Books for Remembrance

DayNovember 4, 2011

Reviews by amazon.ca and publishers

Propaganda by Charlie Samuels Looks at how governments tried to influence how people

thought about the war. It describes propaganda that encouraged home populations as well as those that set

out to undermine the morale of enemy.

Soldiers by Charlie Samuels Reveals the experience of fighting men and women

away from battlefield. It shows how they were recruited and trained, the support services that helped maintain their morale, and the medical services that kept them healthy enough to fight.

Spying and Security by Charlie Samuels Describes the essential role played in the conflict by

national security. It explores efforts to keep property and civilians safe. It also explores the importance of information – controlling it, protecting it, or learning it by any means possible.

Home Front by Charlie Samuels Looks at all aspects of life on the home front, including

rationing, evacuation, industry, the economy, and the war’s impact on children and women. It shows how World War II was the first conflict to affect the lives of noncombatants and combatants alike.

Life Under Occupation by Charlie Samuels Explores what it was like to live under occupation or to

be forced to work for an enemy government. It describes the fate of the Jews under the Nazis and that of millions of displaced people after the end of the war.

The Secret War by Jill Atkins In 1939, the start of the Second World War, Sophie

becomes a messenger for a resistance group in northern France. But as the German invaders overwhelm the British forces on the French coast, Sophie finds herself more deeply involved with the resistance — and in a dangerous plan to save a young Scottish soldier.

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy Zulaikha hopes. She hopes for peace, now that the Taliban

have been driven from Afghanistan; a good relationship with her difficult stepmother; and one day even to go to school, or to have her cleft palate fixed. In the meantime, with the support of her father and sister, Zulaikha knows all will be provided for her. Then she meets Meena, who offers to teach her Afghan poetry, and the American soldiers come to their village, promising not just new opportunities and dangers, but surgery to fix her face. These changes could mean a whole new life for Zulaikha—but can she dare to hope they'll come true?

Hiding Edith by Kathy Kacer Edith Schwalb was one of many Jewish children who were

hidden by the Jewish Scouts of France in a large house in the village of Moissac. The townspeople helped to protect the children, warning the house mother of Nazi raids, during which time the young scouts disappeared into the hills on camping trips. Schwalb's story is told from the beginning of her family's hardships through the end of the war, and includes the typical privations and separations of Holocaust memoirs. What makes this book unique is the depiction of a special refuge that managed to save every resident child, except one who was removed by her parents.

Broken Ground by Jack Hodgins A riveting exploration of the dark, brooding presence of

the First World War in the lives of the inhabitants of a “soldier’s settlement” on Vancouver Island. From out of a stubborn, desolate landscape studded with tree stumps, the settlers of Portuguese Creek have built a new life for themselves. But when an encroaching forest fire threatens this fledgling settlement, it also intensifies the remembered horrors of war.

Double Vision by Pat Barker Insomnia, exhaustion, recurring nightmares Stephen

Sharkey is suffering the aftereffects of his career as a war reporter, most recently in Afghanistan, where Ben Frobisher, war photographer and friend, has been shot dead on assignment. Hanging up his flak jacket and turning his back on the everyday reality of war, Stephen moves into a quiet and peaceful cottage in the north of England. It seems the perfect environment in which to write his book on the representations of war one that will be based largely on Ben Frobisher's work.

The Taliban : Opposing Viewpoints Viewpoints are selected from a wide range of highly

respected and often hard-to-find sources and publications, and cover such topics as who the Taliban are, how they should be dealt with, and the Taliban’s relationships with various global nations.

Pacifism : Opposing ViewpointsThe essays, in a pro and con format, explore the conflict

between pacifism and realism, both in a religious and a secular context. Chapter titles include: What is the Relationship between Christianity and Pacifism? How do other Religions view Pacifism? What are Secular Pacifist Traditions? What is the link between Pacifism and Political and Social Issues?

The United Nations : Opposing Viewpoints Uses expert opinions in a unique pro/con format, to

explore the effectiveness of the United Nations today. Topics include the Human Rights Council, impartiality to the Middle East situation, and what the future holds for

this unique organization.

Human Rights : Global Viewpoints Primary sources, including speeches and government

documents, join essays from international magazines and news sources for a truly panoramic view. Topics include : the global state of human rights (European Union, Bangladesh, Tibet, etc.), human rights & politics (Britain, Myanmar, China, Israel, North Korea, Honduras), minority populations (Estonia, Sudan, Iran, Sri Lanka), and challenges (Saudi Arabia, Africa, Haiti).

Democracy : Global Viewpoints Primary sources, including speeches and government

documents, join essays from international magazines and news sources for a truly panoramic view. Topics include : government (Spain, South Korea, Colombia, Thailand, the Middle East, Malaysia, Ghana), Equality (Burma, South Africa, Eastern Europe, Israel, North Korea), Economics (Sri Lanka, India, Zimbabwe, Persian Gulf), Internation relations (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal).