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The Third Chopstick. Tracks through the Vietnam War
THE VIETNAM WAR ROCKED AUSTRALIA TO ITS CORE...
The Third Chopstick transports us back to those days. In starkly beautiful prose Biff Ward, herself a protester, seeks to understand the war from multiple angles. She balances the heartfelt motivations of the protest movement with candid accounts from veterans about what was happening for them in Vietnam and afterwards. In riveting interviews, she explores combat, the ravages of PTSD, and the acceptance that can come with ageing and peer support.
She also takes us to the peaceful Vietnam of the post-war years, capturing poignant images of the aftermath of what they, of course, call the American War. Her lyrical evocation of the people she meets and war sites she visits render the war in a new light.
The Third Chopstick is the profoundly moving story of one woman's passion to bear tender witness to those involved in that tumultuous time. A must-read for all the Vietnam generation, their descendants and friends.
Peter Yule, author of The Long Shadow, said, I have been studying the impact of the war on the lives of Vietnam veterans for many years and I learnt more from this book than any other I have read.
The Third Chopstick transports us back to those days. In starkly beautiful prose Biff Ward, herself a protester, seeks to understand the war from multiple angles. She balances the heartfelt motivations of the protest movement with candid accounts from veterans about what was happening for them in Vietnam and afterwards. In riveting interviews, she explores combat, the ravages of PTSD, and the acceptance that can come with ageing and peer support.
She also takes us to the peaceful Vietnam of the post-war years, capturing poignant images of the aftermath of what they, of course, call the American War. Her lyrical evocation of the people she meets and war sites she visits render the war in a new light.
The Third Chopstick is the profoundly moving story of one woman's passion to bear tender witness to those involved in that tumultuous time. A must-read for all the Vietnam generation, their descendants and friends.
Peter Yule, author of The Long Shadow, said, I have been studying the impact of the war on the lives of Vietnam veterans for many years and I learnt more from this book than any other I have read.
330 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 4, 2022
Such an interesting book and a wonderful narrative. Not a subject I would normally read but the book is easy to read and is definitely a page turner. It’s so much more than the three themes of protest, veteran recovery and the consequences of the Vietnam War.
March 17, 2023
This book is a powerful anti-war statement. The first third is powerful because it recounts the efforts of Biff and her fellow protestors as they stood up to the Australian establishment to end the Vietnam war. The second third is more powerful as it compassionately documents the impact of war on the Australian soldiers who were sent to fight a senseless war. The final third is devastating as it shows the ongoing impact of the war in Vietnam with the residues of chemicals and social dislocation echoing through generations.
"The Third Chopstick" is a confronting book because of the issues it raises, but Ward's style and compassion also make the story very readable. I'm a better person for the experience.
"The Third Chopstick" is a confronting book because of the issues it raises, but Ward's style and compassion also make the story very readable. I'm a better person for the experience.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews