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MWSA Review
Although titled Letters from Vietnam, Dennis Hoy’s book is much more than a cut-and-pasted scrapbook of wartime correspondence. In fact, there are almost no direct quotes from any of the letters Hoy wrote during his combat tour in Vietnam in 1967-1968. Instead, Hoy uses the letters to jog his memory about events now 50-plus years in the past. As a result, his descriptions of his experiences in Vietnam are vivid and credible.
Hoy’s unassuming, almost folksy prose adds to this memoir’s authenticity and readability. After covering his wartime experiences as a “grunt” in Vietnam, Hoy wraps things up by sharing his thoughts about the war and describing the highlights of his life after his return to “the world” after completing his tour. In addition to being an honest look at his wartime experiences in Vietnam, what sets this book apart from many other Vietnam memoirs is the evident love and affection Hoy displays for his wife, Beth, throughout its pages.
Review by John Cathcart (April 2023)
Author's Synopsis
Letters from Vietnam is the memoir of a Vietnam War army infantryman, based on letters he wrote home to his new wife and his parents that give an on-the-ground view of combat, and a soldier's life beyond combat, through the eyes of a Silver Star recipient.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 150
Word Count: Not submitted