Title: BENEATH THE BAMBOO: A Vietnam War Story
Author: Jonathan Jones
Type of Book: Audiobook – Unabridged
Narrator: Michael Driggs
Length: 4 hours and 22 minutes
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Militaria
Release Date: January 15, 2015
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~ I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
“This is the story, from point A to B, of my life and times in the midst of hell on Earth.”
This audiobook was written by the author late in life and published by his son, Jonathan. When Stan returned from Vietnam, he chose to not speak of or even think of, his experiences during the Vietnam War. In fact, he was so adamant in his avoidance of the topic that he even avoided all movies and books on the subject.
Because of this, BENEATH THE BAMBOO may have some flaws. The author is not a historian nor is he a professional writer. He is just an average guy who survived some not-so-average experiences after fighting in the Vietnam War.
I actually found this audiobook fascinating. I liked the fact that it was not the story of some famous battle or told by a famous soldier. Because it was told by a regular guy and not a career soldier, I found that I could more easily relate to the story.
The narrator, Michael Driggs has the perfect voice for this story. In fact, his narration is so convincing that I had to check to see if he was also the author. His pacing is terrific and he is a master of inflection. He seems to instinctively know when to speed up and when to slow down as well as which words need to be emphasized. I give the narration 5 out of 5 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This audiobook conveyed the horror and dangerousness of the vast network of Vietcong tunnels that the infantry had to contend with.
I read some of the other reviews of this book and saw that some negative comments were made regarding inconsistencies with what other Vietnam War veterans experienced. I have to point out that this book was written by Stan Jones’ son and not by Stan himself. It is for that reason that I am fully willing to forgive and forget about these errors. Any memoir, especially one written by a non-professional writer will contain “errors”. We must also take into account that people’s memories are fallible at the best of times and it is to be expected that a memoir written about events that took place around 50 years ago will not be completely accurate.
Stan Jones is the soldier on the far right
The story is about how the Vietnam War turned a boy into a man in a very short amount of time.
Stan is the shirtless soldier in the front row on the left
I think this is an important story and one that needs to be told and retold so that no one ever forgets about the Vietnam War and the soldiers who fought and died during it.
I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Purchase this audiobook on Audible
Check out a preview of BENEATH THE BAMBOO at
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=7_OwQlaz0Kw
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
For more information visit:
Check out the official webpage of BENEATH THE BAMBOO and also visit the Facebook page.
*** All photos were obtained from the author’s Facebook page **
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