Street Without Joy: The French Debacle In Indochina

by Bernard B. Fall Narrated by Derek Perkins

Overview

In this classic account of the French war in Indochina, Bernard B. Fall vividly captures the sights, sounds, and smells of the savage eight-year conflict in the jungles and mountains of Southeast Asia from 1946 to 1954. The French fought well to the last, but even with the lethal advantages of airpower, they could not stave off the Communist-led Vietnamese nationalists, who countered with a hit-and-run campaign of ambushes, booby traps, and nighttime raids. Defeat came at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, setting the stage for American involvement and opening another tragic chapter in Vietnam's history.

Editorial Reviews

The New York Times Book Review

A dramatic treatment of a historic event . . . the vast panorama of the Indochina struggle emerges with graphic impact.

Newsweek

A poignant, angry, articulate book.”

New York Times Book Review

A dramatic treatment of a historic event…the vast panorama of the Indochina struggle emerges with graphic impact.”

AudioFile

British narrator Derek Perkins…provides an admirable reading of a remarkable story and an important piece of history.”

From the Publisher

"A dramatic treatment of a historic event . . . the vast panorama of the Indochina struggle emerges with graphic impact." ---The New York Times Book Review

JULY 2013 - AudioFile

Fall gives an insider’s history, at times amazingly dramatic, of the disastrous French war in Indochina, 1946-1954, and the follow-up into the 1960s. British narrator Derek Perkins is in command of pace, emphasis, and expressive modulation. He manages to convey Fall’s dry cynicism about the war, and his admiration and sympathy for those who fought it, without overemphasis or calling undue attention to technique. His French is very good, as is his American accent. When quoting French in translation, he gives it an accent that can be a bit much, but it does help orient the reader. Overall, he provides an admirable reading of a remarkable story and an important piece of history. W.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171239725
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	05/13/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged

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