Title: Nightmares
Author: Paul Kasper
Publisher: Author Reputation Press
ISBN: 978-1-97008-137-4
Pages: 338
Genre: War, Military
Reviewed by: Jason Lulos

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Perhaps no war in American history has garnered more controversy, discussion, and debate than the war in Vietnam. While supporters and protesters debated the merits of the cause, journalists covered the action, giving the American public their first highly televised war. With this seemingly complete media coverage and ubiquitous debate, one would think this was the first war that the American people had a clear picture of.

One needs to only read a book like author Paul Kasper’s Nightmares to quickly realize this picture was incomplete: one that can only be completed by the veterans themselves.  Based on his own experiences with the 9th Infantry Division, Kasper gives the reader a sobering, sometimes graphic yet fascinating look at the soldier’s experience in Vietnam. The story begins with Lieutenant Edward Miller and his team as they leave for Vietnam to operate as an LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol). As the name indicates, the team is tasked with scouting information on the enemy, mapping, looking for booby traps or mines, and general security. Each mission is fraught with danger. Sniper and mortar attacks are frequent. Kasper’s detailed storytelling gives the reader a stark and vivid idea of what it’s like to live in a perpetual state of life and death. These young men are green upon arrival, but shockingly, become seasoned professional soldiers remarkably fast. And this is precisely because, if they do not, they likely will not make it.

These are soldiers who carry out their tasks with courage and honor. But Kasper makes it clear: the horrors of war and the intense experiences that these men went through were physically and mentally exhausting and, in the end, life changing. Whether it’s building a bridge, being out on patrol, or just resting at camp, a soldier is always looking over his shoulder.

Surviving the war is one thing. Adapting to life at home is another. This is a key point in the book. The focus of the story inevitably shifts from Lt. Miller to one of his men, Dave Johnson, and his struggle to adapt to life after the war. This book implores the reader to consider what a difficult adjustment this must be. Many veterans suffer from residual effects from Agent Orange and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Combine those struggles with hearing insults like “baby killers” and one can at least begin to understand the struggle of being a Vietnam veteran.

Nightmares is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book. Kasper wanted to give the reader a glimpse of the harrowing experiences in Vietnam and some insight into the nightmares that veterans deal with upon returning home. He succeeds on both counts compellingly and with empathy. I highly recommend this to readers looking for a very personal and lucid account of a soldier’s experience in Vietnam.