Better him than me

de Jack Eager

Written by Bernie Weisz Historian Pembroke Pines, Florida e mail address:[email protected] Title of Review:A Questionable Vietnam Memoir That Has Both Merits and Horrors! Notes: Bernie Weisz's Review of Jack Eager's 'Better Him Than Me' e mail:[email protected] Pembroke Pines, Florida Here is my review of Jack Eager's "Better Him Than Me" "I have read other reviews of Jack Eager's book "Better Him than Me" and over 80%, particularly those written by ex combat vets, appear to believe that this is a work of fiction. On the line notes, the book heading asserts: "This book is the product of the author's struggle with P.T.S.D., following his service in Viet Nam. As part of his treatment for the disorder, his psychologist suggested that he tape record his thoughts and feelings about his experiences during the war, and his life before and after. "Better Him Than Me" is the verbatim transcription of over 18 hours of the author's tape recorded recollections and reflections." Why would a vet publish is own private therapy sessions done with a therapist, supposedly private and confidential? Or is this demented fiction simply written under a pseudonym to cash in on the "P.T.S.D." bandwagon? Eager (a pseudonym) answers this in a letter to his readers, also inscribed on the back dust jacket. It reads: "To my readers; I am a Vietnam Veteran who is trying to live and cope with a condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, P.T.S.D. for short. A private psychologist which I have been seeing on a weekly basis for the last several years suggested that I should tape record my experiences as a combat infantryman in the Republic of South Vietnam. I agreed to do so, and firmly stated that I would record my extremely frank, graphic and totally true events as I lived them. Unlike all of the other past books and movies that dealt with the Vietnam War, my nonfiction story describes in detail everything that I saw and did in that horrific and insane war and country. I did not sugar coat anything or try to be intellectual or arty in any way during the telling of my story. After hearing my first micro cassette tape, the psychologist said that my compelling and forceful story would make a really good book! So a year and a half later, which is the time it took to complete the taping, we compiled a manuscript and submitted copies for publication. My book also deals with my childhood and the physical and verbal abuse that I suffered at the hands of an alcoholic father. I discussed these events about my father, because it was my first introduction to the world of P.T.S.D. I also talked about my life treatments for this condition after I came home from Vietnam to the present time. It was extremely difficult to recall all of these traumatic events of my life, and I strongly hope and feel that the telling of my unique story will help me and millions of others out there like me". So is this book's story the "real deal"? Although it is clearly stated that "Jack Eager" is a pseudonym, I tried to research some information about the publisher, James Criswell. I came up with nothing. The clinical psychologist that Eager supposedly records his 18 hours with is Jan B. Roosa, P.h.D. I called the American Psychiatric Association, as well as googled the name, once again drawing blanks. Perhaps also false names? So, who the hell is Jack Eager, and why did James Criswell publish this? Griswell elaborates with this explanation: "On a gloomy day in November, just before Thanksgiving in 1998, I received a phone call from an individual who identified himself as Mr. Jack Eager (not his real name). Mr. Eager said that he had written a book. He said that he saw our company's name, Truman Publishing, listed in the phone book and was calling for some free advice about securing representation by a literary agent. Jack and I chatted and I became intrigued by what I he told me. He explained that he was a Vietnam Veteran and was undergoing treatment for a disorder called P..T.S.D. He told me that the book he had written was derived from his psychotherapy. During the course of his treatment, his psychologist suggested that he use a tape recorder to privately dictate his life story. He said that he made 18 hours of these tape recordings, He also told me that his psychologist's secretary had transcribed them verbatim. I asked if we could see the transcription. I was stunned by the documents that Mr. Eager delivered to us. The fact that some American soldiers were guilty of atrocities in that terrible war in Vietnam is fairly well documented. Seldom, however, does one read a detailed first person account of the crimes that one individual actually committed or witnessed. I had never seen, or heard of, a story quite like this one. I have never read an account of such remorseless brutality, delivered in such a matter-of-fact manner. I met Mr. Eager face to face when he delivered his manuscript to our office. When one meets someone, one immediately forms an impression