“I cannot go anywhere in America without people wanting to share their wartime experiences....The stories and the lessons have emerged from long-forgotten letters home, from reunions of old buddies and outfits, from unpublished diaries and home-published memoirs....As the stories in this album of memories remind us, it truly was an American experience, from the centers of power to the most humble corners of the land.” —Tom Brokaw In this beautiful American family album of stories from the Greatest Generation, the history of life as it was lived during the Depression and World War II comes alive and is preserved in people’s own words. Photographs and time lines also commemorate important dates and events. An Army Air Corps veteran who enlisted in 1941 at age seventeen writes to describe the Bataan Death March. A black nurse tells of her encounter with wartime segregation. Other members of the Greatest Generation describe their war—in such historic episodes as Guadalcanal, the D-Day invasion, the Battle of the Bulge, and Midway—as well as their lives on the home front. Starting with the Depression and Pearl Harbor, moving on through the war years in Europe, in the Pacific, and at home, this unique book preserves a people’s rich historical heritage and the legacy of a nation’s heroism in war and its courage in peace—in the shaping of their lives and of the world we have today.
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"I am a lover of letters written by most anyone ... and I loved these letters written to Tom Brokaw from this collection of WWII vetrans. This book is very inspirational and contains much history. "
— Readstoomuch (5 out of 5 stars)
" Found parts of this book very interesting and enjoyable. Bought the book because of the author's name and I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed. "
— Cheryl/Aradanryl, 9/30/2013" Getting better as I get through the book. I definitely want to finish it now! "
— Mary, 9/28/2013" Feel good history/journalism from Tom Brokaw the television journalist's P.O.V. "
— CD, 8/14/2013" We miss a great blessing if we don't search out the lives and contributions of the "greatest generation" of men and women. The book bursts with personal stories and rich history. "
— Patricia, 4/20/2013" I am a lover of letters written by most anyone ... and I loved these letters written to Tom Brokaw from this collection of WWII vetrans. This book is very inspirational and contains much history. "
— Readstoomuch, 8/18/2012" One of the best books I have read this year. It made me think of my grandfather who was in the war, and my time in Baghdad. "
— Scott, 5/17/2012" I"m currently reading this, but I am not worried that I will be disappointed. I love Tom Brokaw and enjoyed his first two books. "
— Julie, 12/2/2011" We miss a great blessing if we don't search out the lives and contributions of the "greatest generation" of men and women. The book bursts with personal stories and rich history. "
— Patricia, 1/2/2011" One of the best books I have read this year. It made me think of my grandfather who was in the war, and my time in Baghdad. "
— Scott, 11/7/2009" I"m currently reading this, but I am not worried that I will be disappointed. I love Tom Brokaw and enjoyed his first two books. "
— Julie, 8/9/2007Tom Brokaw is the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller The Greatest Generation. In 2014, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and he has won every major award in broadcast journalism, including two DuPont Awards, a Peabody Award, and several Emmy Awards. He is a regular contributor to the op-ed pages of the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, as well as writing for Time, Newsweek, and Men’s Journal. A native of South Dakota, he graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in political science. He joined NBC News in 1966, serving as the White House correspondent during Watergate and anchoring Today on NBC from 1976 to 1981. He was the sole anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw from 1983 to 2005.