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Title: Beneath the Bamboo: A Vietnam War Story
Author: Stan Taylor
Narrator: Michael Driggs
Format: Unabridged
Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins
Language: English
Release date: 01-15-15
Publisher: Jonathon Jones
Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 28 votes
Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Personal Memoirs
Publisher's Summary:
Excerpt: I watched two point men take 50-caliber machine gun bullets to the head and watched the third being grabbed and taken behind enemy lines. Two of the enemy soldiers, whom we often referred to as gooks, quickly came after me. As I mowed them down with my automatic rifle, I crawled backward, away from the enemy gunfire, using my helmet to push sand in front of me as I went, which made it possible to look behind me. But as I looked back, I realized my safety net was no longer safe. I saw my entire company falling like dominoes. Medics were running left and right, risking their lives to help others with bravery that even the most amazing soldier couldn't hope to match.
Some of the events I witnessed during that moment were beyond comprehension. I watched a young, courageous black medic take an 81-millimeter round to his head, and his whole body instantly turned to smoke. Nineteen- and 20-year-olds were crying like children but fighting like someone had raped their sisters. So many things were going through my head at that moment, and in one single heartbeat I was overwhelmed with a flashback of my entire life. This is the story, from point A to B, of my life and times in the midst of hell on Earth.
Members Reviews:
How the Vietnam War turned a boy into a man.
BENEATH THE BAMBOO: A Vietnam War Story
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
~ I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
"This is the story, from point A to B, of my life and times in the midst of hell on Earth."
This audiobook was written by the author late in life and published by his son, Jonathan. When Stan returned from Vietnam, he chose to not speak of or even think of, his experiences during the Vietnam War. In fact, he was so adamant in his avoidance of the topic that he even avoided all movies and books on the subject.
Because of this, BENEATH THE BAMBOO may have some flaws. The author is not a historian nor is he a professional writer. He is just an average guy who survived some not-so-average experiences after fighting in the Vietnam War.
I actually found this audiobook fascinating. I liked the fact that it was not the story of some famous battle or told by a famous soldier. Because it was told by a regular guy and not a career soldier, I found that I could more easily relate to the story.
The narrator, Michael Driggs has the perfect voice for this story. In fact, his narration is so convincing that I had to check to see if he was also the author. His pacing is terrific and he is a master of inflection. He seems to instinctively know when to speed up and when to slow down as well as which words need to be emphasized. I give the narration 5 out of 5 Stars.
I read some of the other reviews of this book and saw that some negative comments were made regarding inconsistencies with what other Vietnam War veterans experienced. I have to point out that this book was written by Stan Jones' son and not by Stan himself. It is for that reason that I am fully willing to forgive and forget about these errors. Any memoir, especially one written by a non-professional writer will contain "errors".