Explore the history and lasting social impacts of the Vietnam War in this curated list of titles focused on the 20-year conflict. Through real-life accounts as well as historical fiction and poetry, a diverse group of authors examines the conflict in Vietnam, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, as well as the anti-war movement that erupted in the United States.
Publication year 2017
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Vietnam War, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World
The Refugees is a 2017 collection of short stories by celebrated Vietnamese American author, Viet Thanh Nguyen. Nguyen has written fiction, academic nonfiction, and children’s books, and his novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize in 2016. Nguyen received his doctorate in English at the University of California Berkeley, and he currently is a literature professor at the University of Southern California. Nguyen’s scholarship and literary works focus on the experiences of Vietnamese communities in... Read The Refugees Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Society: War
Tags Military / War, American Literature, Creative Nonfiction, Vietnam War, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Published in 1990, The Things They Carried is a collection of interrelated short stories about the Vietnam War written by American author Tim O’Brien. The historical fiction collection is considered essential literature about the Vietnam War and is often used to teach fiction writing techniques. An authorial persona, Tim O’Brien, narrates the stories in the first-person about his experiences during the war. The collection explores themes of Survivor’s Guilt, Talking as a Way of Processing... Read The Things They Carried Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Vietnam War, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Humor
Gary Schmidt’s middle grade novel, The Wednesday Wars, follows seventh grader Holling Hoodhood as he navigates the difficulties of junior high in the late 1960s. Published in 2007, Schmidt’s novel blends historical fiction with a coming-of-age theme, and was given the Newbery Medal in 2008. Other works by Schmidt include Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2004), Okay for Now (2011), and The Labors of Hercules Beal (2023).This guide refers to the Clarion Books 2009... Read The Wednesday Wars Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2011
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Immigration
Tags Vietnam War, Military / War, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Biography
Publication year 1989
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: Asian, Vietnam War, Immigration / Refugee, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Biography