In this 40th anniversary of the year 1968 -- one of the most turbulent in recent American history -- a number of new books are arriving in recognition of the milestone. Here are three -- one a work of nonfiction, one a memoir and the other a piece of fiction -- about the legacy of the 1960s.

"On Their Own"

by Joyce Hoffmann

Da Capo, $27.50

One of the seminal themes of the 1960s -- and beyond -- is that of the Vietnam War. In "On Their Own," Joyce Hoffmann illuminates a previously neglected aspect of that conflict: the role of female journalists who covered the war.

Hoffmann tells the stories of Frances Fitzgerald, Dickey Chappelle, Gloria Emerson, Kate Webb, Liz Trotta and several others. These women's adventures included romances with American spies, captivity among the North Vietnamese, marching through jungles among American soldiers and battling for respect within the journalistic "old boys' club." Their opinions ran the gamut from pro- to anti-war, are were just as varied.

Hoffmann, a journalist herself, juggles these different narratives with aplomb. She never resorts to generalizations but instead uses extensive interviews and other primary sources to give a real sense of each woman's distinct experience. Through careful examination of those experiences, Hoffmann also sheds light on the bigger picture of American involvement in Vietnam. "On Their Own" is an important addition to the canon of Vietnam War literature.

"Between Panic and Desire"

by Dinty W. Moore

University of Nebraska, $24.95

Dinty W. Moore mixes the personal and the universal in this combined memoir and "generational autobiography." Moore was 8 years old when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, an event that sent Moore's mother into a paralyzing depression while his father spent his evenings at neighborhood bars.

"Between Panic and Desire" is an unconventional narrative, mixing purely autobiographical accounts with more experimental vignettes, all of which explore the mingling of mass culture and personal pain. For instance, the chapter "Son of Mr. Green Jeans" is an alphabetical guide to the fictional fathers in whom young Moore sought to find a replacement for his troubled parent. "What You Want, What You Get, What You Need," in which Moore examines both the legacy of the 1960s and his own eventual ability to overcome his past, takes the form of an autopsy report.

The book's finest chapter, "Number Nine," is a disturbing, yet unexpectedly funny meditation on Yoko Ono, Charles Manson and Sept. 11. Moore's control of his narrative voice is exceptional. He tells a moving, sometimes downright sad story without veering into nostalgia, sentimentality or too-clever archness.

"Woman's World"

by Graham Rawle

Soft Skull, $25

In the early 1960s, 28-year-old Norma Little, who prefers to be called "Norma Fontaine," lives in suburban England with her older brother, Roy, and their mother, Mary. Norma prides herself to an irritating extent on her femininity, obsessing over her clothes, hair and make-up. But underneath Norma's flightiness lies a darker undercurrent.

She often refers to an "accident" she suffered years ago, and Mary seems to disapprove of her very presence yet refuses to let her out of the house. Norma sneaks out one day and makes the acquaintance of Mr. Hands, a portrait photographer who finds her charming. They agree to meet for a photo session, but then things go terribly awry. Meanwhile, Roy's budding romance with a store clerk named Eve also threatens to tear the Little family apart.

The novel's plot is interesting enough, but what makes it ingenious is the way Graham Rawle tells it. The entire book (including page numbers) is made up of words cut from 1960s women's magazines, which Rawle pasted together over a period of years. His ability to tease a coherent, and compelling, narrative voice from these fragments is remarkable.

Rebecca Oppenheimer, a recent Towson University graduate and National Book Critics' Circle member, continues to dive into the latest books from her home in Stevenson.

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