23 Best Vietnam War Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 23 best vietnam war books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Vietnam War books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best vietnam war books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
23 Best Vietnam War Books
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The Things They Carried
Also recommended by
2 people
Caroline Paul recommended this bookCaroline Paul
"A beautiful book by a writer who fought in Vietnam." - Caroline Paul
Caroline Paul's recommendation of this book 
Tim Ferriss recommended this bookTim Ferriss
"Be forewarned that it contains beautiful prose and graphic violence in equal measure." - Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss's recommendation of this book
A Rumor of War
The Classic Vietnam Memoir
Fields of Fire
A Novel
Also recommended by
1 person
Jocko Willink recommended this bookJocko Willink
Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 149
Jocko Willink's recommendation of this book
The Sorrow of War
A Novel of North Vietnam
A Bright Shining Lie
John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
Dispatches
The Best and the Brightest
Matterhorn
A Novel of the Vietnam War
Also recommended by
2 people
Patrick Collison recommended this bookPatrick Collison
Patrick Collison labeled this book "substantially above average."
Patrick Collison's recommendation of this book 
Jeremy Clarkson recommended this bookJeremy Clarkson
"If [this book] is not the best book ever written, what is?" - Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson's recommendation of this book
The Girl in the Picture
The Story of Kim Phuc, the Photograph, and the Vietnam War
Also recommended by
1 person
Lisa Ling recommended this bookLisa Ling
"The story of the young girl who was photographed running naked in horror after her village was napalmed during the war, and who came to symbolize for the world its utter disaster and devastating toll." - Lisa Ling
Lisa Ling's recommendation of this book
We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young
Ia Drang—The Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
Also recommended by
1 person- Jocko Willink recommended this book
Jocko Willink
Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 105
Jocko Willink's recommendation of this book
Bloods
Black Veterans of the Vietnam War
Close Quarters
A Novel
Dirty Work
Dog Soldiers
Fire in the Lake
The Vietnamese and the Americans in Vietnam
Home Before Morning
The Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam
If I Die in a Combat Zone
Box Me Up and Ship Me Home
In Pharaoh's Army
Memories of the Lost War
Patches of Fire
A Story of War and Redemption
Street Without Joy
Indochina at War, 1946-54
The Short-Timers
The Vietnam Reader
The Definitive Collection of Fiction and Nonfiction on the War
When Heaven and Earth Changed Places
Sources
- 1
From All Perspectives: The Best Books About The Vietnam War
theculturetrip.com
- 2
The Top 30 Vietnam War Books to Read This Winter
historynet.com
- 3
The Best Vietnam War Books - Five Books Expert Recommendations
fivebooks.com
- 4
9 Fascinating Vietnam War Books
explorethearchive.com
- 5
Best vietnam war books
pennbookcenter.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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