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I am not a person who generally reads war novels, but I really couldn't put this book down. I read it twice! I found it fascinating. And while I was reading it, I talked to my friends about it all the time. I was constantly saying things like, "Did you realize this or that about when we were in Vietnam?" The book has plenty of action to keep anyone's interest, but one of the things that I, personally, really liked was the detailed description of what life was like for our soldiers. I remember hearing news stories about Vietnam when I was a teenager, just as I hear news stories about Iraq and Afghanistan now. But the news never helped me to really get a picture of what it was like on a day to day basis. This book gave me a whole new understanding that I wish I had had back then. Reading this book sparked so much interest for me that I've since spent a lot of time online reading more about the Vietnam years. It's also made me want to learn more about the day to day lives of our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am buying this book for several of my girlfriends, who I don't think would go out and buy a war novel for themselves, because I believe that they, like me, will stay up late into the night unable to put down this page turner. Plus I think they will love the intimate, human level at which this story is told. The author of Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel takes you along on the journey where you get to watch the main character grow from a scared young kid just out of high school into a savvy, skilled leader in the span of a year, and he helps you to understand how it happens.
Very good book. Don't hesitate to buy it
Early in John Podlaski's riveting novel about the life of a grunt fighting in Vietnam, we learn exactly what the meaning behind a "cherry" is, but more importantly, what it meant to be a grunt in 'Nam who had only one thing in mind: to get through his tour of duty and get back home.
Podlaski takes readers on a gritty, visceral tour of 'Nam through the eyes and lives of the men who fought the war and who, at any given moment could be thrust into harms way. We are right there with his characters on patrol, setting up claymores, walking point, and above all trying to stay alive. This is the day-to-day life story of the men who started out as "cherries" and tried to stay alive.
Podlaski's novel is a welcome addition to the literature of the Vietnam War.
John Podlaski's CHERRIES details the events surrounding a young, scared eighteen year old's arrival and survival in Vietnam. Though "grunt" novels about the Vietnam war are common, this book is unique in that it views the war solely through the eyes of a single new arrival, called a "Cherry," as he moves through all the emotions that go through an indoctrination into war. From arriving "in-country" to receiving initial training, being wounded, going on that first "R&R," and finally "getting short," the author does an excellent job of conveying the new emotions of almost every experience.
The main character is John "Pollack" Kowalski, who arrives in Vietnam as an infantryman and sent to the Wolfhounds of the 25th infantry division. Later he is transferred to the 101st Airborne Division. In both units, he finds leadership and cowardice, laughter and loss, and learns who and what he is inside. I particularly enjoyed how the author was able to illustrate the "newness" of everything Kowalski experienced. That ability absolutely separates this book from most every other infantry novel this reviewer has read.
There's no doubt that the author called upon his experience as a grunt in Vietnam while writing his first novel, because it's too real to be otherwise. The author was a young soldier of Polish descent when he went to Vietnam to serve with the Wolfhounds and the Screaming Eagles, and he wrote about what he knows. And, he wrote it well. Vietnam vets and anyone who has been a young soldier in any war will appreciate the sentiments here.
This is a proud moment for John Podlaski - recipient of the "Books and Authors Award for Literary Excellence". John commented on the audiobook, "This was way more difficult than writing the book. I bought the equipment and tried to record the story myself, but fell flat and learned early on that I was not an actor. Thereafter, I solicited experts and chose Michael Sutherland to tell my story. He brought the story to life - developing distinct voices for 23 different characters...it was like listening to a great movie. Barbara Battestilli, Copy Editor of the novel, monitored tone, pace and voice deflections for consistency throughout and also compared Michael's readings with the actual book text - ensuring unabridged authenticity. The success of this audiobook would not have come without them."
When notified by contest officials of his good fortune in winning the audiobook category, the e-mail included the following quote from one of the contest judges, "One HELL of a book!!!"
"Cherries" is a story about a young, naive, teenage soldier who is sent to Vietnam, with others his age, to fight in an unpopular war. Dubbed “Cherries” by their more seasoned peers, these newbies suddenly found themselves thrust in the middle of a nightmarish scenario for which not even their worst dreams could prepare them; as such, they were hardly ready to absorb the harsh mental, emotional, and physical toll that the conflict would eventually take on them. Literally forced to become men overnight, the Cherries had to learn quickly to make life-or-death decisions, the consequences of which not only impacted their own lives – but also those of their fellow soldiers. This is a story about their rite of passage.
The author provides links of the complete first six chapters of the novel for your listening pleasure. If you wish to listen and/or purchase the audiobook in its entirety, please click here: Listen to Cherries audiobook
To see the final list of all contest winners, please click on the following link: http://www.books-and-authors.net/BooksoftheYear2012.html