MatterhornMatterhorn
Score Modern
What it's about
Young Marine lieutenant Waino Mellas and his comrades in Bravo Company are dropped into the mountain jungle of Vietnam and forced to fight their way into manhood. Their enemies are not only the North Vietnamese but also monsoon rain and mud, leeches, tigers, disease and hunger, and the racial tension and ambition within their own ranks.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. Written by a decorated Marine veteran over more than thirty years, it's one of the great novels of the Vietnam War.
You'll love it if you liked
The Things They Carried
All Quiet on the Western Front
Catch-22Good to know
It's long and full of military detail; there's a glossary at the back. It's brutal and realistic.
By the numbers
- Readers91 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller47 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #53 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #297 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #590 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Moving
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Quick answers
Is Matterhorn worth reading?
Yes. It has spent 26 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #590 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Matterhorn about?
Young Marine lieutenant Waino Mellas and his comrades in Bravo Company are dropped into the mountain jungle of Vietnam and forced to fight their way into manhood. Their enemies are not only the North Vietnamese but also monsoon rain and mud, leeches, tigers, disease and hunger, and the racial tension and ambition within their own ranks.
How long does it take to read Matterhorn?
About 15 hours (592 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Matterhorn?
If you liked it, try The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque or Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.