War Boys

by M.A. Schaffner

This novel tells a unique story of America's overseas empire at its apogee and of the coming of age of a group of boys as well as of their entire nation.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a boy transitioning to manhood, the challenges are many and daunting. For the boys that underwent this transition with the ever present spectre of induction into the Army - followed by a swift trip, possibly one way, to Vietnam - the stress was enormous. This was the situation my older brother experienced in the late sixties. Unlike my brother,  M.A. Schaffner's "War Boys," experience their coming of age in a foreign country as the dependents of military and civilian contractors stationed on the US Naval Base, Subic Bay, Phillipines. Unlike so many stories marketed for the young adult audience, Schaffner demonstrates remarkable insight into the mind of the teen male. His characters are real and raw as they deal with issues such as drugs, first love, parental authority, sex and even death. His descriptions of the area surrounding Olongapo are so spot on that I believe they must have been gained by first hand knowledge.