of all, societal and political divisions wrought by U.S. policy in Vietnam. Particularly insightful is the ongoing dialogue between Smith, a conservative Republican, and the ultra-liberal Dorothy Dingenfelder (Joe's estranged wife), who clash repeatedly and vociferously. Red Lesczynski's brutal plight in North Vietnam POW camps are heart rending, as are his difficulties assimilating into a fundamentally changed American society after a seven-year absence. Webb's descriptions of the opprobrious conduct of the anti-war movement are priceless.
We are fortunate that 18 years after its initial publication, the U.S. Navy's publishing arm has re-published "A Country Such As This," enabling a new generation of Americans to benefit from Webb's sage wisdom.

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The innocence the 1950s and turbulence of the 1960s and 70s--years when America reached out and touched the heavens, only to be torn apart by internal conflict and a war in Southeast Asia--provide a dramatic setting for this unforgettable story of three men and the women they love carving a place for themselves in a society where the rules keep changing. Written by bestselling novelist James Webb, it has been hailed as a major work of our time and a stunning commentary of political and social life in America over nearly three decades. From the wars in Korea and Vietnam to antiwar protests in Washington and POW camps in Hanoi, from young love and parenthood to divorce and reconciliation, Webb's eye for detail, provocative insights, and subtle revelations have earned him the highest literary accolades. His convincing characters and gripping scenes fully engage the reader as the three Naval Academy graduates reevaluate their lives, their country, and the cost of success.--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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