Partridge, Elizabeth. Boots on the Ground: America’s War in Vietnam. Non-fiction. Viking, 04/2018. 214pp. $22.99. 978-0-670-78506-3. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 7-12.
Six men and two women recount their personal experiences in this history of the war in Vietnam from the U.S. perspective; each gave the author an in-depth interview on his or her war-time life. Several were soldiers, but there is also a perspective from a nurse and a refugee. Filled with b&w photos as well as these primary source interviews, this is an excellent choice for middle and high school reports, but also for interest reading since many of those under age 30 really don’t know very many details of the war. The book has a nice balance between what happened in the war and the anti-war movement at home, as well as information on LBJ and Nixon, the experience of refugees, and the building of the war memorial in Washington, D.C. The combination of the narrative and the illustrative material is exemplary. Back matter includes source notes, index, and bibliography.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University, iSchool