Elmer & Virginia: A World War II Romance in Letters

by John Odell

Elmer Odell and Virginia Schill were high school teenagers from separate “sides of the tracks” when the first chapters of the Second World War began to be written. They would become a part of that narrative as they grew to adulthood and joined the Greatest Generation. As Elmer flew combat above the battlefields of Europe, Virginia wrote newspaper stories about life on the home front. Between 1939 and 1944, Elmer and Virginia exchanged hundreds of letters, which sat in shoeboxes for decades. Here are the best of them. These missives vividly chronicle their separate odysseys and their growing love for each other. To open this book is to follow them through the turbulent years of World War II.

Genres: World War II

488 pages, Paperback

Published April 7, 2021

About the author

John Odell author of Elmer & Virginia, is faculty emeritus of the Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department at City College of San Francisco. Prior to teaching, John spent more than twenty- five years in television news, primarily as a video editor. He was also a writer, producer, and reporter. Among other awards, John is the recipient of seven Emmys and a Silver Medal in the New York International Film Festival. At ABC’s KGO-TV, he was a member of the news team that won a 1989 Peabody Award for its coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake. John holds a BA from Columbia University and a Master’s in Mass Communications from San Diego State University. He served as a navy photo intelligence officer in the Vietnam War. He is beginning work on a second book, "Roosevelt, New York: Stories of an American Family."

Reviews

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Elmer & Virginia: A World War II Romance in Letters” is a strong and beautiful embroidery of epistolary letters edited and compiled by John Odell. The book contains hundreds of letters exchanged between Elmer Odell and Virginia Schill during the bleak and uncertain period of the Second World War.

Masterfully compiled, the letters present readers with the blossoming love between the two who were initially friends as they grew to adulthood and pursued different careers. Elmer Odell enlisted into the US Army for service in the ongoing war, while Ginny (Virginia) wrote newspaper stories back at home.

The book interspersed across Elmer and Ginny’s points of view, including their experiences on two different fronts: Ginny on the home front and Elmer on the battlefront. The letters further contain information related to that period, which includes the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The emotions of the two lovers flow freely in the letters as each expressed their thoughts, fears, successes, and concerns over a myriad of issues.

The book allows readers to visualize what romance and courtship really meant at a time when technology was limited and during a time of fear and chanciness. “Elmer & Virginia: A World War II Romance in Letters” is a work full of tangible inspiration that has to be read from the first page to the end to be fully appreciated. It is a beautiful tribute to those who were at the battlefront to restore peace and tranquility to the world and those who stayed at home waiting anxiously for the return of their loved ones.

There are some events mentioned in the letters referenced by Elmer and Ginny that may seem unfamiliar to readers, nevertheless, I believe John Odell intended to maintain the originality of the story hence avoiding doing any add-ons. My favorite aspect of the book was the chronological order with which the letters are arranged, making the story flow like music, thus resulting in an appealing reading experience. For this reason, I give the book 5 stars.

“Elmer & Virginia: A World War II Romance in Letters” by John Odell is a great memoir that reflects on a blossoming love at a time of war.

[Cynthia Pomerleau · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Odell has transformed a family treasure trove of love letters between his parents before and during World War II into a remarkable epistolary coming of age story. We first meet Ginny and Elmer as high school students and watch them grow and deepen, partly due to maturation but partly, too, in response to the momentous events they are caught up in - Elmer as a fighter pilot, Ginny as a budding journalist. Although the two are clearly besotted with each other, their humor, intellect, and delight in the English language - even their inventive ways of declaring their love - save the narrative from descending into excessive sentimentality. Well-chosen period photos also help to make the story come alive. Odell in his role as editor maintains a sure but light touch, providing just enough context and explanation to keep the reader oriented without distracting attention from the unfolding drama.

[Kell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and honest compilation. Imagine you are sitting in your grandmas attic going through old letters.