Reading on a Theme: World War II in an Alternate World

 Welcome to the final day of World War II Week.

 

Today we are taking World War II into the realm of speculative fiction. I love when I can create "Reading of Theme" posts that are a little unexpected, and I think this one definitely fits that description. The World War II that is featured in this books is not the war we read about in our history books.

A Race to the Death:
In Wolf By Wolf the world fell to the Axis Powers. Yael, a death camp escapee, competes in the annual long-distance motorcycle race that celebrates the Axis victory. Highly trained and with the ability to skinshift, she impersonates last years winner, Adele Wolfe. Her goal: win the race and kill Hitler during the victory dance. Ryan Graudin's Axis victory feels so plausible and, thus, so terrfying. The motorcycle race is packed with action, and the other characters in the race are enigmatic. What are we to make of Felix Wolfe and Luka Lowe? I sincerely hope they are back in the next book. Also, I want more of Adele Wolfe because she is fascinating even in her absence. Review copy from BEA.

Nazi Vampires:
In Lindsay Francis Brambles's alternate world the Nazis not only won World War II, they also unleashed a deadly virus that turned those it did not kill into vampires. Now the world is divided into two distinct groups: the vampires ruled by the Nazis and a small group who are naturally immune to the deadly pathogen. Sophie Harkness is an immune living in Haven, the last bastion of the humanity. When Sophie's best friend is murdered, she begins an investigation that uncovers generations of secrets. Becoming Darkness has a really interesting premise. I like how the book is a bit of a genre-bender combining historical, urban fantasy, and mystery into one. Brambles did not take the easy way out with this book; the stakes are sufficiently high for a book about Nazis.

Time-traveling Historians:
Blackout begins in Oxford in the year 2060 where historians are preparing to time travel to World War II to do research. When Merope, Polly, and Michael arrive, not only do they have to deal with unexpected quarantines, demanding bosses, and all kinds of delays, but also time travel doesn't seem to be function properly. I really love this book and its sequel. Connie Willis's novel offers a really interesting perspective on the war because the characters have all studied it intensely, and they have insights that the contemporaries do not, and yet they are still unprepared for the harrowing experiences that they face. In some instances knowing is much worse. 

Soldier Girls:
In Michael Grant's World War II novel women are eligible to serve as soldiers and must register for the draft. The book follows three soldier girls, Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr, and Rainy Schulterman. What I enjoyed most about this novel is how real it felt. I truly believed that these girls were soldiers; that girls could have been soldiers, and the way that Grant navigated the attitudes, prejudices, and inexperience of the soldiers felt so very truthful. I also like that Grant is taking us through these girls' entire war. We have to slog through boot camp, the Atlantic crossing, and their first engagements. We see how those experiences change them. I'm definitely reading the sequels. Front Lines is out January 26th, 2016.  Review copy from Edelweiss.

Fairies, Gnomes, and Tightropers:
Admittedly A History of Glitter and Blood is a bit of a stretch for this Reading on a Theme. I'm including it because Hannah Moskowitz said she was thinking about World War II and the Holocaust as she wrote. This war story is set in a very alternate world; one populated by fairies, gnomes, and other mythical species. Despite that, the book has a very gritty, realistic feel. Their war pits race against race, which is, of course, related to World War II, but also to so many of the wars that continue to rage now. The book is experimental both in its subject matter and style. It's a complicated book, and while I ultimately took issue with parts of it, I can see why it has received so much praise. Review copy from BEA.

All reviews by JoLee.

Thanks for joining us for World War II Week. If you are looking for more World War II reads check out this post. It includes some very beloved books. To view the series as a whole click here.

Interview with Sarah Creviston Lee

Welcome to Day 4 of World War II Week!

 

Sarah Creviston Lee is the author of The War Between Us, the story of Alex Moon, a Korean American who gets stranded in the Indiana during World War II. We had the opportunity to talk all about her love of history and what inspired her to write her novel.

Author's Website | History: Preserved | Twitter | Goodreads

Your new novel takes place on the American home front during World War II. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got interested in writing about the World War II era?

I’ve loved learning about the WWII era since I was thirteen. I read every historical fiction book on the topic in my library. Some of them even gave me nightmares! The time period has always fascinated me, from the tragic story of the Holocaust, to American and British women’s roles in the war, to the American and British home fronts and food rationing. When I did a study abroad in London in 2005, I had the privilege of doing research at the Imperial War Museum on British women’s roles in the war. I am so grateful for that experience, and I never seem to run out of things to learn about this era!

