The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel
The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel
Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1971
Book Brief
100
Play • Fiction
Vietnam • 1960s
1971
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel by David Rabe follows Pavlo Hummel, a young man undergoing basic military training during the Vietnam War. Pavlo struggles with his identity and seeks validation through exaggerated tales of his combat prowess. Isolated and misunderstood by fellow soldiers, he faces harrowing experiences, including an attempted suicide, evolving relationships with other recruits, and exposure to the traumas of war.
Gritty
Dark
Mysterious
Challenging
Unnerving
Reviews & Readership
104 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel by David Rabe is a powerful examination of a soldier's transformation during the Vietnam War. Praised for its gritty realism and emotional depth, the play confronts the brutalities of war and personal identity. Critics, however, note that its nonlinear structure can be disorienting. Overall, it’s a compelling but challenging read.
Who Should Read The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel?
Readers who appreciate raw, compelling dramas about the psychological impacts of war, similar to O'Brien's The Things They Carried or Shaw's A Bright Shining Lie, will find Rabe's The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel gripping. It delves deeply into the emotional turbulence and identity struggles of a soldier in Vietnam.
104 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
100
Play • Fiction
Vietnam • 1960s
1971
Adult
18+ years
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