Customer Reviews

My War: A Love Story in Letters and Drawings

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is incredible. Tracy Sugarman married a few months before being shipped overseas, and he wrote steadily to his wife while he was in England and Normandy. He also sent her drawings and watercolors. 50 years after D-Day, he opened the carton his wife had saved that contained all his letters - 400 of them - and all his drawings. He then put them together, with connecting narrative, and created this memorable book. Besides being a wonderful artist, he is a tremendous writer, and it amazes me to think that he wrote these letters when he was only 22 years old! The letters are vivid, loving, occasionally angry and very poignant. This is the author's very personal account of his war, and he comes across as an amazingly special person. I highly recommend this to people who liked Brokaw's Greatest Generation (he's quoted on the back of the book - calls the book a treasure.) I don't see how anyone can read this and not agree with a comment Stephen Ambrose wrote on the back of the book, "When I got to the last paragraph, I wept." So did I. Great book. Great book.

This is a collection of letters that the author wrote to his wife, along with sketches and paintings, that capsulate his thoughts, feelings and experiences.

I really enjoy reading Ernie Pyle and Bill Mauldin's letters, essays and sketches and cartoons. However, they were written with me (or my parents) as an audience. Tracy Sugerman's letters were never really intended to be published and this adds a degree of depth, candor and emotion which cannot be found in the professional writer's works.

I've also read most of Stephen Ambrose's books on World War II and feel that Sugerman's letters bring alive one soldier's viewpoints about life in a manner that is much more powerful than Ambrose's brief glimpses and interviews with the vets found in all of his books (though each has its place & Ambrose's books are 5/5!).

In the battle of the "My War" books, I will take Tracy Sugarman's easily over Andy Rooney's. This book is different. It is not really about war although the subject is unavoidable. The book is about a nice young man who loved his wife and country and did his best to serve to the best of his abilities. He got through it thanks to his art, and thanks to his wife, his works survived for the education and enjoyment of generations. The fact that his works are "real time" works and not reflections of his memories make them even more special. After reading this book, it should go on your coffee table. As a quick postscript, some previous reviewers commented on some examples of "blue" language and objected. But sometimes that sort of thing is appropriate. I doubt if many readers would really mind too much. It is a fine work.

A balance between letters and personal memoirs, this beautifully written book reveals correspondence between a man and his wife. It is a moving and personal picture of real life in war situations, which drives readers to question how they would respond in those same situations.

I couldn't put the book down! "My War" was written by Tracy Sugarman. Tracy was enlisted in the service and was called to duty during World War II. He had to leave his newly wedded bride, June, and go overseas. Before he left June gave him art materials for him to record what he saw with. Tracy would write to June at any possible chance he had. He also sent over scrapbooks full of drawings, and paintings that he had completed. One thing that I really enjoyed reading about was how Tracy would write to June not only telling her about his day to day life, but he would write words of the undying passion that he felt for her. It amazed me that while seeing these cruel, and horrific events he still would speak of love and devotion to his wife. Call me a hopeless romantic but that was one of my favorite parts of the book. I also enjoyed looking at the drawings that he sent back. He didn't try to glorify what he saw in any way, which gave me a better sense of understanding. Sometimes words are just words to people I think visuals are a great aid in helping comprehension. There was only one thing that I found difficult in this book. It was the terminology. He had a lot of terms for certain boats that he was on, which he did describe, but sometimes he would refer back to those boats and I would be confused. But It didn't at all lessen the value of his story, or the book. I strongly suggest this book to anyone who loves to hear about war, love, or struggle. It was a first hand account of not only the war, but of a couple's struggle being seperated. Like I said before I couldn't put the book down. So please read "My War" by Tracy Sugarman, I hope you love it as much as I did.

Tracy Sugarman has given readers a unique perspective of World War II in this lovely book full of his letters to his wife while he was overseas. What makes it really special are the wonderful drawings Sugarman did during this time.

This book gave me insights into the feelings of someone fighting a war--it could be Everyman and Everywar, a soldier far from home making difficult decisions every minute of every day. Those feelings are probably universal. The book was not so much about the specifics of a war, but what it was like for one particular soldier.

I was also reminded of the feeling of duty and honor and dedication to one's country that is not often expressed any more.

This book would be a good addition to any history class in any school.

My husband and I both read and loved this book. My husband wanted to immediately read it again. I really admired the man Tracy Sugarman. His letters and sketches told you exactly the title "my war". We were able to see thru Tracy's eyes the impact war and of being away from home and his wife. A very interesting book to reread over and over again.

Tracy Sugarman is a veteran of the Second World War. In 1944 he served in the United States Navy during the D-Day Invasion, and for many of the months of battle that followed in Europe. "My War" tells his personal wartime story, through a series of letters and drawings that he sent back home to his beloved wife June. Sugarman is an artist, and his sketches and drawings visually touch the heart by showing moments of life and death from a time of devastating warfare. His letters to June are very moving to read, describing his experiences in the war as well as some deeply felt hopes and dreams for the future. In one passage of the book Sugarman writes of the war as being like a journey through a long, dark cave. There was nothing to be done but to keep walking through the darkness, and to keep praying and working for the triumph of what is good. This book is a story of love and duty, and a generation that was willing to sacrifice itself for the sake of a better world. It is especially a tribute to June, because for Sugarman she always represented the best of everything. There is an enduring message in this book that through all the days that a person may live, and through times of war and peace; that the best memories of all are the memories of love.

I bought this book intending it as a gift for my 90-year-old mother, who loved "The Greatest Generation" and "Duty." However, once I had a chance to look through it, I know I can't possibly give it to her. She would be so put off by much of the language (liberal use of 4-letter words and casual blasphemy) that she would not be able to see the other values in the book.

This criticism in no way represents my own views, but only a caution that this book would not be appropriate for all readers.

I just loved this book. It took me back a time when things seemed simpler somehow,although it was also a terrible time of war. Tracy Sugarman was in that war, saw it first hand and tells us what he saw. But he also tells of the unwavering love he had for his new wife and for his country. I honestly don't remember anything blasphemous. It may have been there, but it is not in any way obvious, at least to me. I was just swept away by his story, and wonderful drawings. I think anyone interested in "the way things were" would love this book!