The matterhorn book vietnam

A novel of the vietnam war1 sarah boyce2 in matterhorn, karl marlantes, a vietnam combat veteran and rhodes scholar,3 has created what may be the finest novel yet written on the vietnam war. A big, powerful saga of men in combat, written over the course of thirtyfive years by a highly. The novel presents an unflinching look at the hardships endured by the marines who waged the war on behalf of america. Intense, powerful, and compelling, matterhorn is an epic war novel in the tradition of norman mailers the naked and the dead and james joness the thin red line. At times, the action described,with its human consequences, was quite difficult to take in, emotionally, to the point i had to put the book down, do something else, then return to it later. Matterhorn by karl marlantes meet your next favorite book. Intense, powerful, and compelling, matterhorn is an epic war novel in the tradition of. In his debut novel, matterhorn, vietnam combat veteran karl marlantes attempts to transport his readers to 1969, in a jungle near laos, just south of the vietnamese demilitarized zone dmz. It is the timeless story of a young marine lieutenant, waino mellas, and his comrades in bravo company, who are dropped into the mountain jungle of vietnam as boys and forced to fight their way into manhood. A novel of the vietnam war marlantes, karl, pinchot, bronson isbn. Matterhorn tells the story of the daytoday experience in a combat situation as well as any book i have read, and far better than most. In his debut novel, matterhorn, vietnam combat veteran karl marlantes attempts to transport his readers to 1969, in a jungle near laos, just south. The book is set in vietnam in 1969 and draws from the experiences of marlantes, who commanded a marine rifle platoon.

Highly decorated vietnam war veteran karl marlantes had been at work on this book since the war ended. While written as a novel, it is obvious this book is based on reallife experiences by the author. He cursed the south vietnamese making money off the black market. Matterhorn by karl marlantes a stark, brutal vietnam war epic karl marlantes debut novel, 30 years in the making, follows waino mellas, a young ivy league student sent to.

If you ever need an example of an artistic project into which the artist has poured his blood, sweat and tears, you can point to matterhorn. It is an unforgettable novel that transforms the tragedy of vietnam into a powerful and universal story of courage, camaraderie, and sacrifice. Karl marlantess 35year struggle to write a true novel of the vietnam war has finally paid off matterhorn is a bestseller by robert mccrum sat 10 jul 2010 19. Karl, thank you for helping me think through, and discuss with my wife and other close friends. A novel of the vietnam war is a novel by american author and decorated marine karl marlantes. Karl marlantess first novel, matterhorn, is about a company of marines who build, abandon and retake an outpost on a remote hilltop in vietnam. Matterhorn is a visceral and spellbinding novel about what it is like to be a young man at war. Karl marlantess 35year struggle to write a true novel of the vietnam war has finally paid off, says robert mccrum matterhorn is a bestseller. I worked in vietnam in the early 90s so was able to envisage the theaters of war so vividly described. Matterhorn is a perfect complement to the vietnam documentary. Matterhorn a novel of the vietnam war by karl marlantes the. It is the timeless story of a young marine lieutenant, waino mellas, and his comrades in b a big, powerful saga of men in combat, written over the course of thirtyfive years by a highly decorated vietnam veteran. Karl marlantes s first novel, matterhorn, is about a company of marines who build, abandon and retake an outpost on a remote hilltop in vietnam.