Molly Guptill Manning

If you love books, you are going to love When Books Went to War. I knew absolutely nothing about Armed Services Editions before I picked up this book, and once I finished it, I knew that one day I would have to have one of these extraordinary books in my personal library-- and not just because my grandfather fought in the Pacific during World War II.

I was not prepared for the emotional power this book held for me. As I read about a government that tried to plan for all eventualities, I was show more inspired. Books were a major source of entertainment and enlightenment for soldiers, and much thought was put into the design of the books. Would they fit in a soldier's pockets? Would they fit into rucksacks? How well would they hold up to all sorts of wear and weather? What did the soldiers want to read? What was going to happen when all these soldiers came home? What sorts of jobs could they qualify for? The titles ran the gamut-- from jobs training to Westerns to steamy novels to classics-- and soldiers couldn't get enough.

Publishers had to run to get more titles and many more copies ready to send out. Money was tight, and there was a paper shortage. Publishers cut where they could, including royalties to authors whose books were being printed. During the last print runs of these ASEs, authors were only earning one penny per copy-- and most waived their royalties altogether. The war and the men who were fighting it were of the utmost importance. Many of those fighting soldiers had never had a chance for a decent education. They devoured the ASEs like they were starving. Once the government adjusted the age limitations on the G.I. Bill, thousands upon thousands of these soldiers came home and went on to earn college educations.

Manning pulls no punches in When Books Went to War. As loathsome as what the Nazis were doing in Europe, she does mention existing problems (such as racism) in the U.S. and how these problems affected soldiers, but that is not the focus of this book, and she made a wise decision to avoid that quagmire. She chose to keep the focus on the power and magic of the printed word.

As inspiring as what the government and the publishing industry did, the real, sometimes gut-wrenching, power of When Books Went to War lies in actual heartfelt letters written by soldiers to the authors of the books they'd read, letters that almost every author answered (much to the shock and delight of the soldiers). If I have any complaint at all about this book, it's that Manning didn't include enough of those letters. I would love to read many, many more of them. As it is, Molly Guptill Manning's book is probably the very best book I've read all year. Even though I don't reread books as a rule, I could pick this one up and savor it all over again. I loved it. show less

Somehow I had the idea that this book would be more of a portrait of a selection of books that American soldiers were reading during WWII, with anecdotes and information and quotes from soldiers about each selected book. I had planned to use it as a curated reading list, to be honest. Well that's not what this book is about at all, thankfully, because what it actually talks about is something that I would never have imagined: a program for getting books into the hands of every soldier, books show more of all types and all across the globe. It talks about how this program was seen as vital to the war effort, and the obstacles that had to be overcome to make it a success (and it was a runaway success).

This book was a real eye-opener for me on multiple facets of WWII, both for the soldiers and for those back home. And thanks to the handy appendix listing every single book that was part of this program, and the anecdotes about individual titles sprinkled throughout the book, I do have quite a nice reading list to dig into. show less

When Books Went to War is one of those nonfiction books that quietly pulls you in and then surprises you with how moving, inspiring, and genuinely fascinating it is. Molly Guptill Manning tells the story of how books became an unexpected weapon of comfort, morale, and humanity during World War II, and she does it with such clarity and heart that it’s impossible not to get swept up in it.

I also found it really interesting how they made sure soldiers could actually carry books with show more them—changing the format and size of the editions so they were lightweight, pocket-sized, and easy to slip into a uniform. That thoughtful adaptation alone shows how meaningful this effort was.

And honestly, this book even inspired me personally—I ended up picking up A Tree Grows in Brooklyn because of how much the soldiers loved it. I’m so glad I did.

What I loved most is how deeply personal this history feels. Manning doesn’t just present facts—she brings forward the voices of soldiers who found hope, escape, and even pieces of themselves inside the pages they were given. The creation of the Armed Services Editions becomes a story of resilience, creativity, and the incredible power of reading during the darkest times.

It’s both heartbreaking and uplifting, showing how something as simple as a book can make an enormous difference in someone’s life. The research is rich, the storytelling is accessible, and the emotional impact lingers long after you finish. show less

It is estimated that 100 million books were destroyed during World War 2, both as a part of war, bombings and the like, and via Nazi book burnings (called bibliocausts here). Amazingly, however, more than 123 million Armed Services Editions (ASEs) were distributed to American GIs during the war, with the Victory Book Campaign adding an additional 18 million volumes to the soliders.

This terrific, highly readable book addresses the book burnings, the censorship, and other lows, but focuses on show more the incredible effort to bring books to the troops, wherever they might be, and the short-term and long-term impact these books had on the soldiers and sailors who received these books.

The books themselves were quiet interesting, wider than they were tall, with two columns of print, and paper covers. In fact, it was said that, a soldier or sailor was out of uniform unless he had a book in his pocket.

These books were devoured. Not just the low-brow type of books either. The program included a wide range of books in every category, including classics. Books banned in Boston did seem to be among the most widely-sought after ASEs, not surprisingly.

Besides the program itself, the program had a number of interesting impacts. Some old favorite books were brought back from oblivion by the program. Quite a number of GIs wrote to thank authors, sometimes in heartbreaking fashion, and established regular correspondence with these authors.

I've read quite a bit about World War 2 and the Armed Services Edition angle is one that I'd never heard of before. An absolutely fascinating, yet quick, read.

This is a must-read for anyone who loves books and loves reading about the power of books. Highly, highly recommended!! Probably my favorite book of the past few years.

I read the book on my Kindle but will likely also buy a hardcover copy for my personal library, something I never do when I already own the Kindle book. Beyond that, I would love to get my hands on an ASE (there are plenty on eBay) and experience one for myself. show less