What’s funny is that despite my life-long interest in WWII, I never thought to write about anything set during that time. As a writer, it makes sense to write about what you know so you have that sense of authority on the subject, but I had never entertained a story idea for WWII until I researched my way into a gaping hole in WWII fiction – the Korean American wartime experience. It was then that I knew I wanted to be the one to write that book.

I know that in addition to your writing you have several other projects related to the WWII era. Can you tell us a little bit about them?

Ever since graduating from college, I’ve had plans to go back for my master’s degree and I had my thesis paper all planned out. It involved American & British wartime food rationing. I love cooking and baking, and the creativity that came out of food restrictions during wartime was so interesting to me! Well, I haven’t been able to go back to school, so I started my research early. In 2014, I decided on a semi-ambitious project – for one year I would make one ration recipe a week and blog about it over at my history blog, History:Preserved. I made 52 recipes, both American and British, and I learned a lot! I continue to try new ration recipes and plan on starting another ration cooking project soon.

I also enjoy sewing now and then, and recently my family and I have decided to get into WWII reenacting. I’m in the process of collecting patterns, networking with other reenactors, and getting our historical clothing ready for our first event. I am so excited to share my food and ration knowledge with the public at these events, and helping them learn about a fascinating period of our country’s history in a way they haven’t heard about before.

How have these projects contributed to the formation of your novel?

After a year of making ration recipes, I thought I knew a good amount about them, but since my book takes place during a specific time — August 1942 to Feb/March 1943 — I had to break down rationing month by month, and that was very challenging, but very revealing. It changed how I had to write my character’s daily life since they were only dealing with rubber, gasoline, and sugar rationing at first. Coffee is rationed later in my book, but full-on rationing of canned goods, meats, fats and processed foods that began in March of 1943 doesn’t even make an appearance. I didn’t set out to do it at first, but I wanted to show an accurate picture of wartime rationing, since, I feel, that whole experience tends to get lumped together.

I didn’t do my ration project as research for writing this book, but it turned out to be a very handy experience. And because of having to watch a ton of amazing food in Korean dramas, I’ve experimented making a handful of Korean dishes as well! So, with my cooking experience I wanted to show my characters making the foods that I had made like cottage cheese and cucumber sandwiches, Beef Roll, and Oatmeal Drop Cookies, as well as the Korean recipes of kimchi, maejakgwa cookies, and tteokguk soup. You can find those ration recipes and a whole lot more of them at my history blog.

Also, while doing research for clothing on the time period, I was able to better understand the fashions early on in the war and tried to put little hints of that in my book. I’m still in the early stages of learning 1940s sewing, so I relied a lot on my research of clothing advertisements and patterns available from that time to embellish my character’s clothing choices.

The War Between Us is about a young Korean American, Alex Moon, who faces a lot of misunderstanding and hostility when he becomes stranded in a Midwestern town. What led you to explore the Korean American wartime experience?

To be honest, I’d have to give credit to Korean dramas and my friend Julianne for introducing them to me. I loved the refreshing change Korean TV was from American shows, and I was surprised by how much I grew to love learning about the culture and falling in love with the sound of the language. After 2 years of watching Korean TV, (call it 2 years of research – Ha!) my historian, 1940s-loving self finally emerged and began asking what Korean Americans were doing during WWII. I’d read about the Japanese American experience, but no other Asian American experience. When I did research, I was shocked to find almost nothing about Koreans. Even books published about Korean American history had very little to say about their wartime experience. Luckily, and thankfully, I found a doctoral thesis by Lili M. Kim about Korean Americans during WWII. This hunt for information along with the thin facts available told me that this was a story that needed to be told – a story of their fight to free their homeland of Korea from the Japanese rule and the fight for their identity and individuality. They were tied to Japan in so many ways (literally and in the eyes of the American people and government). They fought so hard to free themselves of that connection, and it’s such a fascinating and compelling story! This, combined with my developed love for the Korean people and their culture, is what really drove me to write this book.

Also, when I began writing this book, I knew I wanted to write about the plight of the Korean American experience during World War II and wanted to include a love story. As I wrote, I was drawn to my Great Aunt Elaine and Great Uncle Harry’s story. They married in the late 1930s and were together through the war until she died in 1947. Harry was born in China and immigrated with his parents to Indiana as a young man, where he helped his father run a Chinese restaurant in Anderson. Elaine was a Christian girl of English descent from the Midwest attending school at Anderson College. She worked as a waitress at Harry’s restaurant. It was such a tumultuous time for them to marry, that I wondered at their decision. Surely, there must have been some amount of prejudice and challenge to marrying outside their individual cultures.

