Home Before Morning

The Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam

De: Lynda Van Devanter

Narrado por: Ann Sprinkle

Duración: 15 h y 25 m

Resumen del Editor

Lynda Van Devanter was the girl next door, the cheerleader who went to Catholic schools, enjoyed sports, and got along well with her four sisters and parents. After high school she attended nursing school and then did something that would shatter her secure world for the rest of her life: in 1969, she joined the army and was shipped to Vietnam. When she arrived in Vietnam her idealistic view of the war vanished quickly. She worked long hours in cramped, ill-equipped, understaffed operating rooms. She saw friends die.

After one traumatic year, she came home, a Vietnam veteran. Coming home was nearly as devastating as the time she spent in Asia. Nothing was the same—including Lynda herself. Viewed by many as a murderer instead of a healer, she felt isolated and angry. The anger turned to depression; like many other Vietnam veterans she suffered from delayed stress syndrome. The war that was fought physically halfway around the world had become a personal, internal battle.

Home Before Morning is the story of a woman whose courage, stamina, and personal history make this a compelling autobiography. It is also the saga of others who went to war to aid the wounded and came back wounded—physically and emotionally—themselves. And, it is the true story of one person's triumphs: her understanding of, and coming to terms with, her destiny.

©1983, 2001 Lynda Van Devanter (P)2023 Tantor

One of the greatest so far!

I can't explain how this book made me vision the past lives of most of my loved ones.. just wish it would have included the POA.. overall a very great book and loved the narrator! AWESOME JOB!!

beautifully told, a sad story of war. A private experience feel like.

highly recommend this book!
this is such a wonderful story about a nurse and how she experienced the war.

Incredible

The writing, the story, the narration… all incredible! After reading The Women, I wanted to learn more about the women who served in Vietnam and was immediately drawn to this book in particular. Linda’s story and writing is amazing. Highly recommend!

A Heart-Wrenching True Story of Bravery and Sacrif

“Home Before Morning” is the poignant memoir of Lynda Van Devanter, whose service as an army nurse in Vietnam is a profound narrative of war, its brutal realities, and its aftermath. This book stands as a true testament to her courage and the experiences of many nurses whose stories remain untold.

Van Devanter’s honest account resonates with authenticity and provides a window into the harrowing conditions of the Vietnam War. Her descriptions of the operating rooms, the soldiers she cared for, and the emotional toll it took on her are delivered with a rawness that only someone who has lived through such times can convey.

The memoir might have been met with mixed reviews upon its publication, with some questioning the veracity of her experiences. However, it’s clear that Van Devanter wrote with a deep sense of truth and a desire to share the unvarnished reality of her experiences. Her narrative challenges us to acknowledge the complexities and the often harsh truths of war.

Reading “Home Before Morning” after Kristin Hannah’s “The Women” adds another layer of understanding to the female experience in war. While we can only speculate how Lynda would have felt about Hannah’s work, it’s evident that both authors share a commitment to shedding light on women’s roles in these challenging environments.

Tragically, Lynda Van Devanter passed away at the young age of 55, with heart complications likely linked to Agent Orange exposure. Her legacy, however, lives on through her memoir. It’s a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by those who serve and the enduring impact of war on their lives.

“Home Before Morning” is a must-read, not just as a military memoir, but as a human story of resilience, transformation, and the enduring spirit of those who have served. It deserves a place of honor on the shelves of history and in the hearts of readers everywhere.

Brutally honest and informative

I loved listening to this book. I have read it twice, but never had the feeling’s surface as when I listened to it. Thank you Linda for your courage and the life you gave to our United States of America. You are wonderful.

The reality and detail takes you there.

The narrator, unfortunately, I found to bland and hard to listen to. Very little emotion in her voice.

Vietnam era historical fiction

Great story and perspective of Vietnam and post war impact from a woman’s perspective. I found out about this book from the credit of influence Kristen Hannah had given it for The Women and having enjoyed The Women, I decided to read this as well. I thought overall this was actually a better historical perspective and story.

There just isn’t anywhere near as much writtenin novel form, about this as.for example WWII.

Authentic

Historical and honest and related many of the ugly sides of the Vietnam War. It gave the female Veterans a voice.

Disappointed

I bought this because I loved the series based on this book, China Beach. I, of course, realize it is loosely based and not the same, but still, thought it would be a good book. I was pretty disappointed. The performer was agonizingly slow, I had to speed it up to be to get through it. I found the author to be whinny most of the time, self involved and not very interesting, and quite immature in her writing and attitude. Her experiences were not very detailed or insightful and so I never got a real sense of what it was like, And if I would have known better, I would have skipped the first three hours, which consisted primarily of a non interesting shlep cross country trip in a car. Sadly disappointed