Glory Denied: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War

Now hailed as a classic, one of the most unforgettable and heartbreaking books ever written about the Vietnam War.

Glory Denied—the harrowing story of America’s longest-held POW, the wrenching agonies faced by his family, and the larger story of a nation divided—returns to Norton a decade after its much-heralded publication. Excerpted in The New Yorker and later made into an opera, it is the heroic story of Floyd “Jim” Thompson, captured in March 1964, who became the longest-held prisoner of war in American history. Tom Philpott juxtaposes Thompson’s capture, torture, and multiple escape attempts with the trials of his young wife, Alyce, who, feeling trapped, made choices that forever tied her fate to the war she despised. “One of the most honest books ever written about Vietnam” (Oliver Stone), Glory Denied demands that we rethink the definition of a true American hero.
1110925589
Glory Denied: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War

Now hailed as a classic, one of the most unforgettable and heartbreaking books ever written about the Vietnam War.

Glory Denied—the harrowing story of America’s longest-held POW, the wrenching agonies faced by his family, and the larger story of a nation divided—returns to Norton a decade after its much-heralded publication. Excerpted in The New Yorker and later made into an opera, it is the heroic story of Floyd “Jim” Thompson, captured in March 1964, who became the longest-held prisoner of war in American history. Tom Philpott juxtaposes Thompson’s capture, torture, and multiple escape attempts with the trials of his young wife, Alyce, who, feeling trapped, made choices that forever tied her fate to the war she despised. “One of the most honest books ever written about Vietnam” (Oliver Stone), Glory Denied demands that we rethink the definition of a true American hero.
11.49 In Stock
Glory Denied: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War

Glory Denied: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War

Glory Denied: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War

Glory Denied: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War: The Vietnam Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War

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Overview

Now hailed as a classic, one of the most unforgettable and heartbreaking books ever written about the Vietnam War.

Glory Denied—the harrowing story of America’s longest-held POW, the wrenching agonies faced by his family, and the larger story of a nation divided—returns to Norton a decade after its much-heralded publication. Excerpted in The New Yorker and later made into an opera, it is the heroic story of Floyd “Jim” Thompson, captured in March 1964, who became the longest-held prisoner of war in American history. Tom Philpott juxtaposes Thompson’s capture, torture, and multiple escape attempts with the trials of his young wife, Alyce, who, feeling trapped, made choices that forever tied her fate to the war she despised. “One of the most honest books ever written about Vietnam” (Oliver Stone), Glory Denied demands that we rethink the definition of a true American hero.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780393344561
Publisher: Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date: 05/28/2012
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 512
Sales rank: 174,042
File size: 6 MB

About the Author

Tom Philpott is a syndicated columnist and freelancer writer. His weekly column, “Military Update,” appears in more than forty daily newspapers in the United States and overseas. He lives in Centreville, Virginia.

Table of Contents

Foreword Senator John McCain xi

Author's Note xv

Vietnam Map xvii

Introduction xix

Part I Prisoner 1

1 Dying 3

2 The Pit 5

3 Key West 8

Part II America's Son, 1933-1963 13

4 Bergenfield 15

5 Alyce 21

6 Marriage 26

7 The Army 31

8 Special Forces 40

9 Orders 46

10 Gone Again 52

Part III War and Dreams, 1964-1973 57

11 In-Country 59

12 Camp Khe Sanh 63

13 Patrols 73

14 Friendly Fire 80

15 Final Letters 88

16 Capture 93

17 Missing 96

18 Confinement 110

19 Harold 116

20 Massachusetts 130

21 A New Life 131

22 Settling In 140

23 North Vietnam 145

24 Christmas'67 151

25 Bao Cao 155

26 Camp K-77 165

27 Roommates 170

28 Shaping Up 186

29 Rockpile 195

30 Escape 199

31 Peace Talks 211

32 No Bracelet 221

33 Going Home 226

Part IV The War Comes Home, 1973-1980 239

34 The First Lie 241

35 Reunion 250

36 The Children 258

37 Pulling Up Roots 267

38 Power of Faith 277

39 The White House 289

40 Hurting Time 295

41 Wild Streak 303

42 Dreamhouse 310

43 Broken-Hearted 315

44 Divorced 320

45 New Partners 326

46 Tennessee 333

47 Simple Negligence 339

48 Place in the Sun 347

49 Bridge Players 356

50 Turnaround 364

Part V No Reprieve, 1981-1992 373

51 Captive Once More 375

52 Rehabilitation 381

53 Disappeared 387

54 Separate Moves 390

55 Murder Suspect 401

56 A Tennessee Trial 407

57 The Sentence 416

58 Survivor 421

Epilogue 429

Postscipt: Ten Years On 431

Acknowledgments 437

Biographical Sketches 441

Illustration Credits 449

Index 451

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