To help distinguish the pros and cons of both written and oral history, you are required to read and review two books on the US involvement in Vietnam particularly one historical book and one biography, autobiography, or memoir.

In a 4-5-page essay you are to prove you read the books by giving a brief summary of each with examples and page citations. After your summary you will spend the majority of the paper contrasting how written and oral history texts conveys their ideas to the reader and the pros and cons of each.

For extra credit, include a fictional book on the War in Vietnam on top of the two others and explain how popular culture factors into the discussion. This would total three books on top of a written and oral history text.

Historical

Troubled Waters by Gregory A. Freeman

My Lai: A Brief History with Documents by James S Olson and Randy Roberts

Road to Disaster by Brian VanDeMark

The Sixties: Years of Hope Days of Rage by Todd Gitlin

The Great Rifle Controversy by Edward Ezell

Oral

A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan

Into the Mouth of the Cat by Malcolm McConnell

Marine Sniper by Charles Henderson

Guns Up! By Johnnie M Clark

From Enemy to Friend by Bui Tin

Platoon Leader by James McDonough

Fiction (Optional)

Flight of the Intruder by Stephen Coonts

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Meyers

Message from Nam by Danielle Steele

The Iron Triangle by Douglas Edwards