Best Vietnam Book I have heard!!!

I loved this book and would love to meet Harry Constance! I am a retired Naval Officer and just loved his story. Thanks Harry for the fantastic book!

7 people found this helpful

Unfortunately this book was not "Good to Go"

Oh man, I had to stop listening after 3hrs - couldn't waste any more time. The story reads like a G rated, fiction novel. I never connected emotionally to the characters, maybe due to the narration. The narrator was a cross between Maxwell Smart and a newscaster. The language used did not fit the situation....no seasoned warrior in 1967 would say things like "Things are really dicked up", "I shot nine guys", "there are pissed off people in the tree line". They dropped f-bombs in war and said crude things...they called the enemy gooks. Somebody edited to the point of political correctness.

I just finished Dead Center by Ed Kruger and was hoping for a similar, visceral, emotional experience. A book that easily transports the reader/listener into the story. One I didn't want to end...the narration was unbelievable.

32 people found this helpful

Such a Wonderful Listen, Don't Pass This One Up

The Vietnam mantra was that the body count was the measure of success, that was when Harry Constance did his first and second tour in Vietnam. Harry went back to Vietnam for his third tour but the war had become a political quagmire whereby Harry and his best friend, Gallagher, were unable to fight a war to win.

The Tete Offensive was initiated by the NV during the most celebrated day of Vietnam, Tete which could be compared to Christmas Day in the US. There had been a truce between the NV and the SV. The truce was broken by the NV and what followed was the most fierce battles fought in Vietnam.

The men of SEAL Team 2 had to defend the bunk house where the Navy, Army and Marines had all come together, unknowingly, for a much needed respite. The first round of 300 strong NV soldier's pounded the American Compound. Every man present fought hard and were, after 7 very long days, still in control of their designated property.


Both Harry and Gallagher were members of SEAL Team 2. They participated in the Phoenix Program and for them it was a great success. They were able to train and work along with the VC defectors. The men were sincere and capable, when needed to participate in heated one to one combat. There was one female in the group who was the interpreter and was excellent at her job. However, during the ferocious battle she came forward and was able to prove her worth as a warrior. Her entire family had been murdered by the NV and she no longer would bow to their rule.


Both Gallagher and Harry treated the warrior's with equality. When one of the warrior's was in the hospital due to injuries inflicted by war, Harry would give the weekly earnings of the injured to his wife. There was comradeship among the NV who fought with and beside Harry and Gallagher.

The Phoenix Project was another political failure for the United States. Harry and Gallagher were called back and assigned other duties.

The book, Ready to Go, was the best of all the memoir's I've listened to and there are many. I did not want to book to end. Listening to Harry Constance's remembrances of his times in Vietnam were excellent. I was able to gain much more understanding of the war in Vietnam than ever before. Harry told his story with honesty and clarity. The narrator, Todd McLaren, was excellent. I would never have enjoyed reading the memoir more if I had read it instead of listening to it. I was able to feel emotions throughout the book. I did not cry but felt anger, love, disgust and so many other's. I'm sure that I will revisit this book one day and enjoy it more than the first time. There was action, edge of the seat occurrences along with suspense. I am certainly glad that a friend, after listening to Harry's story over time, realized the importance of sharing it with the public. I'm sure if you are interested in a memoir of one of our nation's warriors, this book will be the best choice to select. I can only hope that you are able to gain the knowledge of how a man can tell his life with honesty and clarity.

14 people found this helpful

A truly exceptional read. Sad it's over

I would suggest this to anyone who is a fan of the military memoir genre . This book covers the most amazing story I have read yet . It pulls you in at every turn and does not like go even after it's finished. It shows you how exceptional one soldier and his effect can be. It is also an uplifting story teaching how much perserverence can really get us through.

9 people found this helpful

Frustrated That I Don't Like This Book

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone.

Has Good to Go turned you off from other books in this genre?

No.

Any additional comments?

I have read a number of books on SEALs. These men have my respect. This book promised to tell the story of the SEALs in Vietnam, which was a period of time I’d not read much on. I feel genuine tension at my respect for Harry’s service to the country, my deep respect for the SEALs (and the men and women of our military) and my growing dislike of the book. If I could have just read the first half of the book, I might have felt a bit better about the read. My pro’s and con’s are followed by what I think are excellent books on the SEALs…and a much better investment of your time.

