|
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN is being praised by critics and moviegoers as one of the most
honest and compelling movies ever produced about World War II. Insead of
producing a typical drop-a-few-bombs-fire-a-few-guns-OK-we-won-now-we-can-go-home movie
about war, Steven Spielberg chose to portray the reality of war. The truth is,
war is hell --- for the people who have to fight them, the innocent bystanders caught up
in them, and for the people who wait at home.
World War II has been the subject of thousands of books --- we couldn't list them all if
we tried. So what we've done, in the spirit of Saving Private Ryan, is look for
some books that capture the experience of World War II with the same level of honesty.
Herman Wouk's THE CAINE MUTINY is based on his experiences about a destroyer-minesweeper
in the Pacific. The novel portrays a neurotic Captain Queeg, who becomes
obsessed with the petty infractions of his crew. Eventually the crew relieves
him of his command, and they are court-martialled. Wouk also wrote two
compelling novels about an American family who sends both its patriarch and several sons
off to the war. THE WINDS OF WAR follows the Henry family as the become
involved in the events preceding America's involvement in he war, and WAR AND REMEMBRANCE
continues the family's story through the end of the conflict.
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY by James Jones tells the story of a group of young soldiers who had
to grow up fast when Pearl Harbor is bombed. If you are curious about how
fighting a war can affect the psyche, there is no better book to read than Joseph Heller's
CATCH-22. This highly satirical novel centers on Captain John Yossarian, who is
stationed on an island during World War II, and who is obsessed with staying
alive.
To learn how war affects the citizens of a country at war, you might want to read John
Hersey's A BELL FOR ADANO. This books tells the story of an American army
officer who is part of the Allied occupation of Italy. In his attempts to bring
democracy to the town of Adano, he comes into conflict with both the citizens of the town
and his commanding officer. Hersey's other book about World War II is entitled
HIROSHIMA, and it is a must-read for anyone who has wondered, after watching a World War
II movie that ends with the American boming of Hiroshima, just what happened on the ground
after those bombs were released.
In this special TBR feature we share reviews of both fiction and nonfiction
reviews and share excerpts from such great reads as Stephen Ambrose's CITIZEN
SOLDIERS and BAND OF BROTHERS. Then post your thoughts on our WWII Message
Board.
--- Judith Handschuh
(c)
Copyright 2001, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
|
