The Time Left Between Us

by Alicia DeFonzo

A blend of memoir, history, and oral storytelling, The Time Left between Us bridges the gap between the generation who fought World War II and the generation who has forgotten it. Alicia DeFonzo takes an unplanned visit to the Normandy beaches while staying in Paris. Her grandfather “Del” (Anthony DelRossi) had fought in World War II, and she becomes distraught after realizing how little she knows about the war and his experiences, which until then had remained largely unspoken.

Across landscapes and lifetimes DeFonzo retraces her beloved grandfather’s tour through World War II Europe. The eighty-four-year-old DelRossi recounts stories as an army combat engineer surviving major campaigns, including Normandy, St. Lo, the Bulge, Hürtgenwald, and Remagen, then liberating concentration camps. In this braided narrative, we see DeFonzo’s childhood in a traditional Italian American family with an erratic Marine Corps father and a beloved grandfather. Spanning ten years, DeFonzo’s travels and research take an unexpected detour after she inherits a Nazi Waffen-SS diary from her grandfather, and, in her final trip, returns to Germany to confront the diary owner’s family. DeFonzo’s and her grandfather’s stories merge when Del undergoes open-heart surgery and Alicia must be the one to safeguard the past.

Both nostalgic and gripping, The Time Left between Us is a meditation on how deeply connected the past is to the present and how the truth—and what we remember of it—are fragmented.

Genres: World War II, Nonfiction, Biography

232 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Alicia DeFonzo is an award-winner professor and author of the WWII nonfiction narrative The Time Left Between Us (Potomac Books, 2022). Featured on CNBC and NPR, DeFonzo has been the literary guest for the 80th anniversary of D-Day ceremonies in Normandy as well as the Battle of the Bulge celebration by the Ambassador of Luxembourg. Library Journal calls her debut book “a deeply personal venture but also one of significant importance now and for all future generations to learn from.”

DeFonzo is currently adapting her book to a limited TV series, a Winner at the Cannes World Film Awards 2024. Her screenwriting has received multiple accolades from Netflix, Disney, MAX, and Marvel Universe jurors at Austin Film Festival (2024), UK Film Awards (2024 & 2025), and Lonely Wolf (2024).

DeFonzo is a Senior Lecturer of Writing and Literature at Old Dominion University as well as former Fulbright Specialist. She is also a frequent literary guest and contributing writer to NPR programs and regional expert on banned books and literary censorship.

Reviews

[David Crow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alicia DeFonzo's beautifully written memoir is much more than a story of World War 11 heroism. It is that and so much more. Her beloved grandfather Anthony Del Rossi was a member of the Greatest generation and he fought in every major battle in the European theatre, facing death constantly at D-Day, the battle of the Bulge, Remagen and the liberation of the horrific concentration camps who unimaginable horrors still linger in the readers' mind.
Alicia is able to seamlessly do something in literature that is quite difficult and often doesn't work. She moves between her grandfather's generation to her parents generation to her generation and even to her son Max. She pulls this off brilliantly by showing how her grandfather's heroism, and the scars and legacy it left, impacted her parents, her siblings, and her. Her husband Luke and son Max also play a role. It is her tenacity and powerful desire to tell the world what her grandfather went through that will stay with me, and the good and bad of the legacy, and how it impacted her Italian family. I highly recommend this book because the real story is family, and sacrifice, and love. Alicia has all of this in great quantity and she honors her family, and her beloved Del, whose stories would have gone to his grave without her. Bravo Alicia, well done.

[Rachel Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had been on my to-read list since I purchased it two years ago. I’ve loaned it to my dad and other friends despite not getting a chance to read it myself (#motherhood) It was such a meaningful and thought-provoking book. Especially meaningful to me as the author was previously my professor. I’m ashamed to admit how little I remembered, understood, or even knew about WWII, and it really caused me to reflect on the military service of my own father and grandfather-the stories I know, don’t know, and will never know. Grateful for this book. It’s a timely one, and I realize how desperately I needed it as I close out 2025

[Alyssa Gano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite me not being a huge history buff and sometimes having trouble tracking what was being discussed, this book was beautiful. Alicia’s dedication to her grandfathers stories and making history known is beyond admirable. Cried my eyes out for Dels passing - he knew it was time 🥺

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first page and in tears by chapter 3. Defonzo has crafted a work that will engage readers of every generation, and once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down.

[Russell Haines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in only two sittings. I loved the pacing, the story was so engaging and the writing was phenomenal. This would be good for individual or book club reading.

[Bill Thorness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alicia DeFonzo has deftly and endearingly handled the sharing of two sets of memories: her own and her beloved "Grandpop," who was a combat engineer in WWII.
In the last five years of his life, he begins to share the stories of his war with her. Traveling back to the site of his battles, she becomes his eyes on the past, seeking to find connections and make sense of actions that were little understood by the young man thrust into battle. As she shared her journey with him and he opened up about the past, her understanding of him deepened.
Her perspective on what she learns from her grandfather reveals the profound impact of the war, and the reasons why the soldier in her family never talked about it. But it also illuminates his resilience, humor and heart, traits revealed to be passed on to his loving granddaughter.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how this book hasn’t gotten more attention, especially in the WWII field. It’s the story of a granddaughter retracing the wartime steps of her beloved grandfather, and becoming even closer to him in the process. This was an emotional read because it reminded me of how I have been attempting to do the same, but after my grandfather’s death. In some way I’ll never be able to piece together his story in such an elaborate way, but I do believe continuing to study my grandfather’s service and journey in Europe will allow me to continue to feel more connected to him. Alicia DeFonzo paints a picture of her grandfather as a man, a grandfather, and a soldier in a powerful and page-turning way. Thank you, Alicia.

[Sissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had reservations about reading this book. I generally don't gravitate towards non-fiction or books discussing any wars; however, any piece of writing that elicits an emotional response from me and keeps me engaged is a good story.

Alicia is able to weave her Grandfather's war experience, her relationship with him, and her endeavors to find the truth seamlessly into a story you won't want to put down!

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story of love and relationship and discovery and appreciation. Alicia DeFonzo has captured the story that thousands of descendants of The Greatest Generation have wanted to tell. Not just the stories of the war experiences, but the story of lives uncovered and bonds of love and appreciation strengthened. This is a book for WWII history buffs that will see their own stories in it.

[Krystal Reyes · Rating 1 out of 5]

*DNF*

I couldn't do it. I tried many times to get through it and would stop after a page or two. The story was too jumbled and I couldn't follow along with what character she was talking about. Wasn't for me.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC-
3.5 rounded up.

[Anna Migliaccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent writing, interesting true life story.
I enjoyed reading about the area and places I grew up around