Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Review of: Goodbye Junie Moon by June Collins

I've read a lot of Vietnam memoirs but none from the point of view in Goodbye Junie Moon. June Collins takes us on an incredible journey from rural Australia to the Senate floor via the clubs of southeast Asia. It's a very entertaining ride. This story includes adventure and danger but is also heartbreaking at times. Ms. Collins is a very good writer, and I found the book quite easy to follow. It flashes back and forth between Vietnam and earlier stops prior to the war. I liked the style. I also enjoyed the pictures scattered through the book.

Ms. Collins knows how to enjoy life. There's no doubt about that. However, I take issue with an earlier review that complained about sex in this book. There's very little of it, and it's integral to the plot. It not excessive nor overly graphic. This isn't fifty shades of OD green.

This book is well worth reading. It's an important story told by a fascinating woman who lived it. Ms. Collins spent three and a half years in Vietnam entertaining troops. I thank her for her service during the war and after the war during the Senate hearings. I look forward to more work by June Collins.

Goodbye Junie Moon