RTT Quarterly - July-September 2023 - WWII (1939-1945)

It’s time for the our next quarter theme, World War II (1939 - 1945).

There are a lot of books to choose from that cover a variety of themes and locations. From the homefronts of England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S.A., to actual battles in the European or Pacific Theatres. There are stories of concentration camps, resistance fighters, abstainers, spies etc. Biographies of the famous like Generals Eisenhower, McArthur, Montgomery etc. and the infamous Adolph Hitler, Benito Muussolini, Hideki Tojo, etc.

Here are some suggestions:

The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer
The Winds of War by Herman Wouk
Pied Piper by Nevil Shute
Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
Helmet For My Pillow by Robert Leckie
Beside a Burning Sea by John Shors
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
Three Came Home by Agnes Newton Keith
The Cazalet Chronicles: The Light Years etc. by Elizabeth Jane Howard
Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre

Link to the wiki: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Reading_Through_Time_Quarterly_Theme_Rea...

"The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival" by Louise Murphy

This is a powerful story of two Jewish children hidden in Poland during the Nazi occupation. I read this a number of years ago and it would be worth re-reading, though it is often difficult and painful.

I have over 200 books on my TBR for this time period! I want to re-read Anne Frank, but will shop my shelves for the others as we near July.

I am planning on two books for this: Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave and Der Vater eines Mörder (The Father of a Murderer) by Alfred Andersch. I have more choices on my shelf but I have chosen these because I have wanted to read them for a long time and they also fit the September AlphaKIT.

I’ve got these pencilled in for Q3:

• 1939 - 'The Singapore Grip’ (by J.G. Farrell; narrated by Mike Grady)
• 1940 - 'To Say Nothing of the Dog' (by Connie Willis) - This may end up not counting depending on how much is actually in the 1940s and how much is set in Victorian England
• 1940 - 'Blackout’ (by Connie Willis)
• 1940 - 'All Clear' (by Connie Willis)
• 1940 - 'Blitz’ (by Daniel O'Malley; narrated by Moira Quirk)

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” is being released this Summer as well 🎥

>5 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I enjoyed all three of the Connie Willis books you've listed. I also enjoyed the first two books in Manchester's 'The Last Lion' series about Churchill.

I know this isn't really the place to talk about movies, but I wanted to mention two Netflix films that cover an often overlooked part of WWII history, the German occupation of Norway. Both are historical set pieces: "Narvik" is about the Nazi's taking over the eponymous town and the resistance movement that found its beginnings there and; "War Sailor" which is actually a three-episode limited series about two men who get caught up in the war as the Norwegian merchant ships they are onboard become part of the British merchant fleet and subsequently targeted by German U-Boats. Because the invasion of Norway happened relatively early in the WWII arc, it's often referred to as the "Forgotten War". I haven't found much more than a Wikipedia article about "WWII + Norway" or "... + Forgotten War" in my searches (coming up nil on the tag searches here and some sketchy looking offerings on Amazon).

I did also happen to watch "Sisu" which is set near the end of the German occupation of Finland. I will state right here though, that this isn't really historical as much as a Quentin Tarantino-style vengeance movie. It did refer to another early chapter of WWII though, the Winter War. Searches for "WWII + Winter War" turned up a few items, and one that caught my eye is A Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 (by Willam R. Trotter). I might see if I can squeeze that in the rotation for this prompt.

Denmark rounds out the trifecta of neutral Scandinavian countries that ended up under Nazi administration. Norway was coveted for its iron ore, Finland for its nickel and sea ports and; Denmark because it was in the way of Norway. Because they were under German military occupation, they were subject to bombings and attacks by Britain and France as well-- so not a great time for anyone. There was a lot of damage and casualties; but the focus of Allied operations soon moved farther South when Germany crossed the border into Poland. As a result, the Germans didn't withdraw until near the end of WWII.

So yep, that's what I got out of watching two/three movies and a little googling. I don't know if others here have a niche interest in this period; but if so, and you have book recommendations, please share! :-)

>7 Tanya-dogearedcopy: If you can find it at a reasonable price, there is Quisling: A Study in Treachery by Hans Dahl. It is the history of Vidkun slightly before the Nazi occupation of Norway and his subsequent collaboration up to his execution. American would use the term traitor or "Benedict Arnold" to connotate a traitor, Norwegians use the term "Quisling."

Another good book about Norwegian resistance is Beneath the Tyrant’s Yoke: Norwegian Resistance to the German Occupation of Norway 1940–1945 by Richard Fuegner.

The teachers in Norway were the heart and soul of the resistance. They started wearing paperclips on their sleeves as a sign of resistance and this was picked up on by many others. Once the Nazi's found out about it, of course, the paper clips were no longer prominently displayed, but still often worn on the hems of shirt, as tie clips, etc. There is a book about this, but for the life of me I can't remember it's name.

Then there was Operation Paperclip (a different event) that was the program of bringing Nazi's (war criminals) to the U.S. There is also a book on this. A good video on this is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHs5M3pyd3Q

I’m totally looking forward to this quarter, though I also don’t want to leave the current, pre-war quarter! A few years ago I realized my total ignorance of Pacific war history, and naval history particularly, and I’d love to find some works from the Asian/Japanese perspective and North Atlantic merchant marines, in addition to my predictable concentration on US Naval submarine history. I’ll continue watching this space for fictional works: I’m not familiar with so many of those already listed above, and that ought to be remedied, no doubt.

after a quarter of Pre WWI, WWI, and in between wars, I may be skipping this one unles I can find something really different. However I don't know much about the occupation of Scandinvia and Africa so Ill look for work there. >7 Tanya-dogearedcopy: , >8 Tess_W: Ill take a look at those, thanks

I don't have as many books as Tess, but I have a lot -- to the point where I feel a little overwhelmed. I've divided it into categories (e.g., "Hardware", "England", "Pacific"...); but outside of the books I listed above, I may just "wing it". I think I spent most of my reading capital on WWI!

I'm thinking of getting around to James Jones's From Here to Eternity.

