Highways to a War
Highways to a War by Christopher J. Koch, published by Penguin Books in 1996, is a reprint edition comprising 469 pages in English. The narrative follows Ray Barton as he journeys to war-torn Southeast Asia in search of his missing friend, Michael Langford, a combat photographer who vanished while on a mysterious mission in Khmer Rouge Cambodia. This quest not only highlights Langford’s bravery and loyalties but also explores the personal journeys that lead individuals to confront the realities of war.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of Indochina, capturing the contrast between serene rice paddies and the chaotic environment of Phnom Penh. The story delves into themes of heroism and the complex relationships formed in a landscape marked by conflict. Koch’s writing brings to life the struggles faced by Cambodian troops and the emotional ties that bind Langford to the region, making Highways to a War a significant exploration of the human experience amid the turmoil of war.
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“A gripping tale . . . A convincing, page-turning evocation of recent history.”–The New York Times
Ray Barton travels to war-ravaged Southeast Asia to search for his missing friend Michael Langford, a brilliant, risk-taking combat photographer who was stolen into Khmer Rouge Cambodia on a mysterious mission and disappeared. The search illuminates Langford’s heroism, his fierce loyalties, and the personal highways he has traveled to war. Langford’s empathy for the brave but poorly commanded Cambodian troops and his love for a young Cambodian woman have led him in the end to put down the camera and take up the gun in a foreign struggle he had made his own.
Koch richly evokes Indochina–from the deceptively tranquil rice paddies of South Vietnam to the corrupt, doomed pink-and-white city of Phnom Penh. Highways to a War is a story of intense relationships forged in a dangerous and hallucinatory land that continues to haunt the American soul.
“An absorbing, deeply moving . . . tale of love and heroism. . . . The evocation of the Cambodian landscape . . . is truly haunting.”–Kirkus Reviews
“Highways to a War ranks among the best of the . . . literature that has come out of the agony of the wars in Southeast Asia.”–The Orlando Sentinel
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