Bluejacket Books Series

Fields of Fire

by James Webb

Published February 1980

James Webb's classic, scorching novel of the Vietnam War.

They each had their reasons for becoming a Marine. They each had their illusions. Goodrich came fresh from Harvard. Snake got the tattoo before he even got the uniform. Hodges was haunted by the spirits of family heroes.

Three young men, from vastly different worlds, were plunged into a white-hot, murderous melting pot of jungle warfare in the An Hoa Basin, Vietnam, 1969. They had no way of knowing what awaited them.

For nothing could have prepared them for the madness of what they found. And in the heat and horror of battle they took on new identities, took on each other, and were reborn in fields of fire...

Fields of Fire is a searing story of poetic power, razor-sharp observation, and non-stop combat, perfect for fans of Tim O'Brien, Karl Marlantes and Apocalypse Now.

Praise for Fields of Fire

'Few writers since Stephen Crane have portrayed men at war with such a ring of steely truth' The Houston Post

'A novel of such fullness and impact, one is tempted to compare it to Norman Mailer's The Naked and the Dead'The Oregonian

'Webb gives us an extraordinary range of acutely observed people, not one a stereotype ... Fields of Fire is a stunner' Newsweek

'Webb pulls off the scabs and looks directly, unflinchingly on the open wounds of the Sixties' Philadelphia Inquirer

'The unmistakable sound of truth' Time

Country Such as This

by James Webb

Published 1 October 1983

The innocence the 1950s and turbulence of the 1960s and 70s--years when America reached out and touched the heavens, only to be torn apart by internal conflict and a war in Southeast Asia--provide a dramatic setting for this unforgettable story of three men and the women they love carving a place for themselves in a society where the rules keep changing. Written by bestselling novelist James Webb, it has been hailed as a major work of our time and a stunning commentary of political and social life in America over nearly three decades. From the wars in Korea and Vietnam to antiwar protests in Washington and POW camps in Hanoi, from young love and parenthood to divorce and reconciliation, Webb's eye for detail, provocative insights, and subtle revelations have earned him the highest literary accolades. His convincing characters and gripping scenes fully engage the reader as the three Naval Academy graduates reevaluate their lives, their country, and the cost of success.