A Bright Shining Lie cover art

A Bright Shining Lie

John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam

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A Bright Shining Lie

By: Neil Sheehan
Narrated by: Robertson Dean
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About this listen

One of the most acclaimed books of our time - the definitive Vietnam War exposé and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

When he came to Vietnam in 1962, Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Vann was the one clear-sighted participant in an enterprise riddled with arrogance and self-deception, a charismatic soldier who put his life and career on the line in an attempt to convince his superiors that the war should be fought another way. By the time he died in 1972, Vann had embraced the follies he once decried. He died believing that the war had been won.

In this magisterial book, a monument of history and biography that was awarded the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, a renowned journalist tells the story of John Vann - "the one irreplaceable American in Vietnam" - and of the tragedy that destroyed a country and squandered so much of America's young manhood and resources.

©1989 Neil Sheehan (P)2009 Random House Americas Military Military & War Politics & Government United States Vietnam War War Military Policy China Imperial Japan Imperialism Russia Air Force

Critic Reviews

"If there is one book that captures the Vietnam war in the sheer Homeric scale of its passion and folly, this is it." ( The New York Times Book Review)
All stars
Most relevant
Excellent book. Excellent narration. John Van's story is the perfect conduit to the Vietnam War. The courage, the hubris, the moral integrity and the amoral failings all.

Outstanding survey of America's war in Vietnam and out standing narration.

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The best and most honest, and well researched books on the Vietnam/ American war ever written. This is the book every other Vietnam war books tries to be. Amazingly candid, unbelievably studied, and courageously researched, this book uses the equally dark and virtuous character of John Van to tell the Vietnamese war story. A stunningly rare 5 start book.

One of the best war books ever

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