Public Information

5.0 out of 5 stars Remembering the "Forgotten War", October 24, 2011 By bwbatlarge - This review is from: Public Information (Paperback)Public Information by Rolf Margenau is a story of the Korean War, told from the perspective of Wylie Cypher, a correspondent for an Army Public Information office near the 38th parallel and a reporter for the Stars and Stripes in Tokyo. Although many stories have been told about the "greatest generation" of World War II, the Korean War has remained obscure for many Americans. By putting a face and a story to the Korean War, Margenau brings the Korean War to life in the imaginations of his readers.

Margenau created Public Information from the contents of three hundred letters he wrote from Japan, Korea and other locations to his future wife, who painstakingly preserved and organized them, as well as other factual sources, basing the story around actual events and memories to make it a truly authentic work of historical fiction. His protagonist, Wylie Cypher, joins the Army in 1952 to become a master of the Russian language; however, unexpected incidents take him on a different path and he finds himself embroiled in the conflict of the Korean War.

Magenau's story illuminates many aspects of war, showing that it is not all about guns, killing, and conquering and that while war is always war, it can include humor, romance, and other aspects of life that are often overlooked. Public Information is a riveting story that is certain to entertain readers of all generations, whether they remember the Korean War or are lovers of historical fiction.

Although much of Wylie's story is based on the author's own personality and experiences, from the long-distance romance to the protagonist's sometimes immature nature, it is not an autobiography of a single person so much as it is an autobiography of an entire generation, told with a compelling voice that ensures that the "forgotten war" will be remembered by readers of Public Information for all time.

5.0 out of 5 stars Necessary Public Information, September 15, 2011 By cb -This review is from: Public Information (Kindle Edition)The Korean War has often been referred to as "the forgotten war" in U.S. history, but in this compelling coming of age novel, and essentially through his hero, Wylie Cypher, Rolf Margenau effectively brings the War front and center to readers of this engaging book. Briefly, Wylie Cypher (have some fun decoding the name of Margenau's hero) leaves college, joins the Army with expectations of training in the Russian language, but rather learns about war and its after-effects--and, to some extent, life in general--as a correspondent for an Army Public Information Office near the 38th parallel, and as a reporter for Stars and Stripes in Tokyo. Along the way we also experience Wylie's adventures, humorous misadventures, responses, shifting perspectives, the requisite love affair, and overall his growing maturity.

This may be the first novel published by Rolf Margenau, but it certainly has the hallmarks of an experienced professional writer. Margenau's writing is accessible, his eye for descriptive detail persuasive, and he is able to create a strong sense of place--from the rather bizarre opening scene of the hero on the latrine, to the everyday often banal activities of soldiers in war, to the moving actual scenes of war and death, and finally to the closing, optimistic scene where "our" hero returns to the United States on ship, and sees the city of San Francisco "awakened with early light, its spires illumined by slanting rays."

5.0 out of 5 stars Soldier's View, September 5, 2011 By James W. McKinster - This review is from: Public Information (Kindle Edition)An engaging, easy read for anyone interested in the soldier's perspective of one of USA's "Police Actions". In today's world one might wonder if we have learned anything from our past experiences.

I found the "language" a bit disconcerting initially, but as I got into the story it became apparent to me that it was entirely appropriate to telling it as it was.