Student's Guide to Writing World War II, A

Sylvie Murray delivers a master class in the writing of history for serious readers and students of American history. Her ingenious book of nine short essays on our nation's involvement in World War II . . . illustrates the critical role of interpretative choices in presenting history. -- Shelf Awareness

This slim book could make an awful lot of people mad. And that's a good thing. Author Sylvie Murray's target is the mythology growing like barnacles around popular history. Its epitome is the 'Greatest Generation' ancestor worship popularized by Tom Brokaw, spun out of Hollywood melodramas often far removed from the gritty textures of real life during wartime . . . Murray tackles this task with provocative candor. She demonstrates that our past is a moving target, and understanding comes from constantly unearthing, interpreting, and reinterpreting evidence--and arguing over the results . . . This admirable experiment is aimed at college undergrads, but any history buff would profit from arguing seriously with it. -- Gene Santoro, World War II Magazine

This unique and provocative collaboration provides an insightful look at the historiographical debates surrounding World War II. At the same time, it offers a behind-the-scenes look at how historians pursue their craft. -- Elaine Tyler May, author of Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era

Sylvie Murray delivers a master class in the writing of history for serious readers and students of American history. Her ingenious book of nine short essays on our nation's involvement in World War II . . . illustrates the critical role of interpretative choices in presenting history. Shelf Awareness

This slim book could make an awful lot of people mad. And that's a good thing. Author Sylvie Murray's target is the mythology growing like barnacles around popular history. Its epitome is the 'Greatest Generation' ancestor worship popularized by Tom Brokaw, spun out of Hollywood melodramas often far removed from the gritty textures of real life during wartime . . . Murray tackles this task with provocative candor. She demonstrates that our past is a moving target, and understanding comes from constantly unearthing, interpreting, and reinterpreting evidence--and arguing over the results . . . This admirable experiment is aimed at college undergrads, but any history buff would profit from arguing seriously with it. Gene Santoro, World War II Magazine

This unique and provocative collaboration provides an insightful look at the historiographical debates surrounding World War II. At the same time, it offers a behind-the-scenes look at how historians pursue their craft. Elaine Tyler May, author of Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era

Sylvie Murray delivers a master class in the writing of history for serious readers and students of American history. Her ingenious book of nine short essays on our nation's involvement in World War II . . . illustrates the critical role of interpretative choices in presenting history. --Shelf Awareness

This slim book could make an awful lot of people mad. And that's a good thing. Author Sylvie Murray's target is the mythology growing like barnacles around popular history. Its epitome is the 'Greatest Generation' ancestor worship popularized by Tom Brokaw, spun out of Hollywood melodramas often far removed from the gritty textures of real life during wartime . . . Murray tackles this task with provocative candor. She demonstrates that our past is a moving target, and understanding comes from constantly unearthing, interpreting, and reinterpreting evidence--and arguing over the results . . . This admirable experiment is aimed at college undergrads, but any history buff would profit from arguing seriously with it. --Gene Santoro, World War II Magazine

This unique and provocative collaboration provides an insightful look at the historiographical debates surrounding World War II. At the same time, it offers a behind-the-scenes look at how historians pursue their craft. --Elaine Tyler May, author of Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era

Sylvie Murray teaches American history at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Robert Johnston is a professor of history at the University of Illinois-Chicago.