Same War Different Battlefields

by Jean Goodwin Messinger

This collection of stories from WWII gives firsthand accounts of major events during that time period, from people now living in Colorado's Front Range.

309 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Author 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.

Reviews

[PJ Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.