Small Press & Self-Published Books About WWII

Bill Broz Professional Resource Connection

with guest co-editor Virginia Broz

Small Press & Self-Published Books about WWII

our moment of truth, your Product Information: Reviewer 2: a reader from Ames IA chance, could happen like Paperback: 151 pages United States: This is a great story of courageous this. You see a very small Publisher: McMillen Publishing: Y men. I’ve met Mr. Lang and am in- press release in your local news (November 2003) spired by what he has done. He is truly paper: ISBN:1888223529 one of the great Americans of the greatest generation. The book is rather Author to sign book about Iowa guer- Usually ships in 24 hours choppy and I was surprised to find so rilla. In honor of Pearl Harbor Remem- List Price: $14.95 many typographical errors. Personally, brance Day on Sunday, a book about Buy new: $14.95 Used & new from I was willing to overlook that because an Iowa World War II soldier will be $8.00 of my interest in the story. featured at a book signing in Ames. Reviewer 1: a reader from IA United The book, Lang: The WWII Story of What do you do? Even though an American Guerilla on Mindanao, States: you have lost your chance to invite Philippine Islands, was written about An unbelievable story of one man’s Dick Lang, an Iowa farm boy who, journey through the war in his early Mr. Lang to speak in your class, the after the island where he was serving 20’s. I found this book to be very in- story about his service sounds was invaded, joined the Filipinos as a tense and emotional and very realis- phenomenal, at least to two people guerrilla to fight the Japanese. The tic. I have had the joy of having known from Ames who knew the man. Richard Lang for many years and have author, Norman Rudi, also an Iowan, Along with reading about what will sign copies of his book from 1-3 had to experience my own sorrow af- happened to Anne Frank and Eli p.m. Saturday at Waldenbooks in ter his recent passing. Ames. Wiesel in WWII, your students So, the book sounds promising could read the story of someone You think—perhaps this book but no visit from Mr. Lang. Like too from their state, their county even. about an Iowan in WWII would be many of his generation, he has They could read about WWII in the a good inclusion to my collection of died. Then, something troubling in Pacific theatre (not too many books WWII titles for my eighth grade the review: in your collection about that). So, WWII unit. Ames is just down the I did see a few typographical errors do you think like an American, an road. I should look into this. Maybe and the story was somewhat choppy Iowan, a person interested in the Dick Lang lives there and speaks to in areas, but it was so easy to look history of WWII and interested in beyond that considering the adventure classes of students studying WWII. making that history come alive for you are experiencing on his behalf. You decide to investigate before your students—and buy the book? making the trip to Ames, and you The second review echoes similar Or do you think like an English land at Amazon.com ordering themes: teacher and say, “I am not buying information and customer reviews: any book from some vanity press

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

c10_20TAR_Fall04 10 10/14/04, 3:30 PM full of spelling errors!” (It’s middle school classroom. Her story Fairfield. I saw a letter to the editor McMillen, not Macmillan). about one of those leaps began you wrote a few months ago that We say buy the book while you about ten years ago with a letter to indicated you are a WWII vet. My have the chance. We say buy the the editor in The Fairfield Ledger, students and I are reading books next one you hear about too, and our local county newspaper in rural about the war, and I wondered if follow up on that one to see if the southeast Iowa. you’d be interested in visiting one veteran who wrote it can come to *** *** or more classes. . . .” your school to talk to your stu- Our Eighth grade literature of Jerry Yellin, whose WWII dents. Such a move could become WWII and the Holocaust unit, experiences included flying off Iwo one of the most rewarding actions which had focused on just the Jima to escort bombers to Tokyo, you take in your teaching career. Goodrich and Hackett play based did come to class that year. It Our thesis in the column is that on The Diary of Anne Frank in 1977 turned out that he had just written books about WWII, especially first- when I began teaching, had about his story in a book called Of person accounts by veterans from expanded to include hundreds of War and Weddings. Over the years, you local area, are likely to come memoirs and novels by 1995. My he continued to visit, and he has from small press or self-published theory is that the veterans and brought dozens of copies of his sources rather than the Scholastic others who experienced WWII were book for our classroom collections. catalog. Bringing these diamonds in deciding to tell their stories before He has brought videotape and the rough into your classroom often it was too late. Many of the stories photographs. He has even brought requires quick action and a leap of were told from the point of view of two vintage P-51 airplanes to our faith. In this column Virginia Broz young people near the ages of the little local airport to demonstrate and I will discuss some of those students in my classes, and stu- strafing maneuvers as 150 eighth leaps of faith we have taken and dents found the books accessible graders watched, shading eyes from the rewards those leaps have and interesting and often mesmeriz- the sun, holding ears to muffle the brought. We will also review the ing and moving. roar of the low flying Mustangs. publications we talk about, some of Occasionally students invited This veteran has spoken with which you can buy. But our grandparents or great grandparents hundreds if not thousands of primary purpose here is to alert you to visit the classroom to share their Fairfield students by now, as well as to the treasure hunt in your own experiences, and I was always on with students in other schools in back yard. We estimate that no less the lookout for community mem- Iowa and in other states. Every time than six times a year, the newspa- bers who might be willing to come he does, he brings history to life. per this small state of Iowa depends to school. That’s why I cut out a His memory of his war years is on, The Des Moines Register, carries letter to the editor one September crystal clear. His analysis of his a press release like the one above. day and stuck it in the December feelings and beliefs, both then and Many more such press releases are pages of my desk calendar. The now, is insightful and wise. His carried only in city and regional letter-writer mentioned in passing hope for the future is bright, and it papers. But we all know that there that he was a WWII veteran. He is reflected back to him in the will be fewer and fewer of those sounded like an articulate person, thoughtful and hopeful eyes of press releases. The common figure and I thought I might give him a thirteen-year-olds who are at an age in published accounts is that call when we were reading Night where they are both realistic and sixteen million American men and and Maus and The Cage and idealistic about the future. women served in WWII. About four Farewell to Manzanar and the For Jerry Yellin, now 80 years million are alive today. They are dozens of other titles students old, the invitation to speak to dying at a rate of 1,000 per day. would chose from. school children led to very signifi- Virginia Broz is a national That phone call went some- cant experiences: board certified teacher of early thing like this: “Mr. Yellin? You I had never given much thought to my adolescent English Language Arts don’t know me, but I teach eighth status as a veteran in the eyes of youth and a twenty year veteran of the grade English and reading here in until I was asked to speak to eighth

