#FridayReads
I am passionate about the events of WWII, beyond the trance of being enamored by battles and weaponry. I’m more fascinated about the acts of the participants. I love digging deeper into the minds of the generals, soldiers and civilians to learn how they performed, coped and survived.
One of my favorites is Dwight D. Eisenhower’s memoir titled, “Crusade in Europe." It was printed in 1948, and I was lucky to find it on my dad’s bookshelf. It’s a first edition, in fine condition, that carries considerable value. He gave it to me not knowing its worth and I’m not telling him. He’ll want it back. Ha! While I’ve read it now a few times, I always go back to read certain excerpts. Ike, as Eisenhower was commonly called, was an amazing human. He writes his memoir like a novel, and that is exactly how you feel reading it. He brings you through his war, through his eyes and his mind. You come to realize the stresses and pressures he was under to win the war. His decisions and his struggles all come to life. It’s as vivid as can be without having been there.
The book reminds me that no matter what life throws my way, no matter how bad things get, the people who lived during those events had it worse. Way worse. I remember Ike’s words and they give me strength to overcome anything. They let me understand that I have no excuses not to do something, not to be something and not to do something. They remind me to keep going. Thanks Ike.
