Echoes from the Infantry - Softcover

Nappi, Frank

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1492204641 ISBN 13: 9781492204640

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2005

Synopsis

Echoes From The Infantry is the tale of one Long Island World War II veteran, the misery of combat, and the powerful emotional bonds that brought him home to Rockaway Beach and the love of his life. It is about a father and son, and their ultimately redeeming struggle to understand each other's worlds - one a world at war, the other shaped by its veterans. Nappi moves artfully between the present and past, weaving a fictionalized tale of this Long Islander's struggle to reconcile with the demons from long ago and his family's neverending battle with many of the intangible burdens caused by the private life of a man they never really knew. He touches our hearts with a story of courage and perseverance...a story of men who faced the greatest challenge of their generation.

About this title

Review:

"A moving first novel about a courageous soldier who fought in WWII and grew to hate it. "Twentysomething James McCleary, foot soldier in the 95th Infantry Division, was 'a typical dogface, ' as his best friend puts it. Having fought through most of the war, including the horrific Battle of the Bulge, he finishes in the hands of the enemy, a POW. The war over, he returns to Far Rockaway, N.Y., and to his sweetheart, Maddie Brandt. He marries Maddie and fathers three sons, to whom he remains an enigma all his life. It was the war--physically intact, he's a casualty nonetheless. What he saw and what he did never leaves him, making it impossible to perform the roles society has assigned him. 'I don't think I can remember one time when I saw him laugh, ' one of the boys says to Maddie, a complaint shared by all three siblings. But it's John, the oldest and most sensitive, who suffers most from a father missing in action. And it's John who, at last, gains an insight into the nature and extent of the war wounds. After Maddie's death, the McClearys put the house up for sale. Emptying the attic, John finds a packet of letters from James, a young soldier, to Maddie, the girl he loves and left behind. In alternating scenes, The author shows James's view of the war and John's reaction to it. The son gets to see his father in a light that astonishes him--not the shadowy, withdrawn figure that embittered his growing up, but someone vividly alive, someone as afraid as he was brave, someone remarkable. "Not flawless, but certainly heartfelt, and searing in its condemnation. On his last page, Nappi quotes Christopher Marlowe: 'Accurst be he who first invented war.'"--Kirkus Reviews*** "A powerful first novel, written by an outstanding Long Island teacher, whose absorbing narrative demonstrates the true craft of storytelling and a genuine empathy for the lives of those who have suffered and sacrificed to protect our freedoms... Nappi moves artfu

About the Author:

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA's silver medal for outstanding fiction. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the touching story "A Mile in His Shoes" starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, including Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story and the just released thriller, NOBODY HAS TO KNOW, which received an endorsement from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille. Frank is presently at work on a third installment of his Mickey Tussler series and his next thriller, FLIRTING WITH DISASTER. He lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1492204641
• ISBN 13: 9781492204640
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 202