Dreams of My Comrades: The Story of MM1C Murray Jacobs

by Scott Zuckerman

When a ninety-five-year-old World War II veteran from Utah agrees to reveal the untold details of his wartime experiences to a pediatrician from Brooklyn, an intense bond is formed between the two men, each of whom is taken on an unexpected journey in search of the truth. Dreams of My Comrades chronicles the life of Murray Jacobs, a former Navy Seabee, who served in the Pacific Theater and was treated for PTSD until his death at the age of ninety-eight. He agreed to a series of interviews, under the strict conditions that his real name could not be used, and the details of the conversations could not be disclosed to anyone until after he was dead. Murray’s story is not one of heroism, nor does he portray himself as heroic in his narrative. In the course of his dialogue with the author, Murray confesses to wartime atrocities the likes of which have never before been heard. Despite his advanced age, his recollections are entirely lucid, and he describes the events of his life in vivid detail. As the conversations progress, however, the author comes to recognize the challenges involved in trying to depict history based on the account of a single elderly man. Discrepancies lead to doubts, doubts lead to disbelief, disbelief leads to investigation, and after exhausting all possible avenues of research, unanswered questions linger and tantalize. This is a unique story, one that will not only appeal to connoisseurs of history but to anyone interested in the psychology of the human condition. It is unlike any narrative ever told about a veteran of the Second World War.

296 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2017

Reviews

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a Christmas gift from my brother whose good friend is the author. When Zuckerman, an acupuncturist, met the 90 year old father of a patient and learned he had fought in the Pacific theater of WWII, he asked permission to publish his story. But when Zuckerman does a bit of research to fill in details, it turns out that the man’s memories sharply deviate from the historical record. Zuckerman shifts from a simple oral history to an attempt to reconcile the differing narratives. The author used an informal, conversational style of writing which adequately conveyed information, but was far from gripping. A great deal of unnecessary information was provided: biographical summaries of a handful of individuals who had very brief contact with the man, multiple transcripts of letters written from basic training to his wife that said exactly the same thing, experiences of the author around this project which were irrelevant to the story, etc. This book could have easily been a third shorter and would have been stronger for the cuts. When the final chapter reveals that the author had missed a number of details in the man’s service record, details that might have accounted for some, but certainly not all, of the discrepancies, I found myself wondering what else he had overlooked. The lack of strong prose and the misreading of the documents gave this book a rather unprofessional feel.

[Robert Dent · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotionally provoking account that is difficult to put down. This story is uniquely told in that you feel you are actually present for the interviews in which Murray recounts his recollections of the Pacific Theater. This book will take you through intense anticipation, astonishment and heartbreak within a few pages. Far from the stereotypical account of Pacific Theater battles, this book is a must read for anyone with an interest in World War II, PTSD, or the human psyche as it pertains to combat and military service.

[Melissa Kraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fascinated by this story and read this book in 36 hours – every time I thought I understood the story it changed, leaving me more inquisitive and excited to read more.

This story pointed out the extreme situations WWII soldiers experienced and in the lack of resources to help them process and deal with their experiences. It makes me wish I could have had conversations with my grandfathers about their experiences, asking the difficult questions they weren’t able to volunteer.

The storytelling in this book is extremely engaging. I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the experiences of our veterans or an interest in how extreme situations impact self-identity and self-worth.

[Julie Asch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intimate, Heart wrenching, Thought provoking

Dreams of My Comrades by Scott Zuckerman is the story about the bond that forms as the author is writing a biography about a World War II veteran who has never revealed his story before but was still being treated for PTSD. The reader experiences the intimate details of the subject's thoughts now and 70 years ago through current interviews and original letters. This book would appeal to those interested in the psychology of the human mind. The author is skillful in his synthesis of the story and taking the reader on the same journey that he experienced while writing the book including the heart wrenching emotional roller coaster he found himself negotiating. The author is insightful, funny and honest. The reader can understand why he connected with his subject. The reader will find themselves thinking about the story for weeks to come. Great for book clubs and discussions. Can't wait for the movie.

[John Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange book that got under my skin even though it's very much not in my usual wheelhouse. It starts as an old WWII veteran telling his stories and morphs into something stranger, an ultimately unresolved but very tantalizing mystery. The author's style can be grating at times, his veracity to his investigations leads to lingering among dead ends too often, and his speculations at the end fail to consider all the relevant facts, but the book is nonetheless intriguing and engrossing.

[Mindy Densley-roe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, Fascinating, Thought Provoking. I could not put it down.