Close Quarters

By: Larry Heinemann

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

From the moment his first novel was published, Larry Heinemann joined the ranks of the great chroniclers of the Vietnam conflict: Philip Caputo, Tim O'Brien, and Gustav Hasford.

In the stripped-down, unsullied patois of an ordinary soldier, draftee Philip Dosier tells his story of the war. Straight from high school, too young to vote or buy himself a drink, he enters a world of mud and heat, blood and body counts, ambushes and firefights. It is here that he embarks on the brutal downward path to wisdom that awaits every soldier.

In the tradition of The Naked and the Dead and The Thin Red Line, Close Quarters is the harrowing story of how a decent kid from Chicago endures an extraordinary trial and returns profoundly altered to a world on the threshold of change.

©1974 Larry Heinemann (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"The best work of fiction to come out of the Vietnam War." (Houston Chronicle)
"Close Quarters can stand with the finest Vietnam writing, fact or fiction." (Chicago Tribune)

Hip deep American soldier's view.

Liked it a lot. US Army drafted story. Does good overall service to era. Long near poetic tracks.

Give it Some Time

I read this after just having finished a book about the guys in SOG. So this was very different and I almost put it down. I am glad I stayed with it. Enjoyed it immensely.
Anyone interested in the Vietnam War should look into the guys in SOG. It's difficult reading but essential.

A most interesting description of war!!

The author has a very descriptive writing style, and the narrator brings his style to life. I have read/listened to this many times and it remains a favorite. The language and adult topics are very relevant to soldiers of this era as are the violence and death. This book is not for children or the meek but it does provides the listener with an insight to the life of the Vietnam combat soldier.

Interesting

Okay I’ve listened to about one hundred audio books about the Vietnam Conflict. I’ve never heard it described in such detail. It’s not so much about the war as it is about the man’s thoughts and feelings. Overall once I began to understand that,I loved the book because he describes everything he felt.

Great book!

I have recently started reading books about Vietnam. This is the best. Very descriptive. Excellent!