See Naples: A Memoir of Love, Peace, and War in Italy

I found this book while looking for books about Naples during the war. I skimmed the first chapters, not sure if the book would get into the War. It does - the writer hits the nail on the head. Describes in a compelling manor the author's induction into the Army at Fort Devens to the War's end and beyond. I am now re-reading the chapters I read through too quickly. I got the book to learn about Naples and the fighting in Italy during WWII. This book has that, as it describes the 88th Infantry Division fight up the Italian peninsula. But the book is more than a war memoir. Not only is it the memories of the war in Italy that defined the man, but also the 2 years he spent in the Naples area after the war. What could compare to those experiences?

This is a wonderful book about the harsh truths of modern warfare--the constant mud, cold, and idleness, the perfidy of generals, the humble face of occasional heroism. It certainly deserves a paperback edition--should not be allowed to go out of print.

Here is an extremely talented memoirist who is particularily adept at giving us character sketches. As a civilian, this book gave me a realistic glimpse of what life as a soldier was like in WWII's European theater. I would rate this book second only to Norman Lewis' "Naples '44" if you want to get a feel for wartime Naples. That is saying a lot because Lewis is widely recognized as one of the greatest travel writers of the 20th century.

This book not only takes you into wartime, but into the life of a young soldier who is now a professor, composer, and philosopher. This is an absolutely wonderful book.

This book is often overlooked as being "just a travel book." In fact it is a fine WW2 memoir (if you read past the first few chapters, of a soldier int he 88th Division in Italy. Quite well done, and recommended for those looking for information on the war in Italy.