After returning from Vietnam, Karl Marlantes spent thirty years working on a novel based on his experience. Here he recalls two memories that helped him persist.
I stumbled onto a copy of ‘What it’s like to go to War’, whilst in an opt store. By the time I had finished it, I had to read it again. It changed my life, I had new found respect . Not just for this man but all those who served.😊
By far, Matterhorn is one of the best books I have ever read. And I read a lot. Matterhorn was lined up in my "books to read" pile for quite some time. I felt like I was dropped on an LZ and was watching Bravo Company and all the scenarios from under an invisibility cloak. Completely captivated me. Thank you Karl!
I just finished this book. I'm not in the service and I'm way too young to have served in anything before 2004, but I found the book inspiring and emotionally moving. All I can say is, thanks to all who served. I'm sorry about the horrors you experienced there. Mr. Marlantes, thanks for writing this.
Amazing book! I just finished it last night. Thank you for sharing and helping those of us who weren't there to understand what real soldiers went through. Also, thank you for your service.
I could not put this book down, it is a story well told. I was too young to serve in Vietnam, but the descriptions in Matterhorn bring the jungle and the grunts to life.
Just finished the book, excellent writing about an emotional subject. I was a Army Grunt in Vietnam and this book was written by someone that was there. I highly recommend this book as a good overview of what many faced in combat. I wish that the games that were played by the brass sometimes in Vietnam have faded and a thing of the past? Unfortunately, my unit had a Simpson too, costing the lives at least 12 good men. Semper Fi Marines. Wolfie
I’m almost finished with the book and I have to say it’s one of the best fiction books I’ve ever read. And I read A LOT. totally mesmerizing and heartbreaking.
I hold the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge from Vietnam. "Welcome home," Karl, and many thanks for your service. I'll definitely be buying "Matterhorn" for Christmas!!--Tom Reilly
I am a Vietnam Marine. I've had guys occasionally say they didn't serve and missed that war. I tell them they didn't miss a damn thing. Read Karl Malantes book and you will understand why. Thanks, Karl.
As a 90s kid. We grew up in a very....i do not even know how to put it. In a magic land..."do what ever you want." BS. Reading this was somthing else. Great writting and....just great! I am lucky. I live next to my dad. We have coffee before work...and we talk a lot about this book and era...as we look over the land we own and work hard to perserve. But what these kids were ordered to do tears us both up. And makes us angry.
If you have not read this book, read it now. Seriously, it’s the best way for anyone to begin to grasp what the ground war in I Corp must have been like.
@dodadagohuhsgi Thank you for your service, and if you are okay with me calling it this, your sacrifice. My uncle was lost over there. He was a Slick pilot, shot down & KIA on a "routine" medevac in 1970 along with his co-pilot. He too had two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. It's gettin' dusty in here, take care. The book is exceptional in every way.
......." And how we burned in the labour camps later thinking: What would things have been like if every security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive, and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if people had not simply sat there, palling with terror, but had understood that they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up an ambush of s half-dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand? The cursed machine would have ground to a halt. If, if, if ! We didn't love freedom enough. We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterwards....." - AlexanderSolzhenitsyn, writer, gulagPrisoner, Nobel Peace Prize recipient. TheJews called theirBolshevist raids in the middle of the night ' Pajama parties ', when they would drag individuals and families away to their inhumanGulags, torture and firing squads....." WeJews, we, the destroyers, will remain destroyers forever. Nothing that you will do will meet our needs and demands, we will forever destroy because we need a world of our own. " - rabbiMauriceSamuel, ' YouGentiles ' , 1924. Available in paperback.
Oh, and do not take me for a wimp. I served. It just makes me so mad....yet that is life. Lets get mad about our broken sofa or that the History Channel sucks now....naw, these are trite little things...
I stumbled onto a copy of ‘What it’s like to go to War’, whilst in an opt store. By the time I had finished it, I had to read it again. It changed my life, I had new found respect . Not just for this man but all those who served.😊
I finished the book today, I have PTSD. This book is one of the best books I have read. Tells it like it was. Thank you
By far, Matterhorn is one of the best books I have ever read. And I read a lot. Matterhorn was lined up in my "books to read" pile for quite some time. I felt like I was dropped on an LZ and was watching Bravo Company and all the scenarios from under an invisibility cloak. Completely captivated me. Thank you Karl!
