Nordhausen, Vietnam, & Pynchon

[Mr Craig Clark]

George Haberberger wrote:

> Had he directly attacked Vietnam, he probably would have never been
> published. Even 22 years later, where is the great Vietnam War novel, the
> subject has only been approached in film's, ranging from Heavy Metal concert
> (Platoon) to We Win the Rematch (Rambo)?

I'd agree that the response of American fiction to Vietnam has been 
mostly poor (though the review I read recently of Joe Haldeman's 
_1969_ makes it sound promising, and Haldeman's SF displacements of 
Vietnam are worth reading). But there are at least two fine, 
intelligent Vietnam movies - _Apocalypse Now_ and _Full Metal Jacket_ 
- which, while both addressing issues that go beyond the VN war itself, 
are still serious explorations of America's role in Vietnam.

Craig
Craig Clark

"Living inside the system is like driving across
the countryside in a bus driven by a maniac bent
on suicide."
   - Thomas Pynchon, "Gravity's Rainbow"