The Air Raid Warden Was a Spy: And Other Tales from Home-Front America in World War II [Hardcover]

William B. Breuer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471234885 | ISBN-13: 978-0471234883 | Publication Date: December 20, 2002 | Edition: 1

Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer

"A first-class historian."
-The Wall Street Journal

Top Secret Tales of World War II

"A book for rainy days and long solitary nights by the fire. If there were a genre for cozy nonfiction, this would be the template."
-Publishers Weekly

"Perfect for the curious and adventure readers and those who love exotic tales and especially history buffs who will be surprised at what they didn't know. Recommended for nearly everyone."
-Kirkus Reviews

Daring Missions of World War II

"The author brings to light many previously unknown stories of behind-the-scenes bravery and covert activities that helped the Allies win critical victories."
-Albuquerque Journal

Secret Weapons of World War II

"Rip-roaring tales . . . a delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out."
-Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

In his latest collection of fresh and surprising stories from World War II, popular author and distinguished historian William Breuer recounts over fifty little-known tales of military actions, espionage, and skullduggery on the home front. Based on personal interviews, official archives, and declassified documents, The Air-Raid Warden Was a Spy features intriguing accounts of covert raids and combat experiments, spies and saboteurs, draft dodgers and do-gooders, and various escapes and secret operations.

Fascinating and fast-paced, The Air-Raid Warden Was a Spy returns the reader to American shores and, in Breuer’s inimitable style, reveals dramatic and pivotal moments during the war, such as:

• The rounding up of 3,846 subversive suspects in the United States within the first seventy-two hours after Pearl Harbor
• The plane that bombed the Pacific Northwest
• The sinking of a Japanese submarine off the California coast
• The near destruction of Coney Island, thanks to eager-beaver air-raid wardens who searched the friendly skies for hostile aircraft
• The secret plan to draft females
• A barrage of explosive balloons
• The Nazi U-boat in New York Harbor
• The army bomber that crashed into the Empire State Building
• The dismantling of a Nazi spy network based in New York City–which included U.S. citizens

Breuer deftly captures the state of the nation when the first shock waves hit and war became an all-too-close-to-home reality, as women flocked to war plants and Hollywood celebrities gave up their hefty paychecks to enlist. As the stories unfold and the home front itself appears to be under siege, The Air-Raid Warden Was a Spy underscores the devotion and sacrifices of the members of the armed forces and their families–and the country’s determination to bring the global conflict to an end.

From the Back Cover

Critical acclaim for William B. Breuer

"A first-class historian."
–The Wall Street Journal

Top Secret Tales of World War II

"A book for rainy days and long solitary nights by the fire. If there were a genre for cozy nonfiction, this would be the template."
–Publishers Weekly

"Perfect for the curious and adventure readers and those who love exotic tales and especially history buffs who will be surprised at what they didn’t know. Recommended for nearly everyone."
–Kirkus Reviews

Daring Missions of World War II

"The author brings to light many previously unknown stories of behind-the-scenes bravery and covert activities that helped the Allies win critical victories."
–Albuquerque Journal

Secret Weapons of World War II

"Rip-roaring tales . . . a delightful addition to the niche that Breuer has so successfully carved out."
–Publishers Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (December 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471234885
• ISBN-13: 978-0471234883
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,677,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Eye Of The Hipster Sayeth--I cannot recommend this book., March 30, 2006

By 

The Mystic Eye Of The Hipster (Murfreesboro, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Air Raid Warden Was a Spy: And Other Tales from Home-Front America in World War II (Hardcover)

The Author of this "historical" work claims that many bizarre accounts he records here are true. And at least some of them are indeed true. However, some of these accounts involve some of the most important men of the era, & are not recorded in any of the other texts on World War 2 I have read. Yet, the only source he "cites" for many of these stories, & the principle source for most of the others is "Author's Archives". Apparently, his "scholarship" tells him that this is sufficient.

WRONG!

No Historian, or aspriring Historian, should ever cite his own archives as a source. He should describe the document, such as "private diary of so & so, in Author's Archives". Otherwise, you get what some scholars call the "Magic Piece Of Paper" Syndrome, in which you can claim anything you want to, because your "Author's Archives" will "magically" produce anything you like. Any first year University student knows this.

And some of the "events" Mr. Breuer cites are pretty far-fetched, especially when you consider that the term "Author's Archives" implies that no one else on Earth has access to the information sources he cites.

I urge Mr. Breuer to donate these amazing documents to a University, so that other people may examine them.

Add note --If you are a student, DO NOT CITE THIS MAN'S BOOKS AS SOURCE MATERIAL IN A PAPER OR THESIS! It will quite likely result in a poor grade for your paper.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Pure Entertainment, April 24, 2008

By 

Tony Lesce - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Air Raid Warden Was a Spy: And Other Tales from Home-Front America in World War II (Hardcover)

This book is pure entertainment, not accurate history. It's written in a style that fits the tabloids, not serious works. The author repeats myths that had long been discredited to weave his interesting stories.
Overall, it's worth reading in bed late at night.