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They left everything behind to follow their hearts. . . . True stories that illuminate the experiences of British war brides in America after World War II
American soldiers stationed in the UK came away winning more than just a war, they also won the hearts of young women across Britain. At the end of World War II, more than 70,000 GI brides followed the men they'd married—men they barely knew—to begin a new life in the United States. Meet four of these women:
Sylvia Bradley, a loyal, bright-eyed optimist
Rae Brewer, a resourceful, quick-witted tomboy
Margaret Boyle, an English beauty who faced down every challenge
Gwendolyn Rowe, a brave woman ahead of her time
Though all made the bold choice to leave family and the world they knew, the journey each experienced was unique—ranging from romantic to heartbreaking.
Fascinating and unforgettable, GI Brides pays homage to these brave women, propelled by love and hope, who embarked on an adventure that would change their lives.
Anonymous
Posted Fri Sep 05 00:00:00 EDT 2014
My mother was a war bride. It was only after my dad died that mom talked about comming to america. She was very homesick but being in Washington state it was to far to go back. My parents were married sixty years they were happy together. Now at 98 yrs she is not able to care for herself, in her head and heart she is in England. Its all ok,it was there she was young beautiful and met her "yank" I have all their letters written in 41 through 46 when they married. Loved this book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The subtitle of GI Brides by Duncan Barrett and Nuala Calvi is: The Wartime Girls Who Crossed the Atlantic for Love.
Over one million American GI's 'invaded' England during the Second World War . And by the end of the war, over 70,000 women had married American servicemen and headed to the United States to start a new chapter in their lives.
Barrett and Calvi's book documents the lives of four of these women - Sylvia, Gwendolyn, Rae and Margaret, from the early days of the war, to meeting their husbands and finally their experiences over the pond. The narrative rotates through each woman's story in alternating chapters. It's absolutely fascinating reading and I was hard pressed to put it down.
The time period is explored and relived through each woman's memories. Historical references are made to actual events and attitudes of the time, but the focus of GI Brides is personal and intimate. Although falling in love with a dashing young military man and crossing the ocean to a new country had the feeling of a romantic fairy tale, what these women actually experienced was not. Now, this was not necessarily the case for all GI Brides. The authors do mention that they "needed stories that really stood out - where the women had faced adversity and grown as a result."
There are over forty pictures included in the book, that I found myself looking at almost every time I finished a chapter - gazing at a black and white photo of years gone by and contemplating the direction their lives took.
I am captured by memoirs - even more so in this case. These women persevered and soldiered on - "We're British, we can stand anything. Those simple words brought great solace and support to a group of women building lives far from family and home."
It was only while reading the authors' notes at the end of the book that I discovered that Nuala Calvi is the granddaughter of Margaret, lending a very personal note to the book.
GI Brides reads almost like fiction - anyone enjoying this time period and a look at real lives lived would absolutely enjoy this book
Anonymous
Posted Sun Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Entertaining ...... Insightful
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.CharlotteLynnsReviews
Posted Thu Sep 18 00:00:00 EDT 2014
World War II, woman’s side of the story, and romance…what more can I ask for? Absolutely nothing! This is the perfect book for me. The setting is my all time favorite. I love hearing about the war time struggles and happenings from the woman’s point of view. Romance, my favorite to read.
GI Brides was a little different that the normal WW II books I have read. This was told from woman from across the ocean. It is told by women who fell in love with US Military Men. Each woman had a different story to share. Starting with how they met their men, how they fell in love, and what they found when they finally made it to the US as new brides from a foreign country.
Each woman shared the story of language issues, some of which made me giggle, not so friendly US families, babies, alcohol abuse, gamble issues, and sickness. Even with all these struggles the women in this story were able to be strong and do what needed to be done to make happy and successful lives. I enjoyed that this was not just a happy every after story. It was a real story about real women who lived what some could call a tough life and came out on top.
For everyone who loves the WW II era this is the book for you. It is definitely one of my top books from this era. I highly recommend it.
Anonymous
Posted Sun Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Loved reading each life story. It did not sugar coat their lives. I was very impress with the tough fiber each bride had to overcome problems. Highly recommend! Another great book on the NOOK is the novel - The Partisan by William Jarvis. It too takes place during WWII. It has strong female figures. It is based on actual events durng this time. It just won an Indie Medalian Award. Both books deserve A+++++++++
Anonymous
Posted Wed Sep 17 00:00:00 EDT 2014
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
They left everything behind to follow their hearts. . . . True stories that illuminate the experiences of British war brides in America after World War II
American soldiers stationed in the UK came away winning more than just a war, they also won the hearts of young women across Britain. At the end of World War II, more than 70,000 GI brides followed the men they'd married—men they barely knew—to begin a new ...