The Heart That Fed - by Carl Sciacchitano

About the Book

"A brilliant graphic memoir debut, this is a loving son's exploration of his tumultuous relationship with his father, told through the lens of the Vietnam War and its lasting effects long after returning home."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY TOP 10 BEST BOOK OF 2024
A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST NEW COMIC OF 2024 FOR ADULTS

A brilliant, "powerful" (Booklist) graphic memoir, and a loving son's exploration of his tumultuous relationship with his father, told through the lens of the Vietnam War and its lasting effects long after returning home.

As a college dropout amid the tumult of the 1960s and the Vietnam War, David Sciacchitano enlisted in the Air Force and volunteered to be sent overseas. An aircraft mechanic away from the front lines, David nevertheless experienced the chaos of war during the Tet Offensive and the 1975 evacuation. Although David returned home from the war with no physical injuries, it would be as if a part of him was forever left behind.

Set against one of the most polarizing events of the 20th century, The Heart That Fed is a beautifully illustrated and moving story of trauma and love--"a complex and empathetic portrait of war and its consequences" (Publishers Weekly, starred review)--told by a son seeking to understand a father now changed by PTSD and the horrors of war.

Review Quotes

"[A] powerful memoir." --Booklist

"A brilliant story on life during wartime and survival in peacetime--on the reconciliations of fathers, sons, our histories, and legacies." --Joseph Keatinge, writer/editor, Shutter, Ringside, Moonray, Vast Vision

"A moving story that discusses an experience that affects many veterans and their sons, not just those who served in Vietnam...Highly recommended for those wanting to understand war's human cost and lasting legacies." --James H. Willbanks, Vietnam War veteran and author of Abandoning Vietnam and A Raid Too Far

"In this powerful memoir, Sciacchitano makes expert use of the graphic novel format and the language of comics to tell his father's story through the interplay of past and present, of memory and the moment, and the lasting impact of the Vietnam War, both on those who lived through it and those who came after them." --Chris Roberson, co-creator of IZombie

"Part family memoir, part graphic history of America's long and traumatic war in Vietnam, this is an emotionally honest portrayal of the generational consequences of war. A truly superb, gorgeously illustrated rendition of wars aboard coming back home." --Gregory A. Daddis, USS Midway Chair in Modern U.S. Military History, San Diego State University

"Potent...Unlike many children of Vietnam veterans, Sciacchitano heard plenty...but the narrative is still structured as an investigation...conducting research and reconstructing his father [David]'s memories. Subtly sketched, with pops of emotive rawness in dialogue and evocative drawings, the book elegantly braids David's professional arc (military, Foreign Service, war victims' NGO work) with his psychological journey. The result is a complex and empathetic portrait of war and its consequences." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Powerful and engaging. The talented Carl Sciacchitano uses his illustrative skills to recreate the horrors of the Vietnam War and its ongoing legacy. You won't regret reading this one." --Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

"Weaving images and stories from past and near present, [Carl Sciacchitano creates a meticulously crafted narrative--illustrated with evocatively nostalgic black-and-white or sepia-colored pencil images--about a war that psychologically devastated his father and also helped define their relationship...A powerful and quietly poignant memoir and tribute." --Kirkus Reviews