Home and Away: A World War II Christmas Story
Dean Hughes
(Author)
Description
A historical fiction novel told from the perspective of a son fighting on the battlefields of Europe during World War II and his mother, struggling with worry and uncertainty about her soldier son while she tries to keep a semblenance of a normal, happy Christmas holiday back on the home front. Norma Hayes has always tried to make Christmas special for her family, but 1944 will make that more difficult with money being tight and wartime rationing making everything hard to come by. Aware of his mother's hardships and the worry from having her eldest son at war, second son, Dennis, is determined to buy his mother a special gift this Christmas, a lavender blue dress he hopes will bring her comfort as a symbol of special times gone by and the hope of a brighter future with the family reunited at war's end. Meantime, on the long campaign to free Europe, her soldier son carrys on as best he can, the horrors of war taking its heavy toll on armies and civilians alike. On a battlefield far from home in Holland with his 101st Airborne battalion, he catches a familiar scent of lavender which briefly transports him back to the home front to the perfume scent his mother wore, giving him a short respite and reuniting the family once again if only in his imagination. This historical fiction novel is a nostalgic and tender story about the power of love, the reality of war, and the hope we all have that things will turn out all right.
Product Details
Price
$16.99
$15.80
Publisher
Shadow Mountain
Publish Date
September 29, 2015
Pages
176
Dimensions
5.2 X 0.9 X 7.1 inches | 0.5 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781629720937
BISAC Categories:
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Become an affiliateAbout the Author
Dean Hughes is a bestselling and prolific writer who published his 100th book in 2014. He holds a bachelor's degree from Weber State College and master's and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Washington. He has attended post-doctoral seminars at Stanford and Yale Universities and taught English at Central Missouri State University and Brigham Young University.
Reviews
"It's 1944 and teenager Dennis Hayes longs to join his older brother Glen, who is fighting in Europe..When his family receives word that Glen has been wounded, Dennis realizes that going to war is not so glamorous. Christmas isn't the same without Glen, but the Hayes family members hope and pray that they'll be reunited soon. Hughes's faith-filled, old-fashioned story feels like it could have been written during the period in which it takes place."-- "Library Journal" (10/2/2015 12:00:00 AM)
"A touching story about the healing that comes when hearts are open and past hurts are forgotten during one of the most magical times of the year. Dean Hughes delivers yet another masterpiece in this book set during the 1940s...Help[s] readers remember that true happiness comes from family and service."-- "Deseret News" (12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM)
"A short, sweet book, a nostalgic read that could make a nice holiday stocking stuffer. Readers should keep tissues nearby, as tears may start to flow toward the end of the story."-- "Historical Novel Society" (12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM)
"Beautifully nostalgic. Hughes expertly captures the spirit of family, of war, and of Christmas. Home and Away isn't just a book, it's a gift."-- "Jason F. Wright" (11/3/2015 12:00:00 AM)
"A touching story about the healing that comes when hearts are open and past hurts are forgotten during one of the most magical times of the year. Dean Hughes delivers yet another masterpiece in this book set during the 1940s...Help[s] readers remember that true happiness comes from family and service."-- "Deseret News" (12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM)
"A short, sweet book, a nostalgic read that could make a nice holiday stocking stuffer. Readers should keep tissues nearby, as tears may start to flow toward the end of the story."-- "Historical Novel Society" (12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM)
"Beautifully nostalgic. Hughes expertly captures the spirit of family, of war, and of Christmas. Home and Away isn't just a book, it's a gift."-- "Jason F. Wright" (11/3/2015 12:00:00 AM)