... editor Emily Holmes on her favourite Osprey book


9781780962023-th2



The Boys of ‘67 is my favourite Osprey book of 2012 simply because it is so brilliantly written and tells such a compelling story; the story of Charlie Company in Vietnam. Not many Osprey books have the power to make you cry (except for maybe Love, Tommy), but Andrew Wiest brings each and every member of the company to life, recalling their backgrounds, how they were called up and their initial training, and by the time they go into battle as a unit you can’t help but feel as though you know them all personally. It really is Band of Brothers for Vietnam, and each loss to the company feels like a bitter blow to you, the reader. The inclusion of the image sections to give faces to the names of the young men only enhances this feeling.

The story of how the book came to be is remarkable (and I won’t give it away), but the Andrew spent years becoming part of Charlie Company, getting to know the veterans and listening to their memories. The harrowing tales that these veterans have to tell deserve to be shared, and this book most definitely deserves to be read.

 

Thanks Emily! Check the advent calendar tomorrow for the chance to win a fantastic, once in a life-time Osprey prize.