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

c10_20TAR_Fall04 11 10/14/04, 3:30 PM grade classes in a middle school. That excerpts from two of those letters, he lives there now, students see experience opened my eyes to my own first a tough observation from a him on the street and in the grocery youth and the general lack of interest young man and then the expansive store, and have heard him speak in I had in hearing about WW I from my uncles who had served. I wondered if manifesto of a young woman: the town square on Memorial Day. But sometimes local history and the generation I would be speaking to (Student 1): . . . Something I am also would feel the same about me as I felt thinking about is that when you came local geography figure heavily in about vets from the First World War. I back and you went to give your the content and potential impact of learned that being a war veteran was friend’s belongings to his parents. His these books. important to the students and sharing mother was mad at you because she Suppose you are a student who my experiences with them was mean- thought that you should have gone has spent all of your school days at ingful. Many of them had grandpar- down instead of him. I thought that ents who served who had never spo- was weird and rude, because you usu- the rural campus of the Pekin Iowa ken about their experiences. Because ally see in the old educational films School District in south central I came to their classes they had some- the soldiers come back from the war Keokuk County about twenty miles thing to say to or ask of their grand- and they are being hugged and wel- northwest of Fairfield and twenty parents. This opened up dialogue that comed back, but you do not see the miles northeast of Ottumwa. Since gave understanding to the students of soldiers getting yelled at for not dying you have been old enough to what war and the effects of war had in someone else’s son’s place. . . . on all of us who served. wonder about such things you have (Student 2): Right now I am reading puzzled over the fact that the Jerry also learned a few things your book Of War and Weddings. . . about his book and about the I’ll begin by telling you that I became buildings of your small rural school insights of eighth graders: obsessed with finding out what hap- district with a total enrollment of pened in Europe during the war be- less than 600 students K-12, sit on I realized that my book was viewed cause nobody told me. three or four acres of concrete. The differently by a younger audience after listening to those students who had Here is a quick history about my el- expanse of cement between the read it question me. The girls were ders: my grandma from my mom’s school buildings and the football much more interested in the romance side. . . grew up in occupied Nether- field looks like the parking lot between Robert and Takako, the wed- lands and still lives there today . . . outside a major college stadium. My grandpa from my mom’s side is ding and the family. The boys clearly The vehicles of every person living had more interest in the “warrior” as- part Indonesian and Chinese. He spent in the school district could be pect, the flying and the shooting, the most of his childhood in a Japanese life on Iwo Jima. I learned more from POW camp. That is when he started parked there at once. Yes, you the young people I spoke to than they hating the Japanese. . . . The things I heard something about WWII could ever learn from me. They, in really want to know about are what planes landing there, but it did not your feelings were for the Japanese their innocence and absolute fascina- quite compute. WWII planes in the tion with my wartime experiences as during the war. Did your feelings af- middle of Iowa? well as my reconciliation with my en- fect your fighting? Did you ever won- emy through my son’s marriage, asked der about the wives and children of Then during your ninth grade deep and thoughtful questions. The the men whose planes you may have literature unit on WWII your answers came from my heart because shot down? As you can see, I want to teacher book-talks a book called the questions came from theirs. I found find out about emotions. I know Carrier on the Prairie by Elsie Mae enough dates and places! them interesting, thoughtful and more Cofer, a retired elementary school profound than I expected. They had Readers of this column might teacher from Ottumwa. Your the ability to respond to an adult talking to them as an equal, in a very not find a veteran as cool as ours, teacher says that during WWII mature way. I have a great deal of re- but then again you might. (We planes from the Ottumwa Naval Air spect for these youngsters and the hope many of you have made such Station practiced landings and take- teachers who have raised their level a connection already.) While Jerry offs right where you are sitting of understanding. Yellin is not local to the students in now. You teacher has six copies of Not only was Jerry moved by Fairfield in the sense that he did not the book and says that the author is what the students said to him in grow up in the area or even live coming to your classroom in two class, but also by the hundreds of there until he was well into his weeks. You begin reading the book letters they have sent him. Here are sixties, he is local in the sense that and see names of places you know

