Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Vietnam War Trilogy: The 13th Valley, For the Sake of All Living Things, and Carry Me Home

Rate this book
Three classic novels by John M. Del Vecchio about Vietnam, Cambodia, and the aftermath of war. A classic combat novel and National Book Award finalist, The 13th Valley follows the terrifying Vietnam combat experiences of James Chelini, a telephone-systems installer who finds himself an infantryman in the North Vietnamese Army–infested mountains of the I Corps Tactical Zone. Spiraling deeper and deeper into a world of conflict and darkness, this harrowing account plunges Chelini into jungle warfare and traces his evolution from semi-pacifist to all-out, combat-crazed soldier. The seminal novel on the Vietnam experience, The 13th Valley is a classic that illuminates the war in Southeast Asia like no other book. Some reviewers have called For the Sake of All Living Things the most terrifying book they have ever read. This saga follows a rural Cambodian family—father Chhoun; his beautiful daughter, Vathana; and his young son, Samnang, who becomes the Khmer Rouge yothea Met Nang—from the mid-sixties through the escalation of the civil war, into the horrors of the holocaust, and finally to the country’s quest for rebirth. Documenting their story is American Special Forces Captain John Sullivan who served with the Military Equipment Delivery Team, and who has fallen in love with Vathana. Carry Me Home brings the troops back to America—a nation confused and divided by the wars in Southeast Asia. In this poignant epic, Del Vecchio transports a group of soldiers to their final the home front. High Meadow Farm, in the fertile hill country of central Pennsylvania, becomes their salvation. In Vietnam they had been brothers in arms. Now, in the face of personal tragedy and bureaucratic deception, they create an even deeper allegiance—one of the spirit and of the land. This is the remarkable story of the veterans’ struggle to find one another and themselves. In its scope, breadth, and brilliance, Carry Me Home is much more than a novel about Vietnam vets; it is a testament to history and hope, to hometowns and homecomings, to love and loss, and to faith and family. It is an inspiring and unforgettable novel about America itself.

1985 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 16, 2015

About the author

John M. Del Vecchio

12 books27 followers
John M. Del Vecchio graduated from Lafeyette College in 1969. He was drafted and sent to Vietnam in 1970, where he served as combat correspondent in the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). In 1971 he was awarded a Bronze Star for Heroism in Ground Combat. He is author of The 13th Valley, Darkness Falls, Carry Me Home, For the Sake of All Living Things, and other works.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
16 (35%)
4 stars
16 (35%)
3 stars
8 (17%)
2 stars
4 (8%)
1 star
1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
75 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2022
wow !

An emotional read. M father fought in WW-2 , UT rareIy talked about it. We fought to win and had a cause. Viet Man we now know was a political nightmare. God Bless our war fighters. scs
23 reviews
February 27, 2018
i read the first book. Good read on a drafted soldier in the Viet Nam conflict.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.