[.ca] The Girl Watchers Club: Lessons from the Battlefields of ... (ISBN 0066211727)

they speak for themselves the best:
I enjoyed listening to Stein's transcription of these fascinating, eccentric and brave men. They have a lot to say and Stein gives them their due..but when he starts editorializing, he can be a bit annoying. In his introduction(and at various times throughout the book) Stein gets into the "good old days" business. Those days weren't all that good. Also, I think he asumes that all of the "greatest generation" were rather conservative. Not true. They probably were more self-reliant and a bit more brave..though some were brave communists and so on, who fought in the Spanish Civil War or in the leftist underground. All the same, he does honor these special WW11 veterans and I am glad I read the book.

They care:
THE GIRL WATCHERS CLUB could be a documentary but the skill of the writing makes it read like a novel. The men of the group care about each other; they care about their families; they care about their country; Harry Stein grows to care about them himself, regardless of how his generation felt about "people over thirty" in the 1960s. The book not only rings nostalgic bells for readers who shared those years, but it is extremely important that young people read it in order to understand what their families experienced in the years of depression and war, and to be reminded to express appreciation of their parents while there is still time to do so. There are many lessons to be learned from reading the book. It will end all too quickly because the reader has come to care for its cast of characters.

Physician Heal Thyself:
Harry Stein seems to be suffering from the conservative equivalent of liberal guilt. Contemplating the inequities of a 60's draft that he admits to having evaded, Stein philosophically strokes his chin and says, I still think the war was wrong, but maybe I should have gone; it might have been character building. Forget about the millions dead; Harry Stein could have had a character building experience! It is indeed odd that in this ode to personal responsibility, Stein so often uses the circumlocution "my generation" when he is so clearly talking about himself. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of his own generation fought in that war he avoided. One of them (and only one of them) is running for president right now. Another problem with this book is the way it writes off, in a way that sometimes borders on contempt, its female cast of characters. The male leadership of the 60's "revolution" that Stein now says he regrets his role in was notorious for relegating women to the kitchen and the bedroom. Reading this book, one can't help but wonder if that wasn't one part of that revolution that Stein would have kept. Indeed, the WW2 generation men Stein is writing about often seem to respect the women in their lives far more than Stein does. In spite of its flaws, however, this is a book well worth reading. If you can get past Stein's neo-conservative handwringing, there is a story here. It is a story worthy of Steinbeck, and (polemical digressions notwithstanding) Stein tells it very well indeed. This book fills an important gap in the social history of modern America, and I can only hope that some day that Stein will grow up enough to write about his own generation with the same respect and nuanced understanding that he gives the men who raised them.

Great discussion-starter:
As I was reading this book we were talking about it around the office and it has led to some great discussions because there are 3 different generations represented in my office and 3 very different perceptions of "the greatest generation". Whether you agree with the premise or motives behind war, or believe there is a God or not, or if you just want to read what some very interesting characters have to say, Harry Stein's book is a must read. The men themselves have great life stories to share, and I have to admit, I've developed a bit of a crush on the crusty and crazy Moe. If he were only 45 years younger and single.... Stein has done an outstanding job of tying in the ideals from his parents' generation to his experience in the 60s to the changes that are sweeping our country now. I don't think he demonstrated "liberal guilt" as much as he just blatantly reveals that maybe the social changes of the 60s, although had their history-making moments, may have gone too far in some ways and undermined what the older generations had worked for. If nothing else, pick up a copy and read Chapter 14. Outstanding. Well-written and thought provoking. This is one to share.

Everyday heroes -- become one now:
Too often, we tear down our heroes in a misguided attempt to "humanize" them -- but if being perfect is a prerequisite, then nobody can ever truly be a hero. Thankfully, in "The Girl Watchers Club," Harry Stein sets things straight. These men demonstrate that the essence of heroism is character. It's the will to do what must be done, and to keep on doing it because it's right. That's not a small thing by any means, especially in these days of moral relativity, but it requires no special skills or training, and any of us can do it if we're willing to try. Yes, the Girl Watchers are a most interesting bunch of characters, and it's immensely enjoyable to get to know them through Stein's engrossing narrative. The book is a winner on that level alone. But the book's subtitle is no afterthought -- life really is a battlefield, and these guys have much to teach us about winning. Truly inspiring.