For the Sake of All Living Things

by John M. Del Vecchio

Book Overview

Told though the lives of a Cambodian family ripped apart by 10 years of bloody struggle and the American advisor whose fate becomes intertwined with theirs, For the Sake of All Living Things is a gritty, uncompromising portrayal of one of the most brutal conflicts of modern times. Includes maps.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553288423
• ISBN13: 9780553288421
• Release Date: December 1990
• Publisher: Bantam Books
• Length: 842 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Amazing Story

I served in Viet Nam, and I have read many books about that war. When I read John Del Vecchio's "13th Valley", it took me right back to the sights and smells of the country and experience - more so than any of the other books I have read. It, too, was a work of fiction, but it was one of the most real books I've read on experiencing the war. If he did half as good a job in portraying the actuality of the Cambodian war(s), then I would also rate it as a masterpiece. If he used the same technique in For the Sake of All Living Things that he used in 13th Valley, then having all the facts match is of little importance, especially for a work labeled as fiction. In the Viet Nam book the historical battle details were fictional, but they drew from a composite of actual ones in such a way that they became as real, or even more so, than a more factual, historical accounting might have been able to achieve. In 13th Valley he took the reader, step by step, down the road from a 'normal' guy-next-door to someone who has completely lost himself in the war. That story was the best portrayal I have ever read of how easy it is to go down that path. In for the Sake of All Living Things he takes a similar approach with an innocent Cambodian youth who is transformed into a hard-core Khmer Rouge cadre. If you have ever wondered how humans could be so cruel to other humans - then you will likely find some answers in watching that transformation. I recommend this book at the top of anyone's reading list who has even a slight interest in war and/or the conflict(s) in SE Asia. The only qualification is for those who have a hard time sleeping after reading disturbing accounts - in that sense it is a very hard book that will not easily leave your mind. But in all other respects it is an 'easy' book, in that the pages will turn themselves until you suddenly find yourself at the back cover.

A true must read.

If you have any interest at all in the Viet Nam war or South East Asia this is a must read. The book not only covers the horror of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge but examines the culture of the Cambodians. I read an average of 5 books a month and this is one of the best I've ever read.

Should be required reading for anyone who thinks they can make the world a perfect place.

I read this book when I was 12, It made an Impression on me to say the least... It has to Be the best Novel I have ever read. It completly Changed my mind about the possiblity for creating a perfect society on earth. The reason One of the reviewers hates this book so much Is he is an appolagist for his Comrades... What Happened in Cambodia (Kampuchea) Is Not an issolated incedent... It happened in the USSR... It happened in Communist China with Mao's great Leap Foreward... It happened in the French Revolution... The Enlightened class ( Pol Pot and his fellow travelers) thought they could make a perfect society by killing everyone who didnt fit the mold of a dumb ugly peasant... The killed the rich... they killed anyone who was foriegn...they killed you if you spoke french or english.. They killed you for being a Doctor, Lawyer , Engineer, Wealthy merchant.. For being pretty... and by doing this and having everyone live in peace and harmony in the jungles creating a "New Cilvilization that would bring The Golden Age" their world would be perfect... Pol Pot killed over 2 million of his own people...he had only 6 million to start with... And he was a university professor... and those of you that think those radicals who spend their lives spreading poison by teaching soft minds... think again... Do your self a Favor and READ THIS BOOK.

Absolutely amazing - highly recommended

Anyone interested in Asia should read this book. While many of us think we know about Viet Nam - most of us really don't. We know even less about the conflict in Cambodia. "The Killing Fields" brought Cambodia to the forefront a few years ago, but it seemed hard to believe. "For the Sake of All Living Things" goes even deeper to uncover the horror of recent Cambodian history. If more people read books like this one, perhaps history would not repeat itself so easily...

Highly recommended to anyone

I loved this book, to put it simply. There is enough detail to keep you captivated throughout. A must read for anyone interested in the Vietnam Conflict timeline.