The Letter - A Family's Tale Unplugged

by T.M. Guldan

This story begins when two sisters find a thirty-three-year-old unopened letter their father wrote to their older brother, Johnny, in 1970. Johnny had been killed in Vietnam by the time it arrived, and so it was returned home. They discover their father had kept it, sealed, for all those years. The Letter - A Family’s Tale Unplugged, goes back to 1969, when ten-year-old Terri enjoys a care-free life. Then the Vietnam War brings turmoil into her life when her oldest brother, Johnny, decides to join the Marines and fight for his country. A short year later, two Marines bring news of Johnny’s death. The letters her brother writes home and countless interviews with family members long after his death bring to life a young warrior who left behind a void that can be felt decades later. Showing one family’s struggle through loss and back to normalcy, The Letter is a loving and caring monument to the people who fought in the war zones of Vietnam and at home. Therese Marie Guldan, the tenth of thirteen children, was born on the Southwest side of Chicago and now lives in a Western suburb of Chicago. She is a mother of two adult children and a grandmother. She continues to write stories of all genres.This gripping novel follows the journey of a family through their ups and downs, as they navigate the complexities of life, love, and relationships. The story centers around the discovery of a mysterious letter that has the power to change their lives forever.

Through vividly drawn characters and immersive storytelling, "The Letter " explores the themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring power of family bonds. It's a tale that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

464 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2016

Reviews

[Connie Hornsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book holds great insight to me into the life of my husband, Jim Hornsey. Jim served with Johnny in Vietnam and considered him as a brother. He has carried Johnny's death in his heart and soul all these years. I can see that he has survivor's remorse or guilt or whatever you want to call it much like Tom Wernig. Part of his healing was initially writing to Terri's family about Johnny's death, which she included in the book. I read this book in three sittings in as many days. I was driven to tears many, many times when I realized what Jim experienced alongside Johnny. This is a tough reality to face. This also explains the deep emotions that bubble to the surface of my husband triggered by sights, sounds, music, and memories.

I appreciate how difficult Johnny's life and death is to share for Terri and her family. I see how Jim struggles with his memories every day...still. Terri's deep love for her family is woven through every page of this powerfully written book. Her skill with the written word is evident from the beginning pages through to the end. Thank you Terri for sharing the wonderful story of your brother Johnny. Thank you Johnny for your service.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terri Guldan has beautifully fulfilled the dream of her late brother Johnny by writing a captivating memoir of his experiences during the Vietnam War. It captures the essence of being raised in a large Catholic family on the Southwest side of Chicago, and reflects the trials of conflict, loss and love so prevalent during the late 60's and early 70's. The carefully woven reflections of friends and family, along with excerpts from Johnny's almost daily personal correspondence to his loved ones, gives the reader a first-hand insight into his life in Vietnam and of those he left behind

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I ordered this book while in the midst of a unit on Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. My fellow English teachers and I do a mock draft for the Vietnam War, and this year we decided to give each student a card with a real soldier's story on it. I was asking everyone I knew for names of friends and family who'd served or died in Vietnam, and I asked my dad what the name was of the soldier that there had been a Chicago Tribune article about the year before, a guy that he'd gone to Marist High School with. I'd been struck by the story of John's fiancee, Denise Racky, who had never married, and the reporter had been with her on Memorial Day on a visit to Johnny's grave. While researching what happened to John Guldan, I discovered that there was a book about him, written by his sister Terri. Let me first say that the book has a ton of heart, and it brings to life the South Side, and the Catholic mentality, in the late 1960s, very well. The best parts are hearing from Johnny in his own words, and reading letters from other people who knew him well. Unfortunately, a lot of the other writing is clumsy and tedious - with a good editor to clean this book up, my rating would be much higher. I'm guessing this is self-published, from how the book looks, and I'm grateful that I got to read it, so I'm glad it exists - I wish such a resource existed on the local soldiers I researched - but you have to be pretty interested to keep going here. The book was definitely written as a labor of love, and it's hard to write and publish a book, so I don't want to be too harsh, but it's hard to choose a rating because I'm torn between the emotion behind the book and the awkward execution, so I give this 2.5 stars.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique, fast paced family memoir:
Hundreds of letters from Vietnam and recent family interviews provide the grist for this interesting story. The author explores relationships and feelings that were affected by the war but buried for some 30 years. A soul baring honesty from the author's family echoes the heartache, regret and understanding of loss spiraling out from the Vietnam War. The narrative reverberates through 4 generations of a large Chicago family. We see the impact of such a profound event on a variety of ages and relationships and why the consequences last forever. This Vietnam book holds a unique perspective and is an enticing read for those interested in memoirs, the Vietnam War era, and even professionals such as psychologists, anthropologists, and those considering military options who stand to learn much about family dynamics and the unintended consequences of war.

[G Szulczynski · Rating 4 out of 5]

History repeats itself again and again. People put themselves in harm's way intending to defend our country and suffer things that are unimaginable to me as a civilian. The whole time their loved ones try to get on with daily life with storm clouds hovering on the horizon. The author weaves actual letters to and from the Viet man battlefield adding honestly, brutally and a lot of humanity to a story about the effects of war on a family and a community.