Karl Marlantes and his nearly 35-year quest to tell his Vietnam story

When Karl Marlantes returned from the Vietnam War as a highly decorated Marine Lieutenant, he encountered a group of college students who called him names like "baby killer" while they waved North Vietnamese flags. He was flabbergasted. And not sure what to do. He wanted to tell those students that the soldiers who were fighting the war were just kids like them, trying to grow up, trying to earn a college education. The only way he knew how to do that was to write. So he did -- for more than 30 years.

In the meantime, he had PTSD and didn't know it. Neither did his wife and children. They just thought he had gone crazy.

There's lots more to know about this persistent man and his novel. Tune in tonight at 6:30 (YPRadio.org) or 7:30 (MTPR.org) to hear Karl Marlantes talk about his writing marathon, his time in Vietnam, PTSD, and his current opinion of war.

If you can't tune in or missed the program, you can listen online at the MTPR Web site.