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c10_20TAR_Fall04 12 10/14/04, 3:30 PM on nearly every page. You learn that by Nancy Price. Every couple of WWII sessions there. When we see 6,656 Navy pilots trained in Ottumwa semesters, Nancy Price, who has a session in the NCTE conference (1,200 miles from the Atlantic lived in Cedar Falls since she was program that mentions WWII at Ocean and 2,000 miles from the fifteen years old, finds time to come least one of us always tries to go to Pacific). On one day in 1945 to class just after students have it. In 2003 in San Francisco it was “students and instructors on finished Enemy. The last time she the session on the book, The training hops logged 2,205 hours” came she also talked about her Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond in the air. The concrete on which latest novel about WWII, called No the Kindertransport: A Memoir of your school now sits was one of the One Knows, which she has self- Music, Love, and Survival by Mona 19 outlying fields where pilots published under her own mark, Golabek and Lee Cohen. A young practiced and one of two perma- Malmarie Press. When she began to woman, Lisa Jura, was sent out of nent air fields. From what you read, talk, everyone in the room was Vienna alone, on the famous the 162 acre grass field #4 must captivated. “Imagine this building, Kindertransport that sent 10,000 have been on or near your Lang Hall in 1942, with almost no Jewish children to England at the grandfather’s farm near Libertyville. men in any of the classes, at least beginning of WWII. There Lisa You call him up one evening and no able-bodied men between the survived the blitz to become a discover that he knows all about it ages of eighteen and fifty. You concert pianist. Author Golabek is and even helped build the field, young women, imagine that many Jura’s daughter and a noted concert and can show you where it was on of your female friends are writing pianist in her own right. In the a neighbor’s farm next time you to family members and boyfriends conference session Golabek was visit. When the author comes, you overseas and hoping that those stunning. She narrated portions of are ready to ask questions and do, loved ones will come back.” In her her mother’s story and punctuated but are disappointed to find out novel No One Knows, Price recre- them with dramatic keyboard that the woman is too young to ates Cedar Falls and the UNI performances on a grand piano have been in the military during campus, then Iowa State Teacher’s from the stage of the conference WWII and never personally saw the College, as the historical setting for room. This is not a small press Ottumwa Naval Air Station in a love story about the struggles of book, and you can find it easily on action. Then she says, “No, I young people on the home front Amazon. But if you did not go to wasn’t in Ottumwa during WWII. I during WWII. Price knows this the conference session which was was just about your age growing up territory like someone who lived sponsored by the Milken Family on a potato farm in North Dakota. it—because she did. Her father, Foundation, you might not know But I do have my own WWII story Malcolm Price, became UNI’s that the foundation makes avail- for you. On my farm we had fourth president in 1940, a post he able, through its project Facing German prisoners of war!” held until 1950, guiding the History and Ourselves, a “Teacher’s Even college students are not university through the war years. Resource to The Children of immune to the excitement of WWII College and high school students Wellesden Lane” which includes a stories created by local authors have heard parents and grandpar- curriculum guide and recordings of with local stories. In his college ents talk of WWII, and have lived classical piano pieces performed by liberal arts core, required literature through turbulent times them- Mona Golabek. As further noted on class, Bill has for several semesters selves. The lives of Price’s charac- the foundation’s website www.mff. used a geopolitical criteria for ters will fascinate them. Fine local, org, “The foundation is making selecting the readings—works by self-published and small press both the curriculum guide and the Iowans about Iowa. He even tries to books about WWII, told by recordings available free-of-charge use works written by faculty those who remember, are everywhere. on [its] website.” You can use the members (if they are Iowans). One We now want to shift gears a book as a read aloud and download of these is set primarily on the bit to praise our NCTE conference the music to play in class. University of Northern Iowa programs and to urge readers to Amazing as the above book campus: Sleeping with the Enemy keep their eyes out for special and the music are, they are not the

