Words At War by Howard Blue

I have to admit that I hesitated reviewing this book. World War II isn't my expertise. And the author, Howard Blue, was extremely pushy and annoying about me buying his book. It sat on my shelf for the past year and I finally got around to reading it. I should have read it much sooner. While this is no definitive book on the subject of radio broadcasting during the Second World War, it is very good for what most people are going to expect when they discover the book.

With index, the book spans a little over 400 pages. It's nice to know that Scarecrow Press still seeks an interest in publishing books with merit.

For easy reference, each chapter (there are 20 of them) is devoted to a different aspect of the topic and theme. From the script writers, the actors, Norman Corwin's contributions, the U.S. Armed Forces, America's Allies, women taking part in radio propaganda, fighting intolerance and the postwar era, it's all here. The section about Stephen Vincent Benet was a personal pleasure as very little has been written about him. 

Radio programs like The Free Company and Everyman's Theater are covered only briefly, and I sense that the only information gained (versus the encyclopedic entries found in John Dunning's On The Air) are a few excerpts from the New York Times, and the notes at the conclusion of each chapter verified my fears: the author consulted a large number of successfully published books. He did do his homework and some apparent legwork. And if seeking a book that covers all the angles of radio broadcasting during World War II and provides some tidbits of trivia that will fascinate, this book will not disappoint.

My only two complaints. One, there are very few photographs. What the heck? Second, the book is padded with plot summaries from various obscure radio programs. While this can be a sprinkling of sugar on top of strawberries, the author failed to provide much detail. Usually listing only the month and year. Why not the exact broadcast date? Examples randomly picked by randomly opening the book: page 314, he describes the plot to "The Battle of the Warsaw Ghetto" from June 1943. Why not the exact broadcast date? On page 175 he describes the plot to Arthur Miller's "Lips for the Trumpet" on The Doctor Fights from July 1945. Why not the exact broadcast date? On page 300, he describes "The Bullet That's Going to Kill Hitler" from August 1942 from Labor From Victory. Why not the broadcast date?

To me, a reference book should be simply that. Reference. Padding a book with plot summaries for radio programs that are not available in recorded form is preserving something about our radio heritage. So why not provide the exact broadcast date? Or better yet, why not an appendix with titles and dates for episode guides from these same radio shows that the author felt was so important to include and highlight? In short, the book is an interesting read but leaves room for another tome that might provide a larger service to the old time radio community.