The letters of a young soldier to his anxious family at home are the heart of this childhood memoir of a southern girl and cover the years 1941 to the soldier's death in 1944. His letters, including observations on his budding self-reliance, resourcefulness, and growing distaste for war, are written from North Africa, Sicily, England and France. To the family at home, they serve as a lifeline to the absent son and brother. They also provide a counterpoint to his young niece's experiences growing up on the homefront. The placement of these two narratives side-by-side makes for a powerful and moving story.