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

c10_20TAR_Fall04 13 10/14/04, 3:30 PM coolest thing about WWII we have she was saying that this yearbook, to become an exciting chapter, devel- ever found at an NCTE conference. the 1943/1944 yearbook from oping from World War II. This part of the story depicts the temporary war- It may be that you will never be Manzanar High School, called Our time life of 10,000 tireless, self-sacri- able to get one of these books; World, had been reprinted. She had ficing residents living in one square maybe someone reading this a stack of them there. I could buy mile of barracks. . . . column can change that prospect. It one! This is what we meant when From the “Forward” was at a spring conference in we said that your quest for these Cincinnati. Virginia was not there resources might require quick Since that first day when Manzanar and I wanted to get some kind of action. The book made a great High School was called in session, the special present to take back to her. present for a WWII searcher. It cost students and faculty have been trying to approximate in all activities the life She was the one who was way into only $25. As it lies on my desk we knew “back home.” With the pub- WWII. I was just getting interested. now, it looks like any yearbook- lication of this yearbook, we feel that The program catalog said the USA. The kind of thing we all we have really come closer to our goal session was about the WWII bought in high school. . . . . In years to come, when people Japanese Internment Camp, Faint in the background of the will ask with real curiosity “What was Manzanar?” we can show them this Manzanar. It was at the time that cream-colored cover is a map of volume. . . . people were just starting to talk eastern California showing the about Snow Falling on Cedars. In detail between the towns of The first few pages of montage the session room a very gentle and Independence and Lone Pine on photos seem pretty ordinary for an soft spoken California high school Route 395, in the remote Owens old yearbook, teachers posing in teacher, Diane Honda, was talking Valley, in the shadow of Mt. front of blackboards, students about resources available for Whitney. The title, simply Our behind lab tables sporting chemis- teaching about the Japanese World—Manzanar, California, try apparatus, girls at student American experience of WWII. She begins a reading/learning experi- events in sweaters and bobby sox. was talking about Manzanar and ence like no other I have ever had. I The first things that really rock showing great slides. In particular feel the same way every time I open readers are the senior pictures. Of she said that Manzanar had a high the cover. course, we know the seniors are all school and that high school had a Japanese. What we do not think about until we read the captions yearbook. Somehow, surely through From the “Dedication:” every fault of my own, I was not under the graduates names is that getting the point of the presentation From a dusty wasteland to a lively they all should be graduating from community, Manzanar had progressed until the end when I realized that some other, normal California high school. Each name is accompanied by the name of the high school that student would have graduated from if he or she had not been impris- oned—“North Hollywood, San Pedro, Van Nuys, Santa Monica, Herbert Hoover, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, Venice, San Fernando.” These are all young Americans who just happen to be of Japanese ancestry. It’s a yearbook, an American school yearbook, just like the ones your students want their parents to buy for them this year. Photo taken by Archie Miyatake. Reprinted in the “Our World”, Manzanar HS There are sections and pictures for yearbook, 1944 with permission from Toyo Miyatake, Inc.

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c10_20TAR_Fall04 14 10/14/04, 3:30 PM Top right corner is Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, author of “Farewell to Manznar”. From the 1998 reproduction of the 1943 Manzanar HS yearbook, “Our World”. Reprinted with permission from Diane Honda.

each grade down through the officer Ralph Lazo. Not a Japanese graphs like that. seventh, student activities—music, name, not a Japanese face. To quote The last page of the original drama, science club, and of course some of the new supplementary yearbook just makes me want to a big section for the journalism and material in the back of Our World, jump up and cheer. As I remember yearbook students. It seems the after stowing away on the intern- it, Ms. Honda said that as the sports, like sports in any prison, ment train, “Ralph [. . .] went with yearbook was being prepared to were all intramural. One thing you his buddies from Belmont HS in Los send to the publisher, the political begin to notice is that almost all of Angeles to Manzanar. [. . .] the climate was changing; it was the group shots are taken outside, only Mexican-Irish American to suspected that this imprisonment with the snow-capped Sierras in the voluntarily place himself in camp was about over. After the background. It would not do to out of loyalties to his buddies.” show the temporary, knocked Fellow Manzanar senior William together buildings—and no shots of Hohri eulogized Lazo at the 50th guards, guns, or barbed wire were class reunion saying: “When 140 allowed—but guards, guns, and million Americans turned their barbed wire were part of the backs on us and excluded us into Manzanar experience. remote, desolate prison camps, the Some other incredible special separation was absolute—almost. features will grab you. On page 00 Ralph Lazo’s presence among us we see the Baton Club, the first said, No, not everyone.” The squad decked out in skirted unique features of this teaching uniforms and majorette hats, the artifact go on and on. Some of the second squad in back in white tops wide-angle shots of the Sierras and dark skirts. On the end of the seem really well done—many were line is a much younger girl, not a taken by a very talented Japanese secondary student, a kind of professional photographer (also mascot. This, according to Diane interned) Toyo Miyatake. And then Honda, is Jeanne Wakatsuki, of course there was Ansel Adams Jeanne Wakatsuki who was who was invited by camp director Senior class photos from the 1998 inspired by this yearbook to write, Ralph Merritt to take photographs reproduction of the 1943 Manzanar HS Farewell to Manzanar. And what for historical purposes. Not every yearbook, “Our World”. Reprinted with about first semester senior class high school yearbook has photo- permission from Diane Honda.

