This story chronicles how a previously free, happy, laid-back people react to being conquered; as well as how conquerors expecting to be treated well react to the hatred and violence the run into from the people.

An easy read and a thought-provoking book. ( )

The name: The Moon is Down
The author: John Steinbeck
The time: war time
The place: a small village in Norway
The cast: the village people and the occupying German soldiers

The quiet little village was taken as quickly and quietly as all of the other villages on the island. The occupation was unexpected and no preparations were in place. This is the story of the nature of man when he realizes the strength of a few who when banded together become one. The book is beautifully crafted, as are all of John Steinbeck's novels and short stories. He was a master with the written word.
The German soldiers came into the village and took over. They needed the coal from the mine. Six men fought back,
six men died. The commanding officers of the army took over the house of the mayor and planned to give orders to the coal miners and others of the village through the mayor. The mayor thought otherwise. Eventually the mayor died.
As directives were given, in the beginning they were refused. That refusing person was shot. A German soldier would be found dead and buried in a snow bank. The army would discover the guilty party and that person would be shot. Slowly the villagers began to do what the occupying forces were asking of them. But the work went very slowly and tediously, frustrating the German soldiers to no end. Suddenly there were break downs of equipment at the mine and it would take a long time for the repairs to be made. Young men of the village began to disappear during the night and the next morning boats would be missing.
Soon the planes began to come and there would be a light at the mine or on the rails. Bombs would fall from the sky, more time became necessary for repairs. The soldiers would find the party who had supplied the light for the planes and that person would be shot. A short time later this would be repeated. The bombings and the shootings, the bombings and the shootings.
There began to come airdrops over the village with little parachutes. Attached to these parachutes would be one stick of dynamite and a piece of chocolate. The children of the village would go out searching as if on an Easter egg hunt. They would eat the chocolate and run home with the dynamite for their parents to hide. Soon more parts of the rails were being blown up by the dynamite, more villagers shot. And still this little village, this community would not give in to the German army.
The Moon is Down is a very slim little volume, but it speaks hugely to what we are capable of if we do not simply give in to the "larger order of the day" and stand by our rights and refuse to allow them to be taken from us no matter what. In the grand scheme of things this was just one small village, but imagine what would have happened if every village, city, and country had stood up like this. Still, huge numbers would have died but they would not have simply been run over. ( )

A short, excellent read about the soul differences between a democracy and a republic, written in analogy of the second world war (1942) ( )

This was a book that caught me completely by surprise. It turns out that this short novel by Steinbeck was written as a propaganda novel during WWII and tens of thousands of copies circulated around Nazi occupied Europe. It is unique in that it gave a realistic depcition of the Nazis in that they were people, they had hopes, and most of the soldiers didn't want to be in the occupying country any more than those that were being occupied. Because of this level of humanity that he gave them, there were several major critics in the US that despised the book and some even went as far as to call him a sympathizer, which hurt and infuriated Steinbeck. His depiction of the occupied citizens as hurt, demoralized, but resilient is fascinating. This is probably the first piece of propaganda literature that I've read that has left me feeling both hopeful and determined. Equally approachable and thought provoking, this is an excellent read for anyone interested in modern day expansionism. ( )

Steinbeck! And I didn't like it! "East of Eden" is one of the best books ever written. What gives?! Imagine a bumbling crew of Nazis (although they are not identified as such, and all have fairly American sounding names) invading Mayberry and you'll get a feel for what this book is like. I understand the premise: a "herd mind" following "the leader" can never conquer the hearts and minds of free thinking individuals. Especially if you give these individuals some sticks of dynamite and chocolate bars. Huh. ( )