Unknown Soldiers: Reliving World War II in Europe
by: Joseph E. Garland

Hardcover. Rockport MA, Protean Pree, 1st, 2008, Book: Very Good, Dust Jacket: Very Good, Hardcover in a bright, unclipped dust jacket, b&w illustrations. In 1943, the author was on track to become a doctor like his parents when he flunked organic chemistry at Harvard and enlisted in the army, finding himself heading off to fight in Europe with the 45th Infantry Division (in which famed editorial cartoonist Bill Mauldin also served). Garland chronicles the division's journey from the landing at Sicily through the liberation of Dachau and then, some 60 years later, also seeks to come to terms with his experiences and those of his comrades. Part personal and collective memoir and part history, Garland's book is loaded with recollections compiled from interviews, diaries, drawings, and photographs that he neatly fits into the historical framework. His writing is highly engaging and shares the story of the 45th and its 511 days in combat and four amphibious landings, providing an excellent narrative history of the division during World War II, as well as a personal reckoning.