>8 Tess_W: Holy moly! I just went to AMZN to look at Quisling: A Study in Treachery (by Hans Dahl) and I can see what you mean by looking for an affordable copy. Even the used copies are a bit too dear for my book budget :-(

However, Beneath the Tyrant’s Yoke: Norwegian Resistance to the German Occupation of Norway 1940–1945 (by Richard Fuegner) is very much affordable. A copy is on its way! :-)

I remember you talking about the teachers' resistance somewhere else, but for the life of me I can't remember where either! It must have been over in the LT Category Challenge, maybe in the past 2-3 years? I'll take a poke around when I have a moment :-)

Thank you for the book recommendations! I'm kinda laughing in that I certainly didn't expect to become interested in this "obscure" part of WWII! It's a pleasant surprise though :-)

If you enjoy time travel, "Blackout" and "All Clear" by Connie Willis are well done. I enjoyed both the books and movies by Wouk: "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance." Haven't decided what to read for this quarter.

>7 Tanya-dogearedcopy: >8 Tess_W: A couple of years ago, PBS aired a series Atlantic Crossing which was about the Nazi invasion of Norway and the country's response, and focused on the relationship between FDR and Norwegian Crown Princess Martha. I'm not sure how much about that relationship is actually true, but there's a website about the series. The Special Features tab has more information that tells more of the history, but I haven't read any of that yet. I found the series very interesting, and I learned about some history that I wasn't very aware of previously.

>15 atozgrl: Have never heard about said supposed relationship. Thanks for the info!

*bump*

Got a lot here in TBR piles. I really do want to get around, one of these lifetimes, to From Here to Eternity; and I'd also like to get around to the third and final volume of William Manchester's The Last Lion Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965 that was completed by Paul Reid after Manchester's death.

I've also got A Testament to Freedom: The Essential Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer; and although I think I'd prefer a biography, I might just go with this anthology rather than buy any more books right now when I'm trying to get some serious credit-card debt paid down.

List of possibilities:

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank This will be a 3rd or 4th time re-read for me; but it's been at least 20 years.
Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys POW/birdwatching
The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure French resistance
Prisoner B-3087 Polish camp, this is fiction--I don't like to read fiction about the camps....however, this was given to me by a student, it is a YA book, so I will "try" it.
Salt to the Seas by Ruta Sepetys This is also labeled as YA but has gotten rave reviews
The Heroes of Sainte-Mère-Église: A D-Day Novel by J.D. Keene I've read this author before and really liked his writing
The Guns of Navarone by Alistair Maclean I've seen the movie 30+ years ago and now have the book. About the Dodecanese Campaign.
The Last German Victory: Operation Market Garden, 1944 non-fiction
Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O'Reilly I know he's controversial for his political bent, but one of the best authors for an overview of a wide topic
Hitler's Children: Sons and Daughters of Third Reich Leaders buyGerald Posner. Have read this author before and liked him. He interviews children of Reich leaders. non-fiction
Churchill's Hellraisers The Secret Mission to Storm a Forbidden Nazi Fortress by Damien Lewis non-fiction

Also want to read and ponder further:
FDR's Day of Infamy Speech
The Firing of MacArthur

WWII by Dwight D. Eisenhower: "Better get a picture of this, cause someday some SOB is going to deny this ever happened." Chilling, general; uncanny. (Said at his inspection of Ohrdruf concentration camp.)

I have a few possibilities for this time period:

The Little Company, Eleanor Dark (1945); opens in Australia, 1941
A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute (1950); set in Sumatra, 1942
The Last Bookshop in London, Madeline Martin (2021); opens in London, 1939
The Caine Mutiny, Herman Wouk (1951), South Pacific

I also discovered I have a trilogy (the Fairley family) by Mary Hocking that covers 3 quarters:

Good Daughters (1984) -- between the wars
Indifferent Heroes (1985) -- WWII
Welcome Strangers (1986) -- post WWII

I may do the first two of the trilogy in the July Q.

And I'll be watching this thread for nonfiction recommendations, as mine are all fiction.

>19 Tess_W: have enjoyed most of the Helen Humphreys books Ive read and Evening Chorus sounds good,

I read a book for the African challenge afterlivesthat takes place in between wars. Thinking I may try a book about WWII in Africa. Any recommendations?

>20 kac522: I just loved A Town Like Alice.

JUN 18 - Though maybe not WWII, I’ve begun listening to an audiobook covering the life of LBJ from 1941-1948, Means of Ascent (The Years of Lyndon Johnson #2; by Robert A. Caro; narrated by Grover Gardner). Since I just started, I don’t know if his lifeline will be put into the context of WWII— so we shall have to see if it ends up fitting this theme or not!

JUN 19 - OK, it definitely fits! I'm in the sections covering LBJ's wartime service, his relationship with FDR and, his changing status within the Democratic Party. For those who don't know, Caro's biographical works on LBJ are seminal not only in regards to the topic, but for the author's extensive & thorough research. These are not hagiographic works, nor are they smears-- but a multi-volume portrait of a complicated and flawed man who rose to one of the most powerful positions in the world, the 36th President of the United States. In this second-in-series, Johnson has lost his first senatorial bid in 1941; And now the Second World War has intruded upon his political machinations.

>23 Tanya-dogearedcopy: LOL and love your last sentence!

I loved A Town Like Alice as well - the book stays with one, even if it really is two books-in-one. The second half about post-war Australia was equally interesting.

I will be focused on WWII submarine and naval history. I'd read The Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance by Thomas B. Buell earlier this year, which gives a terrific account on the Pacific War. I can also recommend The Bravest Man: The Story of Richard O'Kane & the U.S. Submariners in the Pacific War by William Tuohy for those who enjoy exciting adventures! U.S.S. Seawolf: Submarine Raider of the Pacific is much the same, only with a happier ending.

The following are on my own TBR list for this quarter:
- Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine
- The War Below: The Story of Three Submarines That Battled Japan
- Thunder Below! The USS Barb Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II
- Operation Storm: Japan's Top Secret Submarines and Its Plan to Change the Course of World War II
- Unrestricted Warfare: How a New Breed of Officers Led the Submarine Force to Victory in World War II
- Submarine: An Anthology of First-hand Accounts of the War Under the Sea, 1939-45
- Weapons of Desperation: German Frogmen and Midget Submarines of World War II
- A History of Submarine Warfare along the Jersey Shore

I've got a couple of others that I could list, and I know I won't get through them all! I figure this Group Challenge will get me to focus, and eliminate them from my reading list by finishing them or putting them aside if they are "meh".

Well, I finished Means of Ascent (The Years of Lyndon Johnson #2; by Robert A. Caro; narrated by Grover Gardner); but I cannot say that it really fits this prompt after all. There are sections that cover LBJ's military "service" (He didn't fight or work in any supporting position; but rather was a politician who went on an observation flight from Midway. Though there was danger involved, he could not truthfully claim, as he later did that he fought side-by-side with the soldiers.), the focus of the book was the 1948 Senatorial Campaign he waged against Coke Stevenson. FWIW, an amazing exposition of political power that asks if the ends justifies the means.

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to start Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (by Max Hastings; narrated by Ralph Cosham) or not. It's the only title on my shelves that gives an overview of WWII; OTOH, it's 31.50 hours long! Well, I'll sleep on it and decide tomorrow :-)

>25 PocheFamily: A great list--I've marked a few for my WL!

I have The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne on my bookshelf! I will be reading it for this quarter's theme!

I saw the move years ago and it was difficult to watch...I didn't realize until recently that it was a book!

I decided to go all in on Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (by Max Hastings; narrated by Ralph Cosham).
The first chapter is about the invasion of Poland by the Nazis and the Soviets! I know, I know... You all probably already knew; but for whatever reason, I thought it was just the Nazis.

>29 Tanya-dogearedcopy: They secretly agreed to divide Poland (actually all of Eastern Europe) amongst themselves while composing the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. I'm putting that book on my WL.

>30 Tess_W: Though I’ve seen Max Hastings on the shelves before, this is my first one and it definitely won’t be my last. He covers a lot of ground deftly and intelligibly.

Just got evening chorus will start that soon

It has been a very long time since I sat down with a book and read through most of the day into the night to finish evening chorus is about the war and what happens to people caught up in it, andwhat happens to people left behind. As usual in her books Humphreys creates characters that you care about what happens to them. there is not a wrong phrase, turn or image in the entire book, and kept me guessing whats coming. highly recommended 5*

>34 cindydavid4: That's on my list for this quarter. Glad you liked it!

I'm still listening to Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (by Max Hastings; narrated by Ralph Cosham); but I've also added in Smithsonian World War II Map by Map (by DK Publishing). I had a copy of the latter as an ebook, but when I opened it, I realized that it didn't really lend itself to that format very well-- so I bought a hardcopy a couple days ago. There's significant text/annotation to the maps to make the "atlas" engrossing, as well as some additional imagery (i.e., photos & illustrations); but this isn't like some of the DK books that are collages of items across the pages. The emphasis is on the maps with historical context. This is definitely better than googling all the maps online :-)

>36 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Put the Smithsonian Map on my WL. Thanks for the heads-up!

I completed Churchill's Hellraisers by Damien Lewis. This was a non-fiction read that told about the cooperation (or lack of it) between the English military and the Italian partisans during WWII. Southern Italy was liberated fairly quickly, but further north the Germans were in firm control. The "dividing" line between the Allies and the Germans was called the "Gothic Line", a term I had not heard before. To be honest, there were too many people and too many sub-plots. This book needed a good editing! All in all, it was "good" book, but not a great book. It appears to have been researched thoroughly. 411 pages 3 stars

>38 Tess_W: Coincidentally, I just learned about the Gothic Line yesterday! I can't remember if it was in the audiobook I was listening to or the maps book; but I thought I would share the pages in the DK book about the Gothic Line so you could see what I was describing earlier:

________________________________________

>39 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Thanks, Tanya! But now you have forced to go buy this RIGHT NOW!

I completed The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom This was a re-read from about 30-40 years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, even though the topic was depressing. I'm still impressed with Corrie's physical and spiritual strength. 267 pages 5 stars

I read The Novel of Ferrara by Giorgio Bassani This is an anthology of 6 novellas that deal with the town of Ferrara before, during, post-Holocaust. I read only the first novella "Within the Walls." There were five, maybe connected, short stories contained within. I had thought this might be a work of historical fiction, but I find it more of a commentary on the state of Ferrara. The author does in fact write about several historical events. However, he does this like a textbook or a secondary commentary. Besides commentary on the holocaust, the author also writes about class distinction. I found irony in many of the stories, such as "The Memorial Tablet in Via Mazzini." This was the story of a Holocaust survivor who returned to town as the town was putting his name on a memorial. The town was rather upset that he had returned and rejected him. In the end, he disappeared, never to be found again. Not swept away by this first novella. Will return to the second one next month. I don't like that the author stops the story oft times in the middle with a "note" in which he adds some historical information. This disrupts the flow of the story. 3 stars I listened to this on audio--6 hours 8 minutes

I finished listening to Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (by Max Hastings; narrated by Ralph Cosham) late last night/early this morning. This is an overview of The Second World War with quotes from contemporary witness accounts and references to other historians like Adam Tooze. Hastings covers a lot of ground in easily accessible language, providing objective assessments (giving praise where it is due regardless of which side is being discussed and likewise criticism) and, while his writing is not as crisp as G.J. Meyer's, neither is it as blatantly biased as Adam Hochchild's.

Whenever I thought about WWI in the past, it was (to borrow a movie title) as if everything everywhere was happening all at once: The Blitz, The Holocaust, The March to Bataan... What Hastings book did for me was to sequence events in order. I was surprised that Vichy France came in to being as early as it did and, that D-Day wasn't as close to the end of the war as I thought. Coupled with the Smithsonian World War II Map by Map (by DK Publishing), I have a clearer picture of the time/space dimensions of the war.

I'm now listening to The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy (by Mark Logue & Peter Conradi; narrated by Simon Vance with the radio broadcast of King George VI announcing Britain's entry into the war). I saw the movie years ago; but I think I'll watch it again this coming weekend :-)

I also re-watched Dunkirk (directed by Christopher Nolan; starring Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Brannagh & Harry Styles); King Rat (based on the novel of the same name by James Clavell; starring George Segal, James Fox & Tom Courtenay); and Mrs. Minever (based on the novel of the same name by Jan Struther; starring Greer Garson & Walter Pigeon). Like historical fiction, I'm finding these movies richer & more interesting after I've been grounded with context :-)

I read The Nightingale for my book club this month. Nicely enough, it also fits the quarterly Reading Through Time theme of World War II.

The book tells the story of two French sisters, separated in age by about 10 years. They have very different personalities, and often clash. Both also have a difficult relationship with their father. One sister is married and the younger one is single. The story begins on the eve of WWII, and we see how the war affects both of them, and the different choices they make. We also see how the lives of the French under German occupation gets progressively worse over time. I was unaware of just how bad conditions were on the home front in France during the war, and how near starving the people were. I also learned a lot about the French resistance that I did not know before reading this book. There is an unexpected twist at the end.

I found the book to be a beautiful story of love and loss. It's also about women in war, how it affects them, and how their contributions to the fight are important but often overlooked. One of my favorite reads of the year so far.

I finished listening to The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy (by Mark Logue & Peter Conradi; narrated by Simon Vance) yesterday and sadly, it is a bit of a disappointment. Mark Logue, the first-listed author, is the grandson of Lionel Logue, the speech therapist who helped King George VI with his stutter at a time when public address was an important duty of the monarch. The second-listed author, Peter Conradi is someone who had been brought in to help shape the raw material (the surviving letters, scrapbooks and documents) into a narrative; but the result is a poorly crafted story lacking richness (Wikipedia-style background information provided for historical background), immediacy (no tension or sense of being transported to the time and place) and editorial oversight (e.g. repetition of facts several times over the span of the book). The audio features a recording of King George VI’s September 1939 announcement that Britain was at war with Germany at the beginning of the audiobook and again at the appropriate place in the sequence of events; but no other relevant recordings-- which seems like an opportunity missed. I remember loving the movie when I saw it all those years ago when it first came out— so kudos to the screenwriter who breathed life into the story!

I’ve just started A Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 (by William Trotter; narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies). Fun fact: St. Petersburg/Leningrad sits very close to the Finnish border— which explains a lot!

I finished The Gold-Rimmed Spectacles by Giorgio Bassani. This is the second novel contained within the anthology Ferrara. This is the story of a well-liked doctor, until it was discovered that he was a homosexual, and being Jewish in the 1930's in Italy didn't help either. There is nothing shocking or startling here, just a story told evenly, and IMHO, without emotion. 288 pages
(No specific dates are given for this story, just the 1930's. They did talk about the racial Laws of Italy, which upon research, could have been 1922-1943. Hence, I'm placing this read here.)

I'm waiting for both Anne Frank and Evening Chorus from the library. May focus on something else in the interim. I do have Operation Market Garden which was the last Axis offense, but not sure I want to start another NF as I'm currently reading How to Astronaut.

good night irene just showed up; one of my favorite local authors So Ill be getting to that soon

Just finished The Kites by Romain Gary, a novel about a small town in Normandy during the German Occupation 1941-‘44. This is a beautiful novel about what people do to survive the worst thing that can befall them, it’s about the importance of memory and imagination and their links to hope. It’s about doing what it takes to endure with courage and grace in an environment of despair. This was Gary’s last novel, said to be his masterpiece. I’ve read nothing else of his, but can easily believe that assessment.

>48 dianelouise100: Great review. On my WL it goes!

I finished listening to A Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 (by William Trotter; narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies) yesterday. This is one of those "true life is stranger and better than fiction" narratives about the Finnish resistance to the Soviet invasion (December 1939 through March 1940). The Soviets fielded extraordinarily large numbers of troops, armor, and ordinance in order to claim sparsely populated land in close proximity to Leningrad. And while they ultimately prevailed, it was at the cost of incredulously high numbers of casualties, loss of hardware and, expenditure of bombs and ammunition. The Finnish, greatly outnumbered and out-provisioned, had no allies (excepting some token assistance in the form of ancient/outdated planes and weapons) would basically hand the Soviet butts back to them in feats that make Tarantino films seem like PG-13 movies by comparison. Though championed and lauded in the Western press, ultimately, Finland would side cede about ten-percent of their land to the UUSR and; side with Germany in WWII in the hopes of having that land returned to them with an Axis victory.

My father used to sit in "his" chair and watch WII movies a lot and as I queue up some of those same movies to watch now, I wish he was still with us. He was a Filipino who witnessed the Sino-Japanese War as it bled into WWII, survived the March of Bataan, saw his family hacked down by Japanese Imperialist soldiers with machetes, and was saved from execution by a Japanese soldier when a US Navy flyover scattered everyone on the beachhead... His commentary while watching some movies was often critical, sarcastic and even funny. Anyway, this past weekend, I watched the films Run Silent, Run Deep (starring Clark Cable & Burt Lancaster) and Oppenheimer (directed by Christopher Nolan and starring/featuring just about everybody, LOL). Both films had cold opens-- so you just jumped right into the story which is slightly disconcerting; but I liked both movies for different reasons. Run Silent, Run Deep is about a US submarine captain, "Rich" Richardson (Clark Cable) that steals a posting from another captain, Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster), and takes the USS Nerka into Japanese waters to avenge the loss of his (Richardson's) previous sub. What did I like? Seeing Clark Cable & Burt Lancaster interact as their characters with palpable tension; the insight onto submarine life & protocol and; the strategy employed as the USS Nerka sought out the Japanese sub. As for Oppenheimer, just wow. It's long at three hours, but I honestly didn't feel like I had been in the theatre that long. It's the story of the man who headed the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, NM. Note, the making of the atomic bomb is his central achievement; but the detonation of the bombs are not the end of the story. While you might think the aftermath would seem anti-climatic, the movie is paced so you're in it until the end. The movie does not make a judgement on Oppenheimer or his work; but shows how complicated any such judgement on the man or the A-bomb could be at that moment in history. Highly recommend taking the time to go see it on the biggest screen available.

Today, I'm starting, The Collapse of the Third Republic: An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940 (by William L. Shirer; narrated by Grover Gardner). Though not intentional, it seems like I'm skewing to material about the early years of the war/before US entry.

>50 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Some great reads and great movies! I might try to look up some of the films. I normally don't watch TV, but WWII movies, if done well, might hold my attention.

I read The Guns of Navarone by Alistair MacLean This book is included in an anthology of four of MacLean's WWII novels. The action takes place in the Aegean Sea on an island that is a German fortress. The special force assembled is to disable the guns atop the island of Navarone and save 1100 men on a neighboring island who are starving to death. There is no such place as Navarone, but the battle is loosely based on the Battle of Leros and their artillery guns used by the Italians until 1943 and then by the Germans till the end of the war. I feel this book has aged very well. I was captivated by the storyline and the characters. I liked that this was not a book that included battle specification in detail--in fact there were none! This book had me on the edge of my seat till the end. Tomorrow my husband and I have a "date" to get pizza and watch said movie starring Anthony Quinn, Gregory Peck, and David Niven. I have never seen the movie and my husband said he saw it in the early 1970's. There are 3 more books in the Navarone series, which since I have them I will probably read, at some time. 416 pages 4.5 stars

