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23rd out of 35 books
—
213 voters
Finding Jack
by
Gareth Crocker (Goodreads Author)
When the war ends, how do you leave your best friend behind?
After losing his young family in a tragic accident, Fletcher Carson joins the flagging war effort in Vietnam. Deeply depressed, he plans to die in the war. But during one of his early missions, Fletcher rescues a critically wounded yellow Lab whom he nurses back to health and names Jack. As Fletcher and Jack patr...more
After losing his young family in a tragic accident, Fletcher Carson joins the flagging war effort in Vietnam. Deeply depressed, he plans to die in the war. But during one of his early missions, Fletcher rescues a critically wounded yellow Lab whom he nurses back to health and names Jack. As Fletcher and Jack patr...more
Kindle Edition
Published
(first published February 2011)
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Crocker's book is a reason why I love debut authors and tend to seek them out. This book sucked me in almost immediately. It is a beautiful story about man's relationship with dog in a harrowing setting. I am actually shocked that it was written during the time of the Vietnam War versus the Iraq/Afghan War, since the issue of military leadership ordering the destruction of dogs and soldiers not listening and shipping them back to the US (thank God) is an issue which continues today. I loved this...more
Finding Jack
Gareth Crocker
St. Martin’s Press
290 pages
A tragic accident takes away the very heart of Fletcher Carson, his wife and daughter. After their deaths he tries but finds he just can’t cope with living without them, after a failed attempt at ending it all he decides to try suicide by war. It’s late 1972 and the war in Vietnam is almost over, we’re loosing more and more boys everyday and many question the cost of their sacrifice, here at home we protest daily and treat our home bound soldi...more
Gareth Crocker
St. Martin’s Press
290 pages
A tragic accident takes away the very heart of Fletcher Carson, his wife and daughter. After their deaths he tries but finds he just can’t cope with living without them, after a failed attempt at ending it all he decides to try suicide by war. It’s late 1972 and the war in Vietnam is almost over, we’re loosing more and more boys everyday and many question the cost of their sacrifice, here at home we protest daily and treat our home bound soldi...more
I often find new books and authors by merely browsing the stacks at my local library. I found Finding Jack the other day and it turned out to be an absolute GEM!
Gareth Crocker has written a novel that seems all too real to be fiction. A wonderful first novel!
A beautiful story of Fletcher Carson, a man who loses everything important to him, and with no real will to live, enlists in the military to go to Vietnam. While there, he finds a wounded yellow Lab, and it gives him a new perspective on lif...more
Gareth Crocker has written a novel that seems all too real to be fiction. A wonderful first novel!
A beautiful story of Fletcher Carson, a man who loses everything important to him, and with no real will to live, enlists in the military to go to Vietnam. While there, he finds a wounded yellow Lab, and it gives him a new perspective on lif...more
Fletcher joined the war in Vietnam, because he felt he had nothing left to live for after loosing his wife and daughter in a horrible accident. Then he finds Jack,a Labrador, who appears to be a potential threat. Fletcher puts his life and honor on the line to save the dog from being shot by his platoon. Little do they know, he may be the one thing that could save them all.
After the war is over, Jack is viewed by the US government as expendable material. Orders were sent to leave the dogs behi...more
After the war is over, Jack is viewed by the US government as expendable material. Orders were sent to leave the dogs behi...more
After skimming this passage on the dust jacket - "Fletcher and Jack are a team, and like the hundreds of other U.S. military dogs and their handlers in Vietnam, they serve their country, saving countless lives. To the men, these dogs are heroes. But at the end of the war, the U.S. government announces that all dogs serving in the war have been declared "surplus military equipment" and will not be transported home. Ordered to leave Jack behind, Fletcher refuses - and so begins the journey of two...more
I really liked this book ... but, and this may sound petty, I didn't cry. There were a few heart wrenching moments, but not enough to make me want to burst into tears. And I guess that is what I was looking for.
I loved the characters ... Fletcher was awesome ... and I loved Travis when he was talking about going to Miami. Jack was just amazing.
The best part of the book was the end. Not that I was happy that it ended, but I was happy with the WAY it ended. It ended the way all animal books end, b...more
I loved the characters ... Fletcher was awesome ... and I loved Travis when he was talking about going to Miami. Jack was just amazing.
