War, Spies and Bobby Sox

Salutations!  Today I am celebrating the release of Libby Fischer Hellmann's new book War, Spies and Bobby Sox.  It is available on Amazon for $.99 (Kindle version).  Libby Fischer Hellmann has also written Jump Cut, Havana Lost, and Double Back. Here is a picture of a woman wearing bobby socks.

War, Spies and Bobby Sox by Libby Fischer Hellman contains three stories about life in America during World War II.  The Incidental Spy is the first story (and the longest).  Lena Bentheim is in love with Josef in Berlin, Germany in 1935.  But Lena is only sixteen years old and her parents believe she would be better off in America.  Lena is send to Chicago, Illinois to live with her cousin (who is like an aunt to her) Ursula.  There she learns English and secretarial skills.  Lena gets a job with the physics department at the University of Chicago.  She meets and falls in love with Karl Stern who becomes involved in the nuclear weapons project.  Life soon takes a dangerous turn for Lena, and she must decide where her loyalties lay.  P.O.W. is the second story and revolves around Mary Catherine O’Rourke who lives on her family farm outside Chicago.  The local German POWs are brought to the farm to help with the apple harvest.  Reinhard Deschler catches Mary Catherine’s eye.  Nothing but trouble can follow.  The final story is The Day Miriam Hirsch Disappeared.  The story tells of what happens to a beautiful Yiddish actress in Chicago’s Lawndale community.

War, Spies and Bobby Sox is well-written and has a good pace.  I found the first two stories to be engaging (they held my attention).  The scientific “stuff” in The Incidental Spy was not for me (regarding the discovery of nuclear weapons), but you can do what I did and skim over it.  I do, though, wish the author had focused on stories that showcased women’s strengths and their accomplishments during World War II (the first one does in the end).  Instead, we get to see how women lead with their heart instead of their mind (Mary Catherine is a woman who makes many wrong choices).  I give War, Spies and Bobby Sox 4 out of 5 stars.  It is nice to see a different aspect of World War II.  Many people do not know that we had POW camps (German and Italian) in the United States and the soldiers worked on local farms.  The author did a very good job with the history from that time-period.  War, Spies and Bobby Sox are stories that many readers will enjoy reading.  I believe I am just burned out on stories from this era.

I do appreciate you visiting and reading my review.  I am currently reading Pekoe Most Poison by Laura Childs (and loving it).  I will return tomorrow to review Kneaded to Death by Winnie Archer. May each of you have a very special Monday.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader