As you know I read a lot of WWII fiction, but I've read very little about other wars. I've been trying to fix that and read a few WWI stories. So when I saw Dearest Mother and Dad was about the Korean War, I was intrigued. Like the kid in the book, I know very little about the Korean War. In fact, just about everything I know about that war I learned from watching M*A*S*H.
Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.
 |
| May 2021; Indie; 979-8630544896 audio (5h8m), ebook, print; historical fiction |
The author Christina Thompson based the story on letters her father wrote to his parents during the war. While there is some war in the story we are somewhat removed from the battles and it is more "slice of life". Actually, I felt like some of the activities could have been a M*A*S*H episode.
Main characters Orrin and Rawley are Navy corpsmen assigned to a Marine unit (you can see why I compare it to the television show). It is their letters home (Orrin's to his parents and Rawley's to his sister) that frame the story.
At first, I thought the story felt a bit mundane and I didn't easily connect with the characters but somewhere along the way, I did as I found myself teary-eyed at one point.
I'm not sure I learned any more about the Korean War but it did give me more understanding of why Vietnam was protested so much.
The narrator Gary Bennett did a great job. I had no problem distinguishing Orrin from Rawley as he gave them both a distinct voice.
It's not a very long book - the audiobook is just over 5 hours. If you enjoyed watching M*A*S*H or like getting an inside look at life in a different time period, then you should get this book.
Buy Dearest Mother and Dad at Amazon
Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.
Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter today! Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.
Posts
This sounds very interesting. I also grew up on mash, bit it's been so long.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me today. I appreciate your support.
ReplyDeleteMASH figured large in my childhood as well! Too bad the book didn't give more information on the Korean War, but I can also see how it was a more personal story rather than a history book.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad people know what show I'm talking about. I was so afraid I was dating myself. A few years back I found a season in the discount bin and bought it.
ReplyDelete