This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Joshua Soule for Readers' Favorite
“Even now, after almost forty years, I still hurt. And I’m one of the lucky ones.” Friendly Casualties is a novel consisting of short stories compiled to create overall vivid imagery of author Tom Glenn’s experience and memories of Vietnam. As a rare strategy often not seen in literature, Glenn writes following the viewpoint of several perspectives in each story. In Part One, Triage, Glenn vividly displays the struggle in the lives of the soldiers who desperately tried to keep it together in the dreadful circumstances around them—typically by medicating with alcohol and women. An even darker reality is presented when one soldier murders another.
Glenn changes pace and follows the life of a Vietnamese woman who saves an American child and thus dooms herself to rejection and death by her own people. Glenn makes it very clear that there are no winners during this war that affects everybody. Another story follows a reporter who, despite his initial desires to merely observe and report, finds himself more emotionally devastated than anticipated. As the reading grows more death-filled and emotionally difficult to read, Part Two, Healing, takes effect. Healing begins the journey of coming together and learning to move on as best as possible after the catastrophe that has just occurred.
Tom Glenn has done an excellent job of providing powerful imagery of his experiences in Vietnam. It is apparent from page one that Glenn has extensive experience and education. The pain, suffering, and even the psychological health of the soldiers depicted in Friendly Casualties is exceptionally displayed and illustrated. The short story format makes it easy to read, and I found myself unable to stop reading once I started. Phrases such as “I looked into their unfinished faces and saw sweetness hidden beneath the fear they concealed by blanking the feeling out of their eyes” show the incredible writing style of author Tom Glenn. I was emotionally invested from the beginning and found myself remaining so after finishing this book. Friendly Casualties is a great work by Tom Glenn!
