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War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars Paperback – May 1, 2002

by Andrew Carroll (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 193 ratings
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In 1998, Andrew Carroll founded the Legacy Project, with the goal of remembering Americans who have served their nation and preserving their letters for posterity. Since then, over 50,000 letters have poured in from around the country. Nearly two hundred of them comprise this amazing collection—including never-before-published letters that appear in the new afterword.

Here are letters from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf war, Somalia, and Bosnia—dramatic eyewitness accounts from the front lines, poignant expressions of love for family and country, insightful reflections on the nature of warfare. Amid the voices of common soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, nurses, journalists, spies, and chaplains are letters by such legendary figures as Gen. William T. Sherman, Clara Barton, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernie Pyle, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Julia Child, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, and Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. Collected in War Letters, they are an astonishing historical record, a powerful tribute to those who fought, and a celebration of the enduring power of letters.
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  1. Print length
    512 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    May 1, 2002
  4. Dimensions
    6.13 x 1.2 x 9.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0743410068
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0743410069
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andrew Carroll is the editor of three New York Times bestsellers, including Letters of a Nation and War Letters. Visit www.warletters.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scribner; Reprint edition (May 1, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0743410068
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0743410069
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 1.2 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 193 ratings

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Andrew Carroll

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
193 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They appreciate the thoughtfully selected collection of personal letters from the great wars. The letters are described as fascinating, touching, and emotional. Readers also mention that the stories are great and include brief follow-ups.

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ReadabilityThought provokingLetter collectionEmotional contentStory quality
26 customers mention "Readability"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read with good content. They describe it as a powerful read and a great addition to high school or college courses on American History.

"...For those who appreciate good literature, "War Letters" is a must-read...." Read more

"...The book brings you to the battle, to camp to boredom and terror. Great experience." Read more

"...I can only say it was a powerful read...." Read more

"...This would be a fantastic edition to any high-school or college course on American History. Very moving and powerful to say the least." Read more

22 customers mention "Thought provoking"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and meaningful. They describe it as a significant source of historical facts and inspiration, offering a treasure trove of human experience spanning over a century. The book brings readers to the battlefield, camp, and boredom and terror. It's a great book for history buffs and teachers, providing a unique view of war and its effects.

"...just a book; it's a journey through time and emotion, a treasure trove of human experience spanning over a century and a half...." Read more

"...The book brings you to the battle, to camp to boredom and terror. Great experience." Read more

"...second world war generation; and therefore, a significant source of historical fact and inspiration...." Read more

"An amazing look into the thoughts and experiences of our soldiers...." Read more

14 customers mention "Letter collection"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the letter collection. They find it fascinating, with thoughtfully selected personal letters from great wars that have shaped our country. The letters span 150 years and are touching, especially when the author reveals what happened to them. Readers appreciate being able to read words, thoughts, and dreams from people as they experienced the wars.

"The book has some great war letters in it, and they are not all about combat, some very personal and touching ones...." Read more

"This book is a great read. It is refeshing to be able to read words, thoughts and dreams from people as they perform such honorable duty overseas...." Read more

"An amazing collection of letters from the great wars that have shaped our country...." Read more

"...The letters make for fascinating reading, after which you sort of gulp and read the italicized copy hoping to find that THIS soldier did not die in..." Read more

13 customers mention "Emotional content"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally moving and personal. They say it's a journey through time and emotion, offering an unfiltered glimpse into the hearts and minds of soldiers. Some readers mention that the book breaks their hearts and makes them cry.

""War Letters" by Andrew Carroll is not just a book; it's a journey through time and emotion, a treasure trove of human experience spanning over a..." Read more

"These letters are NOT the result of academic research. They are intensely personal. If you have a family member in a war SAVE their letters...." Read more

"...It's just very touching - the letters kind of put faces to the people in history are usually referred to as a statistical number...." Read more

"...Very moving and powerful to say the least." Read more

4 customers mention "Story quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the stories. They appreciate the follow-up stories about what happened to the soldiers after they returned home. The set-up, letter, and conclusion of each story are also mentioned as positive aspects.

"...It enriches life with its stories, offering meaning, inspiration, and comfort...." Read more

"...The letters also include brief follow-up stories to what happened later to the soldier who authored the correspondence...." Read more

"...While I enjoyed the set-up, letter and the conclusion of each story (coming home or not), some of the verbiage was overdone and repetitive...." Read more

"Great stories..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Lucy’s Mom
    5.0 out of 5 stars War Letters: A Timeless Journey Through Humanity's Heart
    Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    "War Letters" by Andrew Carroll is not just a book; it's a journey through time and emotion, a treasure trove of human experience spanning over a century and a half. From the moment I first encountered it through a PBS documentary, it has held a special place in my heart, becoming a constant companion through life's various phases.

