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Love Stories of World War II [Hardcover]

Larry King (Compiler)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 6, 2001
Both poignant and inspiring, these are the moving stories of men and women who met amid the chaos of the most devastating war in history and became the loves of one another’s lives. Many are now enjoying their seventies and eighties together after more than fifty happy years of marriage.

They met in many remarkable ways, some in the briefest of chance encounters, and their love endured heart-rending ordeals of long separation and the constant threat that a husband or lover might not return. As these couples reflect on the profound experience of the war, the stories they most like to tell are of the deep bonds they forged during that tumultuous time, bonds so strong that they lasted a lifetime. As one man put it, “We’ve all got war stories. Some of us like to tell them and some don’t. But the story of how we fell in love with our wives, well, that’s still with us every day, and I know a lot of us can still get a little choked up over it. The war was a long time ago, one part of our lives. But we’re still living the love stories.”

Bestselling author and master interviewer Larry King tells the stories of these love affairs just as the couples recalled them, capturing the special feeling of those times in their own words. The stories are complemented with a wealth of personal photographs and reproductions of touching memorabilia, including V-mail letters, cartoons, cards, newspaper accounts, and even the ticket stub from the movie seen on a first date. The stories reflect a wonderful range of experiences, from couples who met and got married within a few weeks to those who waited years after a brief first meeting to see each other again. There are stories of falling in love at first sight, stories of tragedy transformed by love, and stories of the remarkable resourcefulness that can be exercised by two people determined to be together.

A treasure trove of unique reminiscences, Love Stories of World War II offers an unprecedented view into this personal side of the World War II experience and celebrates the incredible legacy of remarkable relationships forged in the midst of tragedy.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It was an entirely different time. Sex was hardly ever mentioned; love for sweetheart and country was valued above all else. Popular CNN talk show host King (How to Talk to Anyone Anytime, Anywhere) gathers stories of couples brought together by, or in spite of, WWII. Not all of these touching stories have perfect, happy endings. For instance, Anne Hetrick and Harry Greissman's relationship and years of correspondence end with the couple deciding to part. But Harry, a budding journalist and official forward observer to the Battle of the Ardennes, writes evocatively of overseas life: "Christmas services in a winter woodland blanketed with snow and ice, shattered by cannon and small arms fire. Above the cannon's roar and the angry spitfire of machine guns and rifles you can still hear the still, small voice of an organ piping hymns." Another story tells of Will Metzger, a former daredevil turned Army Air Corps pilot whose plane is shot down over Greece. His wife, Doris, spends a torturous couple of days wondering about his fate. Will escapes with the help of the Greek and British underground and returns home, receiving the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his heroism. Babies are born and not seen by their fathers until they are toddlers. Some couples, years later, celebrate their 50th wedding anniversaries still as close as ever. A master interviewer, King has captured the earnestness of youth, the dreams of glory and the sense of urgency of these young lovers. This book deserves a place alongside other WWII remembrances and will be a popular addition given the resurgence of interest in wartime experience. 30 b&w illus.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In his latest book, King, CNN's most enduring host, does not cover politics or scandals and does not talk to celebrities or about himself. Instead, he focuses on romances that blossomed during World War II. What courage it took to commit to love in the face of separation and death. Fifty couples who met and, most often, married precipitously, often against great odds, during the war and then stayed married, share the stories of their first meeting and courtship as well as photographs of themselves then and now. In his introduction, King notes that just as many men as women were eager to talk about their wartime love. As one man said, "The war was a long time ago, one part of our lives. But we're still living the love stories." Simply, make that blandly, told, these are sweet and remarkable tales. Love at first sight is a common theme. Letters play a crucial role, as do near-misses and extraordinary good luck. Yankees attending basic training in the South become smitten with local gals; GIs fall in love with women overseas. Sometimes both he and she are in uniform; wounded men fall in love with nurses--the variations on the theme of true love are many, and all are irresistible. There is some sorrow, inevitably, but King keeps everything light and upbeat, creating a feel-good album of romance in a time of unprecedented bloodshed, testimony to the will to survive and the profound desire for communion and happiness under any circumstances. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Crown; First Edition edition (November 6, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0609607235
  • ISBN-13: 978-0739423004
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #790,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Different look at World War II, December 27, 2001
This review is from: Love Stories of World War II (Hardcover)
I am a huge fan of history. I love to read historical fiction, mainly, but every now and again, I will pick up something else. I was given "Love Stories of World War II" as a gift and I am by no means disappointed. In a time when the world was at war and death and dying was a harsh reality, some people were falling in love. Larry King has done an excellent job of putting this book together, keeping with facts and mementos of the couples in the book. Rather then sweeting it up, their stories are told with excerpts from letters and the histories behind the love. It is not mushy stuff, just simple stories of love in a time of war.

I am very pleased with this book and I would recommend it to any history fan. It reminds me of the love my grandparents share, having a similar story to some of those told in the book. And it leaves me with a strong sense of love and devotion.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, February 22, 2002
This review is from: Love Stories of World War II (Hardcover)
I was given this book as a Valentine's Day gift by my boyfriend at the dawn of our relationship. He is an Army officer and I am in training to be one as well, and as such, we are often separated by our respective training. In this current time of war uncertainty and world instability, the stories in this book serve as a poingnent reminder of what we are living and fighting for every day.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Gift, March 2, 2002
By 
Betty Martin (Wilmington, DE United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Love Stories of World War II (Hardcover)
I bought this book for my mother. My father is a world war II vet. She tells me it brought back many memories - some happy, some sad. Overall, she really enjoyed it. I would recommend it as a great gift for parents and grandparents who lived through it.
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First Sentence:
In 1998 Betty Trimpey gave her younger daughter, Linda K. Golby, a battered box of letters that had survived thirteen moves, still tied together with faded fifty-year-old hair ribbons. Read the first page
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San Francisco, World War, New York, United States, Mary Lou, Mary Jane, Pearl Harbor, Red Cross, New Mexico, Atlantic City, North Carolina, Ronal Lynn, South Pacific, New Jersey, Maxwell Field, South Carolina, Nancy Lee, North Africa, President Roosevelt, Tidworth House, Western Union, Jackie Boy, New Year's Day, San Diego, Silver Star
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