I completed The Garden of Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani This was book number 3 in the Ferrara anthology. This is the story of a Jewish narrator, who became involved with the reclusive Finzi-Contini family, their garden, and specifically their tennis courts. The narrator is in love with the Finzi-Contini daughter, Micol, but it is unrequited and he does a good job of debasing himself before her. I'm at a loss as what the point of this book is. The prologue tells us that none of the Finzi-Contini family survives the Holocaust, but the rest of the book seems to tell us of the unimportant drivel of the day. Little is mentioned of the upcoming war. One sentence is given us about the invasion of Poland by Germany. The racial laws are mentioned and are being enforced as the Jewish citizens can no longer play tennis at "the club," hence the Finzi-Contini tennis court. Perhaps the book is supposed to be understated. However, it is too subtle for me. I might even go so far as to say this is a coming of age story, albeit an older subject than normal. We have teen angst and running away from home for receiving a bad grade on a final exam. I will not be reading the other 3 novels contained within The Novel of Ferrara, however, I am glad that I have gotten a taste of Bassani. 7 hours 52 minutes (200 pages)

Hubby and I did forgo the pizza (had bison burgers), but did watch The Guns of Navarone and it was excellent! The plot remained the same, however, a few characters were added and/or changed relationships between the book and the movie. I'm tempted to read Force 10 from Navarone and watch that movie, also.

>52 Tess_W: “…did watch the Guns of Navarone….” I’ve seen this many times and enjoy it each time. It’s been awhile now, so I’m adding the book to my TBR, hoping to get to it this quarter. Thanks for reviewing book and movie.

>52 Tess_W: I've put this on my Wish List! I don't think I'll get to it this round; but hope springs eternal! :-D

>51 Tess_W: >52 Tess_W: I've read The Guns of Navarone and I've seen the movie several times. I enjoyed both. I've also read the sequel, many years ago, but I honestly don't remember anything about it.

Well, I have finally got around to reading a WWII book, and I didn't know it was set during the war until I got into the book.

The Dressmaker by Beryl Bainbridge, was written in 1973, but is set in Liverpool during WWII. The story centers around Rita, a sheltered 17-year-old, who meets Ira, an American soldier, at a party. Rita has been raised by her two middle-aged aunts, Nellie (a dressmaker) and her sister Marge, who all live together in the family home, haunted by the sisters' dead mother. Their brother Jack (and Rita's father) lives above his shop not far away. This short but dark story is really about family dynamics, and how Rita's teen-age crush up-ends the accepted order.

Bainbridge's detailed descriptions of the characters, their clothing, their furnishings and the general shabbiness of their lives drew me in, but at the same time made me feel constantly ill-at-ease, like I was seeing things I shouldn't. I can't say I liked any of the characters, but I didn't out-right dislike them, either. Except for disgruntled talk about the American soldiers ("overpaid, over-sexed, and over here"), we don't hear a lot about the war, but only are told of lingering destruction from bombings and rationings. This was very dark and has a shocking ending that comes out of nowhere. I think Bainbridge is too dark for me.

I completed:

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl The Definitive Edition. I have not read this for about 50+ years. I was shocked to read this edition! I had no idea that the version I read when I was younger was an abridged version. The forward told me that Anne's father, the only survivor, did not turn in all of her diary for publication because he thought it inappropriate in parts. However, he did relinquish the rest of the diary before he died. The Definitive Edition sheds more light on Anne's character. I'm not as much "in love" with Anne in this version. The vitriol against her mother is shocking. This went far beyond the normal teen mother/daughter spats, IMHO. I'm sure the situation exacerbated the tension. I'm disheartened to think that this is how their relationship might have ended. The Definitive Edition also contains all of her thoughts and discussions about sex and love; which is a pervasive theme. 400 pages

I also read Goobye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton. I read this as part of the September School Days read, but thought it would also work here, as at least 25% of the book takes place during WWII and several significant events of the book take place during this time period. This was the story of a likeable teacher at an all boys school. 144 pages THIS IS WWI-------yikes! Leaving this comment so others will not take it as a sure thing! I have removed said book from wiki!

>57 Tess_W: I haven't read the book, but I thought Goodbye, Mr. Chips must have had scenes in WWI, not WWII, since the movie based on the book came out in 1939. It's almost best known for Robert Donat winning best actor over Clark Gable's performance in Gone with the Wind.

>58 atozgrl: Hmmm.....perhaps I misunderstood. They were bombing London........I gave the book to charity, but I will most assuredly research it!

ETA.......you are exactly correct! I read the book first, then watched the 1969 movie, because I love Peter O'Toole, which I just now read they advanced the plot by years! I do remember now that they mentioned something about 100 years after the Congress of Vienna, which would have been 1813-1814.....so it would have been WWI (in the book). Good catch! I'll remove it from the Wiki!

>59 Tess_W: Thanks for checking on that! It did seem confusing to me. I was not aware they made another movie in 1969. I guess they wanted to update the setting for that movie.

good night Irene about the "donut dollies" during WWII supplying troops with donuts and coffee while they wait to be deployed. The author of Hummingbirds Daughter tells the story of his mother's experience in Europe.

>61 cindydavid4: I put Good Night Irene on my WL. Had not heard the term "donut dollies" before!

I completed:
Field Marshal: The Life and Death of Erwin Rommel by Daniel Allen Butler This was a biography of the "desert fox." It was very complimentary and I'm not sure it's deserved as I don't know enough to make more commentary. This author asserts that Rommel was the ultimate soldier/warrior/German. He was not a member of the Nazi party and did not ascribe to their racial stance. (He has 3 or 4 footnotes with references for this point, but I can not access any of them. I can verify through reliable sources that he was not a member of the Nazi party). That being said, Rommel was a mentor in the Hitler youth at age 16 and also became Hitler's bodyguard in Poland where he came to the Fuhrer's attention. The author claims Rommel was loyal to Hitler because he thought him a good commander. He was loyal until D-Day, when he discovered there was no way that Germany could win the war; they had squandered their manpower and resources on the SS and the camps. Butler claims Rommel was forced to commit suicide not because of his participation in the July 20 plot (which the author says he was not involved in), but because he dared to tell Hitler that one can not divide the resources of a country; he dared to criticize Hitler. I get the feeling that this author wanted to make Rommel into a shining knight, which he wasn't. This was a very good read, even if tedious in some places and with a lot of duplication. 798 pages 4 stars

and

The Half Life of Ruby Fielding by Lydia King A bisexual love triangle with hints of spies and the Manhattan Project. Just say NO! As my 5-year granddaughter would say, "ridinkulous!" I listened to this on audio 10 hrs 15 mins. 2.5 stars

I completed The Beantown Girls by Jane Healey. This was an excellent piece of historical fiction about the "donut dollies" of the Red Cross who served donuts and coffee to the troops during WWII through the Red Cross Clubmobile. The book focused on 3 very different young women who were assigned a truck together. They fast became friends and traveled from London to Northern Britain and finally to France, ending up just miles from Berlin. I was surprised that they served so close to the front(s). The book was a bit too sweet, in that all 3 found their loves while serving; however, all in all it was a great read! 4.5 stars 365 pages.

