Night Flares: Six Tales from the Vietnam War

World War II was undoubtedly the most influential war of the 20th century on a global scale. But when it comes to American history, the Vietnam War has to be the most polarizing, impactful, and emotionally lingering conflict in the 20th century. We are still wrestling with its effects on our soldiers, our trust in government, and our role in international politics and warfare.

Night Flares is one man’s attempt to put the Vietnam War in perspective, and he does so in an intriguing way: he’s taken real-life memories and anecdotes from himself and fellow soldiers, and crafted them into semi-fictional stories in order to bring the war to life. From soldiers on their off-time to a jury room decades later with two former combatants, the sheer scope of the war — from the actual fighting to the emotional and physical scars that remain for so many soldiers — is encompassed in just six stories.

Each story has its own flavor and tone, making Night Flares as ambitious as it is emotionally affecting. You can’t help but suffer and ask hard questions right along with the soldiers and former soldiers in these stories.