Books offer tales of World War II
By NewsPress Now
The stories of World War II, both fictional and true, continue to be told. Here is a selection of books recently read and enjoyed by librarians at the St. Joseph Public Library. The books are available at the St. Joseph Public Library, at other Missouri Evergreen libraries or from one of the SJPL eContent vendors. Visit the library’s catalog at sjpl.missourievergreen.org to find these or other great books to enjoy.
“Canary Girls” by Jennifer Chiaverini. “Be the Girl Behind the Man Behind the Gun” was the slogan used to recruit women to work in munitions factories during WWII. “Munitionettes” worked building shells and bombs for the troops. Long hours, exposure to dangerous chemicals, strict rules and few safety measures characterized their work. The “Canary Girls” yellow skin resulted from this work. This fictionalized account of their lives during the war gives the reader an appreciation of what it is to serve.
“Mistress of Life and Death: The Dark Journey of Maria Mandl, Head Overseer of the Women’s Camp at Ausch-Birkenau” by Susan J. Eischied. How does a pleasant young woman become the vicious overseer of the women’s camp at Auschwitz? Why? Follow Maria Mandl’s complex transformation from a person of “good family” loving music and children to the director of atrocities. Reading her progression as a mental and physical torturer of great brutality and zeal, it is left to the reader to form his or her own conclusions. The question “What are we each capable of given the right circumstances?” is inescapable while reading.
“Pogue’s War, Diaries of a WWII Combat Historian” by Forrest C. Pogue. A trained journalist and respected author serving in WWII writes a more personal account of his observations. His experiences in England, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany as a combat historian, appointed by the Army chief of staff, were written for purposes of training and communication. In “Pogue’s War” we have a more personal account of a serving soldier’s experiences mixed with factual reports written from the diaries he kept.
“Sisters in Resistance: How a German Spy, a Banker’s Wife, and Mussolini’s Daughter Outwitted the Nazis” by Tilar J. Mazzeo. Galeazzo Ciano, Italy’s foreign minister, unwisely kept secret diaries during the war. It was the capture of these diaries that enabled the conviction of many Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials. Three unlikely women worked to make this happen. “Sisters in Resistance” introduces these three women and tells the tale of their dangerous work securing these diaries. The book provides a unique perspective of a little-known working behind-the-scenes part of WWII.
“Victory Vignettes & Voices” by Glory Fagan. Local author Fagan’s second book tells World War II stories — some true, some fictionalized — about men and women from around our area and their war experiences. Readers also learn about the Victory Vertical project. Steinway and Sons made more than 3,000 pianos from 1942 to 1953 designed specifically for troops at war. Information about the pianos and music from the 1940s are both woven throughout the stories.
