Have You Read? The World Looked Away: Vietnam After the War

By Capt. Dave Bushy (Delta, Ret.)

“If you stop hoping, you lose. Never give up.”

This quote beautifully sums up The World Looked Away: Vietnam After the War. It’s a story of hope, heartache, love, and incredible fortitude. This memoir provides a gripping narrative of a period in recent history that some of us think we know, but reading this book, we realize how little we actually know.

Quoc Pham’s story is an astonishing tale that reads more like fiction than fact. The harsh realities that Quoc endured make it difficult to continue reading, but they also make it difficult to stop. This book gives the reader context to what lives were like behind the news stories and history books. This story is made all that more poignant as it puts into context the incredible role the United States had in the world then and how the world continues to look to U.S. leadership and compassion.

If you’re looking for a well-researched, thoughtful account of recent history, this book is definitely worth reading. It’s told in a way that’s both interesting and intriguing. The author, a former Delta and JetBlue pilot, showcases his depth of understanding and dedication. His notes at the end of the book give the reader an appreciation for his skepticism and the immense work he put into ensuring the book was accurate and worth reading.—Review by Capt. Dave Fuller (JetBlue)

This article was originally published in the January 2020 issue of Air Line Pilot.