Gardens of Stone

by Nicholas Proffitt

Book Overview

Book by Nicholas proffitt This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881840173
• ISBN13: 9780881840179
• Release Date: January 1983
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Publishers
• Length: 373 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

True to the spirit of the people it is based on. A great read!

Having served for a year in be Third Infantry, I can attest to the fact that this book captures the spirit and essential character of the men I served with. Passionate, dedicated, uncompromising and imbued with a desire to serve others over self, they embody the qualities that make America great. If you have never been in the service and want to get an idea of what it is like, both the people and the flavor of military life, this book is worth every nickel.

Great novel on Vietnam

This is a frist rate novel; page turning. A novel about honor and caring. This novel we see a unique side to the army and Vietnam. We see the inner workings of the 3rd US Inf, the Army's Old Guard, which is the unit responsible for Arlington Cemetary and Burial Details. The Nations Premier Honor Guard and the Presidents Own. This book is for everyone. We will see the enthusiam and innocence of youth in the '60s. Those young men who wanted to go and fight for their country. Worried the war would end before they could get there and help the US win. To the reality the soldier's who had allready been there wake up to, knowing we could not win the war the way it was being waged.

Gardens of Stone Still Excites

10/08/02 - I just finished - for at least the fifth time - Nicholas Proffitt's highly entertaining and provoking first novel. Just as I know how Gone With The Wind ends and how this book ends I still cannot put it down until I get there. Proffitt's experience while in the "Third Herd" certainly shows through and gives the reader another face of war. While stationed in the D.C. area in '66-'67 I attended more than my share of military funerals and can understand how the men of the Third tried to detach themselved fro the day-to-day work of burying their comrades. This book rates in the top 25 in my all-time favorites list.

An Outstanding Novel

Of the many"war" novels that I have read none have had the effect on me that this one did. With characterzations that hit very close to home. The novel shows a glimpse of an orgarization(the army) and a place(the united states in the 60's)in a state of change. Through the eyes of Jack Willow the inocense of youth is shown. Along with the exuzberance that goes with it. Jack wants nothing more then to go to Vietnam. Ceil Hazard a friend of Jack's father from WW2 tries to tell Jack of the horrors of war with little success. Samantha Huff becomes a love interest of Ceil's which adds to his continuing disillousment with his profession. One of a select few novels to successfully to switch time and place. At times extremely funny yet with an end that can break your heart. Few novels of Vietnam show as much depth in putting a spotlight in what was our nation's most costlist conflict.

One of the 5 best novels I've ever read

I've read dozens of novels in my life, some good and some bad. One day I found Gardns of Stone in a bargain box at a local used bookstore. I'd heard of the movie, but never saw it. Having worked near, and traveled through Arlington Nat'l Cemetary, and observed The Old Guard in action many times, I bought it. I literally couldn't put it down.The drawing of the characters is very believable, and the feelings of the servicemen are authentic, based on my military experiences. Even the passages with Sgt Hazard's girlfriend, as she struggles with her feelings about Hazard, but her resentment of his profession, are ones that military men often face. Even Hazard's ambivalence towards his superiors in particualr, and the Army in general, comes across as genuine.It's one of the finest books I've ever read, and one that makes you think about your responsibility to others. It's a great read, and everyone I've passed it to has felt the same way.