Synopses & Reviews
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
andldquo;Heartwarming.andrdquo; andmdash; New York Times
andldquo;Whether or not youandrsquo;re a book lover, youandrsquo;ll be moved.andrdquo; andmdash; Entertainment Weekly
andldquo;A readable, accessible addition to World War II literature [and] a book that will be enjoyed by lovers of books about books.andrdquo; andmdash;and#160;Boston Globe
andldquo;Four stars [out of four] . . . A cultural history that does much to explain modern America.andrdquo; andmdash;and#160;USA Today
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned 100 million books. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops andand#160;gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program:and#160;120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and rucksacks in every theater of war. These Armed Services Editions were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They helped rescueand#160;The Great Gatsbyand#160;from obscurity and made Betty Smith, author ofand#160;A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,and#160;into a national icon.and#160;When Books Went to Warand#160;is the inspiring story of the Armed Services Editions, and a treasure for history buffs and book lovers alike.
andldquo;A thoroughly engaging, enlightening, and often uplifting account . . . I was enthralled and moved.andrdquo; andmdash; Tim Oandrsquo;Brien, author ofand#160;The Things They Carried
Synopsis
While the Nazis were burning hundreds of millions of books across Europe, Americaand#160;printed and shippedand#160;140 million books to its troops.and#160;The story of how the books were received, how they connected soldiers with authors, and how an army of librarians and publishers lifted spirits and built a new democratic audience of readers is as inspiring today as it was then.
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Heartwarming. New York Times
Whether or not you re a book lover, you ll be moved. Entertainment Weekly
A readable, accessible addition to World War II literature and] a book that will be enjoyed by lovers of books about books. Boston Globe
Four stars out of four] . . . A cultural history that does much to explain modern America. USA Today
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned 100 million books. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops andgathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and rucksacks in every theater of war. These Armed Services Editions were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They helped rescueThe Great Gatsbyfrom obscurity and made Betty Smith, author ofA Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon.When Books Went to Waris the inspiring story of the Armed Services Editions, and a treasure for history buffs and book lovers alike.
A thoroughly engaging, enlightening, and often uplifting account . . . I was enthralled and moved. Tim O Brien, author ofThe Things They Carried
"
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
"Heartwarming." -- New York Times
"Whether or not you're a book lover, you'll be moved." -- Entertainment Weekly
"A readable, accessible addition to World War II literature and] a book that will be enjoyed by lovers of books about books." -- Boston Globe
"Four stars out of four] . . . A cultural history that does much to explain modern America." -- USA Today
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned 100 million books. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and rucksacks in every theater of war. These Armed Services Editions were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity and made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. When Books Went to War is the inspiring story of the Armed Services Editions, and a treasure for history buffs and book lovers alike.
"A thoroughly engaging, enlightening, and often uplifting account . . . I was enthralled and moved." -- Tim O'Brien, author of The Things They Carried
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. While the Nazis were burning hundreds of millions of books across Europe, America printed and shipped 140 million books to its troops. The heartwarming story of how an army of librarians and publishers lifted spirits and built a new democratic audience of readers is as inspiring today as it was then (New York Times).
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned 100 million books. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations.
In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and rucksacks in every theater of war. These Armed Services Editions were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today.
Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity and made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon.
When Books Went to War is the inspiring story of the Armed Services Editions, and a treasure for history buffs and book lovers alike.
"A thoroughly engaging, enlightening, and often uplifting account . . . I was enthralled and moved." -- Tim O'Brien, author of The Things They Carried
A cultural history that does much to explain modern America. -- USA Today
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
"Heartwarming." -- New York Times
"Whether or not you're a book lover, you'll be moved." -- Entertainment Weekly
"A readable, accessible addition to World War II literature and] a book that will be enjoyed by lovers of books about books." -- Boston Globe
"Four stars out of four] . . . A cultural history that does much to explain modern America." -- USA Today
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned 100 million books. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and rucksacks in every theater of war. These Armed Services Editions were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity and made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. When Books Went to War is the inspiring story of the Armed Services Editions, and a treasure for history buffs and book lovers alike.
"A thoroughly engaging, enlightening, and often uplifting account . . . I was enthralled and moved." -- Tim O'Brien, author of The Things They Carried
Synopsis
When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops andand#160;gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943, the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program:and#160;120 million small, lightweight paperbacks, for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks, in every theater of war.
and#160;
Comprising 1,200 different titles of every imaginable type, these paperbacks were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy; in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific; in field hospitals; and on long bombing flights.and#160;They wrote to the authors, many of whom responded to every letter.and#160;They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity.and#160;They made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. When Books Went to War is an inspiring story for history buffs and book lovers alike.
Synopsis
andldquo;When Books Went to War winds up feeling like the bibliophileandrsquo;s equivalent of Itandrsquo;s a Wonderful Life.andrdquo; andmdash; Janet Maslin, New York Times
and#160;
andldquo;Whether or not youandrsquo;re a book lover, youandrsquo;ll be moved by the impeccably researched tale.
About the Author
MOLLY GUPTILL MANNING is a staff attorney at the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and sits on the board of editors of the Federal Bar Council Quarterly. She earned a B.A. and M.A. in American history from the University at Albany and a J.D. at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Molly lives in Manhattan with her husband.