When books went to war

Resource Information

The work When books went to war represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in St. Catharines Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Audio, Nonmusical, Sounds, Music.

Label

When books went to war

Statement of responsibility

by Molly Guptill Manning

Creator

• Manning, Molly Guptill, 1980-

Contributor

• Dunne, Bernadette.
• Blackstone Audio, Inc

Author

• Manning, Molly Guptill, 1980-

Narrator

• Dunne, Bernadette.

Publisher

• Blackstone Audio, Inc

Subject

• Publishers and publishing -- United States -- History -- 20th century
• War in literature
• World War, 1939-1945 -- United States -- Literature and the war
• American literature -- History and criticism -- 20th century
• Books and reading -- United States -- History -- 20th century

Language

eng

Summary

When America entered World War II in 1941, we faced an enemy that had banned and burned over 100 million books and caused fearful citizens to hide or destroy many more. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In 1943 the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: 120 million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and their rucksacks in every theater of war. Comprising 1,200 different titles of every imaginable type, these paperbacks were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today. Soldiers read them while waiting to land at Normandy, in hellish trenches in the midst of battles in the Pacific, in field hospitals, and on long bombing flights. They wrote to the authors, many of whom responded to every letter. They helped rescue The Great Gatsby from obscurity. They made Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, into a national icon. When Books Went to War is an inspiring story for history buffs and book lovers alike

Cataloging source

BLACP

Dewey number

028/.90973

Form of composition

not applicable

Format of music

not applicable

Literary text for sound recordings

history

PerformerNote

Read by Bernadette Dunne