My Detachmant

I read My Detatchment last night, by Tracy Kidder.  It was about his year in Viet Nam.  The most unusual aspect of this book was that he was honest enough to portray himself a dweeb and a coward during the war, when he was in the oxymoronic intelligence division of the U.S. Army.  He was a second, then first lieutenant, overseeing a motley crew of disrespectful and journeymen grunts who had neither respect nor military obedience toward him.  He, throughout the book, lies, grovels and rationalizes.  It was a courageous act to write this book, and he didn't have to now that he is 60 years old, and semi-famous!  I guess it is now 40 years later.  It wasn't exactly uplifting but it reminded me of the difficulties inherent in being a 23 year old nerd.   Being an officer in Viet Nam at that age is unimaginable to me.