The Man From Saigon
Ms. Leimbach's vivid descriptions of Vietnam and what it was like during the war are etched in my mind - as are her claustrophobic-inducing depictions of trekking through the jungle . It's as if the country is a main character. She very effectively touched on many aspects and frustrations of this time in history. Her characters were very real to me and I am still wondering who Son is....
Rated of 5
by Joan B. (Ellicott City, MD)
The Man from Saigon
I read this book during the blizzard of 2010. The descriptions took me straight to the jungle heat, sounds, insects and terror. You really do not care who is on which side or what war is being waged. It is obvious how one can lose objectivity when the struggle for survival is so difficult. Susan , a journalist, showed common sense and passion. Her captors, Anh, Minh and Hien were as stoic as you might expect Vietcong soldiers to be. Marc, the American journalist, was suffering from the stress and fatigue of existing in the war zone. Son "the man" remains an enigma. Did I mention it was 1967 in Vietnam?
Rated of 5
by book lover in Minnesota
insanity of war
Vietnam in 1967 is the setting for this story of an American journalist and a Vietnamese photographer who become separated from a military convoy and are captured by three young Viet Cong. A horrendous trek through the jungle ensues. The book explores the contrasts between cultures, the insanity of the American war, the changing role of women in the 1960s, the complexity of human relationships, and the profound experience of being in Vietnam. The author presents vivid descriptions of the sights and sounds and smells of that experience, and shows through characters and events what a tragedy the war was. Winning was not possible, and so much was lost.
Rated of 5
by Carol W. (Henrico, NC)
Leimbach's books
Leimbach's novel "Daniel isn't talking" proved to be a personal work of fiction. You were drawn in to the characters. She tries to do the same thing in "The man from Saigon." Every good novelists makes you want to be the protagonist or have a great sympathy for one of the characters. The Vietnam War is very foreign to me. I'm not of the right generation. The only people that talk about the war were people on the fringes of it. Their impressions are light hearted and one knows that wasn't the situation. This novel educates. I don't know if her assumptions are correct, but they are griping. The world of war--smells, hardships, fear--all make a book that is hard to put down. Thank you for sending the book. I would not have read it without this incentive.
Rated of 5
by Lorraine R. (Southampton, New York)
The Man From Saigon
It is unusual to read a war novel about a female reporter. The author successfully relates a very difficult and sad time in American history through the perspective of a female. Many books have been written about this period through the eyes of the soldiers, such as the Things they Carried by Tim O'Brien, and this is a refreshing change from the war novel genre. This is well-written and thoughtful literature. It would be good book club novel to be read in conjunction with other Vietnam war novels.
Rated of 5
by Barbara B. (New Bern, NC)
I loved this book.
I loved “The Man from Saigon” by Marti Leimbach. I would highly recommend reading this book. I enjoyed reading the story because it was about the Vietnam War which I know very little about. The story is about a gutsy, quirky female correspondent in Vietnam who was not afraid to go the front line. It is also a love story and the many effects the war has on everyone involved. The main characters are Susan Gifford one of the first few woman correspondents in Vietnam in 1967. Marc Davis, Susan’s lover, a TV reporter, married, and has been in Vietnam too long. Our third colorful and mysterious character and part of the love triangle is Son, who is a Vietnamese photographer who became Susan’s partner, companion, interpreter and as the story goes, her protector. When Susan and Son are captured by three young Viet Cong, we see how courageous Susan is, how mysterious Son is and how the hardship of war and his love for Susan have affected Marc.
Rated of 5
by Linda C. (Carlisle, MA)
The Man From Saigon
From the very first paragraph I was harshly pulled into the world of the Vietnam war. With an incredible ability to enable the reader the experience every setting to the fullest, Marti Leimbach bombarded all of my senses. Because of these details, I was masterfully drawn into every experience in this surrealistic setting of war. It was a story of relationships and humanity fitting into a war zone. Relationships were filled with mystery and intrigue that come and go within the constant that is war. It is a war novel that a woman can experience in a way most don't achieve. An excellent read that keeps the reader riveted!
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of 5
by Sandra L. (Delray Beach, FL)
