Dan L. Walker

This novel takes place in 1968 and focusses on two brothers who live in Alaska and are affected by the Vietnam war. The older brother, Joe, signs up to fight while the younger brother, Sam, becomes involved with the peace movement. When Joe is injured and returns home he is suffering from PTSD. He cannot understand his younger brother’s actions and their relationship suffers. Sam just wants to live a happy life fixing his car, dating girls, and hanging out with his friends. Life is complicated and major events affect everyone’s life. Unfortunately, the story ends with a cliffhanger. I hate not knowing the outcome of something so that always impacts my review of the book.

The voice is quite easy to follow and Sam is a likeable protagonist, not a perfect young man but a good guy. It’s easy to see viewpoints of both brothers. Perhaps a bit more background on the history of the war in Vietnam we help the reader understand Sam’s opinion better. Young readers may not know what triggered the peace movement.

It is it easy to read book about brothers, coming of age, family dynamics, and the impact of war on those who fight it and those who love those fighters when they return. It creates a fairly good picture of the 60s.

Suitable for grade 6 and up. There are a few fights but nothing too drastic and the encounters with girls are PG.

All in all a good read..… (more)

When Sam Barger's brother Joe returns home from the Vietnam War, injured and suffering from PTSD, Sam must battle between his belief in the futility of the war and his love for his brother and honoring the sacrifices Joe made. Sam deals with many relationship conflicts and coming of age moments throughout this novel - his brother's PTSD, his first sexual experiences with Iris, the responsibility of his first job, dealing with bullies because of his support of peace movements, his mother-son relationship, and his internal conflict with how he sees himself and who he wants to be as a man. My only complaint is that the story ended too soon.… (more)

Review: Back Home by Dan L. Walker.

This is another Early Reviewer’s book I received to read and review. The book was well written and had good developed characters. The story is based on the relationship of two brothers. Sam Barger was the younger brother and still in school just wanted a normal life, a part time job, and maybe a girlfriend. He was still living at home with his mother and older brother Joe Barger in Alaska. Then the older brother joined the Marine Corps and was active in the Vietnam War. These two brothers were completely different from each other and had their own opinions. Joe was more forward and open than Sam which hindered Sam’s confidence and held him back from speaking up to his brother.

When Joe came back from the war he wasn’t the same person he was when he left. He seemed to be cocky and had an attitude that the world around him owed him….The brothers became bitter towards each other. Sam had always looked up to his brother, (even though he had a hard time showing it), but now they were bitter towards each other.

Finally Sam had enough and decided to go to his family’s cabin further in Alaska where he grew up. It wasn’t long before his brother Joe showed up at the cabin. Joe decided to take Sam hunting he had promise Joe for years that he would. Read on and see what happened in the Alaska woods. I enjoyed the book but I felt there should have been more to the ending.… (more)