Welcome Home

Welcome Home 

Welcome Home: A Story of the Vietnam War is a short story from author Piers Platt that I just finished reading. 

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Have you read Welcome Home? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Welcome Home 

Jack Frost’s father fought in WWII. His brother fought in Korea. So when Jack’s own draft card arrives, there’s no doubt in their minds that he’ll do his duty, and fight in Vietnam. Jack loves his family, but he also knows that killing another human being is something he can never do.

Welcome Home is the short story of one man’s struggle to maintain his innocence amid the brutality of the Vietnam War, torn between his family’s expectations, his loyalty to his brothers-in-arms, and his own moral code.

Thoughts on Welcome Home 

Welcome Home is a short story at just thirteen pages, yet it feels complete. In this we meet Jack Frost, a soldier from a military family who struggles with both the idea of war and death, and disappointing his family. 

The story of Jack Frost is told between two soldiers inside a foxhole together. Jack essentially abandons one of the two soldiers telling the story in the middle of a mission and runs away. 

This story had a simplistic quality to it that I enjoyed, especially after reading two short stories related to the Holocaust. This was a much lighter read in comparison. 

My only real complaint is that Piers Platt seemed to romanticize the idea of desertion in Welcome Home. That running away is a great way to solve a problem. That is the only real issue I had when reading it. Otherwise, Welcome Home is a great, simple read and a perfect way to start my day. 

Final Thoughts on Welcome Home 

Welcome Home was a good quick read that I enjoyed, and I recommend it. I’m a huge fan of short stories with my morning coffee in place of a newspaper or scrolling through social media because it is far more enjoyable. 

Discussion 

Have you read Welcome Home or any other writing from author Piers Platt? Are you a fan of short stories? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Piers Platt is the New York Times bestselling author of “Combat and Other Shenanigans,” a memoir of his year-long deployment to Iraq as a tank and scout platoon leader. 

Piers grew up in Boston, but spent most of his childhood in various boarding schools, including getting trained as a classical singer at a choir school for boys. He joined the Army in 2002, and spent four years on active duty.

When he’s not writing or spending time with his lovely wife and daughter, Piers works as a strategy consultant in New York city.

Purchasing Welcome Home 

If you are interested in buying the Kindle version of Welcome Home, click here.

Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

Author Interview 

What makes Welcome Home special?

As a former Army officer and student of military history, I know that the guys who got drafted for Vietnam got a really raw deal. Aside from being sent to fight a war they didn’t volunteer for, when they returned home, they were shunned by the American public. 

I wanted to write a short story set during the Vietnam War that asked: what if there was a soldier who felt obligated to serve his country, but felt he couldn’t kill another human being? How would he deal with that personal conflict?

Why should readers give this book a try?

It’s a short, fast read, and will appeal to all fans of military fiction, historical fiction, and literary stories about army veterans and the challenging situations we can and do experience.

Have you written other books?

Yup! If you’re into stories about the military, you should definitely check out Combat and Other Shenanigans, the NY Times-bestselling memoir of my year in Iraq as a tank and scout platoon leader. You can get it for free by signing up on my website. 

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