Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea

This is stunning, emotional read. Inspired by the experiences of his mother Phyllis in World War II, the author did a lot of research with his wife and daughter in the United States and western Europe to tell the fictional story of Irene, Dorothy, and an assortment of Third Girls. Irene and Dorothy joined the American Red Cross in 1943 and traveled to England, France, Belgium, and Germany. Driving a truck called Rapid City, they provided comfort and cheer to the American troops, serving up coffee and donuts, playing records, and handing out gum candy and cigarettes. Sometimes they got too close to the front lines and had as much emotional trauma to deal with as the soldiers and aviators they supported. But there was camaraderie, romance, and occasional rest breaks in places like Cannes on the French Riviera.

While this is very different from Naperville author Urrea’s amazing book The House of Broken Angels, they are both compelling reads and unforgettable stories. Good Night, Irene is heartwarming, hard to put down, very grim in parts, and is vividly written. It was especially interesting to read after The First Lady of World War II, in which Eleanor Roosevelt visited Red Cross sites in the South Pacific. If your book group reads some historical fiction and is looking for their yearly World War II novel, this would be a good selection, along with Mrs. Porter Calling by A.J. Pearce. A fascinating epilogue and the author’s notes are a must read.