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Rating: 
Summary: A Heart-Wrenching, Unforgettable Story
Review: AMERICAN NIGHTINGALE is the breathtaking tale of an obscure Army nurse named Frances Slanger, the first woman soldier to die in World War II. Were it not for its author Bob Welch, and discerning editor Brenda Copeland at Atria, this poginant story may have succumbed to obscurity. It is the tale of a young woman who was a nobody, the daughter of a Jewish fruit peddler. Yet, in her simple duties she exemplified the American spirit. Here is a book that truly does live in one's memory long after being read. The work will hold the reader in its grip from rain-drenched beginnings in a field hospital tent on Normandy Beach, to the last page, as a ship named for the book's heroine moves out to sea--leaving in its gentle wake a reminder that no matter what small lives we may live, each of us can make a difference. Bravo Bob Welch from an avid reader and the editor-in-chief of Authorlink.com.
Rating:
Summary: New World War II Classic
Review: Award-winning journalist and author Welch has rediscovered World War II heroine, Frances Slanger, a Jewish Polish immigrant whose story has never been fully told. Slanger overcame poverty and discrimination to become a nurse, then courageously and selflessly served her adopted country in an Army medical unit. Welch takes us with Slanger's unit from its landing with D-Day invasion forces on the Normandy beaches Normandy, across France just behind the front lines to the borders of Germany as the team provides medical care to thousands of wounded soldiers. On the night before her unit was attacked, Slanger wrote a letter to the military newspaper "Stars and Stripe", affirming her dedication to helping the wounded, expressing her admiration for the American soldier and downplaying her own contribution. The letter inspired a country hungry for signs of human goodness and triggered an outpouring of emotion at the news of her death. will bring tears to your eyes. It reminds us the true meaning of courage at a time when, again, inspiration is sorely needed.
Rating: 
Summary: Extensive Research
Review: I enjoy the author's columns in our local newspaper and so read this book when it came out. I was impressed by all the information he included, making the book a great historic documentary of the times. Personal interviews with still living participants are especially relevant. Frances' personal story flowed through the center, driving the story. It's a compelling narrative of the suffering and sacrifices of soldiers in war time. It also adds to our knowledge of women in WWII.
Rating:
Summary: A True Hero
Review: I just finished reading American Nightingale. What a FANTASTIC book. The story of Frances Slanger is truly inspirational and the greatest testament to this inspiration, and to her heroism came from the very men that she cared for while in Europe. I am an avid reader of WWII books and I rank this up there as one of the best that I've ever read. Great job!
Rating:
Summary: A treasure
Review: In American Nightingale, Bob Welch demonstrates a capacity rare in
writers: a perceptive talent who respects history as he chronicles the
quietly profound legacy of one heroic individual who made a difference -
Frances Slanger, Army nurse. The book is a treasure because of the writer's
persistent research, his weaving of Slanger's words with his own to tell her
compelling story, and the ultimate truth that he confirms for all of us -
that war cannot and will not ever crush the unconquerable human spirit.
For me, this is one of those "Couldn't Put It Down" reads!
Rating:
Summary: A treasure
Review: In American Nightingale, Bob Welch demonstrates a capacity rare in
writers: a perceptive talent who respects history as he chronicles the
quietly profound legacy of one heroic individual who made a difference -
Frances Slanger, Army nurse. The book is a treasure because of the writer's
persistent research, his weaving of Slanger's words with his own to tell her
compelling story, and the ultimate truth that he confirms for all of us -
that war cannot and will not ever crush the unconquerable human spirit.
For me, this is one of those "Couldn't Put It Down" reads!
Rating:
Summary: American Nightingale
Review: Just as World War II army nurse Frances Slanger compared human life to a fire-that is, if there is a spark of flame left in the embers, the fire can be nursed back to health-Bob Welch has blown on the embers of her touching and inspirational story to bring it back to life sixty years after her death.What a story of sacrifice, honor, and courage in the midst of horrific battlefield conditions! Frances Slanger, who, in some ways, felt she was destined to help her adopted country throw off the yoke of Nazi domination in the European war theatre, was an uncommon woman of valor who deserves our highest accolades. Her heroic sacrifice-she was the first woman killed in the line of duty following the D-Day invasion-was largely forgotten following the fall of Berlin. But thanks to Bob Welch, who poured thousands of dollars of his own money and three years into researching this thoughtful, well-written book, we have Frances Langer's legacy available at our fingertips. I highly recommend American Nightingale, the story of a Jewish heroine that time nearly forgot. Mike Yorkey
co-author of the Every Man's Battle series
Rating:
Summary: This is American courage
Review: Like British Army Nurse Florence Nightingale before her, and American Army Nurse Sharon Ann Lane (KIA, 312th Evac., Chu Lai, 1969, Vietnam) after her, Frances Slanger was a true heroine. Bob Welch struck gold when a former Nursing comrade of Slanger's read one of his articles and got in touch. Previously, details about Frances Slanger had been slightly scant and it had been reported that she had been killed by an Enemy sniper. Welch gets it right in indicating that she had actually been killed during an artillery barrage. Even by Day 3, the slowly expanding Normandy beach heads were a dangerous place to be. Despite overwhelming Allied airpower, involving thousands of combat sorties per day, the Germans were still putting up determined resistance on the ground. Even the act of wading ashore was not without its dangers, especially given that Frances Slanger was barely five feet tall. She was one of only four nurses to land at Normandy while it was still an intensely active combat zone. Yet in spite of the mines, the snipers, the artillery exchanges and the odd air attack, Slanger and her courageous sisters pitched in immediately to help care for the endless influx of wounded. A few months later, she became the first Army Nurse KIA of the post-Overlord campaign. While ever America can still produce women like Frances Slanger and Sharon Ann Lane, and men like the brave young warriors that they gave their own young lives to support, the enemies of Freedom will never win. Never. An outstanding book.
Rating:
Summary: A Genuine Heroine
Review: Writing by the light of a flashlight one night in a darkened Forty-fifth Field Hospital tent, Frances Slanger, an army nurse during World War II, wrote a letter to "Stars and Stripes" about the wounded soldiers she treated, noting that "the courage and fortitude they have is sometimes awesome to behold." Although she was not destined to see her letter in print, it was read by thousands of American servicemen, doubtless clipped and saved by many. Now, sixty years later, with the publication of "American Nightingale" author Bob Welch has written with warmth and honesty about this remarkable young immigrant woman who surmounted many obstacles to serve her country with wholehearted devotion.
Rating:
Summary: I felt like I was there when it happened
Review: Writing by the light of a flashlight one night in a darkened Forty-fifth Field Hospital tent, Frances Slanger, an army nurse during World War II, wrote a letter to "Stars and Stripes" about the wounded soldiers she treated, noting that "the courage and fortitude they have is sometimes awesome to behold." Although she was not destined to see her letter in print, it was read by thousands of American servicemen, doubtless clipped and saved by many. Now, sixty years later, with the publication of "American Nightingale" author Bob Welch has written with warmth and honesty about this remarkable young immigrant woman who surmounted many obstacles to serve her country with wholehearted devotion.
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