When Kenneth Levin unexpectedly gained possession of the diary his brother Ralph kept from 1965-1966 as an army doctor in Vietnam, Levin didn't know what to do with it. The tattered book wasn't much to look at, and Ralph's chicken-scratch handwriting proved virtually indecipherable.
But Levin, the author of two popular Vietnam-era fictional works, kept returning to Ralph's account over and over again. There are few known Vietnam War diaries, and personal narratives by doctors are virtually nonexistent. Despite the difficulties inherent in transcribing the diary, Levin threw his heart into the project. In his brother's words, he discovered a priceless account of a pivotal time in the war's long, sorrowful trajectory. He also came to a fuller understanding of his brother-not to mention the rest of their eclectic Jewish family. The subsequent discovery of a North Vietnam woman doctor's diary added another, startling dimension.
Written in Levin's boisterous, brutally honest voice, Salami and the White Horse isn't just another historical account of a war that defined a generation's ideals and culture. It's an intimate look at a family's wartime experience and their unique circumstances. Levin's observations are at times hilarious and at times heartbreaking...but always thought provoking.
About the Author: Kenneth Levin, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, retired from the United States Navy with the rank of commander. He holds degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and the United States Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.
After blindness forced his retirement, he turned his energy to writing. Author of the novel Crazy Razor and a collection of short stories titled The Many Deaths of Comrade Binh, he based both works on his personal wartime experiences. In order to ensure validity and clarity in the experiences of all sides of his stories, Levin traveled to Vietnam to interview North Vietnams Army and Viet Cong veterans and their children.
Levin currently lives in Oakland, California, with his wife, Eileen. Salami and the White Horse is his first work of nonfiction. You can learn more about Levin and his work at www.blindmanspress.com.