I was fascinated by Aunt Elaine’s choice and asked my Great Uncle Burke, her brother, about her decision. He told me that the book The Vintage of Yon Yee by Louise Jordan Miln, which I have my main character Lonnie read, was a major influence in her decision to marry Harry Chan. I couldn’t help but smile over the idea that a book could have such an impact.

So while this story is not based on Harry and Elaine’s lives, they did serve as a muse and motivation to explore this fascinating aspect of our country’s history—a long history of immigrants and their posterity making their way in a complicated, imperfect world. Cross-racial marriages were still prevented in many states during that time and presented a lot of cultural difficulties, and I wanted to explore that aspect as well.

Do you think you will visit World War II again in your writing? If so, what other aspects of the war would you like to explore?

It’s possible! I’ve been asked by several people if there will be a sequel to my book. I’ve said no so far, because I know it would be a very sad story to tell – Alex and Lonnie have a hard road ahead of them. I have thought of writing about a few of my side characters, and with that, I would be interested in exploring the role of agriculture and other aspects of women’s jobs during the war.

In WWII historical fiction, you don’t usually read about the men who stayed behind due to ineligibility, their jobs in the war industry, and even the conscientious objectors. My grandfather was a religious conscientious objector and worked for the U.S. Forest Service during the war instead. Conscientious objections are on the controversial side that we tend not to celebrate, but disdain in favor of patriotism. Cultural feeling toward those people usually manifested in a form of prejudice and persecution not based on race, but belief. I think it would be interesting to explore this aspect. 

Thanks Sarah! I loved learning more about your research and inspiration! 

The War Between Us by Sarah Creviston Lee

Published: December 2015

Genres: Historical Fiction/ Christian Fiction

Source: Copy from the author

Goodreads Giveaway through February 12th.

Amazon | Goodreads

Alex Moon is not the enemy.

Six months after Pearl Harbor's tragedy, Korean American Alex Moon is sent away from his home in California for refusing his father's request to join the fight against the Japanese. On his journey, Alex is attacked and stranded in the small town of River Bluff, Indiana just for looking like America's most hated enemy.

Unexpectedly, Alex is befriended by a local girl, Lonnie Hamilton, who comes to his defense, saving him from doubt and despair while placing herself in the cross hairs of prejudice. Alex falls in love with his ally---a love that is clearly forbidden. Torn between his dual identities, Korean and American, and grappling with how everyone sees him, Alex must wage the war within himself---of defending who he is, resolving his tortured feelings about the war, and fighting for the woman he loves.

Join us tomorrow as we take World War II into the realm of speculative fiction.

Reading on a Theme: Untold (Until Now) World War II Tales

 

Welcome back to day three of World War II week on Intellectual Recreation. 

 

Today we are featuring five novels that explore aspects of the World War II era that aren't as well known.  They delve into history not only to enlighten us but also to remind us that real people lived these events.

The Nazi Occupation of the Channel Islands:
Told in a series of letters, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is populated with a group of endearing characters. Juliet Ashton, popular newspaper columnist, begins corresponding with the people of the society in 1946 when Dawsey Adams realizes he owns one of her old books. Juliet eventually travels to Guernsey and learns about the inhabitants lives during the German occupation. A good, heartwarming book. I love the quirky characters. The occupation of the Channel islands was not something that had really crossed my radar before I read this book. Cut off from the rest of their country, these folks really had to band together.  

 

Fleeing the Russian Victors:

Ruta Sepetys is a master at historical fiction. I have been pining for Salt to the Sea for many months. In the winter of 1945 Germany is losing the war and the Russians are quickly steamrolling their way east. This book is about the civilians fleeing ahead of that mighty juggernaut. In Salt to the Sea we follow the perspectives of four teenagers; all with very different backgrounds. They help to convey to the reader the vastness of the folks caught up in this race for survival. This book is powerful, beautifully written, and contains so much heart. It does what historical fiction must do if it's to be done well; it transports the reader to that historical moment and gives a face, a name, and emotions to the individuals who experienced the events we read about in history books. Out February 2, 2016.

Women Aviators and Polish Prisoners:
Rose Under Fire is an incredible book. I liked it even more than Elizabeth Wein's debut, which is saying a lot because Code Name Verity is pretty gut-wrenchingly great. Pennsylvanian Rose Justice is a transfer pilot working for the Allies out of England. When her plane is intercepted by the Luftwaffe she is sent to Ravensbrucke. There she is adopted by a group of fellow prisoners: the Polish women (The Rabbits) who were the subjects of the Nazis' horrific medical experiments. Rose's harrowing story is told through a series of journal entries and letters. I absolutely adore Rose. She is the kind of friend everyone needs.   

