Official Review: Invisible Scars of War by Dick Hattan

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 03 Oct 2019, 11:00

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Invisible Scars of War" by Dick Hattan.]

4 out of 4 stars

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What should a citizen do when asked to fight in a war they don’t believe in? What do they owe the country? These poignant questions introduce us to Dick Hattan’s lifelong moral dilemma in his memoir Invisible Scars of War. The author talks about his participation in the Vietnam War and the conflicting thoughts and emotions that still haunt him to this day. Central to his discussion is the concept of moral injury: a wound that affects anyone who does things that go against their moral values.

Hattan doesn’t follow a strict chronology throughout the book. Though he describes his childhood and early adulthood, the months in service, and the post-war years, these details are interspersed with contemplative chapters featuring reflections from decades later. There are thirty chapters in total, usually quite short.

The book’s structure helps to keep the narrative dynamic, but it has a small downside: the author occasionally talks about subjects he already covered in previous chapters since events are narrated in both chronological and psychological order. This is a minor issue, however, and it shouldn’t bother most people.

The author uses carefully selected words to transport the reader into the places he describes. Whether it’s his multicultural neighborhood or his company street in Camp Campbell, you almost feel like you're there yourself. Besides vivid and gripping descriptions, the book also spreads pictures and poems throughout the chapters, further engaging the reader.

Invisible Scars of War is more than a memoir; it also chastises the country for sending young men to kill and be killed in an unjust war and condemns the inaction of institutions, especially the Catholic Church, and their failure to support veterans afterward. The author wrote the book both as self-therapy and as a conversation starter about the Vietnam War, especially the moral injury sustained by veterans.

I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars, considering it a masterful memoir. I only found one sentence fragment and a minor typographical error, though there were some questionable omissions of commas and a couple of formatting issues. Nevertheless, the book’s flaws are minor and can be easily fixed. I wholeheartedly recommend it to people interested in stories from veterans.

Since the author is an ordained priest raised in a traditional Catholic environment, the book focuses a lot on Hattan’s spiritual life. His struggles are relatable to anyone regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof, but Christian readers should enjoy the book the most. There are a few instances of profanity, so given that and the subject matter, I don’t recommend it to younger audiences.

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Invisible Scars of War
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Tehreem_Khan · Post by **Tehreem_Khan** » 04 Oct 2019, 10:29

Thank you for such a wonderful review.
I'll be adding this to my TBR right away.

Gman94 · Post by **Gman94** » 04 Oct 2019, 12:30

Sounds fantastic! I’m definitely adding this to my bookshelves. Really appreciate the review.

Miller56 · Post by **Miller56** » 04 Oct 2019, 16:21

This sounds like an interesting read. Vietnam was definitely a troubling war and the way we treated our soldiers when they returned had to be difficult for those who served. I can't imagine the things that were asked of these soldiers. This book is definitely worth looking into. Thanks for the review.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 04 Oct 2019, 19:00

They're certainly a lot of controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. It's always good to hear from those who were alive during that time. Good to know this memoir is well-written. Thanks.

Luis razo · Post by **Luis razo** » 04 Oct 2019, 22:40

They're certainly a lot of controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. It's always good to hear from those who were alive during that time.

Shiela30 · Post by **Shiela30** » 05 Oct 2019, 02:06

I feel so excited to read this book...imagining that days ? People sacrificing lives ...

Rachel Lea · Post by **Rachel Lea** » 05 Oct 2019, 04:43

This sounds like a very thought-provoking read. I enjoy memoirs and always find it interesting to read different perspectives on controversial issues. Thanks for your review!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 05 Oct 2019, 12:46

Gman94 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 12:30 Sounds fantastic! I’m definitely adding this to my bookshelves. Really appreciate the review.

Miller56 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 16:21 This sounds like an interesting read. Vietnam was definitely a troubling war and the way we treated our soldiers when they returned had to be difficult for those who served. I can't imagine the things that were asked of these soldiers. This book is definitely worth looking into. Thanks for the review.

kandscreeley wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 19:00 They're certainly a lot of controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. It's always good to hear from those who were alive during that time. Good to know this memoir is well-written. Thanks.

Luis razo wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 22:40 They're certainly a lot of controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. It's always good to hear from those who were alive during that time.

Shiela30 wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 02:06 I feel so excited to read this book...imagining that days ? People sacrificing lives ...

Rachel Lea wrote: ↑05 Oct 2019, 04:43 This sounds like a very thought-provoking read. I enjoy memoirs and always find it interesting to read different perspectives on controversial issues. Thanks for your review!

Tehreem000 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 10:29 Thank you for such a wonderful review.
I'll be adding this to my TBR right away.

Thanks for the comments! It's definitely a book I recommend, especially if you enjoy memoirs.

Letora · Post by **Letora** » 06 Oct 2019, 06:35

My grandfather was in the Vietnam war. I feel like this would be an eye-opening read for me. When he was alive, my grandfather refused to talk about the war. Thank you for your review!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 06 Oct 2019, 11:50

Letora wrote: ↑06 Oct 2019, 06:35 My grandfather was in the Vietnam war. I feel like this would be an eye-opening read for me. When he was alive, my grandfather refused to talk about the war. Thank you for your review!

That's a good point. The author never talked about war with his father, who was a World War II veteran. I suppose it's the sort of subject that's hard to talk about unless you're in the right environment. Thanks for the comment!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 07 Oct 2019, 21:13

This memoir just gives people more motivation to thank our veterans for their service and the freedom we enjoy. Thanks for the wonderful recommendation.

Erin Dydek · Post by **Erin Dydek** » 08 Oct 2019, 08:48

I’ve been enjoying the memoirs I’ve found on this site and this one sounds like an interesting behind the scenes look at the Vietnam War. Thanks for the great review!

Wyland · Post by **Wyland** » 08 Oct 2019, 10:14

I also think this war was unjust and needless on the part of America. In addition, the church has also to bear the blame for not doing its watch dog role effectively. Thanks for the review.

Nicole_Boyd · Post by **Nicole_Boyd** » 08 Oct 2019, 11:16

Miller56 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2019, 16:21 This sounds like an interesting read. Vietnam was definitely a troubling war and the way we treated our soldiers when they returned had to be difficult for those who served. I can't imagine the things that were asked of these soldiers. This book is definitely worth looking into. Thanks for the review.

I agree. Hearing the stories of how veterans were treated makes me sick to my stomach. They deserved so much better. Thanks for the great review! I’ll have to add this one to my list!