This is a book about the author's father, and that is fine. I am sure that I would write a book about my parents if there was absolutely anything interesting about either of them; they grew up on the North Texas prairie, went to school, spent unremarkable careers in education, raised my sister and me, and got divorced. (You would have to go way far back--and I have--to find anyone of the least bit of interest in my family tree. Three unremarkable Civil War generals, the guy who shot Stephen Decatur, and the ship's carpenter on the MAYFLOWER. Nobody you could write a book about, and too bad.)

THE BOYS IN THE LIGHT is a portmanteau; two books for the price of one. The first is the tale of the author's father, a German Jewish boy who escaped to France, was hidden in a small vineyard, but was captured and sent to Auschwitz while the rest of his family perished. The second is a BAND OF BROTHERS-level review of a tank company. led by a stoic Minnesotan and fed by a voluble Italian from Boston.

There are, for better or worse, familiar enough patterns for stories. (Willner seems to have made the conscious decision to pitch her book for readers who have never read a book about the World War II era, and I can't fault that decision.) And, well, she's writing about her dad and the people who rescued him from captivity and starvation, so there's that. It's a good story, and well-told. If THE BOYS IN THE LIGHT is a little sentimental and sappy in spots, that's fine. If you can't be sentimental and sappy about your dad, and the Greatest Generation who fought their way through Europe for the cause of his freedom, what can you be sentimental and sappy about? I ask you.

There is a danger in over-familiarity in subject matter. When I had finished The Boys in the Light by Nina Willner, I was both satisfied with the central narrative but very let down about other aspects. Let's start with the very good.

Willner is telling the story of three men in World War II. One of them is actually her father and the other two American G.I.s. I won't spoil too much about each of their journeys, but Willner hits all the notes you want from this type of narrative. It is harrowing and emotional with proper payoffs for all involved. It is also very straightforward, so if you haven't tried a book like this before then I highly recommend it.

The bad is mostly Willner's handling of the greater societal stories around World War II, specifically on the American front. Willner tries to condense a lot into a small amount of pages and falls into the trap of both oversimplification and outright errors. Her summation of FDR, the New Deal, and Charles Lindbergh made me cringe. (Side note: If you read the book and don't see the problems, please read America First by H.W. Brands.)

However, when I looked at the book overall, I still felt that Willner did an excellent job with the story she was trying to tell. While I wish these other aspects were as insightful as the rest, most people will not notice and it doesn't directly affect the main story. In summary, World War II nerds may scratch their heads a few times, but there is still a lot to love about this book.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by NetGalley and Dutton Books.)

I can't even express enough how grateful I am to have a NetGalley ARC of this book at no cost to me. As someone who loves Holocaust history and an avid reader of, this book is a top favorite.

The author not only covers the ones who had faced the horrors of the Holocaust, but a group of American soldiers who are unsure why they are there until stumbling upon 2 near death young boys. Not following normal protocol, the unit takes in these 2 young men. In the end, they end up shaping the future for these 2 young men. Life long friendships are formed. l

This is a must read for any WWII reader. Just make sure you have tissues readily available. There were several times I had to stop and let the tears dry up before continuing. If I hadn't been released to go back to work, I would have finished this book in one sitting. It was hard to put down.

Beautifully written, a tale necessary for everyone to read, especially in today’s world. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher, Penguin Dutton.

A true story of US soldiers in WWII. The horrors they went through were atrocious. It was a story that kept me reading, trying to be hopeful. This is a new author to me..