>63 Tess_W: wait a minute that was thw same plot as good night irene always wondered if each author knew about the other. will have to read and see what differed

I read From Ashes to Life by Lucille Eichengreen. It is a memoir of a young, Jewish, Polish woman and her life, especially during WWII. Lucille managed to survive 3 camps. Her story is chilling. This was a re-read of 20-30 years ago. 256 pages 4 stars

I finished Once by Morris Gleitzman, a novel about a young Jewish boy searching for his missing parents across Poland.

>66 nrmay: Not sure if you are aware, but that book is part of a series, Once Then, Now, Soon, Maybe, and After. I have the entire set on my shelves at school and they are the most checked out books by grades 8-11.

>67 Tess_W:
I did know this was a series. I only discoverd these recently and intend to read more of them.

I completed The Watchmaker's Daughter by Larry Loftis was the biography of Corrie Ten Boom. I enjoyed this much more than her autobiography, firstly because the writing was better, but secondly, the book encompassed more material. The author tenaciously researched the WWII situation in Holland and Germany, especially Ravensbruck. I really loved how the author included Anne Frank and the Hepburn family (Audrey) in this biography. I learned a lot about Holland during the war of which I was previously unaware. For example, I had no idea how many Dutch died from starvation. I did not know that they sliced tulip bulbs and ate them. I can highly recommend this book. 388 pages 4.5 stars Related to this read I am currently reading Dutch Girl about Audrey Hepburn's family during the occupation.

>69 Tess_W: That reminds me of something my father told me once: During the Sino-Japanese War and WWII, the Filipinos were often fighting against starvation as well and ended up eating water lilies. Though the plant is edible, it causes grotesque bloating they called , "wardema". I had forgotten all about that until you mentioned the Dutch eating tulips!

>70 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Thanks for that bit of trivia. I love learning tidbits such as that.

I completed Dutch Girl by Robert Matzen. This non-fiction isn't really as much about Audrey Hepburn as it is about the Nazi occupation of Holland and Operation Market Garden. It's a great bit of history. Audrey really shows up about 50% of the way into the book, but her family is involved in the first part of the book. Her father was a Nazi spy and her mother a Nazi sympathizer, until it no longer served her. Audrey wanted to be a ballerina and was trained as such until the family had their rations cut and she did not have enough strength left for dance. It's a great book if you want the history of Arnhem, Holland, during WWII, but not so much if you really want a history of Audrey Hepburn. 455 pages 4 stars

I’ve begun reading Volker Ullrich’s 2-vol. biography of Hitler, a 600+ page doorstop. I may actually get to the 2nd volume, which covers the WWII years by the end of Sept. Vol. One Hitler: Ascent 1889-1939 reads well. The chapter covering his experiences in WWI was most interesting, particularly with our reading and discussion of that war last quarter.

Last night I finished listening to The Collapse of the Third Republic: An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940 (by William L. Shirer; narrated by Grover Gardner) - As a journalist, Shirer witnessed many of the seminal events that corresponded to the fall of the French Third Republic and the rise of the resultant Vichy State. Culling his past articles & notes and following up with interviews up to twenty-some years after the political coup took place in 1940, the author becomes the historian with a definitive liberal voice.
To paraphrase Ernest Hemingway (The Sun Also Rises), “How did you lose your freedom? Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” Within a year of the onset of Nazi aggression, the French had turned from a parliamentary government to a fascist dictatorship with General Pétain at the helm. It’s easy, but more appropriately explained as facile, to attribute this solely to France as being unwilling to sacrifice more after having lost so much in WWI. There was a history of Anti-Semitism, extreme fear of socialism/communism, an unwarranted respect for technocratic authority, greed, lack of investment in the military infrastructure, ineffectual premiers, fluid/unstable governments, poor military intelligence, weak political pacts and deadly defeatism… All fed into each other making the French Republic vulnerable to the machinations of manipulative mistresses, petty martinettes, and a conservative faction that prized law and order over democratic process.
There’s a lot to unpack and the audio is long at over forty-eight hours; but definitely worth the investment of time and attention if you’re interested in the early years of WWII and the nuances behind the larger events in the context of France’s role.

Last night I finished reading The Mirror of Our Sorrows (Les Enfants du Disastres #3; by Pierre Lemaitre; translated from the original French by Frank Wynne). The last time we saw Louise, she was a little girl and a friend of the disfigured soldier in the first book in the series, The Great Swindle. Thirty years-old now and a teacher, she is caught up in a scandal that will propel her to re-examine her family’s past secrets even as the phoney war explodes into the real thing. Lemaitre’s plotting and historical research are non pareil; but this conclusion to the trilogy lacked the intensity of the first two books in the series and; it all wrapped up a touch too neatly. Though a bit “less” than the other books, still an unforgettable story.

I have read a couple of books that fit this category this month, and realized I hadn't written them up here. I read Unbroken : a World War II story of survival, resilience, and redemption by Laura Hillenbrand for this challenge. It tells the life story of Louie Zamperini, who had a remarkable life. As a youth, he was quite the hell-raiser, but his brother got him involved in track, and he competed in the 1936 Olympics at age 19.

The majority of the book tells of Louie's service in the Army Air Corps during World War II, surviving when his plane went down in the Pacific, then surviving 47 days drifting on a life raft before being captured by the Japanese. He then experiences life as a POW, having to survive multiple prison camps for over two years. I was aware that the Japanese treated their prisoners very badly, but the descriptions of life in the Japanese POW camps was shocking. Their treatment of POWs was similar to Nazi concentration camps. Hillenbrand does provide some reasons for this cruelty, from the education system at that time to propaganda about people who were not Japanese, Japanese belief in their racial and moral superiority, and the fact that in the Japanese military corporal punishment of servicemen was routine practice.

