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An American Requiem: God, My Father, and the War That Came Between Us Paperback – Bargain Price, April 1, 1997

by James Carroll (Author)

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Joe Carroll was an Air Force lieutenant general who chose Vietnamese targets for American bombs. Joe's son James began adulthood by fulfilling his father's abandoned dream of joining the priesthood. But soon a father's hopes for his son--and a son's peace with his father--were ruined, yet another casualty of a war that tore apart so many families along generational lines.

Print length

279 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Mariner Books
Publication date

April 1, 1997
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.69 x 8.25 inches
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If the Civil War pitted brother against brother, the Vietnam War is best understood as pitting father against son. Some of Vietnam's longest lasting battles were fought in heavy rages and even heavier silences across the dinner table. James Carroll is a veteran of many such skirmishes. A novelist now, this book is his story of what it was like to be an anti-war priest in the '60s while his father was an Air Force general deeply involved in Pentagon planning. What makes the book particularly moving is that Carroll comes to realize that his father is no mono-dimensional saber-rattler (indeed, he suspects that his father's military career came to its sudden end because of the stances he took inside the corridors of power against expanding and intensifying the war). But the terrible truth was that neither the father nor the son ever managed to transcend the boundaries of their particular roles to meet each other in a candid, reciprocal relationship. And Carroll is honest--he tells us this, painfully. A very fine book, which along the way reports interestingly on some nearly forgotten '60s episodes.

From Scientific American

I cannot recall being more touched by a book about a real family since John Gunther's Death Be Not Proud.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003IWYKUS
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mariner Books (April 1, 1997)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 279 pages
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.69 x 8.25 inches

Customer Reviews:
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James Carroll

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James Carroll is the author of twelve novels, most recently The Cloister, which The New York Times called “incandescent,” and eight works of non-fiction, most recently THE TRUTH AT THE HEART OF THE LIE: HOW THE CATHOLIC CHURCH LOST ITS SOUL, to be published in 2021. Other books include the National Book Award winning An American Requiem; the New York Times bestselling Constantine's Sword, now an acclaimed documentary; House of War, which won the first PEN-John Kenneth Galbraith Award; and Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which was named a 2011 Best Book by Publishers Weekly. Carroll is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and an Associate of The Mahindras Humanities Center at Harvard University. For 23 years he wrote a weekly column for The Boston Globe, and contributes occasional essays to NEWYORKER.COM . He lives in Boston with his wife, the writer Alexandra Marshall.

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4.4 out of 5

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Anthony(Tony) Riggio

I was interested in this book because the author was known to me indirectly through his brother Brian Carroll and having read “P

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2014

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June 21, 2014
A Review by Anthony T. Riggio of James Carroll’s book “An American Requiem, (God, My Father and the War that came between us).
This book was originally published in 1996 and it was obtained through an Amazon, reseller as a used book. I was interested in this book because the author was known to me indirectly through his brother Brian Carroll and having read “Prince of Peace” and the “Sword of Constantine” I enjoyed the author’s style of writing and since this book appeared to me to be a memoir or auto biographical work of his experiences as the son of an Air Force Lieutenant General. A General who was also former FBI Agent and was a close associate of J. Edgar Hoover, I believed it was a story I could relate with, especially since I worked with his brother Brian while we were both FBI Agents. In fact, Brian was very proud of his brother James when he gave me a copy of his “Prince of Peace” novel about spiritual and political conflicts during the period of the Vietnam War.
I was aware that James was a former Paulist priest who had left both his Order and the Priesthood. I was hoping that this book would give me greater insight as to the reasons he gave up his calling as a Priest.
This book did give me tremendous insight into the inner struggles one goes through in abandoning a calling from the priesthood or as Catholic knows this as Holy Orders, a very sacred sacrament.
The story is a very familiar story of the struggles between a son and his father. Carroll’s father was your classic over achiever who fought his way out of the neighborhoods of Chicago and the Seminary. This is a central theme between his son James and the father. After completing Law School Joe Carroll (the father of James), he joins the FBI and becomes a close confidant of J. Edgar Hoover. When the President of the United States wants an FBI Agent to head the new AOSI (Air Force Office of Security Investigations), Hoover volunteers Joe Carroll. Often the sons of fathers who are dedicated to their jobs feel both the admiration and the absence of their hard working fathers.
Because of the experiences James Carroll had as a child growing up in the Air Force; his travels and his experiences were probably atypical for a boy at that time. Having grown up in the Bronx, living in a small apartment, I would have given my “eye” teeth to have had half the experiences James Carroll had. Still, there were some experiences that imprinted on his character development. I believe it was mostly his Mother’s devotion that led James to the priesthood notwithstanding his own father, Joe Carroll’s, experience of leaving the seminary when he was a young man.
James Carroll was a sort of rebel early on in his growing up but when he commenced his studies at the seminary, he branched off both politically and socially which were indeed the antitheses of his Father’s driving ambitions. He was even arrested as a result of his participations in demonstrations. He was also a friend of the Berrigen brothers who were also priests though much more rebellious during the Vietnam War than James Carroll. I suspect his Father approval was always a factor in many of his life decisions.
I rated this book very high (5 stars) because I truly enjoyed Carroll's writing style and the raw emotion felt while feel while reading this book. I gave it five stars and had bought this book through an Amazon.

