THE ANTHOLOGY OF CRITICAL AND CLINICAL COMMENTARY
"THE VIETNAM WAR NOVEL THAT MADE PTSD REAL!"
Philip Beider, PhD, Captain, US Army, Vietnam, Author of American Literature and the Experience of Vietnam
“Charles Coleman’s Sergeant Back Again stands out as a masterful psychological war novel because it pioneered the literary translation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from the battlefield to the Army’s specialized psychiatric hospital on the grounds of Fort Sam Houston before the condition was even formally diagnosed. Rather than merely describing combat trauma, the novel uses highly experimental narrative techniques to recreate the fractured, disoriented mental state of a its traumatized survivors.”
“I have not read all the books that have come out of the Vietnam War, but I can’t imagine there will be one finer or more moving”. George Kearns, The Hudson Review.
Charles A. Coleman, Jr. is the author of Sergeant Back Again, an influential historical novel recognized for its groundbreaking portrayal of combat-related psychological trauma following the Vietnam War. His work bridges literature, history, and military medicine, offering readers a deeply authentic account of the emotional realities faced by returning soldiers.
The novel continues to be studied and appreciated by:
- Veterans
- Mental health professionals
- Military historians
- Educators
- Students
- General readers interested in American history
Through compelling storytelling and historical insight, Coleman has contributed to the broader understanding of trauma, resilience, and recovery.
AMERICAN CULT CLASSIC
An influential novel with lasting literary significance.
VITENAM WAR LEGACY
Honoring the courage and sacrifice of American veterans.
MENTAL HEALTH AWEARNESS
Encouraging conversations about PTSD and recovery.
READ. LEARN. REMEMBER
A story that continues to educate and inspire generations.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Published by HarperCollins just five years after the Vietnam War ended, Sergeant Back Again vividly dramatizes an unprecedented portrayal of the invisible wounding of the psyches of combat veterans fighting a losing battle for their own “hearts and minds.”
Today, Sergeant Back Again is considered one the very best, contemporary psychological war novels of all time and remains a significant literary work for readers interested in:
- Vietnam War history
- Combat-related PTSD
- Military medicine
- Psychological trauma
- Veteran experiences
- American military history
- Moral and ethical issues raised by the Vietnam War
- Social and political conflict erupting in civil disobedience (in the form of massive protests, draft card burning, anti-war clashes in the streets culminating with killing of three students by the Ohio National Guardsmen on the grounds of Kent State University in 1970)
- Combat-induced trauma- and stressor related disorders effects on civilian populations
Follow in the footsteps of corpsman Andy Collins from his forward field medical unit just below the DMZ as he struggles to keep the dead from dying and himself from his own psychological postmortem. Join the ranks of “the Walking Wounded” as this highly acclaimed American Cult Classic continues to educate readers, veterans, medical professionals, and historians decades after its original publication in 1980.
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Sergeant Back Again serves as a valuable teaching resource for classrooms, universities, military education programs, and mental health studies.
TOPICS:
- Vietnam War history
- PTSD awareness
- Combat psychology
- American literature
- Military ethics
- Veteran rehabilitation
Additional study guides, discussion questions, and educational materials are available for instructors and students.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Charles A. Coleman, Jr. is the author of Sergeant Back Again, an influential historical novel recognized for its groundbreaking portrayal of combat-related psychological trauma following the Vietnam War.
His work bridges literature, history, and military medicine, offering readers a deeply authentic account of the emotional realities faced by returning soldiers.
The novel continues to be studied and appreciated by:
- Veterans
- Mental health professionals
- Military historians
- Educators
- Students
- General readers interested in American history
Through compelling storytelling and historical insight, Coleman has contributed to the broader understanding of trauma, resilience, and recovery.
CLIENT REVIEWS
A POWERFUL STORY OF WAR, TRAUMA AND SURVIVAL
Own this landmark work of historical fiction and experience one of the earliest literary explorations of combat-related PTSD.
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