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Vietnam: A history
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
26 posts | 6 read | 6 to read
This is history writing at its best. Chicago Sun-Times This monumental narrative clarifies, analyzes, and de-mystifies the tragic ordeal of the Vietnam war. Free of ideological bias, profound in its understanding, and compassionate in its human portrayals, it is filled with fresh revelations drawn from secret documents and from exclusive interviews with the participantsFrench, American, Vietnamese, Chinese; diplomats, military commanders, high government officials; journalists, nurses, workers, soldiers. Vietnam: A History puts events and decisions into such sharp focus that we come to understandand make peace with a convulsive epoch of our recent history. Even those of us who think we know something about it will read with fascination. The New York Times History at its best... a saga abrim with plots and counterplots and political and religious intriguesall set on a global stage and played by an amazing cast of characters. Colin Leinster, Business Week His is a rich and unusual mixture; he has the master reporters eye for meaningful detail, an ear for the memorable quote, and he works hard to give the Indochina epoch a historians perspective. Los Angeles Times Monumental . . . may well become the authoritative history Washington Post Book World The most comprehensive, up-to-date, and balanced account we have of the Vietnam War Boston Globe Mr. Karnow writes a detailed, trustworthy study of the more than 30 years of efforts to defeat Ho Chi Minh and his comrades. Kansas City Star
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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I haven't been able to get my mind into nonfiction at ALL lately (I've been reading the tagged book since last fall 😕) but I know a lot of you read lots of it & may be interested in @LaurenAshley 's round robin book mailing event!! Check out her page for more details about the #NFRoundRobin !!!

blank Thanks for sharing! 4y
Avanders Fun! 4y
Chrissyreadit I love nonfiction so much- but am worried I‘m over committed....decisions decisions 4y
41 likes3 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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1. Met my husband in April 2010 & got married that July. Almost ten years later & he is still the best part of every day ❤
2. So many, but among the goals, I would REALLY like to finish the tagged book!
3. German - pork & sauerkraut. You have to eat at least one bite of sauerkraut if you want good luck.
Young'uns every year: “It's gross! I ate it last year & my luck was terrible!“
Gpa: “Think how bad it would have been if you hadn't eaten it!“

alisiakae 3 🤣🤣 I have a similar childhood memory. I make braised cabbage instead as an adult. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 4y
julesG Sauerkraut is not that gross. You should just have it more often. 😁😁😁 4y
See All 7 Comments
TheAromaofBooks @4thhouseontheleft @julesG - I really hated sauerkraut as a kid, but now I'm more just ambivalent towards it - once a year is still plenty, though! 😁 4y
Deifio My hubby would really enjoy this tradition! He really loves his pork sausages, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut 😄 4y
UwannaPublishme I‘m not a fan of sauerkraut at all. But if it will change my luck, I may indulge. 😬 Maybe... Not. 🤣 4y
TheAromaofBooks @UwannaPublishme - Right?? We were given zero choice when we were young. 😆 4y
45 likes7 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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Final check-in for #Bfcr4 -

This was a really weird six weeks for me. Grandpa was in the hospital for about a month, and passed away last Saturday. I didn't achieve my goals or establish the good habits I was hoping for, but it was a reminder that it is important to stay flexible in life and focus on the people we love while we have the opportunity to do so. ⬇️

TheAromaofBooks Grandpa had a lot of complicated health issues and in some ways was actually excited about going to heaven instead of staying here, but we are all going to miss him a lot. ⬇️ 4y
TheAromaofBooks A very special thanks to @wanderinglynn for hosting this challenge as always - definitely hoping you feel up to another round in 2020!! I also really enjoyed cheering on my team this round - you all did great!! @Jerdencon @KathyWheeler @Sharread 4y
TheLudicReader I am very sorry for your loss. 4y
See All 17 Comments
llwheeler So sorry for your loss 4y
Lovesbooks87 I am so sorry to hear about your grandpa! 4y
Balibee146 So sorry for your loss x 4y
Jerdencon So sorry for your loss 😢🙏 4y
REPollock So sorry for your loss. 😢 4y
robinb Bless your Grandpa in his new heavenly home. And sending you prayers for peace and comfort during this time. 🙏💕 So sorry for your loss. 4y
BookNAround I‘m so sorry for your loss. May your remember him with laughter and smiles, for small things and large, and for all the love he brought to your life. 4y
wanderinglynn So sorry for your loss. 💜 But I‘m happy you‘re able to find peace. 4y
Librarybelle So sorry for your loss 4y
KT1432 So sorry for your loss 4y
TheAromaofBooks @TheLudicReader @llwheeler @Lovesbooks87 @Balibee146 @Jerdencon @REPollock @robinb @BookNAround @wanderinglynn @Librarybelle @lele1432 - thank you so much for your kind thoughts. Grandpa was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and given six months to live over three years ago, so we are focusing on the blessing of having him much longer than we anticipated, even if it wasn't long enough. ❤ (edited) 4y
KathyWheeler I‘m so sorry about your grandfather. 4y
sharread I'm so sorry for your loss. ❤ 4y
TheAromaofBooks @KathyWheeler @sharread - thank you for your kind thoughts. ❤ 4y
21 likes17 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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#Bfcr4 check-in...

