The Good War: An Oral History of World War 11 by Studs Terkel (Book Review)
This bestseller by Studs Terkel was republished in 1997 by New Press. It won The Pulitzer Prize for non fiction and rightly so. The author presents over 120 interviews with people of all classes and all levels of involvement in World War 11. He interviews people both famous and infamous from both sides to give us as many perspectives as possible. It is a unique collection of primary sources on World War 11 and it is moving and very thought provoking. It is not an easy read and must be read in stages to ponder the true significance of the experiences of those involved. This oral history addresses the perceived notion that World War 11 was a good war. He proves that the Nazis needed to be defeated but there is no good war and no bad peace. In different voices the survivors tell of the impact and everlasting implications the war had on them. I do believe he was selective on who he interviewed but that is not important it gives us many other points of views. The book is confirming the authors own views on pacifism and it is an important historical document for anybody remotely interested in World War 11. Newsday describes it best as:” a vivid resurrection of a lost time”. It recounts the true cost of war and so as a primary source it is a highly recommended for those who are even remotely interested in history. Reviewed by Annette Dunlea author of Always and Forever and The Honey Trap. ( )

Subtitled "An Oral History of World War Two," Terkel interviewed over 120 people for this Pulitzer Prize winner, with most of the interviews occurring in the early 1980s, about 40 years after the war. The interviews are not verbatim, as can be determined by comparing the text to the recordings available at this Chicago History Museum web site. Terkel edited the interviews, deleting and rearranging material, so one has to wonder if he sometimes did so to emphasize his own left-wing political views. It's quite a contrast to Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation. But then, one has to wonder if Brokaw's interviews were also edited, and if both authors cherry-picked their interviewees to present the message the authors wanted to give.

Nevertheless, "The Good War" is very interesting. Although there are interviews with some famous people - among them former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley, Maxene Andrews of the Andrews Sisters, Chicago columnist Mike Royko, and cartoonists Milt Caniff and Bill Mauldin - most of the interviewees are common folk, including a few from Russia, Japan, and Germany. Some soldiers' stories are told (although only two from top brass - an admiral and a general), but the women and men back home are also included. By his choice of interviewees, Terkel is not afraid to point out some of the dark side of "the good war, " such as discrimination against blacks and the emergence of the Cold War.

The title of the book is supposed to be inside quotation marks. In a short foreword note, Terkel says, "The title of this book...is a phrase that has been frequently voiced by men of...my generation, to distinguish that war [WW2] from other wars, declared and undeclared. Quotation marks have been added, not as a matter of caprice or editorial comment, but simply because the adjective 'good' mated to the noun 'war' is so incongruous." Many of the interviewees, although they recognized the need to fight in World War Two, express regret about lives lost and city damage in bombings, and concern about the Vietnam War.

Oral history fascinates me. My library has a vinyl recording of the original tapes on which Hard Times, Terkel's Great Depression oral history, was based. I'll have to listen to that, as it should be particularly relevant today. I wish all of Terkel's interviews were readily available to listen to - I would love to hear the interviewees' original, unedited responses to Terkel's questions. ( )

Fascinating and poignant stories of ordinary people caught up in the Second World War. ( )

A fantastic collection of interviews with all sorts of people from the era of World War Two. Civilians from all sides, bomber pilots, front-line infantry, kids growing up on the coast, Terkel does a great job of giving you a wide variety. Recommended to anyone. ( )

3554. "The Good War" An Oral History of World War Two, by Studs Terkel (read 8 Mar 2002) This won the 1985 Pulitzer for General Nonfiction, and reading it brought to 20 the number of the winners in that category I've read (leaving 34 unread!). I have always been interested in personal war stories and found the interviews of persons telling what they did in the war or in the wartime consistently fascinating. Some of the interviewees are famous, but many
are not, and I found this book a very attention-holding experience, and I may consider reading other Terkel books. This was definitely a highlight of this month's reading. ( )