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Same War Different Battlefields: Inspiring Stories from Civilians Impacted By WWII
Inspiring stories from civilians impacted by World War II.
This collection of poignant stories from World War II gives first-person accounts about the bombing of Hiroshima, the London Blitz, the POW camp near Greeley, CO, refugees fleeing invading Russian armies, living under Nazi occupation, life in wartime Germany, Japanese American internment and Colorado's own Camp Amache, German and Japanese war brides, the SS St. Louis, the US home front, and MORE. The narrators are your friends and neighbors from mostly the Front Range of Colorado.
All tell stories of courage and endurance that range from grim and dramatic to heart-warming and reassuring. One is guaranteed to make you laugh. These are inspiring tales. You will see the best of humanity in the midst of the worst, and learn from both. And, you just may never complain about anything ever again.
This collection of poignant stories from World War II gives first-person accounts about the bombing of Hiroshima, the London Blitz, the POW camp near Greeley, CO, refugees fleeing invading Russian armies, living under Nazi occupation, life in wartime Germany, Japanese American internment and Colorado's own Camp Amache, German and Japanese war brides, the SS St. Louis, the US home front, and MORE. The narrators are your friends and neighbors from mostly the Front Range of Colorado.
All tell stories of courage and endurance that range from grim and dramatic to heart-warming and reassuring. One is guaranteed to make you laugh. These are inspiring tales. You will see the best of humanity in the midst of the worst, and learn from both. And, you just may never complain about anything ever again.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Jean Goodwin Messinger
8 books4 followersAuthor Jean Messinger was born and raised in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, graduated from Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin, and has lived in Colorado since 1952. Colorado Springs was home to Jean and her husband for nearly forty years. After teaching school for several years, at age fifty, she earned a master’s degree in art and architectural history from Denver University.
She considers herself doubly blessed to live in Colorado near her large extended family, which includes seven grandchildren.
She considers herself doubly blessed to live in Colorado near her large extended family, which includes seven grandchildren.
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November 29, 2018
To start things off, I've always been a war history nerd. My dad and I bond by watching the Military Channel on TV. So naturally, I've read quite a few books about World War Two, but none of them have been as heartfelt as this. Messinger's collection of true stories from survivors is enough to move anyone. She transcribed the interviews in exactly the way her interviewee told her, and makes sure to include the nitty-gritty details. What I loved the most was how she included a snippet of how the interviewee is living at the time of the interview.
Another worthy point is that Messinger doesn't focus entirely on people from the allied countries. The vast majority of interviewees are immigrants from Germany, Italy, Japan, and the countries occupied by the Axis Powers. Each story told by these people can conjure tears, and bring a little laughter at specific moments.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to see all sides of a story. This is mainly because you get to see the small glimmers of hope amidst the tragedies these people experienced. If you are a person who enjoys war history, and doesn't mind having your heartstrings tugged at, this book is definitely for you.
Another worthy point is that Messinger doesn't focus entirely on people from the allied countries. The vast majority of interviewees are immigrants from Germany, Italy, Japan, and the countries occupied by the Axis Powers. Each story told by these people can conjure tears, and bring a little laughter at specific moments.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to see all sides of a story. This is mainly because you get to see the small glimmers of hope amidst the tragedies these people experienced. If you are a person who enjoys war history, and doesn't mind having your heartstrings tugged at, this book is definitely for you.
Displaying 1 of 1 review