🙏🙏🙏 Karl to you and all our brothers
I just finished this book. I'm not in the service and I'm way too young to have served in anything before 2004, but I found the book inspiring and emotionally moving.
All I can say is, thanks to all who served. I'm sorry about the horrors you experienced there. Mr. Marlantes, thanks for writing this.
Amazing book! I just finished it last night. Thank you for sharing and helping those of us who weren't there to understand what real soldiers went through. Also, thank you for your service.
Great book. I woke up at 5:00 this morning and had to finish reading it. Really well written.
Well done! Marlantes really captured the essence of Marine Infantry.
Marlantes is a Marines Marine. We all had a job to do, and we did it to the best of our abilities.
I could not put this book down, it is a story well told. I was too young to serve in Vietnam, but the descriptions in Matterhorn bring the jungle and the grunts to life.
I'm on my second time through. Well done. Thank you, sir.--Veterans for Trump 2020
Thanks for your service and writing the book. 1/4 seems to have the best writers. Please keep writing more novels. Semper Fi!
Just finished the book, excellent writing about an emotional subject. I was a Army Grunt in Vietnam and this book was written by someone that was there. I highly recommend this book as a good overview of what many faced in combat. I wish that the games that were played by the brass sometimes in Vietnam have faded and a thing of the past? Unfortunately, my unit had a Simpson too, costing the lives at least 12 good men. Semper Fi Marines. Wolfie
I’m almost finished with the book and I have to say it’s one of the best fiction books I’ve ever read. And I read A LOT. totally mesmerizing and heartbreaking.
I hold the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge from Vietnam. "Welcome home," Karl, and many thanks for your service. I'll definitely be buying "Matterhorn" for Christmas!!--Tom Reilly
I am a Vietnam Marine. I've had guys occasionally say they didn't serve and missed that war. I tell them they didn't miss a damn thing. Read Karl Malantes book and you will understand why.
Thanks, Karl.
I'll get to this, I only just read his other book which was very good..never read war books before...glad I read it.
@Central Intelligence Agency I read 'What it was like to go to war' first...good day!
I bought matterhorn too
I just finished this book yesterday, Couldnt put it down, great story.
All the way Karl!
Great, best truth about the war I've read.
AIRBORNE
I agree - one of the best books I've ever read as well.
Amazing book 🙏
As a 90s kid. We grew up in a very....i do not even know how to put it. In a magic land..."do what ever you want." BS. Reading this was somthing else. Great writting and....just great! I am lucky. I live next to my dad. We have coffee before work...and we talk a lot about this book and era...as we look over the land we own and work hard to perserve. But what these kids were ordered to do tears us both up. And makes us angry.
If you have not read this book, read it now. Seriously, it’s the best way for anyone to begin to grasp what the ground war in I Corp must have been like.
In one word: exceptional!
Mission Accomplished: Story well told.
brilliant book
@dodadagohuhsgi Thank you for your service, and if you are okay with me calling it this, your sacrifice. My uncle was lost over there. He was a Slick pilot, shot down & KIA on a "routine" medevac in 1970 along with his co-pilot. He too had two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. It's gettin' dusty in here, take care. The book is exceptional in every way.
An awesome book....moved me and pissed my dad off. WHy.....
I found Marlantes telling his story in a documentary. Have a listen at 17:01 in /watch?v=JR9eYg75eo0&feature=relmfu
......." And how we burned in the labour camps later thinking: What would things have been like if every security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive, and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if people had not simply sat there, palling with terror, but had understood that they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up an ambush of s half-dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand? The cursed machine would have ground to a halt. If, if, if ! We didn't love freedom enough. We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterwards....." - AlexanderSolzhenitsyn, writer, gulagPrisoner, Nobel Peace Prize recipient. TheJews called theirBolshevist raids in the middle of the night ' Pajama parties ', when they would drag individuals and families away to their inhumanGulags, torture and firing squads....." WeJews, we, the destroyers, will remain destroyers forever. Nothing that you will do will meet our needs and demands, we will forever destroy because we need a world of our own. " - rabbiMauriceSamuel, ' YouGentiles ' , 1924. Available in paperback.
Oh, and do not take me for a wimp. I served. It just makes me so mad....yet that is life. Lets get mad about our broken sofa or that the History Channel sucks now....naw, these are trite little things...