Siberian Death Camps and Stalin's Gulag:
In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina, along with her mother and younger brother, is taken from her home in Lithuania and sent to a Siberian work camp. Ruta Sepetys's debut novel, Between Shades of Gray, is well-written, gripping, and sad. I loved how Sepetys describes the way the Lithuanian prisoners worked together and tried to help each other despite their dire circumstances. Ruta Sepetys took her inspiration for this book from her own family history. The horrors of in the world in 1941 were numerous, to put it mildly, and the plight of those exiled and imprisoned by Stalin are often too easily forgotten. This novel tells of a time and a place in history that definitely deserves a story.

Korean Americans on the Home Front:
Sarah Creviston Lee's debut novel is the tale of a Korean American who gets stranded in Indiana during World War II. There he is hated by many for simply looking like the enemy. I didn't know much about Korean Americans' experiences during the World War II era before I read The War Between Us. I love that it tells a different side of the story, and that I felt like I really learned a lot while being entertained. With a well-researched and authentic setting, new perspective, and full and complicated characters, The War Between Us is a great addition to World War II home front stories.



All books reviewed by JoLee.
 

Join us tomorrow for an interview with one of these authors.

World War II Nonfiction for Young Readers

It's day two of World War II Week.

Today we have a fabulous bunch of nonfiction books about World War II all aimed to young readers (but great for older readers too). This collection covers a wide array of topics including military history, science, athletics, Holocaust survival stories, and more.

Trapped Behind Nazi Lines by Eric Braun:
The 807th Medical Evacuation Squadron crash landed in Nazi-occupied Albania. It took them three months and a hike of over 1000 miles to reach the sea and an evacuation boat. They battled blizzards and had many close calls with Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. Along the way they were aided by local partisans and several British Special Operatives. It was really interesting to learn about the occupation in Albania and what the locals and Allies were doing to thwart the Nazis. Out March 1st, 2016.
 
Symphony for the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson:
This book about the life and work of Dmitri Shostakovich, the great Russian composer, is absolutely exquisite. Anderson deftly navigates the atrocities of Stalin's reign, the siege of Leningrad, the experimental art of the 1920s and 30s, and explorations of what art can do. I read most of it while listening to Shostakovich's music, which proved a powerful backdrop to the Great Terror and the siege. I am incredibly impressed by how well Anderson is able to convey music with his words. This book will make you want to listen to Shostakovich's symphonies.

Imprisoned: The Betrayal of the Japanese Americans During World War II by Martin W. Sandler:
Sandler's book is a history of the Japanese American experience during World War II. In addition to the several chapters devoted to the internment, Sandler also delves into the contributions of Japanese American who served as GIs and in Intelligence. Although designed to read a bit more like a textbook than a narrative, the history is aided by photographs and visuals on nearly every page.

The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson:
Leon Leyson was ten years old when the Nazis invaded Poland. This book is a memoir of his young life. He experienced the Krakow ghetto, survived the Plaszow concentration camp, and was eventually taken under the wing of Oskar Schindler. As one of the youngest children on Schindler's famous list, Leyson's story is the perfect way to introduce young readers to that amazing story of bravery, compassion, and intelligence.

The Boys on the Boat (Young Reader's Edition) by Daniel James Brown and Gregory Mone:
Daniel James Brown tells the story of the winning oarsmen in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. All amateur athletes from the University of Washington, they had grown up in the Depression Era. The technical, strenuous, and mentally exhausting sport of rowing, Nazi Germany, and that fact that these were all amateur athletes from modest backgrounds adds to the power of this story. And, as an added bonus, you can watch the winning race on YouTube.

Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren:
Like Leon Leyson, Jack Mandelbaum was a young boy when the Nazis invaded Poland. He, however, was quickly separated from his family and sent to Blechhammer concentration camp. Left to survive on his own, Jack's tale is one of fortitude and endurance. Andrea Warren excels at writing nonfiction for young readers. She deftly conveys the tragedies and triumphs of Jack's life.

Radioactive! How Irene Curie & Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science and Changed the World by Winifred Conkling:
Radioactive! is about the contributions that two women, Lise Meitner and Irene Curie, made to the development of the atom bomb. All the science in Winifred Conkling's book is fascinating, but what I enjoyed most about this book was learning about these female scientists who were working in an age when being a scientist was not really something that women did. On top of that, much of the book takes place in the years leading up to and during World War II, creating further complications for the pair both personally and professionally. 

Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin: 
Bomb is a book you don't want to miss. I already knew quite a bit about the building of the atomic bomb, but this book taught me a lot about the Soviet spies who stole the atomic bomb technology from the United States. There's a lot of think about or discuss in this book, such as science and morals; spies and attempts to thwart the German's ability to build the bomb; the bombing of Japan and the impact of the bomb.  

Tomorrow we'll be bringing you a group of novels that explore aspects and events of the World War II era that are a little less well known. 

Reading on a Theme: World War II's Displaced Children

Welcome to the first day of World War II Week.

The number of displaced people during the World War II Era is estimated at 60 million. This collection of middle-grade novels tell the tale of the war's millions of displaced children.

An English Evacuee:
Ada's mother won't let her leave their London flat because she's ashamed of her daughter's twisted foot. When the war starts, Ada and her brother Jamie sneak out and joins the London evacuees. The War That Saved My Life felt so familiar to me in the best of ways. As a child, I read many books about displaced children who developed trusting relationships with a caring adult. I absolutely loved Susan Smith (the caring adult), and I thought that Kimberly Brubaker Bradley made her very lifelike. Ada is a tough little girl, but I was equally pleased to see the real effects of the trauma that she had suffered. The war itself is nicely woven into the story. The Dunkirk episode, especially, was a big turning point for our characters.

A German Orphan:
Since its publication in 2006 The Book Thief has become a classic. It's the story of Liesel Meminger, an orphan taken in by family living near Munich. The book reads like a collection of interweaving stories about Liesel's life during the war years. Narrated by Death himself, a sarcastic but somehow sympathetic character who is awfully busy during the war years, Markus Zusak's book will break your heart. Full of endearing characters, The Book Thief is about Liesel's relationships with the other inhabitants of Molching. Her relationships with Hans and Rosa Herbermann, her foster parents, Max, the Jew in the basement, and her best friend, Rudy, are especially heart-wrenching. 

 

A Modern Jew:
Hannah is not excited to attend the annual Passover Seder. It's the same every year, and she has a hard time understanding why they celebrate Passover. This year, however, takes an interesting turn when Hannah is transported in time to a World War II concentration camp. Jane Yolen creates a real and personal view into life in a Nazi concentration camp. This historical fiction novel uses an invented camp and characters, but it is powerful. It allows children to witness and empathize with those who lived and died in the camps. I used The Devil's Arithmetic when I taught sixth grade and it really allowed my students to step into the shoes of the people who lived before.

A German Czech:
Milada is eleven years old when she is taken from her home in Czechoslovakia and placed in a center to become a "proper German." Her blond hair and blue eyes make her a great choice for this program. She is adopted by a German family and has to work hard to hold onto herself and her heritage. Someone Named Eva tells a story from World War II that I was unfamiliar with: how children were taken from their homes and families to promote Hitler's Aryen race. Joan M. Wolf really captured the emotions and struggles the children in this situation would experience. A great read for young readers; it will give them much to think about while connecting them to the past.

A Hidden Jew:
First published in 1989, Number the Stars was one of my childhood favorites. I listened to the audio version again in graduate school on a road trip with my grandmother. I enjoyed sharing a favorite with her, and I love how books can bring to mind two types of memories--the reading variety and the time-of-life variety. Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen are ten years old and best friends. In Nazi-occupied Copenhagen, life grows increasingly difficult due to food shortages and fear. When the Nazis begin "relocating" Copenhagen's Jews, Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one part of their family.  Lois Lowry's novel is one of bravery, friendship, and resistance.


The War That Saved My Life, The Book Thief, and Number the Stars reviewed by JoLee.
The Devil's Arithmetic and Someone Named Eva reviewed by Paige. 

Come back tomorrow to view our collection of nonfiction World War II books for young readers.

Introducing World War II Week

We've got a pretty exciting line up this week over here at Intellectual Recreation. There are so many wonderful novels and history books about World War II that we decided to do a whole week of World War II related posts. 

Here's what you can expect:

Day 1: A Collection of Classic Middle-Grade WWII Novels

Day 2: Eight World War II History Books Written for Young Readers

Day 3: Fiction that Tackles Lesser Known Aspects of the War

Day 4: Interview with an Author

 

Day 5: World War II in a World that isn't Quite Like Our Own

And here's a sneak peak at some of the books we'll be featuring:

Join us tomorrow for Day 1!