Suicide Wall

For a certain generation, all of us were victims of a very bad war. Vietnam brought out deep emotions no matter which side you were on. Whether warrior or protestor, most of us who allowed ourselves to be taken up in the events of that tumultuous time have suffered one way or another.

According to some estimates, over 150,000 Vietnam Veterans have ended their lives prematurely, either through suicide, drugs, alchohol or a self-destructive lifestyle brought on by the Vietnam experience. This is almost three times the number killed in the war, and when combined with the war dead, approaches the 292,000 combat dead in World War II.

There are scars left on those who didn't go as well. These are the scars of guilt from using quasi-legal ways to avoid the draft, (college deferments for the rich, exagerrated mental and physical disabilities for many others). There are also deep wounds for anyone who lost a brother, father, son or friend.

Suicide Wall takes a modern day look at these scars. The story centers around two pre and post war friends, one who went to Vietnam as a Combat Marine, and one who got out of the draft on bad knees. The story occurs during a weekend trip to Reno. For the veteran it is a desperate attempt to win money for a far fetched idea of building a memorial wall to commemorate those who have died by their own hand since the war. For his friend the trip starts as a get away from a life of less than honest living.

How these two reach a modern day resolution of their wounds from vastly different experiences in the 60's is the basis of this, at times humorous, very poignant book.