A History Professor's Perspective

One of my proofreader's wrote me the most wonderful feedback. Here is an excerpt...this is precisely what I was hoping to achieve with this effort . . . I am moved to tears . . .

Dear Loretto,

I can tell you that this is a thoroughly engaging book on so many counts, and it adds something the libraries of World War II literature that is, I think, quite rare.  While there are thousands of first hand accounts of servicemen exploits, this one, telling as it does, the story though day-by-day letters is truly different.  It catches the boredom of basic training, clearly explains the more precise radio and flight pre-training and then exciting in-the-air training.  And your father’s penchant for detail makes all of that seem immediate and clear to even the most recalcitrant history student.  But beyond all that is this wonderful and powerful voice that speaks through the decades directly to us. 

Not only is Francis George articulate, he is funny, he is warm, he is fascinated by the world around him, he is anxious to learn, wonderfully honest, and truly a wonderful friend.  Above all, he is a loving son and brother. It comes through in every paragraph how important his family (which obviously includes Mike) is to him.  He is, quite simply, the kind of son that every parent would be proud to have.  His devotion to his mother is palpable.  Indeed, one realizes what an amazing mother she must have been to have raised two such decent young men on her own.  Your grandmother (and I realize you never knew her) must have been quite a lady and her own passing at a rather young age must have been very hard on her boys. 

Frank’s concern about hygiene, clean and well pressed clothes, and making sure he takes care of dental work is both amusing and a good picture of many of the depression era generation where sometimes the work of a dentist was a luxury.  God, he is witty.  I have laughed out loud many times, particularly at his story of his horse riding adventure.  His love of words and phrasing as well as his use of so many now quaint or simply lost ‘30s and ‘40s usage is a delight.  His faith, his honesty, his general decency engages and endears Frank to  the reader with remarkable letter.

All of this is why the book is so important. ~ J. Foster