Letters to Loretta rom the Radio Shack,
A True WWII Teenage Love Story
by Laura
Lynn Ashworth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LETTERS
TO LORETTA
FROM
THE RADIO SHACK, A True WWII Teenage Love Story
Read
the rare and recently discovered real time letters between Sal, age 19, and
Loretta, age 15, during the final terrifying three years of World War II,
1943-1946.
Both
from the Douglas Park neighborhood in Chicago, the two adolescents discuss with
humor and candor, the Navy, war, politics, hit music, life back home and their
relationship.
Sal
nicknamed Slabby for his movie star good looks, deciphers code out of the
Navy’s radio shack on a minesweeper in the Pacific.
Loretta
monikered Duchess for her aloofness, lives with aunts and her widowed father,
while holding day jobs and enjoying an active social life with friends.
Letters
to Loretta from the Radio Shack lets you experience World War II, both in
battle and on the home front, through the eyes of adolescents in a way that
Hollywood has never portrayed.
My Impressions:
Wonderful story of love, survival and friendship during the WWII era. This book is unique that you get to experience the war through 2 perspectives-a normal citizen and a Navy man and the difference could not have been any greater. Ms. Ashwood did an amazing job transporting the reader back to this era with her language, scenes and interactions between the characters. I felt like I was living and breathing this story from all perspectives and it was amazing!
Loretta and Sal are brought together
by their neighborhood. Sal longs to hear news from his old haunting grounds
back home and Loretta spends her time with her girlfriends trying to forget the
atrocities that Sal is witnessing and how life has changed for so many. The two share the most intimate parts of their
lives with each other and joke around waiting for the day they can be united.
Like many love stories from this
time period, they ended abruptly and without warning, much like the end of this
book. I thought it fit beautifully to make the reader remember that this is a
true story from a period long ago, but never forgotten.
Giveaway:
Ms. Ashworth will be awarding $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.
Follow Along on the Tour for more chances to win!
February 9: Long and Short Reviews YA
February 16: Writer Wonderland
February 23: Andi's Young Adult Books
February 23: Rainy Day Reviews - promo
March 2: Nickie's Views and Interviews
March 9: Unabridged Andra's
March 16: Readsalot - review only
March 23: Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
March 30: Books Direct
April 6: My Devotional Thoughts -review only
April 13: LibriAmoriMiei - review only
April 20: CBY Book Club
April 27: Laura's Interests - review
May 4: Archaeolibrarian - I dig good books! - review only
May 11: FictionZeal - review only
May 18: Jersey Girl Book Reviews - review only
May 18: Our Families Adventure
May 25: View from the Birdhouse - review only
ENJOY A EXCERPT:
January 5, 1943
US Naval Training Station
Farragut, Idaho
1330 So. Washington Ave.
Chicago, IL
Dear Loretta,
Gee, but aren't you thoughtful. By the way, every time I
write a letter to you, you seem to be writing a letter back home. Isn't that a
co-incidence or isn't it? I received two letters to date, so “keep em flying.”
It was just a month ago that I left and I'll be damned if I
know whether it seems like a year or a week. As far as concerning you, it seems
like a year. I presume you're still as sharp as a whip, you old prankster. Say,
in your next letter send me a couple of pictures of yourself, one of them
recently taken and you may charge it to Uncle Sam and his fleet.
So I see your stepping out now, you're really cooking with
the right kind of material. Don't forget I've got a date with you when I get
back home, which I hope won't be any longer than a year.
Had a lot of fun at the rifle range this week as no doubt Joe
will tell you. I still get three square meals a day, and are they square. A
slice of bread with plenty of nothing.
This weather we have up here now surely reminds me of
Chicago. It’s dingier than a campaign speech and it just knocks the hell out of
these Californians out here. They're just used to beautiful women and mild
weather, while we in Chicago are used to gales and violent women.
Do you know what? In “Frisco” the taverns close at midnight.
Now isn't that a whacky thing to do?
Haven't seen many movies lately except for a few Navy films
showing recent battles to get us boiled. But if we don't get our liberty
Wednesday, I'll boil over like a frozen motor. They're going to keep an eye on
our company while we're on liberty (now what the hell do you call liberty like
that?) and if we're good we'll get one every two weeks. Very, very thoughtful,
don't you think? I'll leave you know how I make out, so until then.
Lots of love, Slab
Laura Lynn
Ashworth is an award-winning copywriter and political cartoonist. While helping an elderly family member with
veterans administration paperwork, she ran across “the letters” and instantly
knew of their rarity, freshness and historical significance. Although she received three publishing
contracts within two months of sending the letters to major publishers,
Ashworth decided to publish them herself on the advice of best-selling
authors. She currently lives and works
in a northwest suburb of Chicago.
10% of author
proceeds will be donated to the USO and VFW in loving memory of Sal and
Loretta.
Website: http://lauralynnashworth.com
http://lauralynnashworth.com/store/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007518694413