I of course knew about Germany occupying France during WWII, and I knew the Netherlands was occupied also. But I never considered the Dutch had such a horrible time surviving. Now I am astonished I never considered how those people suffered, what their lives were like. I hadn't heard much about it, so I didn't consider their plight. This book in a non-fiction account of the lives of several Dutch families/people, of their hardships and sacrifices. The personal stories of these Americans are also given, which makes their plight in the Netherlands and the dangers they experienced there all the more poignant. The love and care the Dutch people gave to the American cemetery speaks loudly of their thanks for the GIs' help. A truly riveting book.
"An intimate, moving look at the war that extracts deep meaning from the carnage and loss." - Publishers Weekly
What happens when you lose your freedom and the people who eventually get it back for you are no longer alive to thank?
Remember Us, by Robert Edsel-#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Monuments Men-begins in the pre-dawn hours of Hitler's invasion of Western Europe on May 10, 1940, when his forces rolled into the small rural province of Limburg in the Netherlands shattering more than 100 years of peace. Their freedom…
I didn't know before reading this book that German and Italian POWs from WWII were housed in prisoner of war camps in Missouri. I had never heard of this, so this book gave me a deep insight not only to these men's situation but also of the building of such camps and the staffing of them. I learned of the numerous camps throughout the state and the opportunity these men had to work on farms and other places to keep busy. There were several such camps around the area in which I live. I took one afternoon to drive to one such camp not too far from me. There is nothing left of it but a tall chimney that was part of a large rec room in the camp. It is a crime that such history is nearly lost. It should have been preserved as an historical building. Just standing there, gazing at the chimney after reading about that camp and the Italian POWs, connected me with the era and gave me a deep feeling for the men on both sides of the conflict. A truly interesting book that gave me a stronger connection to what these POWs and camp staff went through.
During World War II, more than fifteen thousand German and Italian soldiers came to Missouri. This was no invasionary force; rather these were prisoners of war, part of a flood of almost a half-million men captured and sent to the United States, held here until the end of the war. Life as a POW in the thirty camps scattered across Missouri was a surprisingly pleasant experience. The men ate well and were quartered under the same conditions as the Americans assigned to guard them, and the prisoners often enjoyed a great deal of freedom. The internees worked on local farms,…
I know of author Lucy Worsley from her many PBS TV documentaries, so I hoped her book would echo her narrative style of the programs. It does. She writes in the same manner as her TV shows -- sometimes tongue in cheek, sometimes slightly irreverent, sometimes with humor. I've read many books on British royalty, mainly of the Plantagenet and Tudor periods. This book gives the history of those figures, but with an "unusually personal history", as the book states. Worsley tells the lives of these people via her position as Chief Curator of Britain's Historic Royal Palaces. As such, she knows the palaces intimately, knows the personal stories of the monarchs, and learned how these royals built and lived in these grand palaces. I found it interesting how one sometimes influenced the other, and I especially loved learning about the buildings. I've visited some of the places Worsley talks about, so it was interesting to learn more about those structures. It's a fascinating read, and a painless way to learn some history.
"Queens & Kings is history with a uniquely personal touch. Warm, insightful, and full of heart, Worsley has distilled a lifetime of personal experience into this crowning achievement of a book. Prepare yourself for a personal tour of the palace rooms with Britain's favorite historian.” —Hallie Rubenhold, bestselling author of The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
"This dazzling book is full of brilliant detail, behind-the-scenes wit and humor, and a great tenderness for her subjects. All seen through the lens of Lucy Worsley's career working as Chief Curator at Hampton Court, her…
It seemed like a brilliant idea. Even better with their activities neatly listed on paper: a week-long fishing trip, a rented boat and cabin by a loch, a bit of hiking in the cold Scottish countryside. But former police detective Michael McLaren and his best mate, Jamie Kydd, never get a taste of their adventure or the fish they hoped to catch--Jamie is found outside the morning of their trip in a coma, gravely hurt. Was it an accident, or an assault by one of the criminals who vowed revenge on Jamie? McLaren begins his hunt, swearing to discover who injured his friend. If only that was the extent of their trouble...
