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Title: When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II, by Molly Guptill Manning
Wars are won in the mind before they can be won in the field.
- Christopher Morley, 1890 - 1957
American journalist, essayist, poet
I was a reader long before I was a writer. I enjoy diving into a wide variety of topics, from science fiction to science, and from history to fantasy. One genre that I especially enjoy is "books about books". Books have stories of their own to tell outside of the words on their pages. These stories are written not only in ink but in blood and flame.
When Books Went to War tells us the story of the role books played in World War II. The role was a major one; not only how they affected the war, but how they themselves were impacted by it. They faced destruction; many were burned by the Nazi regime in an attempt to destroy ideas that they deemed "degenerate". They were born; Armed Services Editions (ASEs), small enough to fit in a soldier's pocket, were welcome companions in the darkness of the foxhole and in the doldrums of the long Atlantic crossing. Science fiction, history, philosophy, Westerns, and tales of home reminded our troops what they were fighting for. The humor of Chicken Every Sunday made them laugh, and mysteries like The Murder That Had Everything distracted them from the cold, the mud, the horrors, and the mind-numbing boredom surrounding them in the field. Anyone who has spent time in a hospital waiting room knows how agonizing and energy-draining the boredom of waiting can be.
Once read, the books were passed on to others. Many units had waiting lists for popular titles. Many soldiers, when forced to ditch items to lighten their kits, would sacrifice other items like chocolate in order to hold on to their precious ASEs. I enjoyed reading the vignettes about the popularity of the ASEs; some of them were hilarious, others sad, and all of them poignant.
When Books Went to War gives us a different perspective on the war that shaped our modern world. It includes an extensive list of authors banned by the Nazis and a complete list of the titles in the ASE library. I recognized many titles, and many others were new to me. Whether you need research material for a historical novel or you just enjoy reading about World War II or you too enjoy books about books, you will enjoy this one.
The following quote by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which is prominent in the book, tells it all:
We all know that books burn -- yet we have the greater knowledge that books cannot be killed by fire. People die, but books never die. No man and no force can abolish memory. No man and no force can put thought in a concentration camp forever. No man and no force can take from the world the books that embody man's eternal fight against tyranny of every kind. In this war, we know, books are weapons.
Wars on and of ideas are continual. Protect your ideals by reading continually and deeply. Keep your wits sharp and your pages dry!
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