The Village of Ben Suc

“An eloquently understated documentary in precise and relevant terms.”—Kirkus Reviews“Arguably the most important book of reporting from Vietnam.”—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker“One of the most sobering indictments yet seen of the purposes and conduct of the Vietnam War.”—Eliot Fremont-Smith, The New York Times“Originally published as an essay for the New Yorker in 1967, The Village of Ben Suc offers a stark lesson in the banality and absurdity of human endeavour.” —Guy Stevenson, TLS

Jonathan Schell (1943-2014) was an American nonfiction author whose work explored twentieth-century warfare. Best known for his book on the consequences of nuclear weapons, Fate of the Earth, he was a nominee for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Critics Prize. His work appeared in The New Yorker and The Nation.

Wallace Shawn was born in New York City and still lives there. He is the author of several books, including Essays and Night Thoughts, and many plays, including The Fever and The Designated Mourner. Andre Gregory’s productions of The Designated Mourner and Grasses of a Thousand Colors are available as podcasts from Gideon Media; an opera written with Allen Shawn, The Music Teacher, is available from Bridge Records. His latest play, What We Did Before Our Moth Days, will eventually be seen.