The YA Book Log

US AND IT WARS

The United States has fought many wars over the last one hundred and thousands of books and movies retell their stories. Here is a short selection of books and movies selected by Andrew Wilmarth, a history buff and available at the East Meadow Public Library.
SHOOTER by Jack Coughlin
Shooter is an autobiography of Gunnery Sergeant Jack Coughlin one of the top ranked Marine Snipers. In the book, Jack tells us of his time he spent in the Iraq war and a few operations before, including some sniping duty he had in the Philippines. He is able to describe in detail how he prepares for a kill, how he is able to actually do it, and how he is able to deal with what he has done afterward. Although Jack very often tries to play the “tough guy” routine he is able to make an emotional story out of a job that requires you to be as emotionless as possible. Another plus is that it doesn’t cover the usual war biography cliché of whether war can be justified. A good read for those who enjoy learning of others accounts of war.
THE D-DAY COMPANION by Various
This is a rather interesting book as it is written by various historians and history professors. It is a very factual book of the invasion of Normandy in 1944 as it tells the story of D-Day through the actual tactics used by both sides. Interestingly, the German account of the battle is also able to seep its way in and gives the book an interesting character. A good read for those who are looking for a more interesting look into the invasion of Normandy and the rest of World War 2.
CHICKENHAWK by Robert Mason
Chickenhawk is a very detailed biography of a Helicopter pilot, named Robert Mason, during the War in Vietnam. He is able to tell his journey from when he started in flight school, into the war itself, and how he had to deal with himself after the war. It uses very harsh language throughout the novel and is able to depict what life was like for some in Vietnam. Out of all Vietnam books I have read, this one is the most personal and most emotional.
THE GREEN BERETS by Robin Moore
The Green Berets is a book that grabbed my attention quickly. It is an account of a journalist who joins the Green Berets and trains with them, even though he is a civilian. He then goes to fight in Vietnam with the forces there, specifically the Green Berets. Although he changes some characters’ names and their personality he is able to preserve the realism and paints a picture of what the Green Berets are all about. Interestingly, it was written in 1965, a climax in the war’s fighting.
SINGAPORE: THE JAPANESE VERSION by Masanobu Tsuji
This book is a Japanese story about Japan’s capture of Singapore before World War 2 and tells of their side of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It is obviously different from most war books and novels because it is entirely comprised of accounts from the Japanese side of the battle at Pearl Harbor, and their campaign against the UK in Singapore. It is told by Japanese POVs during the time of World War 2.
HELMET FOR MY PILLOW by Robert Leckie
This book is one I have read before this project. It is perhaps one of the best accounts of a soldier during World War 2. Robert is able to make a gritty image of his time he served in the United States Marine Corps while keeping it on a very realistic level. In fact, much of the story for the HBO Miniseries, “The Pacific” (which I recommend watching), is based off of events that Robert Leckie experienced. It has fantastic storytelling and remains one of my favorite books I’ve ever read.
In addition, there are a lot more resources that cover the topics of World War 2, Vietnam, The Civil War, and other 21st century wars in the reference area of the Library. Unfortunately these books can’t be taken out of the library, so if you want to read them you need to read them in the library. It is worth it though, as many of the books are 1st editions and have been written during or immediately after these wars. Another bit that is interesting is the Time magazines you can find there. It is always interesting to see the points of view that were popular back then.
If you can handle viewing a bit of gore, I also recommend seeing the movies “ENEMY AT THE GATES” (A story of a Russian sniper in battle torn Stalingrad) , “SAVING PRIVATE RYAN” (The historical fiction story of a squad at Normandy, “APOCALYPSE NOW” (A great film that focuses on the state of mind of a soldier in Vietnam), or “THE HURT LOCKER” (An Academy Award winner focusing on Iraq).
Andrew Wilmarth
Grade 12
East Meadow High School