Rating: 
Summary: I will never know
Review: My husband and I listened to this book read on CD by Fritz Weaver as we traveled through Arkansas and Texas in our RV. My husband's father served in the army in those years and we couldn't help but wonder if his dad had experienced the 10 minute stop at the North Platte Canteen. We do not recollect his telling us such a tale.
What a touching story this is, told in the words of Bob Greene, the author and reporter and through the testimony of soldiers and townspeople who lived through those incredible years. My husband's dad is gone, so we will never know if the wonderful folks of North Platte touched his life. But we are richer in having heard the stories told in this book. I recommend this book and believe that reading it will serve as a good illustration for younger people about life in the USA during those very difficult war years.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful tale of dedication and human spirit
Review: This is an incredibly beautiful story about a small town in Nebraska who turned a train depot into a "canteen" for service men travelling by train across the US during World War II.Bob Greene intersperses tales from 60 years ago with a description of present-day life in North Platte. Once along a major passenger route of the Union Pacific railroad, the town in now just another exit off of the interstate. Passenger trains no longer travel through North Platte, but during the war, it was a different story. Although they weren't supposed to know the movement of troops, somehow the people of North Platte did find out when troop trains were due to arrive and from December 25, 1941 until April 1946 they met *every* troop train that stopped in North Platte. The train stopped only to take on water for the steam engine, so the soldiers had ten to twenty minutes. Women's groups from North Platte and other cities in Nebraska and even Colorado would meet the trains with baked goods, coffeee, magazines and a smile. Over 6 million soldiers passed through North Platte during the war years. Their brief time at the canteen remained a precious memory to them in times of battle and even years later, when thoughts of the canteen and the kindness they experienced there still brought tears to their eyes. The stories of the men and women touch a deep place in the heart. One is left to wonder if this spirit of America is as long gone as the building that once housed the canteen. A wonderful tale of dedication and human spirit. Keep a hanky handy.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful tale of dedication and human spirit
Review: This is an incredibly beautiful story about a small town in Nebraska who turned a train depot into a "canteen" for service men travelling by train across the US during World War II. Bob Greene intersperses tales from 60 years ago with a description of present-day life in North Platte. Once along a major passenger route of the Union Pacific railroad, the town in now just another exit off of the interstate. Passenger trains no longer travel through North Platte, but during the war, it was a different story. Although they weren't supposed to know the movement of troops, somehow the people of North Platte did find out when troop trains were due to arrive and from December 25, 1941 until April 1946 they met *every* troop train that stopped in North Platte. The train stopped only to take on water for the steam engine, so the soldiers had ten to twenty minutes. Women's groups from North Platte and other cities in Nebraska and even Colorado would meet the trains with baked goods, coffeee, magazines and a smile. Over 6 million soldiers passed through North Platte during the war years. Their brief time at the canteen remained a precious memory to them in times of battle and even years later, when thoughts of the canteen and the kindness they experienced there still brought tears to their eyes. The stories of the men and women touch a deep place in the heart. One is left to wonder if this spirit of America is as long gone as the building that once housed the canteen. A wonderful tale of dedication and human spirit. Keep a hanky handy.
Rating:
Summary: Uplifting
Review: This story ranks as one of my favorite reads of this year. It is the touching story of how the author, Bob Greene visited North Platte to research and discover the history, truth and story of the North Platte Canteen. The narrative is filled with his own questions, reflections and details of this journey and the people in whom lives he crossed. So it's sort of two stories, his own, and the story of the Canteen. The Canteen was an ongoing service effort during WWII. A towns' attempt to feed and deliver warmth and friendsip to the wartime troops traveling through North Platte, Nebraska during those war years. Since our family are regular volunteers for our communties' soup kitchen, (I'm in charge of the meal when it's our turn), the logistics of how they made this work, interested and humbled me. It makes my own efforts seem small. Bob Greene asks some tough to answer questions here- Could any town do this again? How are our communties different now? Are they better as far as reaching out to one another, or are we becoming indifferent? What are the consequences to that? Some of these questions might seem in the way if you're merely interested in the stories of the soldiers who passed through. Or the many volunteers who sacrificed food, labor, and time in wartime when all of those things were in short supply. It is important that we note that this town pulled this off WITHOUT goverment support. Amazing since we now live in a time when we EXPECT support or hassle stores about donations for civic and school projects. KUDOS to the town of North Platte and Mr Greene.
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