Posted on 11/21/2014 12:09:56 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Molly Guptill Manning, with her collection of Armed Services Edition books, discovered that soldiers liked nostalgic books and those with sex scenes.
Armed Services Editions created a new audience of readers back home.
A decade after the Nazis’ 1933 book burnings, the U.S. War Department and the publishing industry did the opposite, printing 120 million miniature, lightweight paperbacks for U.S. troops to carry in their pockets across Europe, North Africa and the Pacific.
The books were Armed Services Editions, printed by a coalition of publishers with funding from the government and shipped by the Army and Navy. The largest of them were only three-quarters of an inch thick—thin enough to fit in the pocket of a soldier’s pants. Soldiers read them on transport ships, in camps and in foxholes. Wounded and waiting for medics, men turned to them on Omaha Beach, propped against the base of the cliffs. Others were buried with a book tucked in a pocket.
“When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II” by Molly Guptill Manning tells the story of the Armed Services Editions. To be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on Dec. 2, the book reveals how the special editions sparked correspondence between soldiers and authors, lifted “The Great Gatsby” from obscurity, and created a new audience of readers back home....
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
*barf* you have low standards
I like a wide variety of types. Yes, she’s a trifle hairy, but there’s nothing wrong with her face or body that I can see.
It’s a good thing they didn’t have “The Stand” back then, or soldiers might get shot.
The Big Red One - one of the more underrated war movies ever.
her lips and nose are huge, as well as her forehead and one of her eyes is higher than the other and she has terrible skin and is wearing a bag.
I disagree. Nothing can stop a bullet like a Stephen King doorstop.
I think I must have a higher resolution monitor than you, because he face looks like the surface of the moon.
She also over plucks her eyebrows, which leads me to believe she has a natural uni-brow she is fighting.
Are you married to Morgan Fairchild, by any chance? LOL
she’s also one of those people with no earlobes, which is a pet peeve of mine. The side of her ear just sort of attaches to the side of her head. This makes people look like an alien to me.
You know guys, maybe you should read the article, which is actually very interesting and informative. And for the record, she’s quite good looking.
well.. lets just say I am very satisfied with my wife’s looks
;)
I have a couple of Armed Services editions in my collection. They were shaped to fit into the cargo pocket of GI fatigues.
Agreed.
Fascinating article. Nice to see a young person with such a great interest in history.
Paperbacks sort of killed of pulp mags, and I’m a bit more partial to pulp mags. Blood-n-thunder stuff... “G-Men Detective,” “Jungle Stories,” “Dime Western,” “Thrilling Mystery,” “Popular Detective,” etc.
Bump
Gentleman, with all due respect I think in light of this young lady’s interest and obvious respect for the sacrifices made by our WW2 veterans I think the Court of Beauty should be out of session for today.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.