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c10_20TAR_Fall04 15 10/14/04, 3:30 PM yearbook’s paste up was approved the first republication, still has the invite readers to send Bill 200-300 and before it was sent away, as plates to print more books. Ms. word reviews and purchase infor- high school students do some Honda thinks that $5000 could mation on self-published and small times, they slipped in another generate a new run of 200 books. If press WWII books you have found page—a photograph of a guard you want one, and we promise you and used that other teachers should tower, barbed wire, and a hand we have not exaggerated how cool consider. That information will be using a wire cutter! these books are, write to Bill Broz published here when several titles I really think this is one of the at the address below, express your have come in. most powerful teaching artifacts I commitment to buy so many copies Virginia Broz reviews the following have ever seen or ever used. at $25 each plus $5 for shipping books: Virginia gives it to middle schoolers and handling (send no money reading Farewell to Manzanar. now), and included complete Of War and Weddings: Demonstrating a thematic literature contact information including A Legacy of Two Fathers unit, I taught Snow Falling on phone and email. If this invitation by Jerry Yellin Cedars to a college literature produces 200 orders, Ms. Honda methods class at Western Illinois will try for a new printing. If any Most war veterans return home University in 2000. Before reading reader knows the right philanthro- carrying haunting memories. Many that book, more than half of pist or book publisher, contact Bill. find small compartments of their Illinois’ finest in that class were NCTE or Herf Jones with whom we minds in which to store the very uncertain about the Japanese- English teachers do a great deal of memories and lock them away. American WWII experience. After business, or somebody has to make Jerry Yellin returned from the war following Hatsue to Manzanar in this national treasure readily in the Pacific in 1945, and for forty Cedars, I handed them Our World. available. Remember, the students years he did not speak of his It blew them away. in Manzanar stated clearly in the experiences as a fighter pilot. For The original first seventy-one “Forward” to Our World, “In years forty years he held fast to his hatred pages of Our World are supple- to come, when people will ask with of the Japanese. Yellin was forced mented by ten additional pages that real curiosity ‘What was to confront his prejudice when his tell about the lives of the yearbook Manzanar?’ we can show them this son went to Japan to teach English editors, Ralph Lazo, and the volume. . . .” When they wrote this, and fell in love with a Japanese Presidential apology signed by they were thinking about your woman, a woman whose father had George H. W. Bush in 1990, all students. fought the United States. Fifty years great teaching tools. The final page As you can tell, we could go on after World War II, Jerry Yellin sat tells about Diane Honda’s efforts to and on about these books that down to write about his experi- get this document republished, teachers need to find and make ences. The result is his memoir Of including support she received from available to students. If their War and Weddings: A Legacy of the Civil Liberties Public Education authors are alive and willing and Two Fathers. Fund and the Journalism Education local, make them available too. The Readers will go back in time Association. It also says that for $25 following reviews cover the books with the author as he sees Japan dollars plus $5 for shipping and mentioned above, plus a very neat from the cockpit of a P-51 Mustang handling, you too can own one of and unusual book called Pacific in the first “Very Long Range these. But you can’t any more, at Skies. But most of the books we Fighter Escort” of B-29’s over least not now. Ms. Honda says that mention here have their most Japan. His memory is crystal clear: the original run was for 1000 books, powerful significance locally. Find There would be over four hundred B- of which 400 went to former your own self-published and small 29’s and one hundred fighter pilots fly- internees. The rest were bought by press WWII books significant to ing P-51’s. Take-off was at 7:00 A.M. people like me. Herf Jones Year- your own locality. Find your own We were to be over the target from book Company of Logan, Utah., veterans, before it is too late. 10:45 A.M. until 11:30 A.M. and ex- which graciously cooperated with As a P.S. to this column, we pected to return to Iwo again at 2:15