I also learned about the Japanese "kill all" rule, a policy stating that Allied forces could not be allowed to recapture POWs. If Allied advances made this possible, the order was to take decisive measures. Hillenbrand reports on some incidents where all the POWs in a camp were killed when the Japanese feared an Allied invasion. She also says that virtually every surviving POW believed that the dropping of the atomic bombs and subsequent sudden ending of the war had saved their lives.

The book does not end with the end of the war. It follows Zamperini's life after he returns, his struggles with PTSD and alcoholism, and his Christian conversion. Hillenbrand also reports on the postwar lives of others whom Zamperini had known, including some of his Japanese captors.

Hillenbrand has done a tremendous amount of research for this book. She does a great job of recreating what the world was like at the time, in addition to telling us about Zamperini's life. She conducted many interviews and reviewed diaries, letters, unpublished memoirs, as well as official documents. It all adds up to a book rich with information, more than I had expected.

I also read A Separate Peace this month for the September Reading Through Time: School Days challenge, but it also fits this challenge since it takes place during WWII. This was a re-read for me, however, I honestly didn't remember anything about the book at all, including that it was set during WWII.

The book tells the story of boys at a boarding school in New Hampshire during 1942-43. The heart of the book is the relationships between the various boys at the school. It is primarily about the protagonist, Gene, and his friend Phineas, their friendship and their rivalry. But the war is an ever present background, which eventually intrudes in the story when one student leaves to enlist, and suffers a mental breakdown as a result, before he is ever sent overseas to fight. There is a surprising plot twist at the end.

Overall, this is a sad story, and I have mixed feelings about it.

The Scythe (by Ray Bradbury) - It’s 1938 and an Okie family has rolled up to a farm on their journey West. Out of gas, food and dignity, the father enters the farmhouse looking for something to eat for his family and instead, finds fate disguised as fortune. Written in 1943 for Weird Tales magazine, Bradbury would later revise this short story (for collections/anthologies) to include specific references to WWII. While it has a supernatural aspect to it, it’s a deftly drawn portrait of time and place with Bradbury’s signature sense of unease and wonder.

Oh I read that short story, very eerie and unsettling. Didnt realize he revised it, will have to take a look

>77 Tanya-dogearedcopy: That sounded really good so I set about to find it. Boy, Bradbury's books are quite expensive! However, I found an anthology which contains this story and 36 others on Kindle for only $ 3.99. It's mine and now all I have to do is read it!

bradburys stories are perfect reads for October and halloween!

I completed Inside the Gas Chambers: Eight Months in the Sonderkommando of Auschwitz by Shlomo Venezia. Fourteen year old Shlomo was forced to carry bodies from the showers to the crematorium during the last days of Auschwitz. He escaped with the uprising in 1944. Sad how the Poles also turned on the escapees. He lost his entire family at Auschwitz. Non-fiction 232 pages 5 stars

I would not be able to read that one.

I finished Indifferent Heroes by Mary Hocking (1985). This is the second book of a trilogy looking at the Fairley family and friends, focusing on the 3 daughters, Louise, Alice and Claire, from 1939 to Fall 1945. The first book is more focused on Alice, but this second book covers various family members and felt more disjointed. The action switches from London to Cornwall to Egypt (Alice in the Wrens) to Italy to Burma to Oxford. I wanted more of Alice's story. I think I need to re-read this one because it did have important things to say about marriage and relationships during times of war, but I can't say it was an enjoyable read. The last book in the trilogy is post-war, which I will read next quarter.

I just finished a reread of Olivia Manning's The Great Fortune, which I read some years ago in Virago; but I'm reading it this time in the omnibus NYRB edition of The Balkan Trilogy, of which it's the first novel. I'm hoping to get the entire trilogy finished and then get a good start on The Levant Trilogy by the end of the month; but I don't know that I'll get the entire of the second, sequel trilogy finished by the end of Saturday.

I again, as I did some years ago, rate The Great Fortune 5*****, especially for the character of Yakimov, who steals the novel the same way Claude Rains's Captain Louis stole Casablanca.

Last night, I finished listening to Blitz (The Rook Files #3; by Daniel O’Malley; narrated by Moira Quirk) which is a fantasy novel set in present day London and in 1940 during the German bombing. In 1940, a Nazi bomber crashes in London and a sole crew member survives-- only to wreck havoc in the underworld by using his natural talent of directed electrocution. In the present day, Lynney has discovered that she can charge metal objects by direct contact. What the two people, generations apart, have in common besides their power, is having attracted the attention of the Chequery, a para-governmental organization with the mission statement of keeping the supernatural under control and away from public scrutiny.

The historical aspects of the 1940 settings were vividly described: the Anderson shelters, the city bunkers, the air raids & destruction, the emotional angst & turmoil of Londoners... My criticisms of the book have nothing to do with its historicity; just quibbles with the style: O'Malley hasn't met a back story he doesn't love to tell-- so the narrative gets smothered with nested anecdotes. And too, the marriage of the two plot arcs doesn't land nearly as solid as one might hope after 28.5 hours-- so while I rated it four-stars, it's a rather weak "four".

And that wraps up my reading for the quarter:

1918 - 1945 Smithsonian World War II: Map by Map (by DK) #NonFiction #Maps
1938 - 1945 The Scythe (by Ray Bradbury) #ShortStory
1939 - 1945 Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (by Max Hastings; narrated by Ralph Cosham) #NonFiction
1939/SEP The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy (by Mark Logue & Peter Conradi; narrated by Simon Vance) #NonFiction
1939/NOV - 1940/MAR, A Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 (by William R. Trotter; narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies) (Winter War) #NonFiction
1940/APR Mirror of Our Sorrows (Les Enfants du Désastre #3; by Pierre Lemaitre; translated from the original French by Frank Wynne) #HistoricalFiction
1940/MAY - JUN The Collapse of the Third Republic: An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940 (by William L. Shirer; narrated by Grover Gardner) #NonFiction
1940/SEP Blitz (The Rook Files #3; by Daniel O’Malley; narrated by Moira Quirk) #HistoricalFantasy

My two recommendations from the list are Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 (by Max Hastings) and The Collapse of the Third Republic: An Inquiry into the Fall of France in 1940 (by William L. Shirer). 🙂

I finished The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix (2018). This YA graphic book tells the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), a German clergyman whose personal faith compelled him to participate in the Nazi resistance. He dedicated his adult life to fighting Hitler and agonized over reconciling his love of country, his Christian beliefs and his urge to remove Hitler from power. Bonhoeffer was eventually arrested, imprisoned and finally was hanged in a concentration camp in April 1945, only two weeks before the camp was liberated.

