Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Role of Women in Wartime: Today vs. World War II
That's a huge topic, and not one that I'm going to tackle at the moment. But I do want to explore the role of women in one regard: the soldier's return home. I spoke at Politics and Prose (our wonderful local bookstore) recently and talked about how my mother and many other women had dealt with the joys and difficulties of that reunion in 1946. A member of the audience rose and asked, "How different is it now, with women soldiers returning from a war zone, sometimes to a family with young children - children who may not remember their mothers any more than your brother remembered your father when he returned from overseas?" What a great question. If any of you can shed light on this subject, please contact me at info@janelvin.com or leave a comment here. I'd especially like to talk to any women who have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan and have returned home to family.
And I'd like to thank to Jenny Andrews from www.notalone.com for her help. The site is a great resource, devoted to helping the community of military men, women and families to face the challenges of coming home.
On other fronts, I will be giving a talk about The Box from Braunau: In Search of My Father's War and signing books tomorrow night, October 1, in Ellicott City, Maryland at the Howard County Library, Miller Branch. You can call to sign up and get directions 410/313-1950, or go online to www.hclibrary.org to sign up. (It's not necessary to sign up in order to attend, but it helps them figure out how many chairs to put out!)
Thursday, October 1, 2009 7 p.m. Howard County Library Miller Branch 9421 Frederick Road Ellicott City, MD 21042
Photo above: My mother, Jane Elvin, showing me Raggedy Ann, early 1947.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Need Your Feedback on Women in Military
In this blog, I'm issuing a request:
Do you know any women in the military who would be willing to be interviewed? I'm particularly interested in finding a woman who's been deployed to a combat zone and has had to leave a family behind, and who's willing to talk about her experience upon returning home.
The photo above is of my parents and my older brother, shortly before my father left for France in 1944, where he fought in General Patton's Third Army. In The Box from Braunau: In Search of My Father's War, I outline some of the problems our family faced upon his return and in ensuing years. I am curious to hear how different that might be for women who return now from Iraq and Afghanistan.
If you are interested, please send me an email at info@janelvin.com, either to tell me your story or perhaps to tell me about someone you know. Thanks so much for any help and feedback on this! I'll keep you posted on what I find out.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Summer Break Almost Over...
I'll be back, as Ahnold said.
I've been traveling, to wonderful San Francisco and to the Delaware beach for some summer family time, and to Pittsburgh for the 90th Reunion of the 80th Infantry Division.
I'll have more to say about the Reunion next week, when I'm back at work. I hope to see you then!
I've been traveling, to wonderful San Francisco and to the Delaware beach for some summer family time, and to Pittsburgh for the 90th Reunion of the 80th Infantry Division.
I'll have more to say about the Reunion next week, when I'm back at work. I hope to see you then!
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