Cover Image: PHOTOGRAPHER,  PARATROOPER, POW

PHOTOGRAPHER, PARATROOPER, POW

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Member Reviews

An good read about an interesting individual from WW2. His exploits and adventures during the war and while growing up were insightful. A good history biography.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This book is a gem for any relative of Arthur, Robert and Harold Carroll, as well as to anyone interested in a wide variety history ranging from the Great Depression, migration to the west, Sheridan County, Wyoming and WWII. I found the personal photographs and letters fascinating to browse through. It appears that some of the book reads like a well organized genealogy project of personal stories, memories, documents, et al. So this does not read like a story, per se. That did not bother me. That style made this an easy book to pick up and look through for
awhile , put down and then go back to any time. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in creating a readable family history that goes beyond the typical family tree and gets into the meat of the family, the era they lives and their actual lives and memories. The author M.Carroll has created a gift for his family and for future generations. #PHOTOGRAPHER,PARATROOPER,POW #netgalley #M.Carroll

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2.5 stars

Unfortunately, this one was a little disappointing. The first half of the book is bogged down by so much history that I found to be very unnecessary. It was a struggle to get through. Around the half way mark, you finally reach the content the title of the book promises - and then that only encompasses around 40% in total.

The POW story was very interesting, I am glad it was told and I am glad I got to read it - but it wasn't very in depth or detailed. I feel like the first half could have easily been cut down to a fraction of what it was, then that time and energy saved could have been put into fleshing out the war experience.

There were also much fewer photos than the title would have you believe.

The letters and correspondence helped to redeem this book but, overall, I was just expecting a lot more.

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Great book! Really nicely written, based on grade level I would not be adding it to my classroom but would add it to my personal library.

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World War II is of interest to me, so I thought this book would be fabulous. Parts one and two, was a lot of history of the characters, and I wasn’t sure how the title of the book pertained to this information. So many names, I was very confused.
Parts three and four of the book were good. I figured out why the title was what it was. I figured out the main characters of the story.
The pictures were nice, but the words were cut off, so I wasn’t sure who was in the pictures.
I was going to give up on the book, but kept going and glad I did, but as I stated previously, the first two set of the book are not necessary.

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This enthralling tale of the other side of modern warfare, that of the combat photographer who put himself into exposed frontline situations to record the ‘hot’ actions of both the allies and the enemy with little disregard to his own safety. That part of this story is interesting enough however, the POW element is a harrowing story in itself and for my part, became the most memorable part of the book. Anyone interested in WWll history really need to read this story to appreciate what the author went through because to try and summerise the events does not do justice to his own description of what he experienced.
If you want to be glued to a book to ‘find out what happened next’ this is the book for you.

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this was a really beautifully done memoir, the story itself was beautifully done. I felt like I learnt so much about them and it was quite a journey.

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This book contains some amazing images that evoke so many emotions. Highly recommended and would make a great gift.

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I appreciate having had this chance to see all of the photos and stories. Wonderful compilation. I have read so many war stories and seen so many pictures of this time in history. Thank you M. Carroll for taking the time to gather it all into story form for the public.

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This was a wonderful collection of stories and photographs that I have never seen before. I found them to be very powerful and interesting.

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This book represents a major undertaking on 5he part of the author, covering in considerable detail as it does, aspects of American history from the early/mid 19th century to the end of the Second World War. This is, at once, a strength and a weakness, particularly in the light of the title: a strength, in that the book unexpectedly covers in painstaking detail aspects of life from the American antebellum south, particularly as it affected the lives of the family at the heart of this book; a weakness, however, for the reader who might have expected more detail of the life of the central figure, whose image appears on the cover. The book, however, made a considerable impression on this reader in a number of ways: in the first place it represents a considerable effort on the part of the author to research and collate such a volume of detail; and - more especially - the way it leads the reader to reflect on the demands and expectations placed on that ‘greatest generation’ who fought - and in far too many cases - were captured or killed in the effort to overcome the horrors inflicted by the Axis powers.

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A 'lost' canister of photographs not developed until 2006... a POW... and a fascinating family history. This is a pretty incredible collection of stories, letters and photographs, woven together by M. Carroll. From Wyoming to Germany and back. Three brothers go to war, only two return. What a journey!

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Amazing. Truly a case of a picture telling a thousand words. Through these images, I felt a real sense for what life must have been like. I hope books like this will keep a dark period in our history alive so we will not see it repeated.

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