My Two Wars

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Summary: Honest, funny, heartbreaking - vintage Thomsen.
Review: Devoted readers of the late Moritz Thomsen's first three books needn't be reminded that Moritz wrote better on a bad day than 99% of the authors, living or dead, who have tried their hand at English prose. Just like his classic Living Poor, The Farm on the River of Emeralds, and The Saddest Pleasure, My Two Wars is searingly honest, funny, heartbreaking, compelling ‹ in short, vintage Thomsen. It's more than just obligatory reading for the cognoscenti, however. It documents Thomsen's "involvement with two outrageous catastrophes," his father, and the shorter war he fought against the various forces, insanities, and outrages of WW II as a B-17 bombardier in Europe. The two wars are by no means unrelated. The longer narrative is devoted to military service that began as a draftee. Regarding the longer war, if only half of the outrages Charlie Thomsen visited upon his family are true, "catastrophe" still euphemizes the man. The wartime account is fantastic, but the final scene in which Moritz returns from hell as a decorated officer to confront Charlie, wallowing in drunken bitterness over having been robbed of the prospect of being the father of a dead war hero son, has to be read to be believed. God bless you, Moritz, for an amazing life and for your final gift to us

Rating:
Summary: My Two Wars
Review: It grieves me to know that Moritz Thomsen will never write another novel. His brutal honesty, his self-effacing style, his humility and acceptance of his human flaws, makes his story captivating. Never before has a book filled me with such feelings; rage at his father, joy for his victories, compassion for the difficult life he led, saddness for a life ended. It brought me to tears. This book is a fitting epitaph for a man of astonishing virtues and abilities.

Rating:
Summary: My Two Wars
Review: It grieves me to know that Moritz Thomsen will never write another novel. His brutal honesty, his self-effacing style, his humility and acceptance of his human flaws, makes his story captivating. Never before has a book filled me with such feelings; rage at his father, joy for his victories, compassion for the difficult life he led, saddness for a life ended. It brought me to tears. This book is a fitting epitaph for a man of astonishing virtues and abilities.

Rating:
Summary: A personal outlook on My Two Wars
Review: This book is the story of a man who had a dominating father and lived in the dominating world of war. Moritz Thomsen was this man and he tells his own personal stories of the war with his father and the second World War. He captivates his audience with the knowledge of how rough life can be. His father was a rich man that lost all of his families money and still kept spending. He ruled everyone in his family to the point of being called a tyrant. His knowledge of the "feelings" of war are tremendous. He explains and analyzes every detail so that it is possible to believe that you experienced it along with him. It is sad to know that Moritz Thomsen will never write another story about his life. In closing I thought that this was an awesome book that I will never forget.