LOVE STORIES OF WORLD WAR II

The authors narrate these true tales of wartime romance in just the right tone: gentle, tender, but never saccharine. Eikenberry conveys a sense of wonder and hope at the idea that even through the horrors and deprivations of war, love and hope can prevail. King reads a brief introduction to each story, marveling at the fate that brings two people together despite all odds. The stories run the gamut of wartime experiences: sweethearts who rushed to get married as the war started, stayed faithful through months or years of letters and were reunited at war's end; men who met their future wives in other states while both were working for the war effort; international romances of American soldiers and British or Italian women, sometimes against the wishes of the bride's family. Some of the stories end sadly, with widowed brides or a husband so traumatized by the horrors of war that he's not the same person. But most are uplifting and positive, celebrating the enduring nature of love. Simultaneous release with the Crown hardcover (Forecasts, Oct. 8, 2001). (Nov.)