Angels of Mercy: The Army Nurses of World War II
A lively blend of narrative and first-hand reminiscences is underserved by its drab appearance. This compelling account of the army nurses of WWII breathes life into an often-overlooked corner of American history. Nearly 60,000 American women signed on to serve as nurses during WWII, and Kuhn (Not Exactly Nashville) interviewed dozens of them, relating their stories here with an eye to the sort of detail that children in particular will savor. She chronicles the grimmest aspects of wartime dutyAair raids, deprivation and death, being taken prisonerAbut she also includes some surprises. These nurses wash out undies in helmets, whip up a wedding dress out of a parachute and make fudge in a foxhole. The book's chronological framework covers the years between Pearl Harbor and the postwar occupation forces, interweaving episodes from the Pacific Theater to North Africa, the liberation of Dachau and beyond. Unfortunately, the layout is bland and institutional, with gray sidebars and grainy reproductions of period photos and recruiting posters; it doesn't lure an audience to the eminently readable text. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.