Visser’s descriptive voice plays out on every
page, Kevin had been in an airplane many times,
but he was not prepared for the ever-changing,
but always majestic, landscape of British Columbia
that he was now flying over on a clear and cold
February day. The mountains and the terrain
below seemed to change constantly, and Kevin
was wide-eyed and astounded by the number of
small lakes he noticed that could only be
accessed by foot, horse, or possibly four-wheel
drive. Flying over the Coast Mountains, the peaks
seemed almost close enough to reach out and
touch with the bright February sunshine
highlighting each crag and crevasse filled with
sparkling, new, white snow.
Many of us learned about the
Vietnam War reading textbooks
and listening to teachers.
This novel provides a point of view
rarely found in a textbook
The plane that John and the other soldiers
going to Vietnam were boarding was an aging
troop transport plane without the airline-style
seats and very little comfort. Beyond the seat
belts bolted to the fuselage of the plane, one of
the first things John noticed was that there was
no bathroom on board. If that had been
announced at some point, John didn’t hear it. He
felt a slight twinge of panic, since his stomach had
been rumbling since learning he was going to
Vietnam instead of staying in Japan.
The author brings forth events from the 1960s
and ’70s through the lens of dynamic characters
from very different backgrounds forging their way
toward a similar outcome. Moments such as the
President Kennedy assassination and the murder
of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired Kevin to
participate in growing anti-war protests. He
introduces us to a traumatized Vietnam veteran,
John, and the conversations about the realities of
fighting in the Vietnam War, US Government
international expansionism and the acceptance of
these policies by the majority of US citizens. G
M
John ultimately decides to immigrate to Canada
and Kevin goes along for the road trip before
returning to college. Kevin falls in love with
Canada and decides to stay, much to the dismay
of his parents who are of the belief, “my country,
right or wrong.”Kevin’s true love from school,
Lorraine, joins him in Canada, and they begin a
unique, shared adventure managing a large
vineyard operation in British Columbia’s
Okanagan Valley.
This book teaches many lessons and leaves the
reader wanting more. One Amazon reviewer
describes it as, “a glimpse into a young man’s life
and the enormity of his decisions during the
Vietnam War era. Well written, deliciously
descriptive, this book makes you feel immersed in
the fabric of the late 1960s and early ’70s. It
weaves a compelling story with musical
references from this turbulent era.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to
anyone wanting to know more about this pivotal
era in our history or any reader wishing to relive
their memories through the pages of Peace of
Ourselves.
Kenn Visser has written a truly authentic novel
through the lens of memorable characters. He is
a business adventurer, entrepreneur, pragmatic
optimist, hopeless romantic, father of five children,
grandfather of a growing number of
grandchildren, musician,
songwriter,
poet, trained
chef, wine
grower, surfer,
and a global
ambassador of
good ideas. He
tried to follow
Robert Mondavi’s
philosophy of
“balance in all things
with glorious
exceptions.”
Peace of Ourselves will be
released in 2019 and can be
purchased in bookstores and on
amazon.com.
September/October 2019 GASPARILLA ISLAND 31