Return to Book Review

In February 2010, when I first started blogging, I wasn’t quite sure how to find other bloggers with like interests. I was just new to Facebook, too, so I didn’t find much there either. I did a few searches on Blogger and one of the first blogs I found was “Thoughts from a Bag Lady in Waiting” by Linda Myers. At the time, she was counting down to retirement and I was counting down to getting up the nerve to just up and quit my job, so I thought that maybe I could glean some wisdom from her blog. She also likes to travel, so I thought that was another bonus.

At the time, she also had it in her head to write a book. Over the last years, having found lots of other blogs to read, I kind of have neglected the Bag Lady. When I would check in with her I noticed that her book was coming along and then suddenly I discovered it was out. I thought that due to my neglect I really owed it to the Bag Lady to get her book, so I downloaded it on the Kindle last week and barely put it down until I had finished.

“Return to Viet Nam: One Veteran’s Journey of Healing” was not at all what I expected. I knew it was the story of how Linda’s husband Art returned to Viet Nam as a way of dealing with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but I never realized just how complex the disorder is and how it effects everyone in your life.

Using a journal format, and including perspectives from everyone else involved, Linda shares the journey that she and her husband made to Viet Nam and back, both the physical journey and the emotional one. She describes the fascinating country of Viet Nam and how it is still struggling from the effects of the war. She even includes her own failings on the trip (something I so can relate to).

I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who has served during any war, the loved ones of anyone who has served, and anyone who is interested in Asian culture and history. This book is available from Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, both in paper format and e-reader.