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6 reviews

The Lotus Eaters. Tatjana Soli

by Tatjana Soli

Published: 2010-03-29
Kindle Edition : 400 pages

8 members reading this now
7 clubs reading this now
4 members have read this book

Recommended to book clubs by 6 of 6 members

A New York Times Best Seller! A New York Times Notable Book!

A unique and sweeping debut novel of an American female combat photographer in the Vietnam War, as she captures the wrenching chaos and finds herself torn between the love of two men.

On a stifling day in 1975, the North ...

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Introduction

A New York Times Best Seller! A New York Times Notable Book!

A unique and sweeping debut novel of an American female combat photographer in the Vietnam War, as she captures the wrenching chaos and finds herself torn between the love of two men.

On a stifling day in 1975, the North Vietnamese army is poised to roll into Saigon. As the fall of the city begins, two lovers make their way through the streets to escape to a new life. Helen Adams, an American photojournalist, must take leave of a war she is addicted to and a devastated country she has come to love. Linh, the Vietnamese man who loves her, must grapple with his own conflicted loyalties of heart and homeland. As they race to leave, they play out a drama of devotion and betrayal that spins them back through twelve war-torn years, beginning in the splendor of Angkor Wat, with their mentor, larger-than-life war correspondent Sam Darrow, once Helen's infuriating love and fiercest competitor, and Linh's secret keeper, boss and truest friend.
Tatjana Soli paints a searing portrait of an American woman's struggle and triumph in Vietnam, a stirring canvas contrasting the wrenching horror of war and the treacherous narcotic of obsession with the redemptive power of love. Readers will be transfixed by this stunning novel of passion, duty and ambition among the ruins of war.

Editorial Review

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Excerpt

The Fall
April 28, 1975
The city teetered in a dream state. Helen walked down the deserted street. The quiet was eerie. Time running out. A long-handled barber's razor, cradled in the nest of its strop, lay on the ground, the blade's metal grabbing the sun. Unable to resist, she leaned down to pick it up, afraid someone would split his foot open running across it. A crashing noise down the street distracted her - dogs overturning garbage cans - and she snatched blindly at the razor. Drawing her hand back, a bright pinprick of blood swelling on her finger. She cursed at her stupidity and kicked the razor, strop and all, to the side of the road and hurried on ...

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Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 6 of 6 members.

Member Reviews

Overall rating:

"Enjoyed reading it"by Leila B. (see profile) 11/07/12

"The Lotus Eaters"by Marilyn B. (see profile) 12/21/11

"Enjoyable Read"by Kris C. (see profile) 09/15/11

I really did enjoy the adventure of this book, the world of photo journalism and the always tragic story of the Vietnam War.

"The Lotus Eaters"by Toni L. (see profile) 06/21/11

A terrific novel in numerous ways: she absolutely “ catches” the enormity and conundrum of war in the person as well as in the political arena; the complexity of relationships are authe... (read more)

"Interesting view of Vietnam war"by Nicole P. (see profile) 06/01/11

The author paints a very clear and often beautiful picture of Vietnam during the 1970 's. Not so much a political book or a book about the war, it is a story of photojournalists, which gives a unique... (read more)

"Lotus Eaters"by Jan M. (see profile) 05/04/11

I have previously submitted my review of this book and my opinion hasn't changed. Reviewed May 2 or 3rd.

"The Lotus Eaters"by Ann P. (see profile) 05/04/11

Several of us have always avoided novels about the Vietnam War. This title did not change our opinions. It will be a very long time before I pick up another.
Soli's writing is quite lov
... (read more)

"The Lotus Eaters"by Jan M. (see profile) 05/02/11

Please spare me from any book about VietNam. I just get angry all over again and life is too short for that. I could not engage with this book at all and spent nearly every attempt to get into it, throwing... (read more)

"A book i wouldn't have usually read"by Cassandra A. (see profile) 02/09/11

I decided to read this book because it was book of the month for January. I was worried I wouldn't like it because I didn't know much on the vietnam war, but that wasn't the case. It was awesome, so glad... (read more)

"Vietnam Story"by Laura G. (see profile) 01/13/11

It was very slow in the beginning and I had a hard time getting into it, once I did it was still slow moving. It was an interesting look into the Vietnam War, a love story it was not.

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