It was his misfortune, though, to serve in vietnam in a war that brought not honor but contempt, and exacted a brutal personal price. The book says relatively little about chestys son, lewis b. He was 48, a winner of the pulitzer prize for his 1991 autobiography, fortunate son. More than any other contemporary novelist, walter mosleys work affects the reader on an immediate, visceral level. The author is the son of a famous marine general, who became himself a marine lieutenant and went to vietnam in 1968. Story of a badly wounded vietnam marine who seemingly recovered from the loss of his legs from a mine explosion. Son of the famous world war ii marine commander chesty puller, lewis puller proudly followed in his fathers footsteps. Chesty puller, the most highly decorated marine in the corps history. Upon graduation from the college of william and mary, he joined the marine corps, was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and served in vietnam until his.
August 18, 1945 may 11, 1994 was an attorney and a united states marine corps officer who was severely wounded in the vietnam war. General chesty puller, usmc, the most decorated marine in history and the man who came to exemplify what being a marine means read his biography in chesty by colonel jon t. Puller 1991, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. This study guide consists of approximately 57 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of fortunate son. She soon gave birth to a son, lewis iii, now 25 and a golf instructor. The title of this autobiography was borrowed from the song fortunate son by creedence clearwater revival, which he gives credit to in the opening pages of his book. Puller 1993, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. From the time he was a young boy, there were a lot of unspoken assumptions about the course lewis juniors life should take, given that he was an only son and. He was fortunate in having for his father the single most decorated marine in the history of the united states, the famous chesty puller. Passionate puller writes with simplicity and candor, with touches of spontaneous humor. And then there is the saga of his son, who followed in chestys footsteps as a marine officer only to suffer horrible wounds in vietnam his book, fortunate son, won the pulitzer prize. Fortunate son, the healing of a vietnam vet by lewis b.
Fortunate son is a gripping book, partly because of the enormity of pullers loss, but also because his candor reveals such human and unadorned truth. Puller does not acknowledge that he was an alcoholic prior to the war but, through the events he describes, the reader becomes. Jon hoffman has been given special access to puller s personal papers as well as his personnel record. The cochairs of the class of 1974 reunion committee, paul clifford, greg giordano, and walter stowe shared their thoughts about their law school classmate and friend for this article. The nook book ebook of the fortunate son by lewis burwell puller jr. The couples second child, maggie, 23, is a college student in alaska. Upon graduation from the college of william and mary, he joined the marine corps, was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and served in. But in the alcohol war, this book just marked the eye of the storm.
Puller lost both legs, one hand, and most of his buttocks and stomach. His father was the late general chesty puller, the most decorated marine in history. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Upon graduation from the college of william and mary, he joined the marine corps, was commissioned as a second lieutenant, and served in vietnam until his wounds caused his evacuation and subsequent retirement. While serving with 2nd battalion, 1st marines 21, lewis jr. With an active marketplace of over 175 million items, use the alibris advanced search page to find any item you are looking for through the advanced search, you can find items by searching specific terms such as title, artist, song title, genre, etc or you can narrow. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Puller definition of puller by the free dictionary. To apply force to so as to cause or tend to cause motion toward the source of the force. Skip to main navigation skip to main navigation skip to search skip to search skip to content hours. Fortunate son was published in 1991, and won the pulitzer prize for biography in 1992.
The healing of a vietnam vet grove weidenfeld, 1991, was written as a tribute to his father, the late gen. He won the 1992 pulitzer prize for biography or autobiography for his autobiography fortunate son. The final story is lewis pullers battle against alcoholism. Gail caldwell, the boston sunday globe passionate puller writes with simplicity and candor, with touches of spontaneous humor. Shortly after it was honored with the prize, lewis puller relapsed into alcoholism. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. Lewis burwell puller, jr picked up a gun one afternoon last may and killed himself. Fortunate son is an ambiguous and ironic title for lewis b. He committed suicide in 1994, two years after winning a pulitzer prize for his autobiography, fortunate son. The healing of a vietnam vet is the story of lewis b. Her husband lost both legs in the vietnam war and spent years fighting depression. His father served his country in five wars, most famously in korea. Here is his story, which seems to have as much to say about alcoholism as it does about the plight of the veteran.