The book contains about 308 pages composed of: 54 pages on Vietnam flora and habitat, 34 pages on the anatomy, ecology, and distribution of orchids, 178 pages about individual slipper orchid species found in Vietnam (22 species), 20 pages on the conservation, 9 pages on literature referenced, and a 14 page index.

The text is far more extensive than just "slipper orchids" or "Vietnam". Rather it also introduces the flora, habitat, and physical geography of Vietnam, and it covers all slipper orchids of southeast Asia in very complete detail.

The last 2/3rds of the book is a treasure of information about the individual species of Vietnam slippers. It contains lots of field pictures, closeups of the flowers, flower diagrams, and distribution maps. I was impressed with the completeness of the treatment for each orchid. This is a superb slipper orchid reference book.

If you are a Paphiopedilum orchid book enthusiast - times are very good. There are presently three absolutely outstanding slipper orchid books in press: "The Genus Paphiopedilum" by Braem, Baker & Baker, "The Slipper Orchids" by Catherine Cash, and "Slipper Orchids of Vietnam" by Leonid Averyanov, Phillip Cribb, Phan Ke Loc & Nguyen Tien Hiep. Each book sets the highest standard of excellence. We slipper orchid hobbyists are truly blessed to have such talented and passionate writers on this subject. I reference each of these books several times each month. They are great additions to my orchid library.

There is total concensus over 2/3rds of the species in all of the books. But there are major disagreements over much of the rest. Discussions in the text are filled with little daggers about what the other book authors had missed or misinterpreted - it is facinating! Since Slipper Orchids of Vietnam was written after the other two books, Averyanov & Cribb have the last word in the arguement. But I suspect that new books from Braem and Cash are already in the making.

It's a great time to be a slipper orchid enthusiast. You gotta buy this book!

This fine 1994 chapbook reprints some of the excellent epigrams in Barth's 1990 "Simonides in Vietnam" and adds some new ones reflecting Barth's satiric/meditative post-Vietnam War observations on war. In one poem (not in this collection) Barth refers to the epigram as the guerilla's small arms fire, and Barth is an accomplished marksman. As is true of his earlier work, these poems are humane, anti-establishment, ironic, sometimes bitter, and witty. Several poems illustrate a veteran's resentment of the rich who escaped the war, politicians, and wannabe chicken hawks. These are memorable poems, some of which I return to again and again.

A great book by my grandfather. I will love him forever.

TERRY BURSTALL, HIMSELF A VETERAN OF VIETNAM AND LONG TAN (1966 BATTLE IN WHICH AUSTRALIA LOST ITS GREATEST NUMBER OF TROOPS IN THE VIETNAM WAR) GRAPPLES WITH HIS OWN FEELINGS OF GUILT AND SORROW, HAVING HAD TO CARRY OUT "RELOCATIONS " OF VILLAGERS AND BURN THEIR HOMES DURING THE WAR, ALL THE TIME 'HAVING' TO HATE THEM, INADVERTANTLY CONSIDERING THEM LESS THAN HUMAN BUT NOW REALISING IT WAS PERHAPS THE WESTERN POWERS WHO COULD BE DESCRIBED IN SUCH A FASHION. TERRY GOES BACK TO VIETNAM IN THE LATE 80's / EARLY 90's SEVERAL TIMES TO SOMEHOW COME TO TERMS WITH WHAT HAPPENEDTHERE SO MANY YEARS AGO, AND PERHAPS MEND SOME BRIDGES. THE VIETNAMESE AND THEIR CULTURE ARE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED AND ONE, ALONG WITH TERRY CANNOT HELP BUT FEEL SORRY FOR THEM. ALTHOUGH SOME ASPECTS OF WHAT HE HAS TO SAY ARE HARD TO COMPREHEND, AS THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM THE ''OFFICIAL" TRUTHS WE HAVE BEEN TOLD, ONE CANNOT IGNORE HIS VIEWS. BRILLIANT BOOK THAT INSPIRED ME TO STUDY THE VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE AND DELVE INTO THE VIETNAMESE CULTURE. READ IT, IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT.

I just received this book from ABC News and was signed by the author. A section in the book includes a story about me and my fellow Marines during the Fall of Saigon. I read the whole book and enjoyed not having a bunch of stats and dates - just the words from the vietnam vets.

I am just sixteen years old,but a big fish and marine life entusiast. I think this is one of the best books on tropical reef fishes ever written. When I received this book on the holidays,I was incredibly happy. Even though I recognized many of the species,there was some new and many new views of species I`d already knew. It covers all kinds of fish,from sharks to anemonfishes. And the colour of them are the most striking I`ve ever seen on animals. My favorite chapter is probably the first one,about sharks & rays. In second to it,there are the Scorpionfish and the Moray Eel chapter,although the angelfishes are the most beautifull fishes,the sharks are the coolest and most fascinating. At all,I will give it an high rate and I am a great fan of the author,Helmut Debelius,who has made many other great fish books which I also own,but this one is the best! But I would like if it was a little bit longer (a book of 450 pages would have been good)and have covered a little more about the behaviour of the fishes,and their reaction to divers,showing additional photos.

Spies and Commandos is a great book for anyone interested in SOG's exploits in SEA. This book is well researched and goes into great detail about the missions executed throughout N.Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Conboy is a great author and any of his works are well recommended for those who seek an unbiased account of covert operations in SEA. A book of simular content was written by Dr. Schutlz but simply does not compare to this. My personal favorite subject discussed in this book is the developemnt, exploitation, and operations of the "EARTH ANGEL" teams(1969-1971) which were turncoat NVA soldiers who were advised/trained by experienced CIA and US Special Forces personel to gather intell in Cambodia. Truly an educational and exciting piece of work. Another interesting subject is how the ARVN Special Operations units fought in the 1972 and final 1975 NVA offensives. BUY IT. You will not be dissapointed.

Vietnam Veteran Frank Gryzb came up with an excellent way to convey the many details of the Vietnam war. He interviewed 15 Veterans ranging from infantry men to nurses to cooks and more. The Veterans tell us in their own words what they felt and experienced every step of the way. Gryzb's format took us from the day these kids first enlisted, or were drafted, to the day the book was published some 30 years later. There was a section on nearly everything you could think of. Gryzb would briefly preface each section with some quality information and then the various Veteran quotes would follow. All the bases are covered here, everything from smells to sights to comic relief and everything in between. There is no bias here whatsoever. It's very up close and personal. You really feel like you know these people by the end of the book. But, more importantly you have an accurate account of the various things that happened in that time period as a result of the war. What a great book! This book is highly recommended.

I came across "Strange Ground" at the very end of an extensive and exhaustive period of research on the Vietnam War, having read over 200 different sources, as well as interviewing friends who were veterans. In "Strange Ground" I found something I had thought impossible to capture; a reasonable summary of the entire history of the war in a single volume. I can't recommend this book highly enough...

General Lewis Walt was one of the youngest,most decorated Marine Generals in the last 50 years;there is very little information about him. Some interesting details: WWII had an Island named in his honor.Was highly decorated in Korea and Vietnam. He was from Colo.played football there with and was a longtime friend of Chas.Caldwell of Princeton Univ.and the football of fame for the shotgun offence..