“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” ― Sir Francis Bacon
Sir Francis is giving bacon an even better name. He’s spot on about book consumption. I just read a book that was satiating; weeks later, I’m still digesting it thoroughly. As one who loves words on a page in and of themselves, I realize that the magic behind stories with staying power has a lot to do with how they make me feel. What the author means to say and how I receive it is also part of the wizardry. Of course, how the author says it matters to this lit nerd girl. Reading Nina Willner’s latest, The Boys in the Light, made me feel like I was participating in something bigger than myself. It made me feel proud.
Yes, proud. For one, The Boys in the Light is narrative non-fiction. When Rae and I were last talking about good reads, she casually (and non-critically) said in passing that non-fiction wasn’t my thing. She’s not wrong, so I thought it’s time to step up my game. But I was also awash with pride because of American soldiers—teenagers—like Elmer Hovland, a Minnesota farm boy with more horse sense than mules and most people. His heart was equally smart too. Boston’s finest, Sammy de Cola (lovingly referred to as “Pepsi”), wasn’t a soldier per se, but he cooked for Company D and made his mark on all involved, me included. Elmer and Pepsi are survivors. (They cheat death at Normandy and the assault of the Siegfried Line.) Eddie Willner, the author’s father, is a survivor extraordinaire. Living in a German Jewish middle-class neighborhood, young Eddie and his family flee Germany when the Nazi’s evil machinations come more clearly into view. Despite some successes in hiding, they are ultimately found and sent to Auschwitz. Then Blechhammer camp. And finally, Langestein camp. You’ll have to read Willner’s moving pages to learn how Elmer, Pepsi, and Eddie forge a timeless brotherhood born of light.
In case you need more incentive, here’s what one WWII writer had to say: "Quite simply, one of the finest World War II books I have ever read. The Boys in the Light is a remarkable story of depravity, inhumanity, perseverance, and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit, combined with the sheer altruistic common decency that shows America as it can and should be."