Last Leaf: Voices of History's Last-Known Survivors

by Stuart Lutz

On December 3, 2009, Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last living American survivor of World War I, testified before the United States Senate in support of creating a National WWI Memorial in Washington DC. The 108-year-old veteran’s visit to Capitol Hill was covered in-depth by the Associated Press and CNN, among others, calling attention to his status as a last living survivor—the "last leaf" of an event that forever changed American history. But Frank Buckles is not alone. While his personal story is unique, Frank, now 109, belongs to an elite group of last living survivors who have experienced some of the most impactful, tragic, heroic, glamorous, and awe-inspiring events in modern American history. Their stories are eloquently chronicled in their own passionate—and often chilling—words, in this book. This unique oral history book records the stories told to him personally by people who witnessed many of history’s most famous events. Among many others, the author interviewed: the final three Civil War widows (one Union and two Confederate), the final pitcher to surrender a home run to Babe Ruth, the last suffragette, the last living person to fly with Amelia Earhart, the final American World War I soldier, and the last surviving employees of Thomas Edison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Harry Houdini. The wide-ranging stories involve humor (the 1920 Olympic medalist who stole the original Olympic flag), tragedy (the last survivor of the 1915 Lusitania sinking), heroism (the final Medal of Honor recipient for actions on Pearl Harbor Day), and eyewitnesses to great events (one of the last scientists at the first nuclear chain reaction, and the final Iwo Jima flag raiser).
In more than three-dozen chapters, the author blends background information in a lively narrative with the words of the interviewees, so that readers not familiar with the historical episodes described can understand what occurred and the long-term significance of the events. A book that truly makes the past come alive, The Last Leaf will fascinate not only history buffs, but anyone who likes a good story.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Historical

370 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

The Last Leaf in an oral history book with almost 40 chapters; each chapter interviews the last eyewitness or final survivors to historically important events, including the last Civil War widows, the final World War I soldier, Houdini's last stage assistant, the final living man to have flown with Amelia Earhart, the last Iwo Jima flag raiser, the final Medal of Honor winner for Pearl Harbor Day, and the last co-workers of Thomas Edison and F. Scott Fitzgerald. www.TheLastLeaf.com"

Reviews

[Shannon T.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

lutz's book sets out to interview the last living people to witness various historical or other events. he interviews the last living civil war widows, the last living pitcher to throw a homerun pitch to babe ruth in his famous 1927 season, and many others. the book is interesting but i wish the interviews had been more in depth. he covers a wide range of people and situations, but i was almost always left wanting more. while his research was interesting and he recapped the various historical events the interviews are shallow.

[Leaffrog03 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a free book from goodreads from the author. My husband is a history major and so we decided to read it together and we both have enjoyed it. The Last Leaf tells the stories of people who are the last survivors or witnesses of certain famous events. It was fascinating to read about the people who experienced these things first hand. It brought these events in history alive and made you want to find out more about them. I would recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by history.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting read about the footnotes of history.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Read

I cannot recall how I learned of this book and I am very glad that I did so, it offers true and personal glimpses into people's lives that were involved in or associated with what are now historic events or time spent with famous people. It offers heart touching stories and offer insight that is not really well known until reading these stories. This book is well worth reading.

[Shirley]

http://www.thelastleaf.com/

[Kevin Hartigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories, like watching Charles Kuralt.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the premise of the book with the author interviewing the last known survivors of historical events. Learned something along the way.

[Sydnee Surridge]

Looks like a really great book, can't wait to read it!

[anonymousreader]

to-read

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this book, but it fell short for me. The premise is very interesting - the author interviews people who are "the last leaf", a witness or survivor of some landmark historical event. Some of the stories are very compelling, but the book overall just didn't draw me in. Maybe it was me and I wasn't in the right mind-set for this book right now. I was expecting something similar to A Secret Gift by Ted Gup and this one just didn't do it for me.

[Debby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though, I thought that some of the people picked to interview were great choices, I felt that Stuart Lutz could have chosen more intriguing questions. When he interviewed the Civil war widow, why didn't he ask her if they had children? She was 18 and her husband was 81. Now, that would have been an interesting question! He left a lot to my imagination. I created a better interview for each person in my head. I wanted more. Sadly, such is life.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nice stories from people who were the last to experience historical times. The Last Leaf lacks any real insight (and clutches at straws from time to time - the last widow of an American Civil War soldier married him when he was in his eighties and never herself lived within fifty years of the conflict), but an interesting collection nonetheless.

[Tiffany]

I love the idea of this. I once did an oral history project in. college that I've never been able to get out of my head. I still remember the people I talked to for that project. Having never really been interested in military feats, communications, or Hollywood, howevever, I was bored to brain jelly by about half of this book. It needed more in the Witnesses and Survivors sections.

[Ali O'Hara · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some interesting stories in here, but unfortunately, there were more that weren't. For the most part the stories were very brief and many were little more than 'yup, I married an old man, then he died' (the civil war widow).

It was just ok.

[Anne]

This book sounds really cool!

[Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

In a word, "disappointing."

[Lauren orso · Rating 4 out of 5]

just terrific.

[Andrew R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting topic, but not crazy about the writer's style.