Status Updates From Writers on World War II: An...

Really enjoying this so far... a thoughtfully archived collection of short stories, diary entries, poems etc., from some of the world’s best authors, written during WWII.

Many of the later selections are longer. Continues to be wonderful. Touching I F Stone thoughts on the death of FDR and the Ascension of Truman

This is really a good book. Will give it 5 stars now, and I'm only about 3/4 through. Really fine New Yorker article about the work of a LCI during the Normany invasion and another New Yorker about JFK and PT-109. Some chilling short stories by Germans and Japanese, too.

In 1944. Good short story by Heinrich Boll (not much in here from German military side).

Good stuff -- could add more "to-reads" but have too many already!!!

Just finished 1942. Last entry was from "The Gallery," by John Horne Burns, and reminded me what a wonderful book THAT is! Should have put it in the 1943 section, but . . . Entry from Germaine Greer reinforced what a loony tune she is -- talks about a Spitfire " with one engine on fire" tipping a bomb away from a town and into the water. How many engines WERE on that Spitfire, Ms Greer?

REally fine book. Have harvested additional "to-read" candidates.

Now entering 1942

Memoir by Gustave Herling worth a look. Ordered it from KCMO library

Back to this. Good stuff. Reread the section on battle with the Bismarck.

Now into 1941, mostly British input so far. Probably will take hiatus now to deal with library books.

Finished with 1940 section. The French are either embarrassed and ashamed or, the in case of Commies JP Sarte and Simone de Beauvoir, disgusted with the weakness of the middle class and the perfidy of the leadership. The Brits, on the other hand, are determined and gritty.

Halfway through 1940, main impression is of French embarrassment and shame and disgust with their leadership. Best quote, from Petain just a few days before the surrender: "Since the (1918) victory, the spirit of enjoyment has won out over the spirit of sacrifice. People claimed more than they served. They wanted to save effort; today they are meeting misfortune."

Could one say the same about most societies today?

Through 1939 and into 1940. Many very short entries -- some just a couple paragraphs -- make this a good book to grab whenever there's a spare moment.

Biggest impression of 1939 -- most of the selections convey bewilderment, disbelief, incomprehension -- "can this really be happening (AGAIN!)?"

Best bit from 1939: from the autobiography of an Italian Jew, 16 at the time, describing his escape to Palestine