Pro’s
* Stories about Vietnam
* Insights into some of the political issues at hand
* The hope that he really did support Marnie as he describes…this is a class move
Con’s
* Writing was often cheesy and trite. The descriptions of battle can feel very “high school essay-esque” and any time he writes about his relationship with Sandy (and later Barbara) it straddles a line between low grade harlequin romance and awkward teenage relationship angst. Ugh.
* The gruesome celebration of the killing in Vietnam felt unnecessary…and I’ve not seen that type of graphic celebration in any of the other writings I’ve read.
* The testimony on record of “”Chicken Charlie” not actually being chicken, including testimony from Roy Dean and Riojas on his character. Harry recanted this part of the book…but it’s still in there. This to me is embarrassing, and calls into question the other aspects of the book that have not been “fact checked” in court.
* His commitment to obstinance and arrogance gets tiresome…not because it’s real, but b/c there feels to be an air of pride in his continual bad attitude. He muses at one point over some “maybes” as to his trouble…and he eventually comes to the conclusion that it was because “he couldn’t play politics.” “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin would be helpful.
* The narrator gives anyone Harry dislikes a whiny, irritating voice. Seems immature.
* His tearing down of his ex-wife was also unnecessary. Did she deserve it? I think that is beside the point… Its was low-brow and I’m not sure it did Harry any benefit to dredge it up and write about it.

My recommendations for reading about SEALs:
* “Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown.” This is the most inspirational book I’ve ever read…SEAL or otherwise. Eric Blehm is a fantastic author. This book is the best.
* “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win.” My favorite book on leadership. Simple. Short and to the point. The lessons were powerful and are the foundation for any leadership team.
* “The Trident: The Forging and Reforging of a Navy SEAL Leader” by Jason Redman. I thought the story, writing, and redemption of Jason Redman was powerful and well written. It brings both the realism of the teams and battle, the struggle of a man, and his eventual redemption w/o feeling trite and arrogant.
* “Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life” by Eric Greitens. Meaningful that delivers on its promise of wisdom. The lessons were powerful and well worth the time to read…and reflect on. I read advice from a reviewer of the book to first read his previous book, “The Heart and the Fist.” It gave context to who Eric was, and where the wisdom in “Resilience” came from. This was great advice, and made “Resilience” that much more meaningful and rich.
* “Lone Survivor” and “American Sniper” both were very good as well.
* Finally, anything by Dick Couch on the SEALs is worth reading. His insight and access is unmatched. I started with “The Warrior Elite,” the read “The Finishing School,” and the finally read “Navy SEALs: Their untold story.” I really liked all 3.

8 people found this helpful

A spirited story of courage and determination

I've read many story's related to the accounts of the highly regarded Navy Seals from the current war on terror in Afghanistan to the early inception of Seals into Vietnam. This is one of the best Listens I've had on the trials a tribulations of Seals and their battle with managing the tight knit brotherhood and family life. This book has everything, heavy Action, a love story, heartache, humor and disappointment from a guy that deserved far better than he got for his service to his country

5 people found this helpful

I question some of the book....l

Highly trained SEALs yet leave one of their own behind on the first op in the book? Highly trained yet don't understand hand signals. Calls his rifle a gun? Steps in five pundit traps up to his groin in one night without getting stuck. Finds 12 trip wire booby traps in one night and his "highly trained" buddy comes along behind picking them up and trips three of them and all three were duds.........etc etc. I can't quite equate this story with what I knew and did in Vietnam. Sorry. I would say more but......

7 people found this helpful

Good, Not the Best

This is good but not great and not the best. There were a few times where the events seemed contrived or exaggerated. "We Few" by Nick Brokhausen (available on audible) is better and in my opinion is the best book on special forces in Vietnam. Good to Go is not nearly as deep or multifaceted as We Few.

1 person found this helpful

Great book

I really liked this book. i was stationed onboard the USS Whipple when Harry Constance came aboard. He was a great guy. Thank for telling your story Chief.
SK1 (ret) Dean Bush

1 person found this helpful

Seal of Disapproval

It's hard to tell truth from embellishment in most of these "hero" books. This one's no different. It reads like a B movie script written by a 12 years old boy though. This is made even worse by the narrator emoting through bloody battles and sappy home front love scenes with equal nausea inducing fervor. I was so embarrassed by both, that several times, I had to stop listening for a while before I could continue. All SEALs are heroes, not all of them are writers though.

1 person found this helpful