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Top Tens
WAR IN WORDS
The American War captivated a generation and has inspired endless accounts of the tragedies and triumphs that took place. There are some classic accounts by US soldiers who came home to tell the tale, some poignant and human stories written by Vietnamese on the other side and some definitive pieces of reportage by the finest journalists of the time. Pick up one or two of these before hitting 'Nam.
- Bright Shining Lie (1989) Neil Sheehan
- Dispatches (1977) Michael Herr
- The Girl in the Picture (2001) Denise Chong
- If I Die in a Combat Zone (1973) Tim O'Brien
- Novel Without a Name (1996) Duong Thu Huong
- The Quiet American (1955) Graham Greene
- Requiem (1997) Tim Page
- A Rumour of War (1978) Phillip Caputo
- The Sorrow of War (1996) Bao Ninh
- Street Without Joy (1961) Bernard Fall
MUST-SEE MOVIES
Filmmakers have found a rich vein of material in the turbulent tales of Vietnamese history, and both foreign and local directors have tapped it well. There are some moody, atmospheric movies from a time before the torment, a whole host of films dealing with the American experience in Vietnam, and some that deal with both Americans and Vietnamese coming to terms with life after so much death.
- Apocalypse Now (1979) Director: Francis Ford Coppola
- Born on the Fourth of July (1989) Director: Oliver Stone
- Cyclo (1995) Director: Tran Anh Hung
- The Deer Hunter (1978) Director: Michael Cimino
- Heaven and Earth (1993) Director: Oliver Stone
- The Lover (1992) Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
- Platoon (1986) Director: Oliver Stone
- The Quiet American (2002) Director: Phillip Noyce
- The Scent of Green Papaya (1992) Director: Tran Anh Hung
- We Were Soldiers (2002) Director: Randall Wallace
BEST BREWS
Bia hoi (beer) is the new tea in Vietnam and everyone is drinking it. It doesn't come much cheaper than this, from 10 cents a glass to a large local bottle for less than US$1. Seize the day and sample a selection as you travel through the country, a sure-fire way to find some Vietnamese friends. Just remember that down-in-one is a national pastime in Vietnam, so bring your beer goggles.
- Bia Hoi The world's cheapest beer keeps on flowing
- BGI The Big Groovy I, popular in the south
- Halida North Vietnam's finest, a smooth pilsner
- Hanoi Another northern favourite in handy half-litre bottles
- Huda Hue' meets Denmark, Central Vietnam's ultimate joint venture
- Larue A hangover from the French, the Export is a cracker
- Red Horse Strong as an ox, this helps pass the time in Nha Trang
- Saigon A longrunning southern tipple, the Export has gone national
- 333 Ba ba ba, the saviour of the south
- Tiger Strictly speaking a Singaporean interloper, but brewed locally
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