Historical fiction book · Curated
A Dangerous Friend
Ward Just · historical fiction
American idealism collides with Vietnam’s reality (SAH Prize co-winner 2001).
About this historical novel
A Dangerous Friend by Ward Just is historical fiction set around 1965 in the Cold War period with key settings including Vietnam. American idealism collides with Vietnam’s reality (SAH Prize co-winner 2001).
On HisFic we tag it under 1. Literary historical fiction and 5. Military & war so you can pair it with similar story types. Recurring themes include war, politics, and idealism. It also appears on our prize-winner shelf—useful if you like critically recognized historical novels.
Use HisFic’s free journey planner to stay in this era or subgenre, save titles to a want-to-read list in your browser, and open Amazon when you are ready to buy. HisFic is discovery-only—not a bookstore—so pages like this exist to help you choose the next historical novel with intent.
Plot summary
American idealism collides with Vietnam’s reality (SAH Prize co-winner 2001).
Awards
- ★ Society of American Historians Prize for Historical Fiction · 2001 (winner)
Biennial US prize (formerly James Fenimore Cooper Prize) for historical fiction on an American subject.
Subgenres
Eras
Browse this mix
More like this on HisFic
Curated titles that share era, story type, or themes.
- The Women · Kristin Hannah
A young American nurse serves in Vietnam and struggles to be seen when she comes home.
- In the Lake of the Woods · Tim O'Brien
A politician’s marriage unravels under the shadow of Vietnam (SAH Prize 1995).
- Matterhorn · Karl Marlantes
Marines fight for a hill in Vietnam—brutal, unforgettable (SAH Prize 2011).
- Tightrope · Simon Mawer
A female SOE agent’s wartime courage and Cold War aftershocks (Walter Scott Prize 2016).
- The Kite Runner · Khaled Hosseini
A boyhood betrayal in Kabul echoes through war, exile, and a chance at redemption.
- The Garden of Evening Mists · Tan Twan Eng
A judge in Malaya tends a Japanese garden and confronts wartime memory (Walter Scott Prize 2013).
Regions & places
Asia · North America
Vietnam
Themes
- war
- politics
- idealism
Tags
award-winner