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

c10_20TAR_Fall04 16 10/14/04, 3:30 PM in the afternoon. We rendezvoused Lang: The WWII Story of the food they could find. They with the B-29’s at 18,000 feet over traveled on the jungle trails until Kozu Shima, an island off the coast of an American Guerilla on they had to abandon the pack the Izu Peninsula. Each fighter was Mindanao, Philippine carrying a heavy load, with two 110 Islands by Norman Rudi animals and continue on foot, gallon drop-tanks. As we crossed the carrying their supplies on their coast of the mainland, we dropped the On December 7, 1941, sixty- backs. It would be nearly two years wing tanks and prepared to face en- seven Japanese Mitsubishi 21 IIe before MacArthur made good on emy aircraft. bombers released their loads on his promise, “I shall return!” His honesty is disarming. Clark Field, Luzon, in the Philip- During that time Dick Lang fought When Jerry is grounded to have his pines. On the ground below, Private not only the Japanese, but the wisdom teeth pulled by the group First Class Dick Lang and members treacherous plants, leeches, and dentist, his good friend Danny of the 19th Bombardment Group malaria-carrying mosquitoes of a Mathis is assigned to fly a mission maintenance crew were servicing B- jungle which receives up to 200 in Jerry’s place. The one hundred 17 bombers which had arrived from inches of annual rainfall. Rudi seventy Mustangs that left Iwo Jima Hawaii a few days earlier. Lang tells writes, “Walking through the wet on that escort mission encountered the story of the three and a half plant materials, Lang’s army high- a huge storm. Twenty-seven P-51’s harrowing years that follow. top shoes finally rotted out and went down and all but three of On Christmas Eve, 1941, the were no longer wearable. This their pilots were lost. Among them group abandoned Clark Field and meant he would have to walk were Danny Mathis and Jerry’s under the direction of General barefoot until a replacement could plane, the “Dorrie R.” Yellin writes, Douglas MacArthur retreated to the be found.” It would be over a year “The terrible nature of war is that Bataan Peninsula. Days later they before Lang received shoes for his losing Danny was hard, but losing boarded an ancient, rusty steamer by then toughened size 13EEE feet. my plane was shattering [. . .] I was bound for Mindanao Island to Lang made his way to the east more affected by the loss of my service the aircraft located there. coast of the island where he weapon than by the loss of my On March 15, Lang and seven other organized guerrilla activities, friend.” airmen were ordered to report for salvaging sunken boats, repairing Of War and Weddings is also a special duty at the airfield to load motors, and scouting for guns and love story. Readers will follow the four B-17 bombers which would take ammunition. He led hit and run author’s transformation as he MacArthur and his staff to Austra- attacks on the Japanese invaders, returns to Japan, encounters lia. On May 6, 1942, all American including a daring mission to slip Japanese people and culture, and troops in the Philippines were through enemy lines, sneaking back allows the love between his son ordered to surrender to the Japa- into their enemy-held maintenance and the daughter of his enemy to nese. “A campaign to support the building to retrieve a hidden radio. gradually melt away the hard shell military in the Philippine Islands Lang makes clear to the reader of his hatred. Yellin leaves us with was redirected to Europe, and the the tenacity of the Japanese war an understanding that by forging men and women who served in the effort in the islands of the Pacific, the personal relationships which cross Philippine Islands were sacrificed,” courage and ingenuity of the cultural bridges, prejudice can be writes author Norman Rudi. abandoned American guerilla fighters overcome . . . or prevented. Rumors were rampant of on the Philippines, and the generosity Japanese brutality on Bataan. Dick and bravery of the Filipino people. Hardcover: 275 pages Lang and hundreds of other The book, which includes timelines, Publisher: Sunstar Publishing: Americans on the islands decided maps, photographs, and a glossary Fairfield Iowa (1995) they would rather take their of Tagalog words, is a wonderfully ISBN: 0963850253 chances in the hills than in a prison readable history lesson and an amaz- List Price: $17.95 camp. With six compatriots, Lang ing true adventure story which pays Order directly from author: purchased three water buffalo to tribute to a heroic Marshalltown, Iowa, [email protected] pack weapons, ammunition, and all farm boy who lives to tell his tale.

