Denis J Blaise

The Bicycle Diaries: (Mostly) Light-Hearted War Stories of a Non-Combatant Denis J Blaise

THE BICYCLE DIARIES - (Mostly) Light-Hearted War Stories of a Non-Combatant is the true story of a farm family's trials and tribulations as they strive to stay alive during WW II. It takes place near Bastogne, in the Ardennes forest of southern Belgium, where the Screaming Eagles of the 82nd and 101st Airborne, of Band of Brothers fame, held the "hole in the doughnut" while the German SS troops ravaged the countryside during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. The Bicycle recounts the tale with humor and suspense and is an active participant in the life of the family. The growing kid spends so much time with his mother' Bicycle that it becomes as real and alive as an imaginary pal. The use of such a literary device to tell the author's memories in the third person avoids many of the pitfalls of personal memoirs. It does not take away, however, from the fears, courage and accomplishments of these simple folks, representative of millions more, for whom life went on, had to go on, regardless of the fighting madness taking place around them.