    The collection, ranging from the Civil War to more recent conflicts, offers an unfiltered glimpse into the hearts and minds of soldiers and their loved ones. These letters, often bookmarked for their resonance, capture the full spectrum of human emotion – love, fear, hope, anger, and resilience.

    What sets this book apart is its ability to evoke deep empathy and a sense of universal understanding. Each letter serves as a window into another's world, reminding us of the power of connection even in the darkest of times.

    For those who appreciate good literature, "War Letters" is a must-read. It enriches life with its stories, offering meaning, inspiration, and comfort. So, take your time with it, savoring each letter, and allow yourself to be transported to another time and place.
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  • JohnCiccone
    5.0 out of 5 stars First person experience of War.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    These letters are NOT the result of academic research. They are intensely personal. If you have a family member in a war SAVE their letters. Most write emails or messages. PRINT AND SAVE THEM. this is your family history. And may be the last thing you see from your loved one.

    The book brings you to the battle, to camp to boredom and terror. Great experience.
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  • JK
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book was given a permanent home on our bookshelf.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I purchased this book several years ago, and we still have it. The reason I mention it, is that we donate most of our books - simply because we have no intention of reading them again. I bought this for my husband as a gift and he kept going on and on about it to the extent that I decided to read it when he was done. It's just very touching - the letters kind of put faces to the people in history are usually referred to as a statistical number. My husband liked it & he doesn't usually care for reading. I liked it, and while I love reading - I don't usually like history. It's hard to describe the effect some of these letters have on the reader. I can only say it was a powerful read. We decided it would be one of those rare books that has its own permanent place on our bookshelf - to reread or loan out to friends and family.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Edward Chick
    5.0 out of 5 stars In a Century of Inevitable Loss and Historical Significance...
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    As the first quarter of the century approaches, it fast becomes a sad yet inevitable historical concern that we are losing the men and women of the second world war generation; and therefore, a significant source of historical fact and inspiration. My uncle gifted me Tom Brokow's, "The Greatest Generation", and that reading would make for a great compliment to Carroll's effort. Godspeed to both authors for honoring the words of a generation that assumed responsibility to preserve the freedoms of a democracy; and provide the precedent for America's understanding in how to respond to a crisis threatening the liberty of all free people.
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  • D. Alder
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic....
    Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    An amazing look into the thoughts and experiences of our soldiers. Some of these letters will leave the reader heartbroken, others will leave you feeling fortunate that you did not have to endure what they did. Still others will make you very proud that you came from the same country that produced the authors. The letters also include brief follow-up stories to what happened later to the soldier who authored the correspondence. This would be a fantastic edition to any high-school or college course on American History. Very moving and powerful to say the least.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • clyde47
    5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing literacy
    Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    From ordinary people. Maybe not so astonishing....
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  • Carlos Ruiz
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very personal accounts, not just fighting and killing
    Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2001
    Verified Purchase
    The book has some great war letters in it, and they are not all about combat, some very personal and touching ones. Many letters in fact have nothing to do with War and in fact are about personal matters back home.
    The Editor sometimes also sets up the letters with a bit of history behind the specific time of the war, a great touch.
    It makes war a bit more personal and in a time we find ourselves prepared to perhaps see another War, it makes you realize War is not a glorious thing as Hollywood would paint it. There is a time when you must stand and defend what you and your country stand for, but make no mistake, War means death and pain.
    The letter many of these soldiers wrote are touching not because of the bravery they showed, but because they showed often how scared they were or how no matter what was going on around them, they always kept their loved ones in their minds. It reminds us all that all soldiers have someone waiting for them back home.
    I recommend you read this book along with "Slaughter House 5" and see if you ever look at War the same again.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • misskris
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really informative
    Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this book to teach 6th graders that even though these events took place before the students were born, the people who wrote them are real and had real hopes and dreams and lives just as any other person. I think hearing some of these letters really made the events surrounding them more real to the students. One of the reasons we study history is to see how certain events impacted the LIVES of real people, and this really does that. I would not turn this book loose on kids for them to read at will, as several of the letters contain language and subject matter inappropriate for children. Still, in the hands of the teacher, it can be very effective at letting students know how scary, real, and horrific the duties of war can be.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Dylan35
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    These extraordinary letters speak for the dead, missing in action and long gone Daddies in the USA..

    Civil war..brother to brother "farewell Dear Brother we meet again beyond the tomb". Husband to wife: "did I tell you that when we passed through Petersburg on April 3rd we saw President Lincoln? He was on horseback and was surrounded by a crowd of colored people shouting 'God Bless Massa Lincoln'".