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Magoo

The Truth Sets one Free/Sorrow/Freedom/ Leading to Thanksgiving.

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2015

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This was quite interesting...good history of the 1960's and the interaction of those who protested vocally and learned the very value of human kind while gaining the truth of their beliefs in religious/human values, respect, . Many lost those whom they had once loved and respected... who covered up ethics, morality, their own selves and loss of their human and religious values...while profit. false values, self-estate became their goals.. With much struggle, insight, deep soul searching and ethics came to the forefront in those who protested and voiced their truth and beliefs, those who were not afraid to do so. They gave up much but came to stronger beliefs in Chrisitanity/God and the very value of human life. Great insight was written by author, James Carroll with much pain leading to truth and wisdom. The truth will set one free but first it can make one miserable leading to thanksgiving...if one pursues toward TRUTH.

2 people found this helpful

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Ron

So Familiar

Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2010

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In An American Requiem: God, My Father, and the War That Came Between Us author James Carroll captures the trials of his family, his Church, and his America from World War II to the end of the Viet Nam era. Carroll, writing in the 1990s, in the final chapters reflects on his religious mother, rigid father, FBI brother, polio afflicted intellectual brother, conscientious-objector brother, wife, children and other characters. The author developed these characters in such a fashion this reader identified with each. Carroll also comments on The Churches conflicts. Other reviewers have captured the essence of the book. This reader can't better comment. Being of this era, this reader has seen what Carroll and his family suffered. The "Greatest Generation," of which Carroll's father was a member, had many trials. The next generation was also great, but with different objectives. Carroll finishes his book watching the US going to battle in another war in another era. Five stars are awarded. The book's reading tempo is like many great classics, it builds to a crescendo and then flows to the ending. Read it, even if you don't agree with the author's views, there is much here of value. An interesting tidbit is a one sentence paragraph upon the inability of a rural community's health services to save the life of his prematurely born daughter because the community didn't have a "real" obstetrician. "No obstetrician, but a real priest."

2 people found this helpful

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John L. Popp

Challenging your moral and religious beliefs

Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2014

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James Carroll writes from his heart about deep religious philosophy. He sheds light on scripture in a way that many priests, preachers, deacons and pastors are not able to. His teachings and thoughts I believe are a result of his many years in the seminary and more importantly lessons learned from his father who also studied to be a priest. He digresses quite a bit concerning the war in Viet Nam. Of course many of us served, but not as chaplains. Some of were in the Infantry struggling for survival day to day. For us it is better to forget that war because we were drafted and had nothing to do with the politics of it. James attempts to make moral judgments about those who served when he should focus more on his own experiences. The insights he shares about his relationship with his mother is very revealing. Many of us recall life with our stay at home mothers and various aspects of our childhood. Overall, based on his religious insights and exposure of family dynamics, I would highly recommend this book. Forget his political orientation and his attempts to be a pacifist. Just respect his opinions there. A great read.

4 people found this helpful

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Mary Gulati

Great book and very clean cover perfect but pages falling out of binding

Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2021

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Pages falling out. Must have been missed

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Mrs C E Bryant

An unusual subject and a brilliant book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 6, 2012

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James Carroll manages to write a very evocative book, that describes his life and relationship with his father. It is done without over done sentimentality or resentment, one of my all time favourites.

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