Reviews for A Vietnam Trilogy: Veterans and Post Traumatic Stress: 1968, 1989 & 2000

The average rating for A Vietnam Trilogy: Veterans and Post Traumatic Stress: 1968, 1989 & 2000 based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-10-18 00:00:00 Michel Roy Free audiobook for Little Wars can be found at Librivox.org. Little Wars is often attributed to being the first accounting of miniature wargaming (I don't use the word "tabletop" because H.G. Wells' version actually uses floors and furniture, rather than limiting the gaming surface to just the top of a table). The book is primarily an instruction manual for how to enact a "Little War", with sidebars on the evolution and development of the rule set governing the details of battle and conclusion of the 'Little War'. That said, it is one of the most entertaining instruction manuals you will ever read, as Wells' humor and pacifistic nature bleeds through into the narratives and adds a level of satire to the idea of both children and men conducting grandiose campaigns of battle while crawling about on the floor of a living room, or outside on a front lawn. The audiobook version was narrated by Librivox volunteer Mark Smith, who does an excellent job of bringing the narrative to life. I had a little bit of difficulty at certain points keeping the rules and explanations straight when I did not have the text in front of me, and supposedly I missed out on some very entertaining sketches and figures provided by Wells in the original publication. That said, I really enjoyed listening to this book and it certainly made my commutes to/from work for a couple of days fly by.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-12-01 00:00:00 Robert Kinberg Honestly, this is basically the great grandfather to military wargames (excluding the military uses of strategy and tactics via games which dates back to ancient Egypt, this was for the masses). Its a rulebook basically, in comparison to the hundreds of wargames on the market now - quite simple, but I have played a version of it and enjoyed it! The pictures in the book itself are an absolute hoot, grown men in their fancy gentlemen clothes of the time positioning their regiments of soldiers, cavalry, and canons on a lawn where croquet would normally be played. They also went so far as to make small buildings for their little wars. Certainly a niche read, but as with most of Wells' work, splendid writing style with a dose of gentlemen's wit.