Do you ever have a week where you just feel like hiding in a closet?? Paisley here gets it!

This past week has been incredibly difficult. This week my focus is on bringing some order back into my home and actually making supper every night. Also hoping to get through the next chapter of the tagged book.

@wanderinglynn @Jerdencon @KathyWheeler @sharread

Jerdencon Too cute! Hope this week is better for you! And good job on making dinner every day! 4y
Crazeedi Yep, but I'd have a hard time getting into mine, lol! Need to start tossing things! 4y
PaperbackPirate Omg your doggy is too cute! I hope you have a better week. 4y
See All 7 Comments
wanderinglynn What a cutie! ❤️🐶 And I feel him. There are times I‘d love to hid in the closet. I hope this week is better. 💚 4y
TheAromaofBooks @Jerdencon @wanderinglynn - thank you!! Trying to focus on positives and go forward from here. 4y
TheAromaofBooks @Crazeedi - in fairness, Paisley is a lot smaller than me, so I may not fit in my closet, either :-D 4y
TheAromaofBooks @PaperbackPirate - thank you!! Paisley is a border collie with a ridiculous amount of personality. She also HATES the air compressor, so whenever my husband is building something (which is a lot; we're remodeling), she runs to the closet! Some days I want to join her! 4y
35 likes7 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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@Jerdencon @KathyWheeler @sharread @wanderinglynn
#bfcr4 check-in - With Grandpa still in the hospital, my goals were drastically different this week. I have been working on using the stairs, taking a brisk walk twice a day, and eating salad. I don't have the emotional stamina to read Vietnam right now, so that goal is on hold.
I think my biggest frustration with this round has been that part of my overall goal for BFC is to form good habits,⬇️

TheAromaofBooks but that has not really been possible with my erratic schedule. I know that's beyond my control, but it still can be frustrating. In the meantime, I'm exploring the hospital, which has different pictures/color for each bank of elevators. Only yellow left to find... 4y
wanderinglynn 💜 Do what you can. My thoughts are with you & your family. 💜 4y
sharread I'm sorry to hear about your Grandpa, hope all will be well soon. My goals are all a mess too, hard to keep track of the days right now. ❤ 4y
TheAromaofBooks @wanderinglynn @sharread - thank you for your encouragement!! 4y
14 likes4 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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#bfcr4 check in!

This has been a week. Grandpa has been in hospital so the whole week has been rather chaotic. One silver lining is the amazing salad bar in the cafeteria there, so I actually have been eating pretty healthily! However, not much progress with my tagged book, despite the encouraging dedication from the brother who gifted it to me. :-D

Grandpa is doing better but not getting out any time soon, so I am adjusting goals to accommodate

Jerdencon Hope your grandfather is better soon! ❤️ 4y
wanderinglynn Healing thoughts & positive energy to your grandfather and your family. 💚 4y
See All 6 Comments
UwannaPublishme Sending healing hugs and 🙏🏻❤️ 4y
TheAromaofBooks @wanderinglynn @Jerdencon @UwannaPublishme - thank you! Grandpa is doing much better today. Forward progress is a very good thing! 4y
sharread Hope all will be okay. ❤ 4y
18 likes6 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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#bfcr4 check-in!!!