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

c10_20TAR_Fall04 17 10/14/04, 3:30 PM Paperback: 151 pages tions, allowing a committee of The fear of those waiting at home Publisher: McMillen Publishing: British Jews to organize the begins to surround them. Veterans (November 2003) evacuation of what eventually return, changed by the “shell ISBN:1888223529 became 10,000 children to England shock” we now call “post-traumatic List price: $14.95 between December 1938 and stress disorder.” The story contains September 1939. Lisa’s family romance and a tightly constructed The Children of Willesden manages to acquire one and only mystery plot. The writing embodies Lane: Beyond the one ticket for the Kindertransport. the literary skill of an author who Kindertransport: A They are forced to chose Lisa, to has been publishing for over half a Memoir of Music, Love, send to “safety” in Britain. Lisa, century. one of the 10,000, ends up in the I found many aspects of the and Survival by Mona Willesden Lane hostel in the East book compelling and instructive. Golabek and Lee Cohen End of London. There she struggles Most striking is life in a town and a Early in the book, Lisa Jura, a to develop her musical talent and college emptied of able-bodied 14-year-old musical prodigy living keep alive her dream to study men, and the cruelty toward the in Vienna in 1939, is at her piano music at the Royal Academy. Of able-bodied who are not in the war lesson with her teacher whom she course, Lisa is no safer from the for good reason. Both of the young greatly admires when the Nazi blitz than other residents of men who love the heroine, occupation of Austria begins to London. Miranda, face such suspicion. affect her personally. But Lisa does survive and Robert endures the cruelty because succeed and give birth to her own he is young for his high school He looked at her for a long moment, daughter, Mona Golabek, who graduating class and attends college then finally spoke, looking uncomfort- able and ashamed: “I am sorry, Miss herself becomes a concert pianist as he waits to turn eighteen. Jura. But I am required to tell you that and writes this story of her Conrad suffers because he must I cannot continue to teach you.” mother’s journey and struggles. As remain at home to manage a family Lisa was stunned and unable to move. noted above, the Milken Family business making war materials. The professor walked to his window Foundation, at www.mff.org Miranda, orphaned in the Depres- and opened the curtain. He stared at provides extensive teaching sion, is bright, funny and clever: the people in the street. “There is a resources for using this book, she learns about fashion, manners new ordinance,” he said slowly. “It is including free downloads of and the limited life open to women now a crime to teach a Jewish child.” He continued mumbling under his classical music related to the text in the forties. breath, then added in despair, “Can performed by Mona Golabek. Conrad and Robert love you imagine!” Miranda as much as they hate each Paperback: 288 pages other, and all three main characters Lisa felt tears rising. Publisher: Warner Books (November must choose, as their lives progress, “I am not a brave man,” he said softly. 2003) whether to avenge themselves “I’m so sorry.” ISBN: 0446690279 when they are given the chance. He came over to the piano, lifted her List price: $13.95 Two of them choose to forgive; one slender young hands, and held them does not, and loses Miranda. And in his grip. “You have a remarkable Bill Broz reviews the following books: when one of the two men disap- gift, Lisa, never forget that.” pears, she keeps his secret. No one Conditions in Vienna worsen No One Knows by Nancy knows. and Lisa’s parents become con- Price cerned about the fate of their three Hardcover: 333 pages children. After the German pogrom In No One Knows, three young Publisher: Malmarie Press Books, of November 1938 known as lovers in their teens and twenties St. Cloud FL Kristallnacht, the British govern- live in a Midwestern college town ISBN: 0974481807 ment eased immigration restric- as America enters World War II. List price: $27.95