The best part of the book was the end. Not that I was happy that it ended, but I was happy with the WAY it ended. It ended the way all animal books end, b...more
I can't review this the way I want. Finding Jack is one of the best books I've ever read. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the "war dogs" since I read the non-fiction book Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Marine Dogs of WWII by William W. Putney. (That was another one of the best books I've ever read.)
Finding Jack reads like non-fiction. I can't count the number of times my heart started thumping, me wondering what was going to happen next. I haven't cried while reading many books. I h...more
Finding Jack reads like non-fiction. I can't count the number of times my heart started thumping, me wondering what was going to happen next. I haven't cried while reading many books. I h...more
1 like · like · see review
I reviewed this book on Amazon, and my review here will be very similar. Many people rated this book poorly for reasons such as "military details are not accurate", "the writing is not on the same level as (insert another author's name here)"...etc. etc. Here is my two cents: I did not read this book because I wanted to read an accurate history of the Vietnam war. I wasn't expecting this to be the next great literary masterpiece. I read this because I liked the idea of a heartwarming story about...more
Vietnam, a place most tried to avoid, but for Fletcher Carson it is perfect.
A survivor of a plane crash that took the life of his wife and daughter,he attempted suicide but failed.What better way to die than enlisting.
While on patrol the "Fat Lady" finds and ends up shooting a yellow lab, but for some reason Fletcher can't let him die.Follow as Jack is saved from death and in return as part of the "fat lady" saves them.As the war ends and Jack is ordered left behind as surplus war equipment, Fle...more
A survivor of a plane crash that took the life of his wife and daughter,he attempted suicide but failed.What better way to die than enlisting.
While on patrol the "Fat Lady" finds and ends up shooting a yellow lab, but for some reason Fletcher can't let him die.Follow as Jack is saved from death and in return as part of the "fat lady" saves them.As the war ends and Jack is ordered left behind as surplus war equipment, Fle...more
this book is definitely on my favorites list-
I cried thru most of it, so heartwarming and emotionally charged of a story.
The setting is the end of the Vietnam War, and was written in honor of all the military dogs who were left in VietNam because the US government considered them too expensive to fly home with their soldiers-even tho' these same dogs saved the lives of many soldiers in that war.
These dogs were considered "surplus military" and not worthy of coming home with those who loved and w...more
I cried thru most of it, so heartwarming and emotionally charged of a story.
The setting is the end of the Vietnam War, and was written in honor of all the military dogs who were left in VietNam because the US government considered them too expensive to fly home with their soldiers-even tho' these same dogs saved the lives of many soldiers in that war.
These dogs were considered "surplus military" and not worthy of coming home with those who loved and w...more
At the beginning, I found it a bit difficult to get into this book, with the war jargon and so on, but once about 1/4th the way into this novel, I was hooked. I cried like a baby more than once, in fact many times, which I don't ever remember doing while reading (certainly during films, or listening to songs, and so on) any book, so this was a first for me. I am a HUGE animal lover, vegan and animal advocate, and this is what drew me to this piece of fiction..and the reason I cried over Jack tim...more
I loved this read, very tough all the way through but well worth the read.
Fletcher has lost his wife and daughter in an accident and has nothing more to live for. He wants to kill himself and even tries but decides to sign up for the Vietnam War where it's probably a sure thing that he will die but will do it fighting for his country.
One day while on patrol his team comes upon a yellow lab. He is wounded and the lieutenant orders Fletcher to shoot it. He refuses and the lieutenant orders one of...more
Fletcher has lost his wife and daughter in an accident and has nothing more to live for. He wants to kill himself and even tries but decides to sign up for the Vietnam War where it's probably a sure thing that he will die but will do it fighting for his country.