As you can see, I am still working on my goals with mixed results. I am really trying to increase the number of veggies in my life! That is going to be my main focus for week 3. Vietnam is coming along, and I am hoping to complete through chapter 13 by next week, so we will see what happens!!
@wanderinglynn @Jerdencon @KathyWheeler @sharread

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 You‘re making great progress. 4y
KathyWheeler You‘re doing a great job! 4y
See All 7 Comments
sharread Nicely detailed, I like it and want to try it. Great progress! 4y
Jerdencon Great job! I tried to do a chart this week and lasted one day! Lol 4y
TheAromaofBooks @sharread Thank you!! 4y
TheAromaofBooks @Jerdencon - having things to check off is what keeps me going :-D 4y
18 likes7 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow

#BFCr4 check-in post!! Super busy day helping my sister move, so I don't even have the energy to take a picture to go with this post haha

I did great on my reading goal, getting through another two chapters of the tagged book. I really think I'm going to actually finish this beast by the end of the challenge. However, my exercise and dieting goals didn't go so well. I'm contemplating how to adjust them to make them still useful yet -----

TheAromaofBooks ----more realistic for my currently very busy schedule.

Great work this week teammates!! @Jerdencon @KathyWheeler @Sharread @wanderinglynn
4y
Jerdencon Day by day - you got this! 4y
sharread Wow! Moving takes tons of calories. 👍❤ 4y
See All 6 Comments
wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌 Moving is hard work! And sometimes it takes a week or two to tweak your goals to work. Just keep adapting them until you find what works for you. You got this! 4y
TheAromaofBooks Thank you @wanderinglynn !!! I do need to make some adaptations, but I also need to discipline myself a little more, too lol Good luck with your goals this week, too!! 4y
17 likes6 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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I have been out of range all weekend so I'm just getting around to posting my goals for #bfcr4 ! This is my second time participating in BFC, but my first time on a team. This week is the busiest week of the year where I work, so my goals are pretty modest to start! I really want to finish the tagged book during this round, spend more time stretching & walking, & focus on healthier eating habits!

@wanderinglynn @Jerdencon @KathyWheeler @sharread

wanderinglynn Great goals! 🙌🏻 4y
sharread Great goals. We can do this. 👍 4y
Jerdencon Great goals!! I like your chart!! 4y
TheAromaofBooks @Jerdencon - thank you! I do better at accomplishing things if I can check them off with a flourish! 4y
KathyWheeler I have a spreadsheet, but I love the checkboxes! Good goals. 4y
20 likes5 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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I'm super excited about #BFCr4 , which will be my second time participating. This time I've signed up to be on a small team as well!! I really want to try and finish the tagged book - I'm almost halfway through. Also looking to try and start walking every day and make some healthier adjustments to my diet! Check out @wanderinglynn for more details. I've copied @TheSpineView 's pic since she included the link you need to sign up!!

TheSpineView I too signed up for a team this time. Hoping the addition motivation will help keep me on track. Good luck with your goals! 🤩 5y
TheAromaofBooks @TheSpineView - thank you!! Same to you!! I didn't do a team last time - I like to ease my way into things lol but I think that the increased accountability will be good for me!! 5y
12 likes3 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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Well we have reached the end of #bfcr3 !! My final week was on vacation in Wyoming, & it was gorgeous!! This challenge has been great. It was a complicated six weeks what with a crazy work schedule & going on vacation, so I didn't establish the habits I had hoped for, but I did get moving some more, made a lot of progress on the tagged book, & have been eating fewer desserts!! Thanks for hosting @wanderinglynn & I hope there will be a round four!!

TheAromaofBooks Still on the road (it's a long way from Yellowstone to Ohio) but hopefully will be back on Litsy more soon!!! 5y
wanderinglynn Beautiful photo! And way to go! You may not have done what you wanted, but you‘ve made great progress! 🙌🏻 5y
20 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow

#bfcr3 check-in -

This week was middling. I did pretty good with skipping dessert and starting to work more salads into my life, but didn't do any walking. However, that will be remedied this week as we are on our way to the mountains!!! Currently in Iowa, hitting Lincoln (NE) tonight, and on to Yellowstone tomorrow!! I'll be offline all week, but never fear - I have brought plenty of books!!

wanderinglynn Enjoy your trip! ⛰❤️ 5y
UwannaPublishme Have a great vacation! 5y
19 likes3 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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Overall did much better with my goals for #BFCr3 this week. I'm back on track with my nonfiction book, & was also able to keep my dessert habits in check!! I'm back at work for the season, which is very physical, so for now I am not worrying about a cardio workout. I didn't get much walking in through the week, but we did take a 10-mile hike this morning. I am trying to replace some of my meals with salads as well. On to week 5!!!
@wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 5y
Crazeedi Following your blog😊 5y
TheAromaofBooks @Crazeedi - thank you!!! :-) I'm an erratic poster lol 5y
21 likes3 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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#bfcr3 check-in -

