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There are currently 36 member reviews
for Next to Love
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Debbie L. (Houston, TX)
a new look at the Greatest Generation
Of the many books about WWII, this is the first I have read that addresses the lasting pyschological effects on the families. Ms. Feldman has shown me a part of my parents' life that was not discussed. For baby boomers, the continuing impact of the war on the lives of their parents will lead to new and insightful discussions.
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Shirin M. (Beverly Hills, CA)
Next to Love
Set in a small town on the East Coast, “Next to Love,” follows the lives and loves of three young women as they struggle to find themselves and meaning to their lives during an era when the world was fast changing. Their lives, bookended by World War II and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, provide a strong sense of place and time. The book will find an audience with those who enjoy realistic stories about friendships and relationships. Fans of Elizabeth Berg and Nancy Thayer can now add Ellen Feldman to their list.
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Betsy R. (Gig Harbor, WA)
Next to Love
Next to Love weaves the story of three women, childhood friends from a small town, who loved and then married men who were going off to fight in World War II. One of the aspects that I found fascinating was the way in which the author illustrated the fact that soldiers from this war experienced PTSD also, made even more difficult by the code that made it impossible to talk about or get help for. All three women dealt with their situations in different ways but stayed friends, sometimes in spite of great odds. I enjoyed the book very much; I found the ending to be a bit rushed - this book could easily have had a sequel with the storyline extending into the next generation.
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Cynthia C. (Peekskill, NY)
Love & loss in WWII
This novel is a moving tribute to the GI's who fought World War II and the wives & parents who waited for them. It also shows the profound changes WWII brought to America Women, for the 1st time, went to work outside the home. The GI's returned, changed forever, and their wives & girlfriends were not the women they left behind. You feel the love, loss & scars the war left.
Good story - I couldn't put it down.
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Angelina A. (New York, NY)
War from a woman's perspective
The story of three friends who all have to live through and after the war. Some of the descriptions made me feel like I was going through exactly what they were experiencing. I couldn't put it down.
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Malinda N. (Westhampton, NY)
Next To Love
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and I think it is a good choice for a book club. The issues of marriage and how it is affected by war are investigated well by the author. The characters are well-defined and have a realistic feel to them. The issue of marriage and why people enter that union is always an interesting discussion. I enjoyed the book.
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Kathy D. (Cedar Rapids, IA)
Next To Love
Ellen Feldman, in Next to Love brings to life the time period during and shortly after World War II. Couples quickly married before the young men went off to war. Some of the husbands returned and others did not. I could feel the anxiety experienced by the three young women at the center of this book. It was interesting to observe how each one coped with difficulties and heartbreak in such different ways. I was disappointed how some relationships developed -or failed to develop, toward the end of the book. Perhaps a sequel is coming. I was a young girl during this time of history and the book is excellent describing what life was like on the home front for the wives, parents, and children of the soldiers. Women who had jobs during the war gave them up to soldiers when they returned. Prejudice against African Americans and Jews is also emphasized. This book offers provocative material for discussing life then as compared with life today. I recommend Next to Love and I think it is a great book for book club discussions.
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