Bernard Edelman (1) (1946–)

Interesting snippets from the elderly. I bought for my husband wholoves history and I finally read it this year- front to back. Even though, for themost part, I am not into history, I throroughly enjoyed this book as it was told by individuals. Each chapter is written about different things in history from several views. Some of the people interviewed were quite interesting people.

An oral history of the twentieth century in America.

By 1990, over 37,000 Americans had lived to the age of one show more hundred. Their lives spanned world wars, the Depression, the rise and demise of the great Red Menace, and the emergence of the United States as a world power.

Through interviews with centenarians across the country, Bernard Edelman draws a dazzling portrait of Americans in the twentieth century, evoking the work ethic of rural farms, the nation's awe at inventions such as the automobile, and the collective despair at the onset of world war. These recollections are a treasure of the century's social history. The young immigrant survivor who can still smell the smoke of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. The rookie pitcher who struck out the first batter he ever faced in the big leagues: Ty Cobb. The dashing artillery officer who won a Silver Star in the Great War. The officer in the Quartermaster Corps who witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The motorcycle racer who barnstormed the nation, setting records that will never be broken. The feisty woman who led a walkout at the premiere of Gone With the Wind. The man who invented Pampers.

Their memories serve as a timeless reminder of life in twentieth-century America. show less

4118 Dear America Letters Home from Vietnam, edited by Bernard Edelman (read 13 Jan 2006) This consists of letters written in Vietnam by men there. Most are a page or less, and they give a vivid insight into attitudes of the men there, though possibly self-censored to put the authors in a better light. In other words, only a few letters tell of misbehavior. Many are poignant, the note after them telling what happened to the writer--all too often the date when he was killed. It is kind of show more like a book of short stories, because one only gets one view of the writer. The book has enthralling stuff in it, but was not really great reading often. show less

If there is any book to show the reasons to stop these wars this is it. Too many of the letters have the biographical note KIA.And how well these soldiers wrote.

Absolutely no words can describe exactly how this book made me feel. Not having much knowledge on the Vietnam war, this book really opened my eyes and my heart - it really made me feel something, just reading these simple letters home. I'm very, very glad I read this book.