Writers and Editors

Jun 15, 2016 6:10 AM EDT

You might want to add a memoir I wrote with Josef Filipovic, who survived an enemy even more threatening to him than the Nazis--his father. Little Joe is the story of Joe’s youthful struggle to survive in occupied Holland during World War 2. Besides the Nazi oppression everyone lived under, “Josko” was also fighting a battle at home against his father, a guestworker in the Dutch coal mines close to the German border, who “was bent on destroying me,” and treated his son as an Untermensch in his own home. Fifteen year old Josko was captured by the Germans and taken to a forced labor camp at a coal mine in Germany. After surviving two years, he escaped and was picked up by an infantry unit of the American army. Adopted by the GI’s--and renamed “Little Joe”--he became a soldier fighting the Germans and began the odyssey that would end five years later in New York harbor within sight of the lights of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

- Bill Wheatley

Nov 27, 2018 9:05 AM EST

The War Stories Their Families Never Forgot (NY Times Magazine 11-9-18) The Times asked readers to share stories and memories of their relatives who had a role in World War I. Great stories, wonderful photos!

- PMcNees

Nov 28, 2018 6:41 AM EST

This is not a memoir, but it's a great story and gives the big picture from a fascinating perspective: Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy. For me, maybe the most amazing part of the story was that thousands of women came to Washington DC to participate in a project they did not know one thing about when they left home. They came in absolute secrecy and ignorance of what they would be doing: they didn't know where they were going or why, but they were willing to take a chance, partly for the adventure and partly to help their country. And they were sworn to secrecy and kept the secret! An amazing story. She has also done a young readers edition: Code Girls: The True Story of the American Women Who Secretly Broke Codes in World War II

- Pat McNees

Feb 01, 2019 8:07 PM EST

A completely different take on the Vietnam War: Long Daze at Long Binh The humorous adventures of two Wisconsin draftees trained as combat medics and sent off to set up a field hospital in South Vietnam. Very funny memoir by veterans Steve Donovan and Fred Borchardt, excellent reviews, , read all about it at www.longbinhdaze.com.

- Dan Markham