Official Review: Invisible Heroes of World War II
Posted: 10 Jul 2019, 23:54
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Invisible Heroes of World War II" by Jerry Borrowman.]
4 out of 4 stars
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I don’t think I’d ever tire of reading war stories, for they never fail to bring the hassles of modern-day life into perspective. World War II, in particular, was a behemoth of a conflict, replete with suffering and deaths — but also with many inspirational acts of valor and sacrifice. There are names that we’d always remember, enshrined as they are in the pages of our history books. But not every hero was a soldier, not all battles were fought at the front, and not all sacrifices were paid in blood.
Author Jerry Borrowman writes about the “invisible heroes” of World War II — the everyday men and women who stood up against tyranny and oppression on their own terms. In his aptly titled book, Invisible Heroes of World War II: Extraordinary Wartime Stories of Ordinary People, he takes readers back to one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. Through the eyes of Pat Patton, a survivor of the infamous Bataan Death March, we learn about the plight of prisoners of war and the horrors they endured. And yet Patton may be luckier than most. Joseph Anderson, for instance, was declared missing (and later, dead) without anyone knowing what really happened to him. Borrowman poignantly describes Anderson’s fate, as well as those of others who went missing in action (MIA), as a “special kind of sorrow.”
Borrowman also highlights the little-known contributions of marginalized people, like Joseph Medicine Crow, a Native American who fought in the army; the Navajo Code Talkers, who crafted an unbreakable code that stymied their enemies; the African American soldiers who were segregated from the whites; and many American soldiers of Japanese descent, who risked their lives for their countrymen despite the internment of their families back in the US. Women are also featured here, like Nancy Wake, who worked as a saboteur for the Allied forces over at the European side of the conflict. Borrowman also includes stories of noncombatants, like photojournalist Dicky Chapelle and the engineers who “work under fire” while being ready to return fire.
Let me just go ahead and rate Invisible Heroes of World War II 4 out of 4 stars. The book is immersive and thoroughly captivating, with many touching moments that brought me to tears. Patton’s tale is a standout, with the first-person narration lending his story a more personal touch. And yet the factual tone of the other narratives makes them heartrending in their own ways. There’s just something about plain unembellished history that drives home the reality of everything that took place. People went missing. People were killed. People were tortured. People were irrevocably injured in more ways than the physical. Of those who survived, many were forgotten, their deeds unacknowledged until after their deaths — or even not at all, their contributions deemed too trivial to be formally honored.
Borrowman resurrects these men and women in the pages of his book, introducing each and every individual or group to the reader. While a few had penned their own accounts of their experiences, many had no such opportunities or platforms to have their stories told. Borrowman lends them his voice, and he captures their stories with such empathy and insight. He pays tribute to their accomplishments, both within and beyond the battlefield, and the result is a very uplifting work of nonfiction that I’d fully endorse to all readers everywhere. There’s more to war than the fighting, and Borrowman delves into other aspects of it (the politics side, for instance) that offer fascinating points for discussion and reflection for everyone — whether you’re a student, a history buff, or just someone looking for a short read. The book is also professionally edited, with a few typographical errors that might have been corrected in the final version (I read a review copy).
We often take for granted the simple liberties that we enjoy today. Invisible Heroes of World War II reminds us of the sacrifices from which we derived the freedom we currently enjoy. I feel an outpouring of gratitude for these heroes. “They should never be forgotten,” Borrowman says, and I completely agree. After all, it’s the least we can do.
******
Invisible Heroes of World War II
View: on Bookshelves
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
I don’t think I’d ever tire of reading war stories, for they never fail to bring the hassles of modern-day life into perspective. World War II, in particular, was a behemoth of a conflict, replete with suffering and deaths — but also with many inspirational acts of valor and sacrifice. There are names that we’d always remember, enshrined as they are in the pages of our history books. But not every hero was a soldier, not all battles were fought at the front, and not all sacrifices were paid in blood.
Author Jerry Borrowman writes about the “invisible heroes” of World War II — the everyday men and women who stood up against tyranny and oppression on their own terms. In his aptly titled book, Invisible Heroes of World War II: Extraordinary Wartime Stories of Ordinary People, he takes readers back to one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. Through the eyes of Pat Patton, a survivor of the infamous Bataan Death March, we learn about the plight of prisoners of war and the horrors they endured. And yet Patton may be luckier than most. Joseph Anderson, for instance, was declared missing (and later, dead) without anyone knowing what really happened to him. Borrowman poignantly describes Anderson’s fate, as well as those of others who went missing in action (MIA), as a “special kind of sorrow.”
Borrowman also highlights the little-known contributions of marginalized people, like Joseph Medicine Crow, a Native American who fought in the army; the Navajo Code Talkers, who crafted an unbreakable code that stymied their enemies; the African American soldiers who were segregated from the whites; and many American soldiers of Japanese descent, who risked their lives for their countrymen despite the internment of their families back in the US. Women are also featured here, like Nancy Wake, who worked as a saboteur for the Allied forces over at the European side of the conflict. Borrowman also includes stories of noncombatants, like photojournalist Dicky Chapelle and the engineers who “work under fire” while being ready to return fire.
Let me just go ahead and rate Invisible Heroes of World War II 4 out of 4 stars. The book is immersive and thoroughly captivating, with many touching moments that brought me to tears. Patton’s tale is a standout, with the first-person narration lending his story a more personal touch. And yet the factual tone of the other narratives makes them heartrending in their own ways. There’s just something about plain unembellished history that drives home the reality of everything that took place. People went missing. People were killed. People were tortured. People were irrevocably injured in more ways than the physical. Of those who survived, many were forgotten, their deeds unacknowledged until after their deaths — or even not at all, their contributions deemed too trivial to be formally honored.
Borrowman resurrects these men and women in the pages of his book, introducing each and every individual or group to the reader. While a few had penned their own accounts of their experiences, many had no such opportunities or platforms to have their stories told. Borrowman lends them his voice, and he captures their stories with such empathy and insight. He pays tribute to their accomplishments, both within and beyond the battlefield, and the result is a very uplifting work of nonfiction that I’d fully endorse to all readers everywhere. There’s more to war than the fighting, and Borrowman delves into other aspects of it (the politics side, for instance) that offer fascinating points for discussion and reflection for everyone — whether you’re a student, a history buff, or just someone looking for a short read. The book is also professionally edited, with a few typographical errors that might have been corrected in the final version (I read a review copy).
We often take for granted the simple liberties that we enjoy today. Invisible Heroes of World War II reminds us of the sacrifices from which we derived the freedom we currently enjoy. I feel an outpouring of gratitude for these heroes. “They should never be forgotten,” Borrowman says, and I completely agree. After all, it’s the least we can do.
******
Invisible Heroes of World War II
View: on Bookshelves