An anthology of Vietnam War writing, mostly by well-known authors. The fiction includes excerpts from novels, poems and songs, plus summaries of films, while non-fiction is represented by excerpts from books such as Robert Mason's Chickenhawk, the experiences of a helicopter pilot.

Green.Green berets / Robin Moore -- If I die in a combat zone ; -- Going after Cacciato / Tim O'Brien -- Early work. One very hot day / David Halberstam -- If I die in a combat zone -- Obscenities / Michael Casey -- Sticks and bones / David Rabe -- From demilitarized zones / Jan Barry and W D Ehrhart, edts -- First wave of major work. Born on the Fourth of July / Ron Kovic -- Fields of fire / James Webb -- Rumor of war / Philip Caputo -- Dispatches / Michael Herr -- Going after Cacciato/ / Tim O'Brien -- First wave of major films. Deer hunter ; -- Coming home ; -- Apocalypse now -- Songs. "Ballad of the green berets" / Barry Sadler and Robin Moore -- "I-feel-like-I'm-fixin'-to die-rag" / Country Joe McDonald -- "Fortunate son" / Creedence clear water revival, John Fogerty -- "The unknown soldier" / The Doors, Jim Morrison -- "What's going on" / Marvin Gaye -- "War" / Edwin Starr -- "Born in the USA" / Bruce Springsteen -- "The big parade" / 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant -- Oral history boom. Nam / Mark Baker -- Bloods / Wallace Terry -- Piece of my heart / Keith Walker -- From Dear America : letters home from Vietnam / Bernard Edelman, edt -- Everything we had / Al Santoli -- Second wave of major work. 13th Valley / John M Del Vecchio -- Meditations in green / Stephen Wright -- Paco's story / Larry Heinemann -- Second wave of major films. Platoon ; -- Full metal jacket -- Memoirs. 365 days / Ronald J Glasser -- Killing zone / Fredrick Downs -- Chickenhawk / Robert Mason -- Only war we had / Michael Lee Lanning -- Masterwork. Things they carried / Tim O'Brien -- Homecoming. Paco's story / Larry Heinemann -- Love medicine / Louise Erdrich -- From carrying the darkness / W D Ehrhart, edt -- A romance ; -- Monkey wars ; -- What saves us / Bruce Weigl -- Things they carried / Tim O'Brien -- Memory. Dien Cai Dau / Yusef Komunyakaa -- In country / Bobbie Ann Mason -- Incoming / Kevin Bowen -- In the lake of the woods / Tim O'Brien -- Mr. Giai's poem / John Balaban -- The wall. Invasion of Grenada / W D Ehrhart -- Names of the dead / Stewart O'Nan -- Dien Cai Dau / Yusef Komunyakaa.