Please indulge me if you will. There is a new book, just published, that I would like to recommend to everyone. It was written by my dear friend, Joe Bonsall, tenor singer for the Oak Ridge Boys, with a forward by former First Lady, Barbara Bush. It is entitled, "GI JOE and LILLIE", and is a touching remembrance about Joe's father, a World War II hero, and his mother, who also served in the WAC's. Not only does it chronicle the war years, but it also follows them through their lives together, living through the baby boomer years as a young family, through to their eventual burials in Arlington Cemetery. They persevered through incredible hardships, and what got them through was Lillie's faith, and undying devotion to her husband. It is a book that is extremely relevant to the times we live in today, and I hope everybody gets a chance to read it. I was honored to help research, and help edit this book from the first draft through presenting it to the publisher. You can read more about it by visiting the following website:
http://www.newleafpress.net/details/0892215372.htm

It's also available at Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com, or if you happen to be at an Oaks concert you can get Joe to sign it for you.
I'm really proud of Joe and proud of my involvement. This is a special book. Thanks for letting me share it with you.
Holly Richardson

[ March 16, 2003, 09:28 AM: Message edited by: WizardofZA ]

Thanks for sharing aobut this book. I am interested inreading it because I feel as though I don't know enough about the personal stories of those who fought in Wrold War II and the Korean War. the men in that generation don't seem to want to talk too much about it. I can't say that I blame them! Sounds like a good book with a personal perspective on the way things were!

You are right, Dotsie. It is indeed a wonderful story about the way things were, but it also gives a lot of insight into the sacrifices that were made during the war and after as well. Life is not always easy, and sometimes it takes a strong woman to hold things together. That's what I loved about this story most of all, I think.