April’s Reading Challenge – The Good War

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217th General Hospital posting in Swindon, England, 1944

Hello and welcome to the April Online Reading Challenge! This month’s theme is The Good War – World War II in Fiction. There are lots of amazing titles this month – it’s going to be hard to pick just one!

First off, no war is “good” – terrible things happen during every war. But World War II is sometimes called the “good” war because we (the Allies) were fighting true evil (the Nazis) and the only way to stop them was through force. On the surface, at least, it was a war fought for noble reasons. It’s also a war when ordinary people took on an extraordinary task, fought by a generation (the “greatest generation”) that faced this challenge with the same grim determination that got them through the Great Depression. It is a time period that has been romanticized, but we should always remember that there was great pain and suffering as well.

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Orderlies from the 217th General Hospital unit, Paris France 1945

World War II has long been one of the most popular subjects in the library, both in fiction and non-fiction. While many of the people who actually lived during that time period (1939-1945) are now gone, many of us have heard stories from our parents and grandparents, so it is still vivid in our memories.

There is no shortage of excellent books set during World War II; the problem is narrowing the list to manageable proportions! Here are a few of my favorites to get you started.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Set primarily in France and Germany, it moves between two main characters, one a blind French girl living in a small town along the Normandy coast, the other a young German soldier who is recruited into Hitler’s army as the lesser of two evils. These two very different lives are, with the imminent invasion of the Allies, about to intersect in unforeseen ways. I love this book – the beautiful, evocative writing, the examination and contrast of opposite sides, the almost unbearable suspense – come together to create a truly memorable experience.

City of Thieves by David Benioff. Most of the World War II fiction that we see is set in England, France or Germany (I don’t have scientific proof of this, just observation as a librarian) This novel brings focus to the home front in Russia, specifically the siege of Leningrad. A young man jailed for theft and an army officer convicted of deserting are given a choice – find a dozen eggs within the next week, or be executed. In a city where many have been reduced to cannibalism and many more have died of starvation, it is a nearly impossible choice. That these reluctant partners find kindness, friendship and even some joy, elevates this book above the usual war novel. Another excellent book set during this time is The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean, focusing on the docents and art historians of the Hermitage and their efforts to protect its priceless art.

Other books that shed light on forgotten or little known incidents of World War II include Sarah’s Key by Tiatiana de Rosnay which focuses on the deportment of Jews from Paris, Corelli’s Mandolin about the occupation of the Greek islands, first by the Italians and then by the Germans, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer about Guernsey Island, the only part of England that was invaded by the Germans during the war. For a look at the war in the Pacific, try A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute or Tales of the South Pacific by James Michner. For a look at a dark period of American history, try Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, set during and after the internment of Japanese-Americans during the war.

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The Arc ‘d Triumph, Paris, France, May 8, 1945 (VE Day)

My choice for this month is The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. This has long been on my “to read someday” list. Narrated by Death, it is set in Germany at the start of the war and focuses on ordinary citizens trying to survive day by day. It sounds grim, but also hopeful (which I need!) as one of the main characters finds and shares books as a way of coping. If I have time I may try to read Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein which is about a young woman that has been shot down behind enemy lines. It comes highly recommended.

What about you – what book or books are you planning to read this month? Do you have any favorites set during World War II that you would recommend? Let us know in the comments! And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to stop by the library and pick up a Reading Challenge bookmark!

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4 thoughts on “April’s Reading Challenge – The Good War

  1. I really enjoyed “The Nightgale” by Kristin Hannah, A Light Between Two Oceans, The Paris Architech by Balfoure, Charles .
    I read “The Book Thief” several years ago when it was recommended to me by one of my middle school students. It is on my list of “Books Everyone Should Read Before They Die”. 😀
    I really did love “All the Light We Cannot See” and really hated “Sarah’s Key” and “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” for the same reason–too sad.

  2. Great titles Gail! “A Light Between Two Oceans” and “The Paris Architect” are both on my “to read someday”. I’m enjoying “The Book Thief” so far, although it took a little while to settle into the narrative voice (but which also makes it so fascinating). “Sarah’s Key” is very divisive; what I liked best about it was that it told a (true) story that I had never heard before and made me wonder what other stories have been hidden or forgotten. The power of reading! Thanks very much for some great suggestions Gail!

  3. Thanks for the suggestion of A City of Thieves, Ann. It was excellent, I read it in about two days and now my husband is enjoying it as well.
    Did you know there is a parallel non-fiction story similar to All the Light We Cannot See? I can’t remember the name of it right now but I picked it up at the Fairmount branch last year.
    Looking forward to reading Code Name Verity next.
    Gail

  4. I feel that A City of Thieves is a bit of an undiscovered gem. It brilliantly rewards the person who reads it though and it’s one of those books that has stayed with me long after I finished it. I’m so glad you liked it too!

    I did not know about the non-fiction title similar to All the Light We Cannot See – I will be on the lookout for it!

    Thanks so much for reading along Gail!

    Ann

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