Close Quarters Audiobook By Larry Heinemann cover art

Close Quarters

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Close Quarters

By: Larry Heinemann
Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
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From the moment his first novel was published, Larry Heinemann joined the ranks of the great chroniclers of the Vietnam conflict: Philip Caputo, Tim O'Brien, and Gustav Hasford.

In the stripped-down, unsullied patois of an ordinary soldier, draftee Philip Dosier tells his story of the war. Straight from high school, too young to vote or buy himself a drink, he enters a world of mud and heat, blood and body counts, ambushes and firefights. It is here that he embarks on the brutal downward path to wisdom that awaits every soldier.

In the tradition of The Naked and the Dead and The Thin Red Line, Close Quarters is the harrowing story of how a decent kid from Chicago endures an extraordinary trial and returns profoundly altered to a world on the threshold of change.

©1974 Larry Heinemann (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks Fiction Historical Fiction War Vietnam War Fiction

Critic reviews

"The best work of fiction to come out of the Vietnam War." (Houston Chronicle)
"Close Quarters can stand with the finest Vietnam writing, fact or fiction." (Chicago Tribune)
All stars
Most relevant  
Liked it a lot. US Army drafted story. Does good overall service to era. Long near poetic tracks.

Hip deep American soldier's view.

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I read this after just having finished a book about the guys in SOG. So this was very different and I almost put it down. I am glad I stayed with it. Enjoyed it immensely.
Anyone interested in the Vietnam War should look into the guys in SOG. It's difficult reading but essential.

Give it Some Time

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The author has a very descriptive writing style, and the narrator brings his style to life. I have read/listened to this many times and it remains a favorite. The language and adult topics are very relevant to soldiers of this era as are the violence and death. This book is not for children or the meek but it does provides the listener with an insight to the life of the Vietnam combat soldier.

A most interesting description of war!!

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Okay I’ve listened to about one hundred audio books about the Vietnam Conflict. I’ve never heard it described in such detail. It’s not so much about the war as it is about the man’s thoughts and feelings. Overall once I began to understand that,I loved the book because he describes everything he felt.

Interesting

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I have recently started reading books about Vietnam. This is the best. Very descriptive. Excellent!

Great book!

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The reader was so dull, and boring. Made the story not worth listening too. I usually never care too much about the readers tone but this one was by far the worst narration I have ever heard. Even the exiting moments in the book felt like someone just reading out of a phone book.

Horrible narration

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What disappointed you about Close Quarters?

I couldn't even finish. I'm not sure if it was the book or the narration. Both were bad. I think I may have been able to finish the book if it was in paperback but the narration was annoying.

Would you be willing to try another one of Richard Ferrone’s performances?

Not sure.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The narration completely ruined it for me.

Not Good

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I was looking for a fiction book about the war, what this is is a documentary with all the smallest minutia about life for this soldier in Vietnam. Add to that a narrator who shouldn't attempt to do voices. It's like he is constantly trying to through in John Wayne. I quit at the three-hour mark and sent it back.

Pass Unless Your Looking For Documentary

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