    20 years on, a veteran paying a visit to the field where he was shot: "all is changed there now. What was a solid piece of woods through which I led my troops is now all cleared field, & the hill side so smooth then is now grown up with little clumps of trees - marking some spots made rich perhaps by the bloody struggled enacted upon them"

    World War 1 mother to son: "and when you do come marching home old fellow bring me back the same boy I gave my country - true and clean and gentle and brave. I know you will come back to me". General Pershing to his 9 year old son: "the German army has committed most serious crimes, and we are fighting to punish them". Proud soldier to Philadelphia wife: "Sometime ago I told you about capturing a Hun. Remember? Well I'm mailing you his cap today, after having had it washed and cleaned up a bit".

    Life, in all it's colours and failures doesn't stop for war. A Utah father to his 19 year old son in France, with terrible news from West to East: "Dear Son, be strong and have faith and rest assured that all has been done that could be done..you have a fine little baby girl, she is 5 days old today and is doing well and she will be waiting for you when you return but your dear wife has passed to the other side today".

    Troubled husband to faraway wife: "If I had to go over the same road with you again, I am quite sure the way would be easier for you. The mistakes I have made, the heart aches I have caused you stand out like the shell holes that deface much of this country that once was so beautiful".

    A prophetic letter from an American Jew in 1933: "recently I have cultivated a taste for poetry, a sure sign I am now sentimental and love-smitten..Hitler's policy now means utter ruin, not only for Jews but to the whole of Germany itself. I see no hope for our kinsman abroad."

    A 19 year old traveller from Fargo writing back from England, Summer 1939: "anti aircraft guns in Hyde Park, museums are closed, art treasure fast disappearing into safe caverns..all citizens hold gas masks..in Canterbury the stained glass was being removed..students at Cambridge are crating old manuscripts..and in the churches the faithful gather in a silent prayer for peace. But peace is lost".

    At Pearl Harbour a naval surgeon writes: "If you think these damn slant eyes didn't do a thorough job, guess again. They certainly knew where they could hurt us most and they dropped their bombs and torpedos right there".

    President Roosevelt receives an extraordinary appeal from a half-German immigrant who wants to join the war effort: "I am the nephew of the ill-famed Chancellor of Germany who today so despotically seeks to enslave the free and Christian peoples of the globe...all my friends and relatives will soon be marching for freedom...may I be allowed to join them...struggle against tyranny? The British could not feel cordial towards an individual bearing the name I do...very respectfully yours..Patrick Hitler".

    From somewhere on the Bataan peninsula, May 1943, one of the many thousands trapped and later, prisoners: "It is pretty hard to check out this way without a fighting chance but we can't live forever...write: Mary Robertson at Houtzdale, Penn. Her son Melville died of disentry with his head on my shoulder. We were like brothers".

    Writing home from basic training: "for the Nth time, thanks for your package. Please don't send me any more underwear, socks or candy. The milk of magnesia was absolutely unnecessary. I'm having no more bowel trouble and don't anticipate any".

    Flying with the RAF on a bombing raid "all is quiet except for the sweet steady drone of my engines, and the whisper of the radio waves coming through my ear-phones. Before me, my instruments, my controls, my love, my life".

    Horace Evers, found himself in Hitler's Munich apartment and wrote a letter about Dachau, sitting in Hitler's chair: "two rooms were full of bodies waiting to be cremated".

    Korea, 1950: "Life to the oriental is so very cheap, they care not if you live or die..had they given us enough food, clothing and medical care thousands more of America's finest youth would be alive today. They are outright murderers and hope that some day they may be made to pay for their crimes against the human rights of man".

    An emphatic Cold War denial from Helen Keller: "I want you to know that if Mrs Flynn was a member of or connected with the Communist Party at the time of our meetings forty years ago, I was totally unaware of the fact. I want also to assure you that no plan, purpose or conspiracy for the violent overthrow of the United States Government could awaken any response in my soul. I am not a Communist now and never have been a Communist".

    1968, Tet Offensive, a Daddy to his daughter: "Maybe some do not appreciate America. Let them visit many other lands, as I have, and they will thank God for the blessing of being an American".

    College buddy to buddy: "The past week has been one continuous HIGH for me. Every night I lose myself. Like you said, the first few times, I felt nothing. I fear I'm becoming a connoisseur. And that's not all; I went to Saigon two weeks ago and smoked opium. The greatest feeling".

    1971: "I had to write to tell you I'm ok but my buddies are all dead. Out of our infantry company 21 killed, 29 wounded, and 27 of us are left to talk about the 5 hours of hell we went through".

    These letters..these words. Written in fear, resignation, with wit, care, concern and pride..speak for themselves.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Alexander McKay
    4.0 out of 5 stars good book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 18, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    at times riveting ...
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