Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday currently is on tour, and this month’s host is Avis from she reads and reads.
Just one book this week, which is amazing since I went to the used book store over the weekend and didn’t buy a single thing!
Two Gold Coins and a Prayer: The Epic Journey of a World War II Bomber Pilot and POW by James H. Keeffe II as told to him by his father, Lt. Col. James H. Keeffe Jr., USAF (Ret.) — from the author
James H. Keeffe Jr., a World War II and Korean War veteran, went on his first airplane ride at the age of 10 and thus was born his life-long love for flying. Two Gold Coins and Prayer: The Epic Journey of a World War II Bomber Pilot and POW tells the riveting story of a young airman’s journey from the day of his enlistment, through his training, into battle, and beyond. His story is told with fascinating detail that allows the reader to experience all that he encounters as he bails out of his stricken bomber, is hidden in plain sight of the enemy, eventually betrayed, taken prisoner, and sent into the German POW system.
In August 1942, in the midst of World War II, Jim Keeffe joined the U.S. Army Air Forces and arrived at Aviation Cadet Training. On Thanksgiving Day 1943, after months of rigorous training, he arrived in England with his crew to begin flying B-24 bombing missions. Then, on the 8th of March 1044, Keeffe’s airplane is shot down over Holland, catapulting him into a world squeezed colorless by the ever-tightening Nazi fist of occupation.
Moving from safe house to safe house in the Dutch Underground, Lt. Keeffe is able to evade the enemy for five months. Then one day, he is betrayed and sent to Stalag Luft III, a German POW camp near Sagan, Germany. There he spends months in captivity and endures the rigors of a forced march to another prison camp. Keeffe takes us into the difficult life in the POW camps which we see in unfaltering detail. When he and his fellow POWs are finally liberated in late April of 1945, we experience their joy firsthand! (publisher’s summary)
What books did you add to your shelves recently?
Disclosure: I am an Amazon associate.
© 2010 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
sounds like another good book for your WWII collection.
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I hope so!
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WWII books really resonate with me…maybe because I was born during that war! This one sounds really intriguing…hope you enjoy it.
Here’s my Monday:
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I was born well after the war, and I still find it fascinating. 🙂
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Enjoy this one and congrats for your stamina to not buy. I wish I could do that. I step into a book shop : used or new and can’t stop my compulsion to BUY!
Bookaholics unite!
Come on over to Aisle B if you get a chance 🙂
http://aisleb.tumblr.com/post/1386401970/mailbox-monday-in-my-mailbox
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If it had been the library sale, I would have been in trouble! I think it was easy not to buy because the store, while very cool, is a big unorganized maze and it’s hard to find things.
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Great self control at the ubs – not sure I could have done the same. I hope you enjoy the book!
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It was funny because my husband kept encouraging me to buy something…and he’s the one worried about books taking over the house!
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I’m impressed that you were so strong at the bookstore! Enjoy your new book!
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Me, too. 🙂 Thanks!
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Congrats, that is an accomplishment, lol, used bookstores can be evil
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Yes, evil, but oh so fun!
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I admire your willpower! Enjoy your new read!
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Thanks!
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Looks like an interesting book. Enjoy!
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Thanks! I thought so, too. 😉
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How could you not have bought anything at the used book store. I always walk out with something.
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I was surprised, but I really think the store was too crowded and hard to browse through.
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WWII is one of my favorite time periods to read about. Looking forward to hearing what you think about this one!
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Sounds like we have similar taste in books. 🙂
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It looks like you choose wisely in your purchase!
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Thanks, but I didn’t buy this one; it’s a review copy. 😉
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Oh, this one sounds interesting. Enjoy!
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Thanks, Jennifer!
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This sounds like a great WWII book. First I’ve heard of it –enjoy Anna.
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I saw it in Rose City Reader’s MM post last week, and then the author contacted me. 🙂
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Wow, you showed admirable restraint at the bookstore! Enjoy your book!
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Thanks! I surprise myself sometimes!
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I think this period is so good to read about. I am reading a Penelope Lively book which is somewhat similar period. Really good reading.
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I saw your review; sounds like a book I should read.
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Sounds like a compelling read…enjoy 😀
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Thanks, Staci!
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Wow, sounds like an interesting WWII book – enjoy!
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Thanks, Kim!
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Wow, I can’t think of me not buying anything if I were to goto a used bookstore, I admire you 🙂
You definitely have a great collection of WW2 books, hope you enjoy this as well.
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Thanks, Veens! I definitely own a lot of WWII books, and I can’t believe how many I haven’t read yet.
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Thank you for stopping by. I see your currently reading a Lovelace novel. I just got one of those to add to my pile… I’m interested to see how I like it.
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I loved both Emily of the Valley and Betsy Was a Junior, which I will be reviewing soon.
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This one sounds terrific. Enjoy!!
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Thanks, Holly!
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Passing up buying books at a bookstore is hard to do! The book you received sounds interesting, but I don’t know if it would be for me.
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WWII non-fiction certainly isn’t for everyone. I think there was maybe only 1 book I probably shouldn’t have passed on, but it’s not like I really needed it. LOL
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Sounds like a harrowing tale. I can’t imagine going through something like that at such a young age, or at any age for that matter.
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I completely agree.
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