A satirical gem! The book is narrated and masterfully told by a young M. Chris Polo, whose main goal is to not wind up dead in a rice field 5,000 miles away in Vietnam. The summer after he graduates high school he takes a summer job at a remote summer camp in the mountains of California. There he meets up with a handful of insane characters- all stuck in the twilight zone of life- not knowing if they will wind up in Vietnam, whether by choice or the draft. As Polo ’s summer progresses, the exploits and attitudes of the crazy camp staff are revealed in each chapter.
A tapestry of life in 1969 is carefully reconstructed through zany recollections of that summer. As the staff s celebrates Neil Armstrong being first man to walk on the moon, they believe the future is hopeful. The future should look bright, but it doesn’t. Their future is uncertain, as every night on the news they see the body count of how many Americans died in Vietnam that day. But author Polo reveals their past was just as insane as they survived their younger public school years practicing “duck and cover” drills each week under the threat of total nuclear war. The had all been witness to events like The Cuban Missile Crisis, the shootings of both John and Bobby Kennedy , the Watts Riots and Atomic Bomb testing. They were the Atomic generation, which were born from the end of WW2 to the early 1950’s. After surviving all that, now they would have to survive the end of the sixties. The humor of the book is often cynical but always on target with the times.
If you think the last few years was a crazy time to be alive, “
The Camp Clovis Chronicles 1969” will reveal and remind you of another time some fifty years
ago that was just as insane. Maybe nothing really ever changes, we just grow older and forget.
-in this rare glimpse into a forgotten part of the American past, M. Chris Polo takes us on a
hilarious journey into America’s past. I highly recommend this book
CLARE- / Singer – Songwriter
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Are you in the mood for a good read? Are you nostalgic for the 60’s? Mr. Polo has the book for you. It is titled THE CAMP CLOVIS CHRONICLES 1969. Have a comfortable seat, pop some popcorn and enjoy a diet coke then…read (and relax). Mr Polo writes in a comfortable, entertaining way. He is a gifted storyteller. You may find parts of the book time consuming but that is only because you will be laughing too hard to read at your usual pace. Peace!
Mr. R. LABONTE / Teacher-Anaheim California
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I love this book. It has been a long time since I was intrigued into a tale that is peaceful and relaxing to read while at the same time inspirational and thought-provoking. Told with such honesty, this story takes me back to my youth, to my own emotional journeys through the Cold War era and then the Vietnam War. The humor is a gift. Please give us more.
PENNY MORGAN / CDA Idaho
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The Camp Clovis Chronicles 1969 will take you back to a place and time when life was simpler in a more turbulent time. It combines life’s most human instincts with natures wonders. The author uses a mix of interesting characters and camp events that will make you want to go back to summer camp. I’m sure that anyone who have ever been to camp or lived through the late sixties will relate to the events in this book. If you are younger you will still be amazed at the simple truths that are still relevant today. It had me laughing and thinking!
GARY WILLIAMS / Saltillo, Misourri
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The audio version will be available by summer 2025 through Audible.
To order click the link below