One day while on patrol his team comes upon a yellow lab. He is wounded and the lieutenant orders Fletcher to shoot it. He refuses and the lieutenant orders one of...more
By far one of the best books that I have ever read in my life! A vivid insight into the life of a soldier in Vietnam. His relationship with his dog is an incredible journey. Extremely well-written and captures the true essence of the human-dog bond. It truely makes other popular dog books (including ones that I have read and liked immensely) seem trivial. I recommend this to everyone and even plan to have my middle school son read it next. I am horrified beyond words that these canine soldiers w...more
This book is absolutely awesome. I found the details of war to be vividly astonishing and the story line was something I will remember forever. I read this book for the first time a couple years ago and I have read this novel about 5 times since. Every time I crack this book open its like reading it for the first time again. The breathtaking, heartfelt love between a soldier and his comrade, or rather a man and his best friend, makes me tear up every time. I recommend it for all of my fellow ani...more
I suppose this book is not technically a ”YA” novel. However, as a teacher I know how many of my students are animal lovers, and I think many of them would love to read this novel! This book was recommended to me by my local public librarian, whose opinion I totally trust. But I have to admit that books about dogs make me a little nervous, because they usually end with me sobbing into a box of tissues.
Finding Jack just sounded too good to pass up, and I am glad I took the chance to read it. As a...more
Finding Jack just sounded too good to pass up, and I am glad I took the chance to read it. As a...more
Some will give this just one or two stars. Parts of the novel especially towards the end, are highly unlikely. But I loved the story line of the grieving young man who has lost his wife and daughter, volunteers for Vietnam and all the hell that goes with it, and finds his companion, a Labrador he names Jack. When the war ends, the U.S. government refuses to spend money to return the combat dogs to the U.S., leaving them to die. Jack and his master, however, desert and star to trek the 370 miles...more
I love dogs, especially Labs, and knew that dogs were used by the military during WWII, but this was the first I knew they'd been used in Vietnam. That's why I checked it out of the library because it seemed like the making of a good read. Unfortunately the author created the main character as someone neck deep in anger, bitterness and drama. Not to mention that he and the dog - especially the dog - were dead ten times over, but somehow, miraculously, always came through and survived. While the...more
Select Editions Vol 1, 2009
A story about a yellow lab that was found by a soldier over in Viet Nam. He was injured and they nursed him back and the soldier became very attached to him as he had lost his wife and child and didn't care if he lived or died. The dog was well trained and went on patrol with them but they could never find out where he came from. Then they found out the war was over and they were being sent home but dogs were to be left behind - the military couldn't ship the animals b...more
A story about a yellow lab that was found by a soldier over in Viet Nam. He was injured and they nursed him back and the soldier became very attached to him as he had lost his wife and child and didn't care if he lived or died. The dog was well trained and went on patrol with them but they could never find out where he came from. Then they found out the war was over and they were being sent home but dogs were to be left behind - the military couldn't ship the animals b...more
When the Vietnam War was winding down and the United States was evacuating material and personnel, they committed a crime that would make Michael Vick look like a saint.
At that time there were thousands of war dogs (soldiers) that were classified as "surplus military equipment" and not worth the cost of transporting them back to the United States. These were dogs that it was believed to have been responsible for saving somewhere in the area of ten thousand soldiers. A token number were handed ov...more
At that time there were thousands of war dogs (soldiers) that were classified as "surplus military equipment" and not worth the cost of transporting them back to the United States. These were dogs that it was believed to have been responsible for saving somewhere in the area of ten thousand soldiers. A token number were handed ov...more
1 like · like · see review
I'm an avid reader but this book seriously is my all-time favorite. The emotions written into it are so raw, so compelling, it's as if you yourself are Fletcher Carson. The love for the dog, Jack, is fantastically relatable and I found myself crying at least three times throughout the story. The ending... you couldn't ask for a better one.
Being in the army myself, I noticed a few things that wouldn't typically happen, like the lieutenant calling his soldiers by their first names, but it was a go...more
Being in the army myself, I noticed a few things that wouldn't typically happen, like the lieutenant calling his soldiers by their first names, but it was a go...more
Feb 04, 2011
Cathy/The Crazy Bookworm
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
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When I first read the premise for Finding Jack I knew I was going to like it but what I didn't know was how much I would end up loving it! Finding Jack is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Gareth Crocker brought forward a story that very few know. Thousands of military dogs helped save the lives of soldiers but when the war ended they weren't allowed to go back with the fellow soldiers they risked their lives to protect. The author takes you on an emotional ride through the uglin...more
I love reading books about dogs and their devoted owners, but I did find this story to be a bit melodramatic and unbelievable. Fletcher Carson enlisted in Vietnam after the sudden death of his wife and daughter and comes across a badly wounded yellow lab. The dog, Jack is nursed back to health and Fletcher can't part with him when the war ends and Jack will not be brought back to the US by the military. A lot happens at the end of this book. I would give this book a 2.5 if that was possible.
