Dispatches

Book Overview: Dispatches

Written on the front lines in Vietnam, Dispatches became an immediate classic of war reportage when it was published in 1977.

From its terrifying opening pages to its final eloquent words, Dispatches makes us see, in unforgettable and unflinching detail, the chaos and fervor of the war and the surreal insanity of life in that singular combat zone. Michael Herr’s unsparing, unorthodox retellings of the day-to-day events in Vietnam take on the force of poetry, rendering clarity from one of the most incomprehensible and nightmarish events of our time.

Dispatches is among the most blistering and compassionate accounts of war in our literature.

ISBN-13	9780307270801
ISBN-10	0307270807
Publisher	Everyman's Library
Publication Date	2009-02-17
Edition	Reprint
Language	en
Pages	288
Dimensions	in x in x in
Weight	lbs

Editorial Reviews

“The best book I have ever read on men and war in our time.” –John le Carré

“In the great line of Crane, Orwell, and Hemingway . . . Herr reaches an excruciating level of intensity . . . He seems to have brought to this book the ear of a musician and the eye of a painter . . . The premier war correspondence of Vietnam.” —The Washington Post

” . . . Dispatches puts the rest of us in the shade.” –Hunter S. Thompson

About the Author

Michael Herr

Michael Herr, born in 1940, was an acclaimed American author, known for his profound influence in the New Journalism literary movement. Best recognized for his War coverage, Herr’s work masterfully fused factual reporting with atmospheric storytelling, profoundly impacting journalistic writing.

Herr’s groundbreaking book, “Dispatches,” chronicled his experiences as a war correspondent during the Vietnam War, becoming an iconic piece of literature that unflinchingly portrayed the harrowing realities of war. His distinct journalistic style, immersive and filled with vivid descriptions, reshaped the landscape of war journalism, leading him to co-write the screenplay for Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”.

Herr’s profound insight into the human condition, reflected both in his impactful journalism and screenwriting works, made him one of the greatest contributors to the literature of war. A meticulous craftsman with a keen grasp of language and a brave reporter, Herr left an indelible impression in the hearts of a generation.