Hitch's Story

by Paul Pierpoint

Overview

Michael "Hitch" Crocker came home from Vietnam in March 1968 a broken and angry man burdened by a terrible guilt. He no longer fit into the world where he had grown up. A week after coming home, he left his mother and adoring younger brother to hike the Appalachian Trail to walk off the war and regain his sanity. They never heard from him again.
Until today.
Fifty years after his big brother disappeared, Benjamin "Boo" Crocker receives a letter in the mail with a package containing Hitch's war medals and his journal from his time on the trail. For five decades Boo suffered the mysterious loss of his older brother. Over time his confusion at Hitch's disappearance gave way to fear, anger, and even hate. Then, eventually, acceptance that he would never know what happened to his brother.
Now he holds Hitch's journal in his hand. He sits down to read it.
This is Hitch's story - a unique and powerful tale of a man torn apart by the tragedy of the war in Vietnam and his impossible struggle to put the pieces of his spirit back together in the wilderness that is the Appalachian Trail.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798607467166
Publisher:	Inependently Published
Publication date:	06/09/2020
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.64(d)

About the Author

Paul Pierpoint retired in 2017 to allow more time for his two passions - hiking and writing. Since retiring he has hiked 1,300 miles of the Appalachian Trail (trail name "Pepsi") and written his first novel. He lives in Bethlehem, PA, with his high school sweetheart, Alison, to whom he has been married for 43 years. His second novel is scheduled for release spring 2021.

Editorial Reviews

2023-08-15
Pierpoint’s debut novel depicts a U.S. Marine’s voyage of recovery after the trauma of war.

The year is 1968, and Lt. Michael “Hitch” Crocker has just been discharged from the armed forces because of “psychotic episodes and the frequent night screams” that “rendered him psychologically unfit to serve.” Even though he’s returned home to North Carolina, Hitch hasn’t forgotten the horrors of the war. His PTSD and guilt over his actions overseas make it difficult for him to sleep, get along with family members, and resume “plain old normal living,” as he puts it. To clear his head, he decides to hike the Appalachian Trail as a tribute to his good friend and fellow Marine, Pfc. Chester Blankenship, who died in the war during an unexpected attack. As he hikes, Hitch keeps a journal, which makes up most of the novel. Readers get a different perspective in intermittent third-person sections that depict the protagonist’s experiences in Vietnam, including his relationship with a Vietnamese woman named Muli Nguyen, and how violence continues to haunt him in America. Trauma and recovery are central themes of the story, but it also effectively displays a sense of hope as Hitch meets a variety of odd and intriguing characters, such as boxing master Robert E. “Barefoot Bob” Lee, and a man named Corky whose house is overrun with cats; these people help to restore Hitch’s faith in humanity. Such quirky acquaintances offer a welcome contrast to the intense brutality of the novel’s war scenes, resulting in a good balance of light and darkness. The story bounces back and forth in time, and there are a few moments that feel redundant as a result. However, the dialogue accurately reflects the period, including some characters’ use of offensive derogatory terms. Overall, the work provides a nuanced view of the Vietnam War and ably reflects the severe difficulties that many soldiers face.

An ultimately uplifting story that highlights the healing power of human connection.

Kirkus Reviews