Memorial Day Reads to Fit in Between BBQs
Helllooooo Memorial Day Revelers!
On this day, we think about those we've lost and remember them with love. We also remember those who fought for us, those soldiers and armed service people who gave their lives so that we may have the freedom to spend this day the way we'd like.
In honor of this sacrifice, I give you a list of books that deal with the subject of war--the terrible costs, the honor and horror, and the aftermath and heartbreak. There is nothing good about war. Nothing. But maybe, as we thank those who paid the ultimate price so that we may work to live in peace, we can feel the effects through literature and books and try to understand our legacy and the way forward.
If you haven't read this book yet, please do it. Please do it now. You won't regret it. In fact, you'll thank me. THE BOOK THIEF is a book like no other--taking place during WWII and following Liesel and her fight to survive. The book's narrator is Death and Zusak manages to weave poignant, heart wrenching, heart breaking, and the good and bad of the human experience in one tightly woven, beautifully rendered tale that you will treasure always. That's not hyperbole--that's just the way it is. This book is a work of art.More »
I mean. Laurie Halse Anderson. Basically, any book by this pioneer of YA books is going to be a guaranteed masterpiece. And this is no exception. Anderson explores the aftermath of war--the lives impacted by the horrors soldiers and civilians faced and the work to keep living after. You'll love the nuance and depth of each of these characters and feel for Hayley and her father--a veteran with PTSD--and think hard about memory, repression, and living.More »
INTENSE. That is what I call this book. Following the spy, Verity, we read about her capture by the Gestapo and the events that led to the crash of the plane and the abandoning of her pilot. The clock to her execution ticks and the grisly and unflinching scenes up the tension in this novel, keeping you glued to your chair and turning the pages faster and faster. This is not for the faint of heart but is well worth the white-knuckling.More »
This work by Hughes is a brilliant look at the idealism we have when we go to war and the innocence we lose when we're finished. SOLDIER BOYS follows two young teens in WWII fighting on opposite sides of the war, but with similar eagerness and desire to prove themselves. Hughes humanizes his subjects and shows the hard lessons learned in war.More »
Walter Dean Myers is always a good bet and he doesn't disappoint in this timely, topical, and realistic book. Myers doesn't sensationalize or suppress the realities of way--instead, we follow young soldiers as they begin their first tour in Iraq. There is a paucity of books about the war in Iraq for teens and Myers hits the nail on the head with this one.More »
On this day, we think about those we've lost and remember them with love. We also remember those who fought for us, those soldiers and armed service people who gave their lives so that we may have the freedom to spend this day the way we'd like.
In honor of this sacrifice, I give you a list of books that deal with the subject of war--the terrible costs, the honor and horror, and the aftermath and heartbreak. There is nothing good about war. Nothing. But maybe, as we thank those who paid the ultimate price so that we may work to live in peace, we can feel the effects through literature and books and try to understand our legacy and the way forward.
1. THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak
If you haven't read this book yet, please do it. Please do it now. You won't regret it. In fact, you'll thank me. THE BOOK THIEF is a book like no other--taking place during WWII and following Liesel and her fight to survive. The book's narrator is Death and Zusak manages to weave poignant, heart wrenching, heart breaking, and the good and bad of the human experience in one tightly woven, beautifully rendered tale that you will treasure always. That's not hyperbole--that's just the way it is. This book is a work of art.More »
2. THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson
I mean. Laurie Halse Anderson. Basically, any book by this pioneer of YA books is going to be a guaranteed masterpiece. And this is no exception. Anderson explores the aftermath of war--the lives impacted by the horrors soldiers and civilians faced and the work to keep living after. You'll love the nuance and depth of each of these characters and feel for Hayley and her father--a veteran with PTSD--and think hard about memory, repression, and living.More »
3. CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein
INTENSE. That is what I call this book. Following the spy, Verity, we read about her capture by the Gestapo and the events that led to the crash of the plane and the abandoning of her pilot. The clock to her execution ticks and the grisly and unflinching scenes up the tension in this novel, keeping you glued to your chair and turning the pages faster and faster. This is not for the faint of heart but is well worth the white-knuckling.More »
4. SOLDIER BOYS by Dean Hughes
This work by Hughes is a brilliant look at the idealism we have when we go to war and the innocence we lose when we're finished. SOLDIER BOYS follows two young teens in WWII fighting on opposite sides of the war, but with similar eagerness and desire to prove themselves. Hughes humanizes his subjects and shows the hard lessons learned in war.More »
5. SUNRISE OVER FALLUJAH by Walter Dean Myers
Walter Dean Myers is always a good bet and he doesn't disappoint in this timely, topical, and realistic book. Myers doesn't sensationalize or suppress the realities of way--instead, we follow young soldiers as they begin their first tour in Iraq. There is a paucity of books about the war in Iraq for teens and Myers hits the nail on the head with this one.More »
