Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderful Depiction of War
Review: This book is a great book that has real letters written by soldiers fighting in war. This book is a definite buy if you have a realative who was in war, or if you are just interested in the fights. I recomend this book to really anybody who enjoys a good read about war. I know that I loved it, and you will too!
Rating:
Summary: Recommended for high school reading ( US HISTORY )
Review: This book is hard to put down. It reads easily. The format makes the reader feel as if the letter is to 'them'. Besides showing what these men and woman experienced ( physically and emotionally ), this book also 'teaches' history. This book should be a part of high school US history class. I highly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: the best
Review: this book is very useful and very educational. i bought 5 of them and they make good gifts for those who love to learn about history.
Rating:
Summary: Connections to the Past
Review: This book, War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars, by Andrew Carroll (Editor) is a touching book. With the recent release of the movie Pearl Harbor, the questions that my generation wants to ask the veterans of war are rising out of the ashes once again. Carroll did an excellent job of putting together a collage of soldier's letters which portrays the true emotions of our freedom fighters. Recently having studied many of the wars included in this book, War Letters pulled everything into one book; from the Civil War all the way through Bosnia/Kosovo. The letters in WWI and WWII seemed more hopeful, and 'the great generation' seemed more patriotic. While the soldiers fighting Vietnam had more of a sense of urgency, kind of 'get this over with already' attitude. A common theme with all the letters was they were writing to loved ones, and would claim they would see them soon. Unfortunately, many of these letters were the 'last letters' to the families, some even written on backs of photographs, on scratch paper, or on Hitler's personal stationary. Also, these letters are written a few hours, days, or weeks after the events happened. The soldier has no opportunity to hear what the media said, or how the nation reacted to such a horrific event. They write with their souls, spilling their guts to their families, and shedding their blood for their nation. Granted, having just completed one year of US History helps me understand these events just that much more, but all in all, this book was everything from terrifying to heart warming.
Rating:
Summary: A great, if brutal, reading of this book.
Review: This set of CD's runs well over six hours, and I don't recommend doing it all in one setting. I did one a day, a felt like I got a wonderful- if that's the right word- walk through some of the most brutal wars our country has been involved in. I listened with my son, who is just starting to study the civil war in school, and found it to be a wonderful study aid- it brought up questions and perked his curiousity in certain areas that a simple textbook could never hope to do. The readings themselves are quite wonderful. Harry Smith narrates, and then you hear the actual letters read by a group of some of the best actors I've heard on audio books- Joan Allen, David Strathairn, Eric Stoltz, Campbell Scott and Edward Hermann. Apparently Rob Lowe also read some, but I couldn't tell which voice was his. In any case, the readings are simple and heartfelt, letting the words themselves sink in, and it's just terrific. If you want your children to get an understanding of the true horrors of war, listen to this with them. It doesn't glamourize it like so many war movies, but explores a personal side that most kids never even consider. I give it the highest rating possible.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful - Definitly deserves the 5 star Review!
Review: Those who have read this book before me and left their reviews have said it all. It's almost impossible to read these letters with a dry eye.
This novel compiles letters written during the most prominent wars of our Nations history. I read these letters, almost feeling like I was peeping into another's life, and felt my heart wrench. It brought me to a different state of mind, I began wondering how I'd act or what I would do, in certain situations. It was like I had a chance to live in their shoes; military personnel, nurses, journalists, celebrities, and the leaders of our country at the time. It was enthralling... I'd curl up on the couch with my book in hand and emerse myself in letters written from a long ago time.
Mr. Carroll has a knack for writing, and his compilations of letters bring a new sense of awareness for what we went through as a country. What our military men & women went through as they fought daily for the freedom we take for granted, and they do it all for the love of their country. Their family.
I highly recommend this novel! Thank you, Mr. Carroll!
~Gina
Rating:
Summary: Lest We Forget!!!
Review: War Letter's is an excellent piece of non-fiction, and i was truly moved by the bravery, and courage that all of these letters contained. To see a war through the eyes of the men, and women that were there fighting it just made it that much more real. The book is hard hitting, realistic, and brutally honest. An excellent book, and well worth the read. Enjoy, and Never Forget our heroes.
Rating:
Summary: AN EXTRAORDINARILY RICH AND DEEPLY MOVING BOOK
Review: WAR LETTERS is a truly remarkable work that serves as both an excellent history of American wars as well as a highly effective meditation on war itself. The carefully chosen letters run the gamut of everything from a profound and beautiful letter from a twenty-two year old WWII soldier who is soon after killed in the Battle of the Bulge to a defensive letter from General Patton explaining his decisions during the Korean War. Each letter is extraordinary in its own way, and Andrew Carroll chooses to print them exactly as they were written, mistakes and all. In between the letters are brief descriptions of the letter writer as well as extremely well-written summaries of the various battles. The result is a riveting work that is both extraordinarily rich in scope and detail and deeply moving.
Rating: 
Summary: Offers the human side of war, and is poignant in tribute
Review: War Letters, begun after a project to preserve the writings of our servicemen overseas during the Second World War, here expands on that program very well. With letters from most American military conflicts, this offers insight into quite a few people in very different areans confronted with a need to connect with those they care about. In most cases, the fate of each writer is given, and provides further glimpses into the writers' lives. The exmaple of a 15-year-old who enlisted in WW2, then went to boot camp, and then to combat, is powerful, and not to be missed. This book is very helpful in my classroom as we prepare for veterans' visits, and would be worthwhile for anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Offers the human side of war, and is poignant in tribute
Review: War Letters, begun after a project to preserve the writings of our servicemen overseas during the Second World War, here expands on that program very well. With letters from most American military conflicts, this offers insight into quite a few people in very different areans confronted with a need to connect with those they care about. In most cases, the fate of each writer is given, and provides further glimpses into the writers' lives. The exmaple of a 15-year-old who enlisted in WW2, then went to boot camp, and then to combat, is powerful, and not to be missed. This book is very helpful in my classroom as we prepare for veterans' visits, and would be worthwhile for anyone.
|
