Enjoying a great book is something many of us set aside time to do – family caregivers and senior loved ones alike.
Seniors are readers who have read a lot of different types of things over their lifetimes – – many of them actually printed on paper. Of course, for a long time reading material was only available in hard copy format.
Many older adults read newspapers, magazines like Life and Readers Digest and books including poetry, mystery, romance and biography. And let’s not forget The Bible.
Recently I read a wonderful book that relates a myriad of stories about heroes and average people who struggled through the second “war to end all wars” — World War II.
The Greatest Generation, written by Tom Brokaw, is a fascinating account of the lives of people who found themselves caught up in the war, who served their country in the fight for freedom and who just ‘did what was right’ at a time when their country needed them most.
The stories are set up interview style by this famous broadcast journalist. He relates the story of men and women who were airplane pilots, factory workers, war correspondents, soldiers who landed at Normandy, couriers, nurses and others who were true patriots. He travels to France during the anniversary of the invasion and recounts tales of these heroes. Mr. Brokaw quotes those very same heroes who were bestowed honors and medals who each echo that they accept them not for themselves but for their comrades who were unable to accept.
Common Threads in This Great Generation
- Patriotism and an honest love of country
- Faith
- Family strength
- Desire to do the right thing-always
- A “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” mentality
- Suing someone is never an option to pursue
- Pride in their workmanship and skills
- Recycle and reuse philosophy before green was in
- A high personal value on saving more than spending
This great generation lived through the depression and its deprivation, fought a war, created and dropped the bomb, returned home and changed the face of America with innovation, birthed the boomers, set up suburbia and fought for racial equality and women’s liberation.
If you or your senior loved ones are looking for a good summer book, we encourage you to get a copy of this one, whether check it out from your library, buy it on Amazon, or borrow someone else’s copy. Whether you read books on paper or on your Kindle, Nook or other device, this is one not to miss.
Happy reading!
Do you have a good book to share? We would love to hear from you today!
It is a good idea to describe a generation from the point of view of individuals who lived through deep changes. It creates a relationship between needs and innovation.
The values that you describe, like strong ethics or pride in one’s skills, are common among entrepreneurs, which makes me think that the best times are yet to come.