Why am I passionate about this?
As the fourth “oldest daughter” in my motherline, and my interest in genealogy and family history, my trajectory was set decades ago to become the keeper of the family letters, telegrams, photos, pilot logbooks, and stories. After researching what happened to the three brothers lost during WWII, I also have casualty, missions reports, and more. Before publishing the first book, I had bylines in newspapers and magazines, and I’ve blogged regularly for several years. Because of the wealth of historic photos and stories, I began history Facebook pages for three Iowa counties, as well as one for cousins to share memories and photos. If you enjoy family stories, you’ll enjoy the books on this list.
Joy's book list on family history
Why did Joy love this book?
Set during World War I and inspired by letters of the author’s grandparents, this delightful novel is filled with a fetching cast of characters and borne along by the author’s entertaining sense of humor. The narration reminds us that many folks were suspicious of people with German ancestry during the war, even though they were American citizens and even using the common term “gesundheit,” and that children of German immigrants were drafted to fight against their parents’ former countrymen.
Young Iowa men were trained into soldiering, where there were still rivalries—some about girls back home, some about German sympathies—and sent across to fight the Kaiser’s troops in France. Some didn’t return home, some came back with broken bodies. There is a compelling scene with wounded veterans in a local hospital, at least one scarred on the inside and fighting his own private battle.
This winsome story also carries themes of…
1 author picked Three Little Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "I fell in love with Aron and Hattie!" - Debbie Macomber ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"A well-drawn cast of supporting characters creates a strong sense of community, and colorful colloquialisms ("whip-thin and homely as a cow pie") add flavor. Lovers of G-rated historical romance will be charmed by the earnest, emotionally vulnernable connection between these young lovers." - Publisher's Weekly
One forbidden love. Two broken hearts. Three little things.
Hattie Waltz should forget the troubled neighbor leaving for boot camp in 1917. He forgot about her ages ago. It had always been the Waltzs…