The book does an excellent job of presenting Bonhoeffer's life, his work and his faith, and then intertwines it with the rise of Hitler and the Second World War. Although marketed to YA audiences, I felt it appeals to adult readers as well. There were enough details of the people and events to make it interesting and informative without being dragged down into minutiae. The illustrations are sharp and jagged, emphasizing the times. My only quibble is that sometimes the print was either too small or on background color that was hard to read. But the book's intended audience was not a Senior Citizen like me with dubious vision, so I shouldn't complain.

I read The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw. It was an interesting book. Tom Brokaw recounts the stories of a number of people, both ordinary and famous, who served in the military during World War II, or who served in some capacity on the home front. The stories tell of what they did during the war and also go on to tell of their accomplishments after the war and how their war experience played a role in those accomplishments. Many of them learned discipline and leadership skills that were instrumental in their success. While celebrating the bravery and heroism of Americans during the war, Brokaw does not overlook America's flaws. He includes a chapter on the (mis)treatment of minorities including African-Americans and Latinos and the forcible relocation of Japanese Americans to internment camps. The book tells the stories of my parents' generation, and it's striking how common it is to hear about the reticence that most of them had to talk about their war experiences, which my own parents shared. It does provide a good insight into that generation of Americans.

Finally finished Olivia Manning's The Balkan Trilogy, 4½****. The second book of the trilogy, The Spoilt City, is a little weaker than the other two, partly I suspect because the midpoint of a trilogy tends to drag a bit but also because Yaki doesn't make as much appearance in this second book.

Read this in the NYRB omnibus edition. I'm definitely going on to its successor, The Levant Trilogy, but I'll be finishing that so long down the road that I'm not going to claim it for this third quarter read.

I read a lot of WWII books and did finish one for the third quarter but ran out of time to post about it. The Last Bookshop in London brought the blitz in London and the difficulties of making a living to the fore in a heartwarming story of a plucky girl who ends up running a bookshop – not what she set out to do.

I've just finished The Mountains Wait, a memoir by Theodor Broch. Broch was the mayor of the far northern Norwegian town of Narvik when the Nazis invaded in 1940. The book begins with Broch getting away over the mountains into neutral Sweden, having escaped arrest for his resistance activities several months after the Nazi's arrival. But then, quickly, we go 10 years back in time to Broch's arrival in the town with his wife. He is a young lawyer intent on starting a practice away from the bustle (and competition) of Oslo. Pretty soon, Broch finds himself on the city council, and then the town's mayor. In the meantime, war clouds are gathering over Europe, though the folks of this sleepy town somehow assume they'll be spared.

But, of course, they aren't. In April 1940, German destroyers show up in the fjord. The Norwegian Navy ships on hand refuse to surrender, but are almost immediately sunk. Broch describes the Nazi's arrival and occupation of the town, their temporary departure when the English attack, and then their return. He describes well the town's day-to-day life during this time, as well as the dangers and tragedies of the various bombings and naval bombardments that take place.

But, finally, Broch's activities in getting information out to the British and other minor acts of resistance are discovered, and he has to flee. Broch eventually made his way to the U.S., where he became active in trying to raise money for the training and supplying of the Norwegian military and government in exile. He travels the country, especially the midwest, where Norwegian immigrants have been settling for decades. when Broch talks to American college students, he is frequently asked how Norway could have let itself be caught by surprise. That's until the Pearl Harbor attack, when those questions naturally cease. Finally we visit an airfield in Canada where Norwegian airmen are being trained. The Mountains Wait was published in 1943, while the war, obviously, was still ongoing. Broch couldn't know that Norway would still be in German hands when the Nazis surrendered to the Allies.

I just finished We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance and reviewed it on my thread here. It’s based on actual events and quite an impressive fictional account of human survival under extreme co.

Double post, though I have no idea as to how it happened

>90 rocketjk: This sounds very interesting and I was surprised that yours was the only. lT review. After reading We Die Alone recently I’ve really wanted to read some more books about Norway during WWII .

Unfortunately this one’s not available in audio format but your review has helped kindle my interest in Norway and WWII.

>91 kjuliff: I'm almost positive that We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance is non-fiction.

>94 Tess_W: It’s a true story but not strictly non-fiction as it’s not based on direct first-hand memory. See >91 kjuliff:

>95 kjuliff: Hmmm, the author re-traveled the route with Jan Baalustrad and also talked to many of Jan's contacts along the way. He was also the commanding officer in the Shetlands where Jan and his friends embarked for Norway. Just trying to learn library classification here. Am I misunderstanding a big something important? What additional types of first hand info would it take to be classified direct first-hand memory?

>96 Tess_W: I’m no expert in this area. Better to ask and experienced librarian. To me pure non-fiction relies on first-hand reports and documented oral history. Clearly then We Die Alone has much conjecture in it. The escape could not be fully documented. I therefore describe the book as historical fiction.

>97 kjuliff: You certainly have tough standards. In that case, almost all of what is considered non-fiction, etc, would be historical fiction. That would also negate much historical research.

>98 Tess_W: I think you are misunderstanding what I am saying. If there are no reports to back up the story then the writer has to make up not only conversations, but also the characters’’ thoughts and opinions. If such conversations and opinions are evidenced only in the mind of the modern writer, then I think it’s dangerous to label a book non-fiction.

>99 kjuliff: I think we are going to have to agree to disagree. By your own words NF has to rely on first hand reports and documented oral history. The book in question.... the author and Jan Baalsrud spent months together retraveling Baalsrud's route and stopping to talk to people that had helped Jan the first time around. Not only that, but the author was part of the command that sent Baalsrud & company from the Shetlands to Norway. I don't really know how much more documentation and oral reporting could be done; unless, of course, I can't remember a big part of the book. I guess maybe there could have been a few weeks in the tree stump that couldn't be verified? And perhaps when all of his company were killed--no survivor witnesses. My take is from work I did for the Holocaust Museum (2005) wherein survivors of camps were interviewed. Many times there was no documentation or verification. However, if a survivor gave a similar story to others, names of camp employees or inmates that were similar, towns that were in existence at that time, names of train stations that existed, it was the right time period (that camp was open), then it was entered into historical evidence. (records) I know for a fact that books were written from some of these records and they were classified as non-fiction, having much less verification than the book we have been discussing. Anyway, nice discussion. However, I'm sticking with the LOC!

>100 Tess_W: I think we are going to have to agree to disagree.
Agree.