Eric Hoffer General Fiction Prize First Runner Up

The Eric Hoffer Awards just informed me that Last of the Annamese is the first runner-up for its 2018 General Fiction Prize. The judges’ commentary reads:

“Last of the Annamese, Tom Glenn, Naval Institute Press – This compelling book tells the story of one of America’s darkest chapters, the fall of Saigon. We’ve all seen the news footage and read about what happened during the final years of the Viet Nam War, but to experience the pain of the fall through the eyes of several carefully crafted characters is another thing altogether. Your eyes may mist over several times during the reading, as you come to care for the characters. The descriptions bring forth the smells, voices, and tastes of this South Vietnamese city. Knowing what ultimately happened makes this a stolid and bracing read, but it is a period of American history of which all should be aware.”

​The wording of the commentary ​is especially heartening to me.  One of the most important reasons I wrote the book is that I want people to know what happened. I am fulfilled.