This was a week that went a bit off the rails. We delved into a remodeling project, which means my office/work area is now in a pile at the other end of the room!! I worked extra shifts and had some family drama, and all in all did not really even try on the challenges this week. :-/ Hoping to regain some balance and go forward this week!
@wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Oh wow! That looks like a lot of work! 5y
rather_be_reading oh man! im sure it will all be worth it! 5y
TheAromaofBooks @wanderinglynn @rather_be_reading - We bought a project house five years ago, and I have been painting ever since! :-D 5y
22 likes3 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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#BFCr3 check-in for Week 2 -

Doing great with my nonfiction reading by focusing on Vietnam when I am eating - it's a chunkster so I do better reading it if I just leave it on the table! Definitely failing on my efforts to eat less dessert, which comes down to a lack of self-control. I really do want to do better with that this week!!!

@wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 a great week! 5y
Crazeedi Good job! 👏👏 5y
20 likes3 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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The garden is definitely getting that late-August vibe, but mowing it yesterday definitely counted as cardio for #bfcr3 :-D

Making good progress in the tagged book as well. Things are heating up with the French. My husband laughs because I update him on Vietnam history as though it is current!!

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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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#bfcr3 week one check-in - Some progress has been made! I definitely need to stop eating ice cream to hit my dessert-avoidance goal. :-D I started work, so I will be adjusting my nonfiction reading schedule accordingly. Overall I am at almost 100 pages so I feel good about that. Still hoping to up the cardio days, too! However, I have been doing better about getting out and walking. On to week 2!!!

@wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 A great week! 👏🏻 5y
16 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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So I am giving #bfc a try this round!! Here are my goals for week 1. I mostly want to get moving more and eat fewer desserts!!! (Also that says "walk block" not black haha) I have no problems reading lots but really fall down on getting through hefty nonfiction tomes, so my reading goals will be focused on knocking out some chapters in the tagged book.
#bfcr3 @wanderinglynn

sudi Great goals 👏👏👏 5y
wanderinglynn Great goals! 🙌 Happy to have you join #BFC! 😀 5y
21 likes3 comments
review
MLRio
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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Pickpick

A more accurate subtitle for this book might be 'A Political History.' For anyone hoping to make sense of how the undeclared Vietnam war came about and eventually unraveled, this is essential reading. However, the more harrowing conflicts on the ground are minimized or glossed so at times the actual war feels like a distant backdrop for the bloodless battles raging in Washington. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Kimberlone I can't wait for the Ken Burns/PBS documentary series on Vietnam. Seems like it is going to try to address as many sides of the conflict/controversy as possible. Plus the soundtrack/score is being curated by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross! 7y
MLRio @Kimberlone I caved and ordered the companion book today. 7y
16 likes1 stack add2 comments
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MLRio
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow

The time has come to call a spade a bloody shovel. This country is in an undeclared and unexplained war in Vietnam. Our masters have a lot of long and fancy names for it, like escalation and retaliation, but it is a war just the same. (James Reston)

9 likes1 stack add
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MLRio
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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If you give a girl a #ReadABookDay, she's going to want a martini to go with it (and if it's this book, she's going to need one) 📚🍸

CouronneDhiver Nice 👌🏽 7y
26 likes1 comment
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MLRio
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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A sobering read.

16 likes1 stack add
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MLRio
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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Here, have some badass #WOC to kickstart your weekend. Punch a sexist white supremacist in the face. Make them proud.

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MeaMck
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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"You can kill ten of my men for every one I kill of yours. But even at those odds, you will lose and I will win"

-Ho Chi Minh

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Lynnsoprano
Vietnam: A history | Stanley Karnow
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Visiting our son and DIL for the weekend, and our grandkitty isn't interested in letting either of us read. She prefers my husband's book, but he's the one with the allergy. Trying to interest her in my book, but I guess she prefers nonfiction. #catsoflitsy

Alisnazzy It's #kittenlitten mom. Get your hashtags in order lol 😹😹😹 7y
Bookzombie Cute! 💕🐱 7y
32 likes2 comments