I have, oddly enough, been attracted to submarine movies and I am guessing that is because I would be terrified to be out on a submarine. My fear of being beneath the surface of the ocean and being cramped in a metal machine probably allowed me to enjoy vicariously the challenges by watching the adventures of submariners much the same way that people watch horror movies. Therefore, as I perused the Internet list, I have seen approximately 30 of these movies. I do not read books about submariners and their adventures or the history of the Navy.
But, I had been reading Mary Lee Coe Fowler's blog about living in Maine for over a year and when she published her book, I decided to give it a try.
ML's book is introduced this way on the cover:
"Mary Lee Coe Fowler was a posthumous child, born after her father, a submarine skipper in the Pacific, was lost at sea in 1943. Her mother quickly remarried into a difficult and troubled relationship, and Mary Lee’s biological father was never mentioned. It was not until her mother died and Mary Lee was a middle-aged adult that she set out to learn not only who her father was, but what happened to him and his crew, and why—and also to confront why she had shied away from asking these questions until it was nearly too late."
The book is filled with the extensive and dedicated research that she did to find all of the puzzle pieces to put this compelling story together. It was a rush against time as many of the people she talked to and corresponded with were quite elderly. But it is not written like a research treatise. I found it easy to identify with the little girl in search of her father, her mother who finds romance with a young Navy man, and the young seamen whose lives depend on the leadership of this man, her father. Having traveled throughout Hawaii and the South Pacific and having seen the remains of the war with the Japanese on some of these Pacific Islands, I was very familiar with the setting of the latter part of this book.
I learned about the bureaucracy of the Navy Department, and how back then, much like today, a bureaucratic and career protectionist leadership can hinder the safety and success of the missions we give to our sailors (military). I was inspired by the tremendous dedication these Navy men gave to their jobs under very difficult conditions.
This is a well-written and also compelling story. ML is able to step back and give the story the balance it needs as she searches for the truth about her father. It is one that is, perhaps, enjoyed more by readers with the perspective that comes with age and experience. So, if you are looking for some good reading as the seasons change and you must remain indoors for longer times, I can certainly recommend this book by the fireside.
Thanks for the book review.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a book I would enjoy reading.
Bear((( )))
I'd enjoy it too, I think.
ReplyDeletesounds quite interesting. good review, tabor! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information on the book.
ReplyDeleteI lost a boyfriend during WWII. He was on a submarine and listed as missing in action. Of course, for submariners that means they are dead but no body has been found. I always had chills thinking of the terrors those poor young men must have felt. I always hoped that they died quickly.
I'll add it to my ever growing winter list. My family are Navy and Marine men. Step son n law was on a nuke sub. Thanks
ReplyDeleteWhat a generous and very readable review. I wish more reviewers would include their preconceptions coming into a book, their predilections, their knowledge of the book's setting, any places where they felt inspired, etc., even their circumstances of reading - indoors, by the fire, etc. All of this adds so much to one's assessment of whether they'd like the book. I think maybe it's that some of us regard reading as a total experience, and others regard it as just looking at pages. You seem to be the former, producing a nice, cozy feel to the review. Thank you, thank you.
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