Journalist Michael Herr looks back at his time as a war correspondent in Vietnam. Published in 1991, and called "the best book to have been written about the Vietnam War" by the "New York Times," it is a personal journal: tough, profane and often horrifying in its detail. More a collection of thoughts, stories and impressions than a straightforward memoir, the book is a visceral account of the experience of war and its effect on the men who fight in it. It's a powerful read, but if you're looking for a standard history of the war, look elsewhere.  (VNM03, $12.95)