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

c10_20TAR_Fall04 18 10/14/04, 3:30 PM Order from: than sixty interviews, eighty analysis of the air war against the Baker and Taylor photographs, maps, and other data Japanese. Beginning with the 1120 US Highway 22 from the period. Readers of this military aviation background P.O. Box 6885 work get the added bonus of being leading up to December 7th, 1941, Bridgewater NJ 08807 able to answer the trivia question, and following the air campaign www.btol.com “Where did Richard Nixon spend through August 6th and 9th, 1945, WWII?” Answer, Ottumwa Iowa. Klinkowitz serves up meaty chunks Carrier on the Prairie by of pilot memoirs on nearly every Elsie May Cofer Paperback: 318 pages page. The narrative style of the Also available in hardcover book works like this. The author This book is primarily a local Publisher: Hawley Court Press, addresses a component of the air story, offering great detail about Ottumwa Iowa war experience such as the Japa- how and when the Ottumwa Naval ISBN: 0964992515 nese “kamikaze” flights. Then he Air Station came to be, who built it List price: $16.95 paperback tells readers, here are some impor- and how it was built, the lives of $25.95 hardcover tant passages written by officers the officers, pilots in training, and Order from: and strategists on both sides, here other military personnel while they Hawley Court Press is how six different American were in Ottumwa, and how all of P.O. Box 1191 combat veterans, who wrote six this became a most influential part Ottumwa IA 52501 different books after the war, of the life of Ottumwa, Iowa, describe what it was like to be between 1942 and 1947. In the Pacific Skies: American under kamikaze attack. And even, “Preface” Cofer writes: Flyers in World War II by this is what a Japanese kamikaze No one is more surprised than I that Jerome Klinkowitz pilot wrote about preparing for a this book took shape. I first began to mission and how he felt when he listen to NAS Ottumwa tales in order From the Preface ix: was unable to complete it. Readers to record and transcribe interviews for do not have to read the 100+ Wapello County Historical Museum But what of the individuals who fought books themselves, because the records. As I shared incidents I heard, this war—particularly from the air, the museum staff and volunteers be- where photography was often limited author of Pacific Skies does it for gan to say, ‘You really ought to write to gun-camera footage and pinpoint air you and offers readers an interpre- about this.’ Next an interviewee told reconnaissance, where maps were a tation of the meaning of these business of navigational specifics and me, “If you don’t, who will?’ But it events for the people who lived target coordinates, and where war cor- was not until the day I drove to the them, an interpretation supported Airport Café to have lunch with a respondents (with their own master friend that I knew I must draw the facts narratives) could only on the rarest by many layers of first-hand together. occasions fly along? For flyers who accounts. Though Klinkowitz is a fought World War II in the skies over distinguished professor of literature As I rounded the curve of what was the Pacific, a medium other than pic- (he is one of the editors of the once Yorktown Avenue, a feeling of ture taking or map making would have nostalgia touched me. I could sense to convey the special nature of their Norton Anthology of American 3,500 uniformed men and women experience. [. . .] Many [. . .] Army Literature), this work is devoid of bustling about, 300 Stearman biplanes Air Force, Navy, and Marine aviation academic jargon and very readable. noisily soaring overhead, and 60 spar- personnel serving their country [. . .] Good readers, eighth grade and kling buildings passing white-glove turned to the one descriptive asset above, could enjoy this book and inspection. I began to write. [they] had: words. be very satisfied with its compre- Certainly Iowans and other In this unique and highly hensive scope, could even use this Midwesterners, along with WWII accessible, academic work, Jerome book as a guidepost to a personal buffs and flight enthusiasts, would Klinkowitz applies the eye of a reading of some of the works enjoy this book. Taking a primarily literary critic to the content of over referenced within. Klinkowitz’s chronological approach, Cofer 100 Pacific theatre, flyer narratives conclusion addresses the spiritual constructs her story with from more to weave a composite narrative and response many fliers made to their

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

c10_20TAR_Fall04 19 10/14/04, 3:30 PM experiences, several becoming Klinkowitz” for an eclectic collec- Bill Broz is Assistant Professor of religious ministers and others tion of works on such subjects as English in the Department of English becoming peace activists, a re- jazz and baseball. Language and Literature at the sponse that resonates with the University of Northern Iowa. His book’s title, Pacific Skies. Hardcover: 285 pages recent publications include Teaching Writing Teachers of High School and Klinkowitz has several other books Publisher: University Press of First-Year Composition, edited with based on World War II flier narra- Mississippi (2004) Robert Tremmel, Heinemann, 2002, tives including Their Finest Hours, ISBN: 1-57806-652-2 and articles on grammar and Yanks over Europe, and With the List price: $32 censorship in Voices from the Middle Tigers over China. Secondary Order from: and the Journal of Adolescent and literature teachers might also like to University Press of Mississippi Adult Literacy. He was the 2002 know that commentary on the life 3825 Ridgewood Road recipient of the NCTE’s Edwin M. and works of Kurt Vonnegut Jr., on Jackson MS 39211 Hopkins Award for his 2001 English whom he is the leading interna- Phone Orders: 800-737-7788 Journal article, “Hope and Irony: tional authority, represent Jerome www.upress.state.ms.us Annie on My Mind.” He can be Klinkowitz’s earliest and deepest reached most at [email protected] or scholarship. Also see, “Jerry 102 Baker Hall, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0502

Call for Manuscripts

2005 Spring/Summer theme: A Road Less Traveled This theme is intended to solicit articles about young adult literature and its use that examine people or paths in young adult literature that differ from the norm or majority. This theme is meant to be open to interpretation and support a broad range of subtopics, but some possibilities include examination and discussion of innovative authors and their work, pioneers or turning points in the history of the genre and new literary forms. We welcome and encourage other creative interpretations of this theme. February 15 submission deadline.

2005 Fall theme: Finding My Way This theme is intended to solicit articles about young adult literature and its use dealing with the search for self. This theme is meant to be open to interpretation and support a broad range of subtopics, but some possibilities include examination and discussion of the approach an author or group of authors take to leading protagonists down the path to self discovery, comparisons of how this is accomplished across subgenres of young adult literature, or how young adult literature compares to developmental or adolescent psychology. We welcome and encourage other creative interpretations of this theme. May 15 submission deadline.

2006 Winter The theme for our 2006 winter issue will reflect the theme of the 2005 ALAN Workshop soon to be announced. October 15 submission deadline.

THE ALAN REVIEW Fall 2004

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