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Saturday, March 23, 2013

"Dream When You're Feeling Blue" by Elizabeth Berg~Young Women in Chicago WWII

SUMMARY:

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg takes us to Chicago at the time of World War II in this wonderful story about three sisters, their lively Irish family, and the men they love.

As the novel opens, Kitty and Louise Heaney say good-bye to their boyfriends Julian and Michael, who are going to fight overseas. On the domestic front, meat is rationed, children participate in metal drives, and Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller play songs that offer hope and lift spirits. And now the Heaney sisters sit at their kitchen table every evening to write letters–Louise to her fiancé, Kitty to the man she wishes fervently would propose, and Tish to an ever-changing group of men she meets at USO dances. In the letters the sisters send and receive are intimate glimpses of life both on the battlefront and at home. For Kitty, a confident, headstrong young woman, the departure of her boyfriend and the lessons she learns about love, resilience, and war will bring a surprise and a secret, and will lead her to a radical action for those she loves. The lifelong consequences of the choices the Heaney sisters make are at the heart of this superb novel about the power of love and the enduring strength of family.


AUDIO BOOK/PARTICULARS:

Produced by:  Random House
Discs:  8
Hours:  10
Cost:  $44
Author:  Elizabeth Berg
Also comes in novel format
Can be purchased:  Amazon


ABOUT MS BERG:

 
Elizabeth Berg won the NEBA Award for fiction for her body of work, and was a finalist for the ABBY for Talk Before Steep. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Ladies' Home Journal, Redbook, and the New York Times Magazine. She has also taught a writing workshop at Radcliffe College. She lives near Boston, Massachusetts.
 
 
BOOK TRAILER:




THE DAME'S REVIEW:

Captivating story read by author Elizabeth Berg!  As most of you know, I love stories set in WWII.  This one was no exception.  The "voice" given by the writer of the book made it all the more real, and lifted the spirit of her book into my heart.  This is an audio book well worthwhile.

Characters here are so alive.  Kitty and Louise, the older sisters just break your heart in their strength of spirit and love for their sweethearts. And little sister Tish is a scream with her "just over" teen-aged shenanigans so typical of girls her age in any era.   Their interactions with young soldiers typify the times, and they also bring into mind our times with young men separated from their families and loved ones.  This is a book that really touched me at the core.

Other characters such as the girls' little brothers and parents also became personal to me.  Especially the little brother who felt the war so desperately in his own spirit.  They struggled in other ways than the girls, but the whole family was affected by the war.  The storyline is moving and it's the characters who clutch you as you read.

Elizabeth Berg has been writing best selling books for years.  I have to say that I haven't been reading them.  Sometimes I drag my feet when too many people are reading a book, especially best sellers.  I'm one who likes to pick out a book that isn't getting a lot of hype...find a hidden gem, I guess.  I'm glad I found this one.  And, I intend to go back and find Berg's other books. I'm sorry I missed her on the first go-round.

If you like women's history set in fiction and from the perspective of WWII, you can't miss this one.
I listened to it on a round trip to pick my mother up 5 hours away.  She also enjoyed the last bit.  It's a book for women about women left home when their men are far away and in danger.  Women who love and support them, though their hearts are slightly broken...women who "dream when they're feeling blue."

You'll love this one on audio!

5 stars                 Deborah/TheBookishDame

1 comments:

bermudaonion

I met Elizabeth Berg a few years ago and she is a delight! Now, I need to read one of her books - this one sounds wonderful!

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