I stopped reading this book after three chapters. I wanted to enjoy it. I have been craving a good dog-man bond book that I would really relate to being a dog lover. But what I felt like I was getting was a Vietnam cliche novel with the story of the of war dog woven into it. I am glad that a book came along that addressed the plight of these brave dogs, but it's been done better and more honestly (Matterhorn, touches briefly on theses brave animals and their handlers.)
While reading this book, I thought about my dad. No, he was not in Vietnam, but he was a soldier and this book is full of testosterone and war. (There is not a single woman character until the end but I loved it!!) I told him I was reading a Vietnam novel and asked if he liked to read soldier/war/Vietnam books. My dad said they can get a bit wild, that there was often too much drug use in them.
This gets a bit wild with booby traps, intense fear everday, jumping out of helicopters into enemy fir...more
This gets a bit wild with booby traps, intense fear everday, jumping out of helicopters into enemy fir...more
I'm so glad I stuck with this book. I don't usually enjoy books about the military and I almost put this down after the first chapter. However, this book was more about the bonds between the men in Vietnam and the bond between one man in particular and his rescued dog. I love everything Fletcher went through to save Jack. Fletcher's spirit and his commitment to everyone he loves and respects is unmatchable. The author did a great job of telling a military story without getting too in depth with...more
This could have been a great book - interesting plot about the Vietnam dog, and the main character had a gripping background. But from there, it read like a made for TV movie. Full of events predictable events, people that were just in the right place at the nick of time, and scenes that were 'supposed' to move the reader that were just too contrived. It's entertaining as a good quick beach read, but not if you're in the mood for a challenge.
Ok, just to prove how little first impressions make, this turned out to be an excellent book. The writing, once you get past the prologue, is concise and spare, descriptive without heavy wordiness. The novel is a fast-paced page turner that made me bawl like a baby. I'd recommend anyone reading it tear out the poorly written and totally unnecessary prologue before they get started, because the rest of the book soars above it.
Author's first novel is about a yellow labrador that is rescued by Marines during the Vietnam War. The action is over the top (climax of movie Tropic Thunder did flash through my mind!) and the book has been criticized as being sappy-- but I liked it. This book has a lot of heart, and for someone who doesn't try a lot of war fiction, it was accessible and gritty and seemed real enough. a must read for dog lovers!
I absolutely loved this book. I mean, some of the concepts produced in this book are rather far-fetched, but after all, it's historical fiction. I often found myself tearing up, full-out bawling, laughing, and smiling. I think only a dog lover could truly appreciate the tale. It's well worth the read, and grabs you from the beginning, and doesn't let you go until the bittersweet end.
Maybe 2.5 stars? was an easy read, but a bit far fetched.
Training a dog to go away and come back later?!?. Dogs don't have a sense of time in that respect. Sure, they now what time meals should be and what time you get home from work. But ever have them get in your car and refuse to leave until you've driven around the block? Ever have them sit at a closed bathroom door and whine?
Training a dog to go away and come back later?!?. Dogs don't have a sense of time in that respect. Sure, they now what time meals should be and what time you get home from work. But ever have them get in your car and refuse to leave until you've driven around the block? Ever have them sit at a closed bathroom door and whine?
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| A thriller love story that Hollywood has just signed | 1 | 1 | Apr 28, 2013 03:25am |
Gareth Crocker was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1974. He has a degree in English, Psychology and Communications and has worked as a journalist, copywriter, news editor, public relations manager, publishing editor and, most recently, head of communications and spokesperson for a multinational corporation. Writing is done at night, in a dark room, next to a small window, under a bright moon...more
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May 24, 2011 11:10am
Feb 14, 2013 05:17pm