The Heart That Fed

“Potent…Unlike many children of Vietnam veterans, Sciacchitano heard plenty…but the narrative is still structured as an investigation…conducting research and reconstructing his father [David]’s memories. Subtly sketched, with pops of emotive rawness in dialogue and evocative drawings, the book elegantly braids David’s professional arc (military, Foreign Service, war victims’ NGO work) with his psychological journey. The result is a complex and empathetic portrait of war and its consequences.”  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Weaving images and stories from past and near present, [Carl Sciacchitano creates a meticulously crafted narrative—illustrated with evocatively nostalgic black-and-white or sepia-colored pencil images—about a war that psychologically devastated his father and also helped define their relationship…A powerful and quietly poignant memoir and tribute.” —Kirkus Reviews

"[A] powerful memoir." —Booklist

“Part family memoir, part graphic history of America’s long and traumatic war in Vietnam, this is an emotionally honest portrayal of the generational consequences of war. A truly superb, gorgeously illustrated rendition of wars aboard coming back home.” —Gregory A. Daddis, USS Midway Chair in Modern U.S. Military History, San Diego State University 

“Powerful and engaging. The talented Carl Sciacchitano uses his illustrative skills to recreate the horrors of the Vietnam War and its ongoing legacy. You won’t regret reading this one.” —Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

“A moving story that discusses an experience that affects many veterans and their sons, not just those who served in Vietnam...Highly recommended for those wanting to understand war’s human cost and lasting legacies." —James H. Willbanks, Vietnam War veteran and author of Abandoning Vietnam and A Raid Too Far

"In this powerful memoir, Sciacchitano makes expert use of the graphic novel format and the language of comics to tell his father’s story through the interplay of past and present, of memory and the moment, and the lasting impact of the Vietnam War, both on those who lived through it and those who came after them." —Chris Roberson, co-creator of IZombie

"A brilliant story on life during wartime and survival in peacetime—on the reconciliations of fathers, sons, our histories, and legacies." —Joseph Keatinge, writer/editor, Shutter, Ringside, Moonray, Vast Vision