As Far As I Can Tell: Finding My Father in World War II

by Philip Gambone

Philip Gambone, a gay man, never told his father the reason why he was rejected from the draft during the Vietnam War. In turn, his father never talked about his participation in World War II. Father and son were enigmas to each other. Gambone, an award-winning novelist and non-fiction writer, spent seven years uncovering who the man his quiet, taciturn father had been, by retracing his father's journey through WW II. As Far As I Can Tell not only reconstructs what Gambone’s father endured, it also chronicles his own emotional odyssey as he followed his father’s route from Liverpool to the Elbe River. A journey that challenged the author’s thinking about war, about European history, and about “civilization.

Genres: Gay

474 pages, Paperback

Published October 30, 2020

Reviews

[Alan D.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aunque interesante y llamativo, tiene tantos detalles que me perdí en la narración y sentí que estaba leyendo otro libro. Esperaba una narración más balanceada, entre la vida del padre y la del hijo, un poco más de comparación, saber más del autor, pero llegó un punto en que fue solamente una historia detallada de los horrores que se viven en el campo de batalla. No es un mal libro, solo que no es el más indicado para mí.

Although interesting and eye-catching, it has so many details that I got lost in the narrative and felt like I was reading another book. I expected a more balanced narrative, between the life of the father and the son's, a little more comparison, to know more about the author, but there came a point where it was only a detailed story of the horrors that are lived on the battlefield. It's not a bad book, just not the right one for me.

[Catherine Marenghi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the poignant family memoir, author Phil Gambone retraces his father's footsteps through WWII across the U.S. and Europe, and in so doing he discovers an unspoken bond he shared with his father. Both held secrets from each other. The author never spoke of his being gay to his father, and his father never spoke of the wartime experiences. One can sense the growing affection and appreciation the author gained in exploring his father's honorable but quiet life. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, the author will pull you along irresistibly on this remarkable journey of discovery.