Growing up my favorite uncle was my Uncle Joe. He was a bachelor and lived in a small house in the mountain town of Weed, California. Uncle Joe had a beautiful garden and a house plant with vines so long that they wrapped around his kitchen. He bought us kids mini cans of 7-up, and he always had records with Mexican music playing. He had so many records that they were stacked from floor to ceiling in his bedroom.
When I was little, my grandmother told me Uncle Joe had been to Paris. That was about as exciting as learning he’d gone to the moon! My uncle?
It turns out that he’d been there during World War II. This young man from Northern California had been to France because he’d done his part in serving.
Sadly, my uncle passed away when I was in the 6th grade. I remember the day clearly. Instead of walking home, my dad picked me up in the car. That had never happened before. I knew something was wrong. I was crushed when I learned that I’d lost my uncle, but it was only years later that I came to fall in love with the history he was part of.
My Grandma and Uncle Joe
In 2000, I visited Mauthausen Concentration camp for the first time. The true history fascinated me. And in researching the history I met amazing men like Wilfred McCarthy, who told me to call him Mac. I interviewed over 100 veterans through the years, but I never got to meet Mac in person. Still we exchanged hundreds of emails. I’ve kept every one.
My friend, Mac. WWII Veteran. 11th Armored Division
In 2002, I even traveled back to Austria to attend the liberation of Mauthasuen Concentration Camp. The ceremony for the Gusen camp was held by a small memorial statue. Survivors dressed in stripped clothing, representing their prisoner uniforms. The most moving moment was when two men saw each other and rushed into each other’s arms. I captured their photo.
I couldn’t speak their language, but I wished I could have heard their story. Their embrace brought tears to my eyes.
Two survivors of Gusen Concentration camp.
I traveled far to capture stories from World War II, but I also met veterans who lived right down the street. One year I taught a homeschooling class and we interviewed World War II veterans. That’s when I met Jim. He lived just a few miles away and he served in Italy. I loved getting to know him, hearing his story.
My friend, Jim Meyers. WWII veteran.
When I think about World War II, I know longer think about dates and facts. I think about men and women. All of the men in these photos are gone now, but I’ll always carry them in my heart.
World War II is my favorite time in history to write about. That’s why I’m so excited about my upcoming book, When Treetops Glisten.
I was blessed to write this with my two friends Cara Putman and Sara Sundin. The book releases September 16 and you can pre-order now! Also, if you’d like bookmarks of this book to share with friends leave an email address in your comments. I’ll contact you and make sure you get some! I love excited readers!
My friends and I are also having a contest, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the beginning of World War II. You can win 8 books! Details here.
WWII Contest – Win 8 books!
Now, how about you? What is your favorite time in history? Why?
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I, too, love WWII. I can’t get enough of it. In fact, I’ve written a novel about it as well, and am praying to see it published. (Querying agents might be the end of me). My passion for WWII lays in the former Soviet Union, particularly in Ukraine. I studied there in college and met a woman who survived a German slave labor camp. Since that time I’ve traveled to Ukraine several times, and I’ve spoken to hundreds of veterans, collecting their stories. They are a blessed reminder of the tenacity of the human spirit, and of man’s willingness to lay down his life for his brother. I will look forward to reading your book when it comes out! 🙂
Thank you, Kelli. And I can’t wait to read your book, too!
I don’t like blog tours, because they take so much time. I’d prefer if each of you gave away 1 book on each site. That way I could enter along at my conveniencem and it wouldn’t take such a large block of time.
Thanks for your input, Janice. That’s helpful to know!
My great-uncle stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. He had many amazing stories from before and after the war. But the wartime stories he kept to himself. He never liked to talk about his experiences from then. And he didn’t care for the trend of making graphic movies about them which was just becoming really popular around the time he passed away. He always said he and his fellow soldiers went through what they did so that the rest of us wouldn’t have to know the horrors they suffered. While I love older classic movies – “Tora, Tora, Tora”, “The Great Escape”, etc., I don’t watch the more recent graphic films. I don’t handle graphic movies all that well in the first place. But I also can’t bring myself to disregard his wishes. It’s a perspective I’ve never heard from anyone but him but then again I haven’t interviewed countless veterans. Have you heard anything similar before?
Many of the veterans who I talked to didn’t talk to their families much. I think they saw me as a “safe” outlet. Also, maybe they also realized that if they passed away their stories would die with them.
I absolutely can’t wait to read the new book! 1940’s and 1950’s era set books are my very fav! Also, I’d love a bookmark! 🙂
Since you asked about our favorite time in history; I guess I would have to say it was post World War II. I was born in 1943 and I had a happy childhood and good teen years also. But I also remember hearing great men like General Douglas MacArthur on TV news while I was still pretty young. Even as a child I recognized this man as one of authority! Plus I loved General and then President Eisenhower, He was another one of my heroes. I’m thankful to have memories of them! Thank you for the opportunity to enter the large book Give Away.
Tricia I very much enjoyed your Post !
I too, cannot get enough of WW11 history and I adore reading/viewing Films on that subject!
I can identify with how you felt ,speaking to the vets. I was in awe of the vets that I met when we were at North Killingholm UK for the RAF 70th Anniversary Rreunion of 550 Squadron and I could have sat for hours listening to them.!
Pete’s Dad, never really spoke about his experiences in WW11 but he did keep a diary of his missions, which Pete treasures. This is history at it’s best and a copy of it is now in the National Museum in Canberra ACT (Our Federal Capital of Australia.)
As you can imagine, the diary stirred up a considerable amount of excitement at the RAF reunion dinner as it was passed around .Many of the vets were connected to Pete’s Dad and it was fabulous to hear their accounts of the missions.
Not sure if I mentioned this to you before, but Pete laid the wreath on behalf of Aus at the Memorial Service..a truly emotional and proud moment for him!:)
I can’t wait to purchase your book. It’s part of Pete’s Fathers Day present (if a little belated LOL) Actually it’s FD on Sunday (Sept 7th) over here!:)
Cheers!
I love WWII books because it reminds me of my grandparents who all served in that war.
But I think my favorite time to read/write about would be from the 1910s – 1940s. The glamor and glitz to the depression and downtrodden. It’s a fascinating time.