Gail Borden librarians listed their suggestions on Veterans' History now it's your turn; click on Edit Page to add your picks.

 

Nonfiction Reference Websites/ Databases Music Movies

 

Nonfiction

 

Fox Valley Veterans: a salute to hometown heroism

by George Rawlinson, 2004

 

Local author and publisher Rawlinson has created an affecting tribute to the men and women of the Fox Valley area that have served in our country's wars. Each veteran has a nice biographical entry with their photo.

 

 

The Vietnam Veteran: A History of Neglect

By David E. Bonior, 1985

 

This is an interesting book about vietnam veterans who are often referred to as "forgotten men," and an explanation of facts and mistakes that contributed to this labeling.

 

Ron Kovic: Antiwar/Activist/Nathaniel Moss  

By Nathaniel Moss, 1994

 

This is an interesting biography about Ron Kovic and how he struggled to build a meaningful life after the Vietnam War.

 

Worth the Fighting For

by John McCain with Mark Salter

 

John McCain was a Navy Officer in the Vietnam War and he wrote about that experience in his book, Faith Of My Fathers.  Although there are some references to that experience in his second book, it is mostly about the people he has dealt with since that time and the many political battles he has been involved in and why he thought some principles were worth the battles and some were not worth it. The book gives insights into some of his thoughts.

 

The Greatest Generation

by Tom Brokaw, 1998

 

Brokaw has written the seminal work that an entire generation now identifies with. I don't know if he is the only one to ever call them the "greatest generation" but now that is what they are.

 

The War: an Intimate History, 1941-1945

by Geoffrey C. Ward, 2007

 

A wonderful companion piece to the PBS documentary series The War by Ken Burns. It is filled with wonderful pictures and stories.

 

The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War

by David Halberstam, 2007

 

Sadly, this book was published shortly after Halberstam died in an automobile accident in California. He is one of the most amazing authors in that he can tell a story with so many rich layers that at the end you really do feel like you know and understand all sides of something. This book on the Korean War gave a totally new perspective on a sadly overlooked war.

 

 

A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam

by Neil Sheehan, 1988

 

This is one of the very first books on the Vietnam conflict I ever read. It shows the enormous complexities to the entire war as well as the complex personalities and individuals that were involved. A very interesting read.

 

The Library of Congress World War II Companion

edited by Margaret E. Wagner, 2007

 

This is a fabulous addition to any home library. It covers all aspects of the war with wonderful charts, photos, and statistics and a really good narrative.

 

 

 

 

Reference

 

This is a listing of books that are in the Reference collection at the Gail Borden Public Library. Some of these titles might be available in the electronic format through the library's subscription to the Gale Virtual Reference Library

 

An Encyclopedia of World War II: a political, social and military history.

edited by Spencer C. Tucker, 2005

 

The is a 5-volume comprehensive set that gives the user a thorough understanding of World War II on many fronts.

 

Atlas of World War I

by Martin Gilbert, 1994

 

Gilbert is one of the preeminent authors of literature of the "Great War". His atlas will give the reader a comprehensive understanding of this brutal war.

 

Encyclopedia of the Korean War: a political, social and military history.

edited by Spencer C. Tucker, 2000.

 

ABC-Clio is the publisher of this 3-volume set as well as the World War II title listed above. They are a very reputable publisher of historical Reference works. This set is great for the student.

 

Encyclopedia fo the Vietnam War: a political, social and military history.

edited by Spencer C. Tucker, 1998

 

This is 3-volume work the vividly details America's engagement in Vietnam.

 

Encyclopedia of the Persian Gulf War

by Mark Grossman, 2005

 

Written just four years after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Grossman has created a single volume reference work that is great for the student.

 

 

 

 

 

Websites/ Databases

 

 The library has many subcription databases that are accessible in the library as well as from home through the library's website www.gailborden.info.

Users of the library's databases need to go to the link for research and then the link for databases. Once the database page has loaded Gail Borden Library card holders are required to enter their library card number in (if they are using the databases from home). All of the subscription databases will then become available for use. Users of databases in the library do not have to enter their library card in order to access the database collection.

 

This is a short list of some recommended databases to take a look at that pertain to this topic.

 

United States at War

Gale Virtual Reference Library

 

D-Day: An American Experience 

 

Produced by PBS, this look at D-Day is riveting.

 

Cantigny Park

 

Right in our own backyard! Cantigny Park in Winfield is an amazing place to spend an afternoon. Home of the First Division Museum it houses the history of the Big Red One. It is one of the finest military museums this country has to offer. The museum has an outstanding collection of tanks that date back to the division's participation in World War I.

 

 

The Price of Freedom: American at War  

 

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Anything the Smithsonian does is outstanding but this online exhibit really tops it all.

 

Harry S. Truman Museum and Library

 

President Harry Truman was in office during the Korean War. His presidential library offers a terrific online exhibit about the Korean War.

 

Battlefield: Vietnam

This is web companion to the PBS documentary. It has a great collection of interviews with Vietnam veterans.

 

Music

 

The Great War: Classical and Popular Selections from the time of World War I.

 

In Country: Folk Songs of Americans in the Vietnam War.

 

Songs That Got Us Through World War II.

 

Songs of the Civil War.

 

The War: A Ken Burns Film: The Soundtrack.

 

Movies

 

The Longest Day

Cornelius Ryan's epic about the invasion of Normandy. It runs four-hours long but it is totally worth it. Pick it up on a cold winter night or a rainy day.

 

The Deer Hunter 

Not only a story of Vietnam but a story of America in the sixties. This really give a great slice of what life was like in a steel town in Pennsylvania.

 

The Manchurian Candidate

Directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Frank Sinatra this is a fabulously suspenseful movie. Sinatra plays a decorated Korean War veteran. The acting is superb especially Angela Lansbury.

 

Jarhead

Follows a third generation Marine during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

 

The library has many fine documentaries in our Movies, Music and More department. Check out

 

The War by Ken Burns

Carrier 

The Battle History of the United States Military 

 

“Funding for this grant was awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).”