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Dear Isabel, I've Been Hit Again, Slightly: The Riveting Chronicles from Italy's Bloodiest Front, and His Bride's Letters from Home
Dear Isabel, I’ve Been Hit Again…
Slightly
With incredible wit, startling confessions, and unique observations, Ned Mathews went from being a twenty-eight-year-old Art Historian and Restorer to an infantryman in the bloodiest fought battle of World War Two.
Always with an eye for entertaining his bride at home, Ned’s letters were filled with witty points of view of army life, explaining the difficulties of overtaking the German forces from their dug-in defenses, admiring the architecture of Europe, and watching the bombing of Monte Cassino.
In a passing comment about a general handing out pieces of paper for doing a good job, which they knew they had done…was the buried truth that he earned the Bronze Star Medal for the 4th highest award in the Army in World War 2.
Meanwhile, his bride’s letters described the life of a war bride with blackout curtains, tape on the car headlights at night, watching smoking ships from the shores of Miami Beach, and juggling gas and food ration coupons - all while raising their newborn daughter.
EDITORIAL REVIEW
It was my great honor to be the editor of this book!
authentic historical references,insight,intelligence,and humor.It is remarkable in its clarity and its wit.If you read five books this year, make sure this is one of them!
Kit Duncan
MILITARY REVIEW
Having been a Marine pilot in the Vietnam War, this was a book I couldn’t put down.
Fans of Band of Brothers will enjoy this.The letters are articulate,intimate exchange of pain,sacrifice,and an unknown future exchanged between newlyweds.Reading like a novel, these letters of love, fear, and uncertainty will draw you in.
Colonel Kari Johnson, USMCR (ret)
Click on the link and buy it today. The hardback copy will make a great gift!
With incredible wit, startling confessions, and unique observations, Ned Mathews went from being a twenty-eight-year-old Art Historian and Restorer to an infantryman in the bloodiest fought battle of World War Two.
Always with an eye for entertaining his bride at home, Ned’s letters were filled with witty points of view of army life, explaining the difficulties of overtaking the German forces from their dug-in defenses, admiring the architecture of Europe, and watching the bombing of Monte Cassino.
In a passing comment about a general handing out pieces of paper for doing a good job, which they knew they had done…was the buried truth that he earned the Bronze Star Medal for the 4th highest award in the Army in World War 2.
Meanwhile, his bride’s letters described the life of a war bride with blackout curtains, tape on the car headlights at night, watching smoking ships from the shores of Miami Beach, and juggling gas and food ration coupons - all while raising their newborn daughter.
EDITORIAL REVIEW
It was my great honor to be the editor of this book!
authentic historical references,insight,intelligence,and humor.It is remarkable in its clarity and its wit.If you read five books this year, make sure this is one of them!
Kit Duncan
MILITARY REVIEW
Having been a Marine pilot in the Vietnam War, this was a book I couldn’t put down.
Fans of Band of Brothers will enjoy this.The letters are articulate,intimate exchange of pain,sacrifice,and an unknown future exchanged between newlyweds.Reading like a novel, these letters of love, fear, and uncertainty will draw you in.
Colonel Kari Johnson, USMCR (ret)
Click on the link and buy it today. The hardback copy will make a great gift!
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2023
13 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 10, 2023
I loved the letters
They were emotional and showed a strong bond between two people even with the war. I felt a lot of emotion while reading this- I smiled and cried
They were emotional and showed a strong bond between two people even with the war. I felt a lot of emotion while reading this- I smiled and cried
March 17, 2024
The Impact of War on a Soldier and a Bride
"Dear Isabel, I've Been Hit Again, Slightly" by Amanda Mathews Rankin and Pamela Mathews is a heartfelt touch on history by a soldier fighting on World War II's Italian front and his bride back in the States.
The book provides a dual perspective that's rare and precious, combining the gritty realities of war with the day-to-day challenges faced on the home front during a time of blackouts and rations.
Ned's articulate, thoughtful observations from the battlefield, coupled with Isabel's experiences and rewritten responses from home, offer a comprehensive look at the war's impact abroad and domestically.
Discovering these letters tied up in a shoebox and experiencing them brings an intimate connection to the past, enough to know the value of the present.
This book is a treasure for anyone interested in World War II personal narratives.
"Dear Isabel, I've Been Hit Again, Slightly" by Amanda Mathews Rankin and Pamela Mathews is a heartfelt touch on history by a soldier fighting on World War II's Italian front and his bride back in the States.
The book provides a dual perspective that's rare and precious, combining the gritty realities of war with the day-to-day challenges faced on the home front during a time of blackouts and rations.
Ned's articulate, thoughtful observations from the battlefield, coupled with Isabel's experiences and rewritten responses from home, offer a comprehensive look at the war's impact abroad and domestically.
Discovering these letters tied up in a shoebox and experiencing them brings an intimate connection to the past, enough to know the value of the present.
This book is a treasure for anyone interested in World War II personal narratives.
December 24, 2025
Remarkable insight of ordinary people
This unusual book of letters between two ordinary people living through extraordinary times brings new insight to how WWII was experienced. It is a credit to the family of the writers that they uncovered and then prepared for publication this wonderful and historical memorial
This unusual book of letters between two ordinary people living through extraordinary times brings new insight to how WWII was experienced. It is a credit to the family of the writers that they uncovered and then prepared for publication this wonderful and historical memorial
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews