David Garnes

Waitin' for the Train to Come In: a Novel of World War II David Garnes

World War II, perhaps the defining event of the 20th century, didn't happen only on the battlefield. WAITIN' FOR THE TRAIN TO COME IN is an historical novel about a New England family on the home front during the tumultuous years that changed the world--and the lives of all Americans. The novel follows the Stewarts of Springfield, Massachusetts as they cope with the sacrifices, adventures, and drama of "the war to end all wars." Live the years 1943-1946 through the eyes of Laura and Alan Stewart, their son Billy, and his Aunt Belle as each experiences life in an urban neighborhood and, for one, on a Navy ship in the Pacific. Through the eyes of Laura, Billy, Belle, Alan and many other characters, WAITIN' FOR THE TRAIN TO COME IN also explores larger outcomes of the war: the changing role of women; adjustments of returning veterans; life in wartime factories; and the struggles of being a child and adolescent during these turbulent years. Re-live air raid drills; rationing; holiday and end-of-war celebrations. Experience life in the Navy, from basic training to kamikaze attacks, typhoons, and the pleasures of wartime Honolulu. David Garnes' extensive research also adds to the vivid re-creation of popular culture of the Forties: on the radio, in the movies, and in newspapers and popular books and magazines. WAITIN' FOR THE TRAIN TO COME IN will appeal to readers who lived through this period, as well as those who did not experience the war but enjoy a well-plotted novel set against the backdrop of a crucial and exciting time in our history.