Customer Reviews

Stage Door Canteen

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Stage Door Canteen is a work of epic proportions. A bit of a departure for Maggie Davis, who is a well-known romance novelist, this meticulously researched, mainstream novel is infused with the spirit of a wartime America. The story, framed by WW2, takes place between 1942-43, and introduces us to a select group of individuals, including theatre people, young women volunteers, and a cross section of America's fighting men and women. All are patrons of The Stage Door Canteen - a former off-Broadway nightclub-turned-USO - funded and staffed through the generosity of the New York City show community. The settings - for this study in contrasts - are New York City and Washington, DC, where the Pentagon is still emerging from a disarray of concrete block and mortar. The reader shares the lives of a complex set of characters, including Jenny, a singer/actor in a Broadway show, whose husband - a well known writer - is drafted and sent to work on top secret documents that will help solidify US policy in the international arena. GI Gene, a decorated gunner, who pursues and pledges his love to Dina, a Stage Door Canteen volunteer hostess, so focused on her dream of becoming a Broadway star, that she refuses to consider marriage. Elise, another volunteer, who is a Jewish refugee and college student, wrestles with her fears, as she tries to bring the atrocities of Hitler's death camps to the attention of the American media. These characters, interacting with a host of other fascinating personas, are brought back through the doors of the canteen, for the reader's review, again and again. What we see are persons coping with the supreme sacrifices demanded of a citizenry burdened with the uncertainties of wartime living. A people trying to hang onto their dreams, love (Yes, there are a few steamy romantic interludes), and life - as the action exposes the anatomy of a war.

Emerging, along with the intricacies of World War II - and a lot of facts that you probably forgot since you last studied American history - are the names, faces, and personality types that impacted American life during the early 1940s. GIs and foreign correspondents recall their battles, and share their experiences. Discrimination, segregation, and other social issues are exposed. Values and faith are examined, questioned and challenged. Celebrities, such as Katherine Hepburn, Ray Bolger, the Andrews Sisters, and many more, impress us with their humanity, or entertain their way, through chapter after chapter. Show people, including big name talents, and the composers/creators of the musicals that rocked Broadway during this period, parade across the pages, as they contend with the `Sturm und Drang' of the creative processes, to produce one of the most important musicals of the day - OKLAHOMA! Nowhere, will you find a finer history of Broadway. It's all here - names, dates, arguments, snubbings, hirings, firings, the intricate partnering dances - everything! What a resource for the show biz aficionado! As for the outstanding treatment of the World War 2 story - infused with new vitality, as it flows from Maggie Davis' creative pen - it is unparalleled. Stage Door Canteen is much more than just another war novel - though it has unquestionable appeal for the avid WW2 buff. It's more than a book that should be on every college-level American history teacher's required reading list. This is a historical novel - with a global perspective - that everyone is going to want on his or her personal bookshelf. I highly recommend it!

I am not a reviewer, so don't have the skill to say how good this book is. It has a marvellous sea battle, it has characters that was well drawn, images that evoke the emotions. Somethings for the ladies, something for the gents. It's a book about war, but is more about the people and how war shapes their lives. Damn fine piece of quality writing. Thank you to my granddaughter for sending me the copy and insisting I read it.

Well, I'm a romance reader or fantasy reader. But since I know Maggie Davis aka Katherine Deauxville from her romance books - Crystal Heart, Red Red Roses,and Enraptured, The Last Male Virgin - I was willing to give this a go. Literature, generally, is not my cup of tea and I am not a big fan of WWII drama. Contrary to all that going in, I found myself caught up in the sheer drama of this book. My attention was fixed by scene after scene of various people, living in New York during the war. How they coped, their individual personal stories. I guess, we all see movies about Pearl Harbor and such, that is never crossed my mind that New York actually was so touched by the "closeness" of war. I especially loved the peek behind the curtains of the production of the musical Oklahoma. That was a book into itself. Yet, around that, Ms Davis cleverly weaves the menacing threads of war. Such a brilliant contrast - the whimsy of the musical against submarines lurking off the coast like wolves, waiting to attack ships leaving the harbor; that the lights of Broadways had to be dimmed so they would not silhouette the departing ships. It sent shivers up my spine.

It's such a visual book; it demands to be made into a movie, with so many great parts for women. I always see interviews with Penny Marshall, Sandra Bullock, Madonna, the actresses who have gone into production as well as acting, saying there are no good parts for woman they can adapt for film. Well, this is crying for that with several great roles for women; several for me. David is so dashing!

So thanks to the "elf" who sent me the book and said "read or I shall come after you with my claymore". I might not have picked it up on my own otherwise. Considering this is one of the best books I have read in ages, I am so glad I got it as a gift. Don't wait. Buy it yourself.

this books does so much in so little pages. Amazing. The fun peek in to the creation of one of the all time great musicals Oklahoma! would be enough for one books alone. Yet we have the dashing Brit Hero David - oh, why could there not be more of him! Nail biting sea battle, the forming of the Pentagon, race relations, big names movie stars, heartaches, humour, big band era, the jitterbug - wow...one could wear themselves out just talking about what the book covers. Easy to read and enjoy this amazing book.

