Praise for A Hellish Place of Angels
Con Thien: One Man's Journey
"Hi Daryl,
Well, I gave your book to a friend. She just said that it's the best book written about the Vietnam War and would I please order 10 copies for her.She said that the book I gave her had been loaned to so many people that it's a mess.I just ordered 20 copies from Amazon. 10 for her and 10 for me."
Note: hard to believe but true none-the-less.
Con Thien: One Man's Journey
"Hi Daryl,
Well, I gave your book to a friend. She just said that it's the best book written about the Vietnam War and would I please order 10 copies for her.She said that the book I gave her had been loaned to so many people that it's a mess.I just ordered 20 copies from Amazon. 10 for her and 10 for me."
Note: hard to believe but true none-the-less.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
"A Hellish Place of Angels" has been awarded the "Editors Choice Award"
"The author employed a unique approach in this riveting memoir, sharing his personal letters home to his family, then comparing what he wrote in those letters home with the horrors of combat that he recalled experiencing, as well as articles published in various publications describing those battles. This brutally honest and realistic portrayal of combat Marines in Vietnam should be required reading in every academic institution’s American History class.” James P. Coan, author of "Con Thien: The Hill of Angels," 2004.
“Dr. Daryl Eigen’s life really is a true story-the story of a young American who enlisted in the Marines and paid a heavy price in body, mind and spirit for his intelligence, courage and convictions.”~ Mark Brady, Ph.D. author, "The Wisdom of Listening," 2003.
Go to Vietnam Veterans of America website: VVA Book Reviews for a review of A Hellish Place of Angels.
See the Amazon 5 star book reviews.
Recommended by Sidran Institute: Traumatic Stress Education and Advocacy.
___________________________________________________
Reader's Comments
"An important work," .... " honest," ... "touching," ..."riveting," ..."compelling, ... "true," ... "real,"... "well written," ... "brilliant," ... "powerful," ... "magnificent," ... "profound,"... "enlightening",... "amazingly provocative"
"Everyone should read it. It is a work that heals."
___________________________________________________
Leslie Bhutani, Charitable Fundraiser and Activist
Voicemail:
7/26/12
“I was so moved by the book. It is a wonderful piece of writing and such a moving story. It is amazing that anybody
can go through that, assimilate back into society and then be so successful. I believe it is an important work, absolutely brilliant – I couldn’t put it down.”
“Definitely there is an incredible sense of hope that the book imparts. If Daryl can forgive and not be resentful, then that’s a great lesson for all of us. The book is done with such a good tone, not preachy and absolutely beautiful. My respect for Daryl is enormous.”
__________________________________________________________
Peter Schenck, Business Strategist and Editor
7/29/12
"Buckle up...for a journey deep into the darkness of war with surpassing glimpses of personal discovery, brotherhood and life's essential meanings. A vibrant chronology of events long repressed by us all, but honestly rendered by a fully formed man peering back at the 19 year-old soldier he once was. There are lessons here.”
Editors' Comments
It’s a powerful story that blends personal insight with keen observations and powerful emotions.
The author does an outstanding job of sharing the story of his time with the Marine Corps’ 3/26 and 2/9 infantry battalions in Vietnam. He narrates this story with candor and spares no detail. He displays an obvious commitment to educating his readership and thoroughly documenting the battalions’ skirmishes. He has a clear and distinctive voice; his memory of the events surrounding his training, deployment, and the battles described here is vivid and compelling. The author includes many details that make his story come alive for the reader; the descriptions of his fellow soldiers, the reactions of his family members, and the time he spent in country are particularly memorable, as the following passage demonstrates:
The promise of death at every turn brings one to the moment like nothing else. In the beginning when death is fresh everything tastes wonderful. Cigarettes are especially good at this time as they remind us of our power over fire and our willingness to play with death.
The story flows smoothly from one section and one event to the next, with a solid narrative arc and considerable dramatic tension. This story of how the author survived
unimaginable circumstances will be a priceless memento for his family, as well as an unforgettable memoir for general readers of a terrible chapter in modern history.
March 9th, 2012
Your story is a harrowing, compelling narrative that is like a punch to the stomach. It simultaneously takes your breath away while making sure you are wide awake and paying close attention (and it is impossible to look away—I found myself working on your book well after quitting time; I didn’t want to stop reading). Your descriptions draw the reader right into the action with you, and you often left me close to tears. I have read or edited a number of books about the war experience, but yours exposed a rawness I’m not used to reading. By the time we reached your homecoming, I had tears in my eyes. Kudos to you for drawing out such a range of emotions from this reader (and editor). Feb 29th 2012 (MOR)
It’s a powerful story that blends personal insight with keen observations and powerful emotions.
The author does an outstanding job of sharing the story of his time with the Marine Corps’ 3/26 and 2/9 infantry battalions in Vietnam. He narrates this story with candor and spares no detail. He displays an obvious commitment to educating his readership and thoroughly documenting the battalions’ skirmishes. He has a clear and distinctive voice; his memory of the events surrounding his training, deployment, and the battles described here is vivid and compelling. The author includes many details that make his story come alive for the reader; the descriptions of his fellow soldiers, the reactions of his family members, and the time he spent in country are particularly memorable, as the following passage demonstrates:
The promise of death at every turn brings one to the moment like nothing else. In the beginning when death is fresh everything tastes wonderful. Cigarettes are especially good at this time as they remind us of our power over fire and our willingness to play with death.
The story flows smoothly from one section and one event to the next, with a solid narrative arc and considerable dramatic tension. This story of how the author survived
unimaginable circumstances will be a priceless memento for his family, as well as an unforgettable memoir for general readers of a terrible chapter in modern history.
March 9th, 2012
Your story is a harrowing, compelling narrative that is like a punch to the stomach. It simultaneously takes your breath away while making sure you are wide awake and paying close attention (and it is impossible to look away—I found myself working on your book well after quitting time; I didn’t want to stop reading). Your descriptions draw the reader right into the action with you, and you often left me close to tears. I have read or edited a number of books about the war experience, but yours exposed a rawness I’m not used to reading. By the time we reached your homecoming, I had tears in my eyes. Kudos to you for drawing out such a range of emotions from this reader (and editor). Feb 29th 2012 (MOR)