Book Review of
The Sniper

Lynn's Review

The Sniper by Jim Lindsay is a book about Vietnam published in 2023.

I had not read much about Vietnam, so when I saw this book, I instantly knew that I wanted to read it. I really enjoyed it. It might not have been the best-written book about Vietnam, but it is one that I will be thinking about for a long time. 

Chuck Mawhinney was a Marine during Vietnam who held the record for the most confirmed sniper kills. He is known as the greatest Marine marksman of all time. Yet, very few people knew about his story. He kept that part of his life hidden until one of his spotters in Vietnam wrote a book and included his time working with Chuck. Chuck could no longer remain hidden. 

Chuck was born in Pine Creek, Oregon. His upbringing helped him become the excellent marksman that he was. 

This book was different from many biography-type books. The chapters are short stories about his life. They include his growing up and living on his grandfather’s farm, his time in Vietnam, and his life after he returned. 

This book is short compared to many other books about war. It shares some stories of Chuck in Vietnam, but I am sure there are many more that he could have told. This book could have been a lot longer, but my guess is that Chuck shared the stories he felt that he could. 

There were probably many more stories to share, but Chuck must not have wanted to. I like that about this book. 

Jim Lindsay did a great job sharing Chuck’s story in a very personal way. There are not many technical details about Vietnam, the war, the equipment, etc., which makes this book very readable. Because the book is short, though, it is an easy, quick read. This is not a detailed account of Vietnam; it is one man’s story.

If you want a detailed account of the Vietnam War, this is not the book for you. However, if you want a very personal story of a boy from Oregon who became a man forever changed after signing up to be a Marine during the Vietnam War, this is a book I think you will enjoy.