Blue-Eyed Boy: A Memoir

Robert Timberg was injured in Vietnam just days before he is to be sent home to his wife.  In just the span of time it takes for his vehicle to drive over a landmine, Timberg's life is changed forever.

In Blue-Eyed Boy Timberg takes us on the journey he goes through to reclaim his life after suffering third degree burns on his face and neck.  

His appearance is forever altered, and Timberg endures and endless number of surgeries as skin grafts and reconstruction take place. His wife, Janie, stands firmly by his side, encouraging and loving him.

Although a career as a writer was not on Timberg's radar prior to his accident, he had always enjoyed reading, and with few other prospects, decides he will attend graduate school and become a journalist.  

Blue-Eyed Boy is a well written memoir, clearly Timberg's decision to pursue a writing career was a good one.  Timberg shares the details of his time in Vietnam and his personal life, but what he is most focused on in the last third of his memoir is his research and the process he went through to write The Nightingale's Song.  

Had this memoir been less well written, I may have given up on it at that point.  As it is, although this was not my favorite portion of his memoir, I enjoyed Timberg's writing and felt invested enough in Blue-Eyed Boy that learning more about The Nightingale's Song was still enjoyable enough reading.

Memoir lovers, journalists, and readers with an interest in Vietnam will all enjoy Blue-Eyed Boy.