The War Comes to Plum Street

Book excerpt: How World War II changed New Castle, Indiana. “This is a unique look at the war, far from the front lines, but equally impacting life on the home front.” —Bookviews.com The War Comes to Plum Street brings to life the Second World War through the eyes of a small group of neighbors from a Midwestern town. Bruce C. Smith presents their stories just as they happened, without explanation or interpretation. To experience the war as they did, insofar as it is possible, we must understand how they perceived everyday events and recognize the incompleteness of their knowledge of what was taking place in Europe and the Pacific. The inhabitants of Plum Street in New Castle, Indiana, resemble many other average Americans of their day. As we discover how they experienced those fateful years, these Americans may have something to teach us about how we live in our own turbulent time. “This remains a superb story. Bruce C. Smith has a wonderful eye for detail and a compelling perspective and voice. We care about this place and the people who live here.” —James H. Madison, author of Hoosiers: A New History of Indiana “The book is worth reading for what it offers about the emotional life of the times. Smith recognizes that in a small community and, more particularly, on a single street, lives are enmeshed . . . Ultimately, this book is deeply personal, but it reminds us that life is lived at a deeply personal level.” —HistoryNet.com