“Some read to remember the home they had left behind, others to forget the hell that surrounded them. Books uplifted their weary souls and energized their minds…books had the power to sooth an aching heart, renew hope for the future, and provide a respite when there was no other escape.” World War IiThe Great GatsbyBanned BooksOkinawaBook BurningNormandyGisFranklin Delano RooseveltIwo JimaPearl HarborGuadalcanalSaipanGi BillArmed Services EditionsBetty SmithOperation TorchVictory Books Campaign Author:Molly Guptill Manning
“Whenever a soldier needed an escape, the antidote to anxiety, relief from boredom, a bit of laughter, inspiration, or hope, he cracked open a book and drank in the words that would transport him elsewhere.” World War IiThe Great GatsbyBanned BooksOkinawaBook BurningNormandyGisFranklin Delano RooseveltIwo JimaPearl HarborGuadalcanalSaipanGi BillArmed Services EditionsBetty SmithOperation TorchVictory Books Campaign Author:Molly Guptill Manning
“The therapeutic effect of reading was not a new concept to the librarians running the VBC (Victory Book Campaign). In the editorial Warren published on the eve of commencing her tenure as director, she discussed how books could soothe pain, diminish boredom or loneliness, and take the mind on a vacation far from where the body was stationed. Whatever a man's need—a temporary escape, a comforting memory of home, balm for a broken spirit, or an infusion of courage—the librarians running the VBC were dedicated to ensuring that each man found a book to meet it.” ReadingBooksTherapeutic Book:When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II Source: When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II
“Former civilians did not anticipate how disoriented they would feel as they lost access to their hobbies and interests while being drilled into a pattern of uniformity and sameness. It felt foreign to them to be told when to wake up, how to dress, what to eat (and when to eat it), the beat at which to march, and when to go to sleep. Privacy and individuality were the luxuries of civilians – not soldiers.” CultureMilitary And Civilians Book:When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II Source: When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II