Books*Reviews*Etc: WHEN JOHNNY DOESN'T COME MARCHING HOME

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Marian Small’s

WHEN JOHNNY DOESN’T COME MARCHING HOME

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Inside the Book

Title: When Johnny Doesn’t Come Marching Home
Author: Marian Small
Publisher: Friesen Press
Pages: 341
Genre: Memoir

First-time author Marian Small’s WHEN JOHNNY DOESN’T COME MARCHING HOME does for World War I what Tom Brokaw’s THE GREATEST GENERATION did for World War II.
Written as a memoir of her father, WHEN JOHNNY DOESN’T COME MARCHING HOME expands to pay tribute to the generation that fought in the trenches and on the battlefields of what has been called the “forgotten war.”
Employing an inherited cache of her father’s letters home, his diary of the war, and voluminous family and historic photographs, Small, at age 89, has scrupulously created a narrative rich in vivid, sometimes heartbreaking detail of First Sgt. John Small’s experiences on the front lines and as a returning wounded veteran.
As a young man touched with the “spirit of adventure,” John R. Small enlisted in the Ohio National Guard in 1916, when he was 20 years old. He was first sent to Gen. John J. Pershing’s command on the Texas/Mexican border in pursuit of the legendary revolutionary and bandit Pancho Villa. When America entered World War I, in 1917, Small was mustered into the Army and promoted to sergeant. His unit was sent to France in 1918. Among his personal possessions was a diary given to him by his wife, Mary. He made almost daily entries during his time witnessing and enduring the horrors of the war.
John Small was severely wounded by a high explosive during the Meuse-Argonne campaign. His legs were badly mangled. After six months in hospitals in France, he was sent home. “At the tender age of 23 years, Johnny didn’t come marching home,” says Marian Small.
Although John Small’s incredible story took place nearly 100 years ago, it is still relevant today as American troops continue to be deployed around the world in harm’s way. WHEN JOHNNY DOESNT COME MARCHING HOME is certain to appeal to military history buffs, veterans, their families and friends, and readers who enjoy a compelling tale.
Marian Small believes that her book is unique “in that every word is true as told by Johnny in his diary or in his letters as narrated by me. I do not believe it can be compared to any other World War I war story that I have read or that has been written.”
Readers are sure to agree with her.

For More Information

When Johnny Doesn’t Come Marching Home is available at Amazon.
Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.

Meet the Author

Marian Small was born in Cleveland, Ohio; she has been writing for most of her life. She began her 25 year business career as a secretary, a cashier and manager of a Detroit mortgage company, and as an Operations Manager of a Florida stock-brokerage firm. She moved to Beverly Hills, Calif. with her the 10-year-old son from her first marriage and became the Administrative Assistant to a Vice-President of the Regional Office of the same brokerage firm, which entailed frequent stints within the Wall Street office. She married again in 1973, at age 46. She and her husband shared a 34-year long marriage before they divorced. After surviving breast cancer and minor strokes, Marian resumed writing at age 86 and has been writing ever since.
For More Information

Visit Marian Small’s website.
Connect with Marian on Facebook.

MY THOUGHTS

John Russell Small served in World War I. He was a 1st Sergeant. This is a true story written by his daughter, Marian Small. Marian began this story when she was 89 years old. The adventures of a 20 year old boy, taken from his diary, are recorded within. The diary is the events, according to John Small, that took place before, during and after the War. After the death of her father, Ms. Small was going through the things she had inherited. Among these things was a diary.This diary went with 1st Sergeant Small wherever he went. Included in the diary were original photographs and letters that had been written to his parents and his wife to be, Mary.This diary had been a gift from Mary. No one knew how important and historic that diary would become.This young boy, enlisted in the Ohio National Guard and joined Brigadier-General John J. Pershing in 1916 chasing Pancho Villa, in 1918 he went to France. The diary was a way for Small to document what was going on all around him. He wrote in it every night even when in the trenches while it was raining, dark and lonely. Those young boys who went to war, not really knowing what it was all about, just knowing they wanted to serve and experience the adventures. It wasn't easy, it wasn't comfortable. It was HARD! Sometimes when coming home, those boys who had become men while away, were faced with many more hardships. One was the Great Depression. But most were determined, strong willed and knew they had to endure. Ms. Small gives the reader an inside look into her father's life, his adventure. This boy, who became a man in war, was a hero, a courageous and valiant hero. No one, unless you have served in battle, can ever imagine the pain, the sights, the smells, the loneliness that a soldier experiences. The terrible things you see that stay with you for your entire life, must be awful. But these men didn't do this for the honor, for a medal but for our country. To protect, to serve, to save millions from death. But what happens when the war is over, when the battle is done? They face their injuries, physically and mental, no job, some couldn't even get their pensions from the government.Many of these men come home wounded, many don't come home. Some come home without physical wounds, but mental trauma. What happens to these men when JOHNNY DOESN'T COME MARCHING HOME? Johnny left whole but didn't come marching home the way he left. He was wounded. A serious injury to his legs in September 1918. He spent months in hospitals. He was only 23 years old.When Small got home he spent more time in hospitals and more surgery. He couldn't get work. Jobs were scarce and with his injury, no one wanted to hire him. On top of that the government didn't want to grant him his pension. What this man and many men still went through after coming home. What a shame to treat our veterans, who fought for US, with such disrespect. But this disrespect didn't end with World War I. It continues till today. Our heroes, the soldiers who fight so courageously and bravely, to save our freedom, need RESPECT. When we disrespect our soldiers, we disrespect our Country! These are just some of the things that happen
WHEN JOHNNY DOESN'T COME MARCHING HOME

What love from a daughter to the memory of her father to write this book and let the readers know this soldier. The book contains many pictures of John, the war, documents, letters and much more. This book in itself is a diary.

I want to impress upon every reader, to read this book and take note of every picture, word and think of the Johnnys that come home, those that don't and what happens WHEN JOHNNY DOESN'T COME MARCHING HOME

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Marian Small and PUYB in exchange for my unbiased review.

I would give this book a SOLID 5 STARS.