What's so special about Ordinary Heroes?

I've been spending a lot of time contacting Web sites and organizations about Ordinary Heroes: Six Stars in the Window. As part of that process, I've had to try to summarize what it is that makes this book special and why anyone should read it.

There clearly is no shortage of books about World War II.

Many of them are historical books, full of strategy and tactics and facts. They are a great resource for those with an interest in military history, but not particularly interesting or readable for anybody else.

Others are first-person narratives, covering one individual soldier's experiences during the war. These books often make for compelling reading, but generally lack context. They don't help the reader understand why the war was being fought, why particular engagements were important, or why individual units were assigned particular tasks.

Ordinary Heroes is different in that it weaves the story of the six Koski brothers into a compelling glimpse of a world at war. It is one of the few books that details the experiences of individual soldiers against the backdrop of the larger war. This larger context gives meaning to the experiences and sacrifices of ordinary soldiers such as the Koski brothers and the men they served with.

In one sense, I think of it as similar to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The trials and tribulations of a few hobbits wouldn't have meaning if it wasn't placed against the backdrop of larger events.

In the same way, the sacrifices of individual soldiers only make sense against the backdrop of the larger war, when we begin to understand the scope of the effort and the magnitude of the stakes.

This context, this overlaying of individual stories over larger events, is one of the main reasons why I believe the story of the Koski brothers is worth reading.

It's one of the main reasons why I felt it was worth writing.

Perhaps some of you who have read the book will share your thoughts on this.