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Of Uncommon Birth: Dakota Sons in Vietnam
A work of creative nonfiction inspired by the true story of two South Dakota teenagers, Mark St. Pierre’s Of Uncommon Birth draws upon extensive interviews and exhaustive research in military archives to present a harrowing story of two young men—one white, one Indian—caught in the vortex of the Vietnam War.
Dale, a young middle-class white American from South Dakota, joins the army during the Vietnam War and dreams of serving his country. Frank, a young Lakota Indian, joins the army both in an effort to flee the seemingly inescapable circumstances of his life and to follow his people’s warrior tradition. In Of Uncommon Birth, Mark St. Pierre intimately weaves together the lives of these two young men from very different worlds. Each in his own way struggles with issues of loyalty, responsibility, sacrifice, and personal identity through his experiences in Vietnam.
Of Uncommon Birth presents the ironic story of what it means for an American Indian soldier in Vietnam to let himself become stereotyped as the Native “good luck charm” for his unit as a way to find acceptance, approval, and identity within the majority culture, even if the Brave and Loyal Indian Scout stereotype carries with it the smell of death.
Dale, a young middle-class white American from South Dakota, joins the army during the Vietnam War and dreams of serving his country. Frank, a young Lakota Indian, joins the army both in an effort to flee the seemingly inescapable circumstances of his life and to follow his people’s warrior tradition. In Of Uncommon Birth, Mark St. Pierre intimately weaves together the lives of these two young men from very different worlds. Each in his own way struggles with issues of loyalty, responsibility, sacrifice, and personal identity through his experiences in Vietnam.
Of Uncommon Birth presents the ironic story of what it means for an American Indian soldier in Vietnam to let himself become stereotyped as the Native “good luck charm” for his unit as a way to find acceptance, approval, and identity within the majority culture, even if the Brave and Loyal Indian Scout stereotype carries with it the smell of death.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 27, 2015
This book was two parallel stories of men who fought in Vietnam. The first was Dale who is from Lead, SD and the second was Frank who is from Pine Ridge. Their lives intersected during basic training and then they went into different platoons.
It was told in a narrative style which at first was a little jarring for someone who is used to reading biographies, but after I got used to it I really enjoyed it and I thought that it was a great way to incorporate the stories. There were pictures that had been contributed by the soldiers and it brought the stories more to life. I have not read a lot about the Vietnam War and this book being about South Dakota boys made it powerful and real.
I understand that the characters came from two different backgrounds, but I didn't really care for the first part where they alternated Frank and Dale's lives in short excerpts. I would have preferred longer sections of each.
I really enjoyed it.
It was told in a narrative style which at first was a little jarring for someone who is used to reading biographies, but after I got used to it I really enjoyed it and I thought that it was a great way to incorporate the stories. There were pictures that had been contributed by the soldiers and it brought the stories more to life. I have not read a lot about the Vietnam War and this book being about South Dakota boys made it powerful and real.
I understand that the characters came from two different backgrounds, but I didn't really care for the first part where they alternated Frank and Dale's lives in short excerpts. I would have preferred longer sections of each.
I really enjoyed it.
November 27, 2018
Loved this book because I have family members on my dad's side of the family and I was always just very curious about the Vietnam War. It told a very good story of two complete opposite people from South Dakota. One is a Native American from the reservation and one is a completely Caucasian man. Their stories are both told from their experiences in the jungles of Vietnam.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews