Indra's Net

The Vietnam War polarized Americans. In the wake of political and military decisions, over 56,000 American lives were lost with 300,000 wounded. Over 1.5 million Vietnamese died. U.S. use of napalm, conventional bombing and Agent Orange defoliant ruined one-third of South Vietnam's land area. Applying Cold War technology and precision, the U.S. bombs dropped on North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia amounted to 8-million tons, four times the total tonnage of bombs dropped during all of World War II. Despite this effort, "victory" did not occur against a Third World adversary...

Indra's Net is not a war story. A novel set against the backdrop of history and spanning four generations, Indra's Net shares the lives of two families from disparate cultures and societies. A story of family triumphs, grave losses, struggle and, ultimately, reconciliation, the novel's defining characters each play a role in this process. Set in the rural American West and Asia, Indra's Net shares the unfolding chronicle of a steadfast American family. Homesteading at Carson Valley, Nevada, in the 1800s, the Sterns family helps build community and a successful family ranching operation. The Pacific War against Japan brings Pete Sterns on a military assignment to Indo-China. These events forever change the Sterns' relationship to Vietnam. At the peak of America's military involvement at Vietnam, Pete and Sarah's oldest son, Mike, enlists in the Army and is soon sent to fight afield in Southeast Asia. The outcome of Mike's experience and a strong sense of family encourage Sarah to bridge cultures and overcome the impact of war and hostility, eventually reconciling and binding two families.

In Buddhism, Indra's Net describes a series of mirrors that, when positioned correctly, present a view of the whole universe. This also provides a foundation for belief in the interconnectedness of all beings.