Stage Door canteen is a great read.

Davis has captured the feel of wartime New York, with the blackouts and German U-Boats lurking off Coney Island. I am interested in everything about WWII and I am addicted to anything about this conflict that comes on the History Channel or shows up at the local bookstore. Stage Door Canteen shows the human side of what it must have been like to live through the war in New York.

I heartily recommend it.

I cannot recall when I last read a book so deep in substance. This story is skillfully woven with tales of Broadway, the glitter of stars stepping out of their roles to do their share to support the Home Front, the more personal tales of how changes peoples lives, down to a slam-bang sea battle. Topics of the era are vividly drawn, issues not made "politically correct" but handle with the forthrightness. Frankly, it's a journey on a time-machine. You don't read this book, you experience. Several of my friends and family have read it, and I laugh, because everyone tries to compare it to other works like "From Here To Eternity", "The Winds of War" and "Pearl", and I can see where they might, but frankly, this book is more....

not sure what I can add that the other reviews have not already covered. Yes, this needs to be a movie or a mini-series even better, so it can really do justice to the whole book - maybe a Broadway play - maybe all. There sure is a enough material.

From the first page, the evocative prose pulled me into this book, seeing vivid images of what New York was like during WWII, the uncertainty, the press to grab life for the moment. I've have seen several of the old Stage Door Canteen movies, but they cannot even touch the scope of this book. I was very impressed with the deep empathy for the British sea Captain, his pain, how shared the pain in Jenny. These were very human moments.

I could go on and on about the brilliant behind scenes drama of the birth of one of America's most beloved musicals, the unflinching portrayal of the prejudices that existed during that era. So many times when a writer steps back and writes about a past era, there is the temptation to make it brighter, better more perfect than it really was. Davis holds nothing back, not opting to take that easy road. She uses to time capsule feel to portray American how she was, somewhat innocent, often a little unfeeling toward their fellow man, but with the ultimate belief in good and struggle to stay on that path.

It's a sweeping drama, yet at the same time tells very personal stories. Doesn't get much better than this.

not much I can say but what a fabulous book this is. It needs to be made into a movie or a TNT mini-series. There are so many great roles I can well imagine the starlets have a donnybrook over who gets to play what role. And David...I see Viggo or Orlando....sigh...

A true blast from the past under the brush strokes of a true writer.

Maggie Davis captures the dark romantic world of World War II New York City brilliantly in this tour de force novel. Building her story around the efforts to bring the wholesome and risky musical "Oklahoma" to the dimmed lights of Broadway creates a metaphor of hope in the face of darkness that we need again today.

There is a sense Maggie Davis lived this book, which clearly is not possible. The writing has such attention to detail that the Canteen and the people in it truly come alive. From the stars who graced the USO Stage Door Canteen to the frightened silenced Jewish refugees from (...)Germany, to the young soldiers and sailors who may have had their last dance in the arms of some of the most beautiful women of stage and screen, it's all here and it all rings true.

For women waiting for their men to come home from war, for people tormented by an unchallenged evil they cannot stop and most especially for anyone who loves history, this book is a must read.

Set in 1942 during one of the biggest wars the world has witnessed. New York was in "brown-out" mode, Frank Sinatra was new to show biz, and the sweet voices of the Andrew Sisters rode the air waves.

The Canteen mainly catered to the U.S. Servicemen. Dedicated volunteers, often including such stars as Katherine Hepburn, helped entertain the military personnel on leave before they had to go back on duty.

Genevieve "Jenny" Rose was a theater actress. She helped out the Canteen and rehearsed for opening night. Her husband, Major Brad Rose, was in Washington, where the Pentagon was under construction. Brad was with Army Air Force Information & Special Planning Division "ISPD".

Sgt. Eugene Struhbeck was a regular at the Canteen. Jenny dreaded seeing him because he had a huge chip on his shoulder and often picked fights. However, he was a decorated hero, of Midway, and had to be tolerated. He was often drunk and ended up shooting his mouth off about sensitive issues in the Air Force. Therefore, Lt. Malcolm Sandover was sent to keep an eye on him. Eugene was in love with "Dina", who had as little to do with him as possible.

Elise Ginsberg was a volunteer junior hostess. She was Jewish and the men in her home life had her out, almost all the time, trying to get some graphic photos published. The closest she got was to Ruth McGowan of Associated Press. Many had heard about the Nazis concentration camps, but no one spoke of them.

So much is going on in this story that I find it impossible to list it all. Therefore, I listed many of the characters, but not all, and just a tiny bit about each.

This is an incredibly fast paced story that readers will be hard pressed to stop, even temporarily, whenever reality intrudes. It is clear that the author spent much time on researching the era. There are several areas in the story where the author injected a bit of humor to help break some of the tension.

This story is an excellent work of fiction combining facts of the war, the chaos civilians went through, and even some romance. (I kept comparing it to "The Sound of Music".) Highly recommended!