Event—Adult Education

The Vietnam War’s Many Voices

The United States military forces left Vietnam 44 years ago, and in this seminar we will look back to reexamine the conflict.

Cost and Registration Information

Early Registration Price (by September 1): $285
Regular Price (after September 1): $314

Register Online

Seminar Description

The United States military forces left Vietnam 44 years ago, and in this seminar we will look back to reexamine the conflict. Using historical articles, novels, memoirs, poetry, photos, music, and videos, we will fully explore the history, impact, and meaning of the Vietnam War from a number of different perspectives. We will begin with the historical context for the war and the United States’ involvement, then examine war experiences from both the American and the North Vietnamese perspective, and finally look at those who participated in the war and the War’s impact today. Ten sessions.

Tom Irvine is the Chief Information Officer from The Chicago Community Trust and passionate about understanding history and what it can teach us.

Materials List

Required:

  • Stanley Karnow. Vietnam: A History. Penguin Books, 2nd Edition, 1997. ISBN-13: 978-0140265477
  • Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried. Mariner Books, 2009. ISBN-13: 978-0544309760
  • Bao Ninh, The Sorrow of War: A Novel of North Vietnam. Riverhead Books, 1996. ISBN-13: 978-1573225434
  • Michael Herr, Dispatches. Vintage, 1991. ISBN-13: 978-0679735250

First Reading:

  • For the first class, please read, chapters 3 and 4 of Vietnam: A History, by Stanley Karnow.

This class is part of the Newberry’s Adult Education Seminars Program. Learn more about our registration procedures.