Donald Simons' "I Refuse" is a personal memoir of one man's attempt to declare himself a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, and the consequences of his decision. One of the signs of excellent narrative writing is the ability to keep the reader turning the pages, and Simons manages this admirably well, building up and dramatizing each step of his confrontation with the local draft board and his subsequent trial. In doing so, he demonstrates a kind of courage different from that normally associated with war - the courage of conviction.

One of the strongpoints of the book is that the author never tries to convince the reader that his beliefs are absolutely right. He merely presents his story as if to say "I felt this way, I found myself in this situation, and this is what I decided to do." Even those who disagree with his decision can still understand and sympathize with his plight. The focus remains on the human reactions to the circumstances, and the effect on him and his family.

The author does a good job of describing the historical circumstances of the era, firmly rooting his personal story into a greater context. The excellent preface also gives a short history of coscientious objectors and the consequences they have faced, providing a more detailed historical backdrop to the scenes described in the book. For those interested in the Vietnam War era, this book represents a forgotten piece of the puzzle.

A relation of one man's struggle to declare himself a conscientious objector to the Vietnam war, "I Refuse" is a compelling and unique reflection on a turbulent era. The sign of a good narrative writer is the ability to keep the reader turning the pages, and Simons does this admirably well, building up and dramatizing each step in his confrontation with the local draft board and his subsequent trial. In doing so, the author illustrates a different kind of courage than that normally associated with war - moral courage.

One of the strengths of Mr. Simons' excellent memoir is that at no point in time does he attempt to persuade the reader that his beliefs about war are absolutely true. Rather, he presents his story by essentially saying, "This is how I felt, this is the situation I was in, and this is what I decided to do." Even those who completely disagree with his viewpoint can still sympathize with his predicament. This lack of ideological preaching allows the reader to focus in on the human side of the equation: how the events impact him and his family.

The author also does an excellent job of detailing the history of the era and rooting his story in this history, showing how his life becomes intertwined with events outside his control. The excellent preface gives a history of conscientious objectors and provides additional background, placing Simons' very personal narrative within a historical context. For anyone interested in the Vietnam draft era, this book provides an often neglected piece of the puzzle.

Although now a decade old, Donald Simons' I Refuse continues to be instructive for our times. This is a nonfiction account of a Vietnam War objector's experiences as he faced the prospect of being drafted into a war he found morally indefensible. His problem was doubly complicated by the fact that his home state of West Virginia, unlike other states, didn't recognize philosophical conscientious objection. The book is fascinating as Simons wrestles with tough moral decisions that have a direct impact on his life. He is no armchair philosopher pondering otherworldly concerns, but a person driven by his conscience, even when the personal consequences are life-changing. I Refuse is a page-turner that grips the reader intellectually and emotionally, and I strongly recommend it.