These are some books I feel have helped me sort out Vietnam.  Some of these books speak to 'our' war there (note: me being an American, I always take ownership; some people get all bent out of shape if you use the terms 'we' and 'our' in the context of discussing Vietnam.  I once had a college class mate who was not even born until the war was long over and he had a fit in a feature writing class when I did a news paper piece on some Vietnam War history and made reference to something regarding the war 'we' did.  He said, " we, what's this we business? I didn't sign off on any war!"  I said, "I hope not, you weren't even born yet.")  Some of these books touch on the French war in Vietnam.  Some of the books go back further.  My favorites speak about the present Vietnam.  (For all you perfectionists, accept my humble apologies for not being able to get my thrifty Web site to create hanging indents on the references.  Hopefully gnashing of teeth and great academic consternation will be held to a bare minimum.)

Books that helped me prepare for my trips to present-day Vietnam are:

Dodd, J., & Lewis, M. (2003).  Vietnam.  New York: Rough Guides.

   People have their favorite travel books to use in the field.  This book got me there and back twice.  I am still alive and my ego is as yet intact.  I suggest using at least two travel books from two different companies.  Between the two sources you will probably not die in challenging countries.

Issacs, A. R. (1997).  Vietnam shadows: The war, its ghosts, and its legacy.  Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

   Issacs analyzes some myths and misconceptions about the American Vietnam War some which include: missing in action inaccuracies; misunderstandings about veterans; and, often misquoted military statistics.  The author also interviews some people who have immigrated from Vietnam to America.

Lamb, D. (2002).  Vietnam now.  New York: Public Affairs.

   David Lamb's book is about his three tours in Vietnam as a reporter - two tours during the American Vietnam War and one 25 years later.  This was by far one of the most helpful books to put things in some rhyme and reason.

Pham, A. X. (1999).  Catfish and mandala.  New York: Picador.

   Andrew Pham's work is a memoir of his journey as a native Vietnamese who came to America at the age of nine during the exodus after the American Vietnam War.  Then he returned to Vietnam years later in his 30s to bicycle the country.  The book has a timbre of humor as well as angst as he now must navigate about the country, but as a heavily Americanized tourist in his own native land.  This book was very helpful in the subtle nuances of the Vietnamese people while traveling about their country.  I have noticed some academics wince at Pham's observations yet I also note most of the critics I've run into have not even been in the country.  I like the book and still refer to its clever observations. 

Ray, N., & Yanagigara, W. (2005).  Vietnam: 8th edition.  Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet.

   This is the second travel book I used on both my trips and will use them both again on my third trip.  What one misses the other will probably get.  Again, people have their favorite travel books.  Lonely Planet and Rough Guides have served me well. 

Books that have helped me sort out the long American war in Vietnam are:

Dittmar, L., & Michaud, G. (Eds.). (1990).  From Hanoi to Hollywood. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

Faas, H., & Page, T. (Eds.). (1997).  Requiem: By the photographers who died in Vietnam and Indochina.  New York: Random House.

Karnow, S. (1983).  Vietnam: A history.  New York: Penguin Group.

Larry Burrows: Vietnam.  (2002).  New York: Alfred A. Knopf Publishing.

Mooney, J. W., & West, T. R. (Eds.). (1994).  Vietnam: A history and Anthology.  St. James, New York: Brandywine Press.

Moss, G. D. (1990).  Vietnam: An American ordeal.  Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice Hill.

Olson, J. S., & Roberts, R. (1999).  Where the domino fell: America and Vietnam, 1945-1995.  St. James, New York: Brandywine Press.

O'Brien, T. (1990).  The things they carried.  New York: Penguin Books.

Young, M. B. (1991).  The Vietnam Wars: 1945-1990.  New York: Harper Perennial Publishers.